Associate Professor Kate Fox

Kate Fox is an Associate Professor in the School of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering. Kate is a biomedical engineer with significant experience and expertise in coatings and implant fabrication for orthopaedic applications. Prior to joining RMIT, she was part of the Bionic Eye Project working to develop a high acuity diamond electrode capable of electrically stimulating retinal tissue. She is a reformed patent attorney and can advise on the patentability of research. Kate is committed to the real-world application of biomedical engineering and was shortlisted for the AFR 2018 Emerging Leader in Higher Education Award.

Kate is experienced in working in highly complex, transdisciplinary projects, coordinating research teams and providing the surgical integration necessary to transition an engineered product into a surgically feasible product. She has successfully attained over A$6M direct and in kind funding. Kate is CI in the ARC ITTC in Additive Biomanufacturing and a 2019-2020 Superstar of STEM

Research interests

• Biomaterials
• Implant design
• Hard tissue engineering
• Diamond
• Ceramics
• Additive Manufacturing
• Surface science, particularly XPS

Competitive research grants (pre-RMIT)

• 2013-14 UoM Interdisciplinary Seeding Grant (Co-Investigator) "Transdermally implanted solar cells"
• 2013 UoM OREI Ethics and Integrity Development Grant (Chief Investigator) "Ethical considerations for bionic eyes"
• 2012-13 UoM Interdisciplinary Seeding Grant (Chief Investigator) "Cybernetic diamond for targeted neuronal growth"
• 2011 UoM Research Collaboration Grant (Chief Investigator) "Polarisation of hydroxyapatite-coated diamond for improved integration of orthopaedic implants with bone" with Advanced Surgical Design and Manufacture

A/Prof Kate Fox is the current program manager of BH069 (Biomedical Engineering) and a 2019-2020 Superstar of STEM

A/Prof Kate Fox has published a number of paper in the field of biomaterials and medical devices. Find a full list of publications at Dr Fox's Google Scholar listing.

• BEng. Biomed./BSc. (Flinders University)
• MIP (University of Technology Sydney)
• PhD (Minerals and Materials) University of South Australia
• Thesis entitled Bisphosphonate-loaded hydroxyapatite-coated implant surfaces : physico-chemical characterisation and bone cell culture studies

Employment history

• 2019 - Now Associate Professor Biomedical Engineering – RMIT University
• 2018 Senior Lecturer Biomedical Engineering – RMIT University
• 2014-2017 Senior Lecturer Mechanical Engineering – RMIT University
• 2010-2014 Post-doctoral Research Fellow (Bionic Eye) – University of Melbourne
• 2013-2014 Consultant Analyst – University of Melbourne Commercial
• 2007-2010 Trainee Patent and Trade Marks Attorney – Madderns Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, South Australia
• 2007 Post-doctoral researcher - Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia

Patents

• Patent Application PCT/AU2012/000609: "An electrode and a feedthrough for medical device applications" Filing Date 31/5/2012 (claiming priority from Australian Patent Application Nos. 2011902196 and 2011904827 and United States Patent Application No. 61/561533)
• Patent Application PCT/AU2013/000871 entitled "An intraocular device" (claiming priority from Australian Patent Application No. 2012903385 and United States Patent Application No. 61/680467, both dated 7 August 2012).
• Patent Application PCT/AU2013/00 1304 entitled "A method of positioning an implantable medical device" (claiming priority from Australian Provisional Application No. 2012905040 and United States Provisional Application No. 61/727187, both dated 16 November 2012).

Awards

• 2019-2020 Superstar of STEM
• 2018 RMIT School of Engineering Engagement Award
• 2018 AFR Higher Education Awards "Emerging Leader" [finalist]
• 2018 Selected for the VESKI leadership program (STEM SidebySide)
• 2002 Winner of the RS Honours Component Prize for Best Honours Project

External Engagment and Media

My primary goal has always been to engage with the community and promote engineering to the next generation. I work in both teaching and research to ensure that I make a difference. For this I undertake many school visits, media commitments and science communication events to ensure that I am able to speak with the next generation not only about myself as a women in STEM, but as a researcher, teacher and representative of RMIT.

• ABC Radio National, "The Science Show" 15th December 2018  https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/
• Appeared as the Front-page cover art for In Focus: Women in Biointerface Issue (for journal Biointerphases, https://avs.scitation.org/toc/bip/13/6?expanded=13)
• Episode Scope TV 2018 Episode 86 https://youtu.be/GndWtm1Z5fI
• Prize for quickfire presentation 3DMed conference
• Astrolight @ScienceWorks public event
• 1 of 30 selected for the inaugural VESKI program for emerging leaders
• 2018 SEH research video presented by the PVC highlighting my research and I as a highlight in SEH ( https://youtu.be/hVzNqqYlQAM)
• EduKate https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2018/august/edukate-dr-kate-fox-nominated-for-leadership-award
• Interview with Materials Today 2018 (https://www.materialstoday.com/materials-down-under-dr-kate-fox/) [Leading International Materials Website]
• Panellist for the Science Nation public SciComm event "The Great Debate" (2018)
• Panellist for the Science Nation public SciComm event "Spot the Bull..science" (2018)
• Bionics Institute Public Seminar Series (2017/18)
• BERSS Public Seminar (2018)
• 3RRR Radio interview (2018)
• Live interview Grand Prix TV promoting RMIT's pavilion to the public (2018)
• Interview with Frankie Magazine (issue 84, 2018, pp. 87-88)
• Print Media for News Limited Papers (Diamond Implants) 15 April 2018 (Herald Sun, Sunday Mail etc)
• Web Article highlighting Kate Fox's research https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/rmit-3d-printed-implant-study-proves-bodies-thrive-off-diamonds-130360/
• TV interview Scope TV (PhD student Aaqil Rifai reporting my research) [shelved for new episode]
• Orgin Energy Vlog "International Day of Girls in Science" https://www.originenergy.com.au/blog/lifestyle/celebrating-international-women-and-girls-in-science.html
• TV interview Totally Wild, BTN, 2017 "LittleBIGidea" February 2018
• TV Interview with Kate Fox: 2017 Weekend Sunrise "LittleBIGidea" 19 November
• TV news broadcasts with Kate Fox: 2017; Channels 2, SBS, 7, 9 and 10 "LittleBIGidea" 13 November
• Radio Interview with Kate Fox: 2016 ABC Melbourne Breakfast with Red Symons, Radio 774, Victoria, 19 August.
• Radio Interview with Kate Fox: 2016 ABC Sydney Breakfast with Robbie Buck, Radio 702, Victoria, 19 August.
• Radio Interview with Kate Fox: 2016 Morning Magazine with Rosemary Worthington, Radio 101.5, Queensland, 23 August.
• News Broadcasts on Laser Pointer Safety with sound bites from Kate Fox 6PR (Perth), 96FM (Perth), 2SM (Sydney), ABC News (National) 19-20 August 2016
• Print Media on Laser Pointer Safety quoting Kate Fox
• Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail, Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin, Mildura Midweek, 23 online news sites (eg. news.com.au, Daily Mail)
• RMIT promotional video "Interview with Rahul Ratwatte", Kate Fox is the academic staff member in the video, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf1tTtKZmOk
• Enewspaper Article on Kate Fox "First round of ethics and integrity development grants celebrated", MUSSE, vol. 145, October 2014 
• Newspaper Article on Kate Fox "Doctor's gift of vision" Moreland Leader 8 July 2013