Ray Withers graduated from the University of Melbourne with a BSc (Hons) and received his PhD from the University of Melbourne. He has since held positions at the University of Toronto (1981-1983), H. H. Wills Laboratory (1983-1986) before being appointed Research Fellow at the Research School of Chemistry. He was awarded the John Sanders Medal of the Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Society (2002). He was appointed to Professor at the Research School of Chemistry in 2004

We aim to understand and exploit the factors that determine structure and function in the crystalline solid state. As part of ongoing ARC-funded projects, we are currently particularly interested in polar (ferroic) behaviour in the solid state and the exploitable physical properties associated with it such as ferroelectricity, pyroelectricity, piezoelectricity and dielectric behaviour. We also have long term interests in structured diffuse scattering, crystal chemistry and local order in a wide range of compositionally and/or displacively flexible crystalline phases. Please note Professor Ray Withers has now retired and any students interested in Materials Chemistry should make their enquiries to Associate Professor Yun Liu.