Profile

Dr Malcolm Buchanan is a secondary school science teacher in Brisbane. He is also a casual assessor for the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) supporting their quality assurance processes.

Malcolm received his PhD in natural product chemistry from the University of Glasgow in 1994. He then held postdoctoral positions at Tokushima Bunri University in Japan, the University of Melbourne in Australia, and Ludwig Maximilians University in Germany. From 1999 to 2009, Malcolm worked as a Research Fellow at the institution now known as the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery (GRIDD) in Brisbane, advancing to Senior Research Fellow in 2003. He then spent nearly six years in Tanzania as a missionary with his wife, Elmari, and their four children. During his time in Tanzania, Malcolm served as a Senior Lecturer at St. John’s University of Tanzania in Dodoma. He later advanced to Associate Professor and eventually became the Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences. After returning to Brisbane in 2016, he retrained to become a secondary school teacher in 2017.

Malcolm has published in fields that include natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, chemical education, and the intersection of science and religion. Currently, his publications are the occasional book review, and he is always on the lookout for new publication opportunities in the field of science education.

Qualifications

• BSc(Hons) (Chemistry)—University of Glasgow
• GradDipDiv—Queensland Theological College
• GradDipEd—Christian Heritage College
• MEd—Christian Heritage College
• PhD (Chemistry)—University of Glasgow

Science/Faith Interests

Malcolm is deeply interested in the relationship between science and faith, viewing them as complementary perspectives on the world. While he acknowledges that he will never fully understand some of the complex interplay, his curiosity drives him to continually learn and engage in meaningful discussions that promote harmony between science and faith. His current focus is on integrating science and faith topics within secondary school education.

Professional Associations

• Royal Society of Chemistry (Member, Chartered Science Teacher)
• Queensland College of Teachers (Reg. No. 906087)
• Christians in Science (Member)