Dr Baljit Kaur Thatti (née Ghatora)

Contact

Baljit Kaur Thatti (née Ghatora)
About
Teaching and learning
Research
Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact
Leadership and management
Image gallery
Videos of my work

About

My research on ophthalmic materials and analytical techniques applied in the analysis of materials gained first prize in the Annual Materials, Minerals and Mining conference, and was also displayed at the Houses of Parliament.  I have strong industrial links that help feed into research informed teaching and help collaborate with research grant applications.  I am a futuristic diverse leader that has achieved certificate of the ILM "Different leaders Executive Development Programme" and has taken part in the StellarHE leadership programme.

I have established, led and maintained active research programmes in the interdisciplinary field of medical devices and the application of analytical science to Forensics/criminology.  I am a Bond Solon trained expert witness.

Research grants include:

  • Royal Society of Chemistry researcher mobility and early career research grants to the value of £5000.00
  • £130,000 Innovate UK grant 

I am equally passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists and have led on university wide initiatives for outreach programmes as well as being engaged in creating an inclusive environment in chemistry and related subjects.  These initiatives have led to some of the following grants:

  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion grant "Supporting inclusion and encouraging diversity in Chemistry - where do you see yourself?: £2500
  • Royal Society Partnership grant: £2000
  • RSC outreach grant for a "Chemistry & Art collaboration": £2500 
  • I am a STEM NET ambassador

I have gained experience in applying and providing supporting documents for accreditation of degrees, as well as validation of internal and external programmes.  I was responsible for setting up and managing the departments personal tutor system and was awarded the Student Led Personal Tutor of The Year award in 2016.  I am an ambassador of equality and diversity and have nationally assessed Athena SWAN applications as well as National Panel Chair for Race Equality Charter.

Academic responsibilities

Head of Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Associate Professor in Analytical & Forensic Chemistry

Qualifications

  • PhD Analytical Chemistry & Materials Science
  • BSc Pharmaceutical Science
  • Senior Fellow of Advance HE
  • Bond Solon trained expert witness

Teaching and learning

Qualifications and expertise

  • Senior Fellow of Advance HE
  • Diploma of Education & Training (DET)
  • Award in Education & Training (AET)
  • Bond Solon Trained Expert Witness

Undergraduate courses taught

Postgraduate courses taught

Research

I have built a strong interest in analytical techniques used in materials and Forensic research. I have supervised both undergraduate and postgraduate students within this interdisciplinary research area, including applying analytical techniques to blood pattern analysis, plasticisers in polymers, aging and degradation studies, sterilisation studies and biomaterial applications.  I was awarded a knowledge transfer partnership grant (£130,000) to collaborate with a world leading intraocular lens manufacturer to investigate the development of new ophthalmic materials.  This area of research has gained interest with international university collaborations and subsequent grants are currently being prepared with Erasmus partners. 

More recently I have been awarded an RSC award to supervise analytical based research with undergraduate students in collaboration with a contact lens manufacturer.  Equally I have gained funding from the Royal Society Partnership grant to promote the application of "chemistry" in Forensic science.     

Research student supervision

Main supervision

Other supervision

Publications

Jump to: Article | Conference or Workshop Item | Monograph | Thesis
Number of items: 32.

Article

Banyard, Alana, Skobeeva, Svetlana, Thatti, Baljit, Rooney, Brian, Fletcher, John and Thatti, Ravtej (2022) Near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics to classify cosmetic foundations from a crime scene. Science & Justice, 62(3), pp. 327-335. ISSN (print) 1355-0306

Taylor, Luke, Saskőy, Lili, Brodie, Tara, Remeškevičius, Vytautas, Moir, Hannah Jayne, Barker, James, Fletcher, John, Thatti, Baljit Kaur, Trotter, Gavin and Rooney, Brian (2022) Development of a gas-tight syringe headspace GC-FID method for the detection of ethanol, and a description of the legal and practical framework for its analysis, in samples of English and Welsh motorists' blood and urine. Molecules, 27(15), p. 4771. ISSN (online) 1420-3049

Taylor, Luke, Remeskevcius, Vytautas, Saskoy, Lili, Brodie, Tara, Mahmud, Jeshan, Moir, Hannah, Brouner, James, Howe, Christopher, Thatti, Baljit, O'Connell, Sein, Trotter, Gavin and Rooney, Brian (2021) Determination of ethanol in micro-volumes of blood by headspace gas chromatography : statistical comparison between capillary and venous sampling sites. Medicine Science and the Law, 61(2), pp. 86-96. ISSN (print) 0025-8024

Poulsen, Helen, McCarthy, Mary-Jane, Baker, Jessica, Verma, Avnish, Moir, Hannah J, Brodie, Tara, Thatti, Baljit, Trotter, Gavin and Rooney, Brian (2021) Toxicological assessment of the role of alcohol and drugs in drug-facilitated sexual assault cases in New Zealand. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 45(1), pp. 44-52. ISSN (print) 0146-4760

Zanini, Stefano, Papagni, Antonio, Vaghi, Luca, Thatti, Baljit Kaur, Barton, Stephen, Williams, Neil, Shokri, Navid and Riccardi, Claudia (2020) Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) plasma treatment of medical grade poly(methyl methacrylate). Coatings, 10(2), p. 135. ISSN (online) 2079-6412

Ghatora, Baljit, Renshaw, Layla, Burrell, Lisa and Doran, David (2017) Inter-professional learning across the forensic science and paramedic science degrees. Journal of Forensic Research and Analysis, 1(1),

Ghatora, Baljit and Strutt, Robert (2017) Incorporating entrepreneurship skills into chemistry and related curriculums. New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences, 12(1), ISSN (online) 2051-3615

Ghatora, Baljit K., Foot, Peter J.S., Barton, Stephen J., Thatti, Ravtej S., Papagni, Antonio and Vaghi, Luca (2017) Surface perfluoroalkyl chains segregation : a tool for reducing calcium deposits in medical grade poly(methyl methacrylate). Journal of Biomaterials and Nanobiotechnology, 8, pp. 176-187. ISSN (print) 2158-7027

Goddard, Sharon.L., Brown, Richard.J.C. and Ghatora, Baljit (2016) Determination of beryllium concentrations in UK ambient air. Atmospheric Environment, 147, pp. 320-329. ISSN (print) 1352-2310

Page, Nigel, Taylor-Steeds, Emma, Carey, Louise, Siaw, Evelyn, Gurnett, Kelly, Ait Belkacem, Lydia and Ghatora, Baljit (2016) Understanding student motivations and career aspirations so that we can effectively support our graduates. New Directions in the Teaching of Physics, 11(1), ISSN (online) 2051-3615

Lacey, Joseph, Ghatora, Baljit, Foot, Peter, Barton, Stephen and De Cock, Romain (2016) Intraocular lens calcification after DSEK : a mechanism and preventive technique. Cornea, 35(9), e28-e30. ISSN (print) 0277-3740

ElShaer, Amr, Mustafa, Shelan, Kasar, Mohamad, Thapa, Sapana, Ghatora, Baljit and Alany, Raid G. (2016) Nanoparticle-laden contact lens for controlled ocular delivery of prednisolone : formulation optimization using statistical experimental design. Pharmaceutics, 8(2), E14. ISSN (online) 1999-4923

Ghatora, Baljit K., Barton, Stephen J., Foot, Peter J. S. and Miller Tate, Philip (2014) The effect of direct gas fluorination on medical grade poly(methyl methacrylate). Open Journal of Organic Polymer Materials, 4(4), pp. 74-83. ISSN (print) 2164-5736

ElShaer, Amr, Ghatora, Baljit, Mustafa, Shelan and Alany, Raid G (2014) Contact lenses as drug reservoirs & delivery systems : the successes & challenges. Therapeutic Delivery, 5(10), pp. 1085-1100. ISSN (print) 2041-5990

Barton, Stephen J., Foot, Peter J. S., Miller Tate, Philip C., Kishi, Mariko and Ghatora, Baljit (2013) The effects of gamma irradiation on medical grade poly(methyl methacrylate). Polymers and Polymer Composites, 21(1), pp. 1-8. ISSN (print) 0967-3911

Foot, Peter J.S., Ghatora, Baljit, Barton, Steve and Sabbagh, Bassem (2011) The effects of gamma sterilisation of PMMA for implanted intra-ocular lenses. Medical Plastics News, pp. 32-34.

Foot, P.J.S., Ghatora, Baljit, Barton, Steve and Sabagh, Bassem (2011) Investigating polymer degradation with triple detection GPC/SEC. Separation Science, 3(6), pp. 2-7.

Conference or Workshop Item

Thatti, Baljit, Dias Almeida Fonseca, Tania and Mulrooney, Hilda (2023) Exploring transformative learning and teaching to enhance awareness of the UN Sustainable Goals with an EDI lens. In: Festival of Learning 2023; 22 Jun 2023, Kingston upon Thames, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Freestone, Nicholas and Thatti, Baljit (2019) Supporting inclusion and encouraging diversity in chemistry. In: Redefining Success: Royal Society of Chemistry Inclusion and Diversity Forum 2019; 05 Nov 2019, London, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Ghatora, Baljit, Freestone, Nicholas and Rooney, Brian (2018) The use of co-curricular activities to increase student engagement on interdisciplinary degree courses and instil graduate outcomes. In: Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference: Making Connections, Innovating and Sharing Pedagogy; 28-29 Jun 2018, Hull, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Thatti, Baljit, Freestone, Nicholas and Ali, Salma (2018) Personal tutors and tutees perceptions of a personal tutoring system. In: Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference : Making Connections, Innovating and Sharing Pedagogy; 28-29 Jun 2018, Hull, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Ghatora, Baljit, Christie, Gillian and Cannon, James (2017) Can we use interdisciplinary outreach programmes to uncover the myths about chemistry? In: Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference: Making Connections, Innovating and Sharing Pedagogy 2017; 29-30 Jun 2017, Edinburgh, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Page, Nigel, Ait Belkacem, Lydia, Gurnett, Kelly, Siaw, Evelyn, Carey, Louise, Ghatora, Baljit, Forster-Wilkins, Gary and Steeds, Emma (2016) Understanding student motivators, aspirations and employability engagement and their effects on the student journey to final employment destinations. In: Higher Education Institutional Research (HEIR) Network Conference 2016: Metrics that matter: future directions for qualitative and quantitative institutional research; 7-8 Sep 2016, Liverpool, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Page, Nigel, Steeds, Emma, Carey, Louise, Siaw, Evelyn, Gurnett, Kelly, Ait Belkacem, Lydia and Ghatora, Baljit (2016) Understanding student motivations and career aspirations so that we can effectively support our graduates. In: Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference 2016: Making Connections and Sharing Pedagogy; 30 Jun - 01 Jul 2016, Leicester, U.K..

Ghatora, Baljit, Renshaw, Layla, Doran, David and Burrell, Lisa (2016) Collaborative learning across the forensic science and paramedic science degrees. In: Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference: Making Connections and Sharing Pedagogy; 30 Jun - 01 Jul 2016, Leicester, U.K.. (Unpublished)

Breidi, Salah Eddine, Barker, James, Barton, Steve and Ghatora, Baljit (2014) Chemical tyre rubbers analysis with analytical techniques for the discrimination of car's tyre samples and the subsequent matching to their skid marks. In: World Forensic Festival 2014; 12 - 18 Oct 2014, Seoul, Korea.

Breidi, Salah, Barker, James, Barton, Stephen and Ghatora, Baljit (2014) Discrimination of car tyre rubber samples using ICP-MS, ATR-IR and pyrolysis GC-MS and the subsequent matching to skid marks. In: World Forensic Festival 2014; 12 - 18 Oct 2014, Seoul, Korea.

Ghatora, Baljit [Speaker] (2012) Post-operative complications of poly (methyl methacrylate) employed in intraocular lenses. In: Recent appointees in Materials Science; 05 - 07 Sep 2012, Glasgow, U.K..

Ghatora, Baljit, Foot, Peter, Barton, Stephen and Kishi, Mariko (2008) Investigation into the causes of post-operative calcification in intraocular lenses. In: Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Annual Conference 2008; 13-15 May 2008, Grantham, U.K..

Ghatora, Baljit, Foot, Peter, Barton, Stephen and Kishi, Mariko (2007) Investigation into the causes of post-operative calcification in intraocular lenses. In: 35th European Federation of the Contact Lens and IOL Industries Conference; 11-13 Oct 2007, Malaga, Spain. (Unpublished)

Monograph

Ghatora, Baljit (2010) Effects of gamma-ray sterilization on high molecular weight PMMA for biomedical applications. (Documentation) Malvern, U.K. : Malvern Instruments Ltd. 4 p. (Viscotek application note, no. MRK143)

Thesis

Ghatora, Baljit (2010) Investigation into the calcification and aging of intraocular lenses. (PhD thesis), Kingston University, .

This list was generated on Wed Sep 13 06:35:44 2023 BST.

Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact

  • RSC Admissions committee member

This role involves considering and advising the Professional Standards Board on the admission of members to the Royal Society of Chemistry and on the professional designation of Chartered Chemist.  This role has an impact on the wider chemistry community.

  • Bond Salon Trained Expert

I am trained to be able to provide scientific expertise in forensic case work.

  • STEM NET ambassador

Within this volunteering role I engage in designing and delivering activities to local primary, secondary and college students with the aims of raising aspirations, illuminating careers and supporting their curriculum learning.

  • Certified Mentor (Royal Society of Chemistry & recognised by UK National Mentoring Consortium)

As a certified mentor I have been matched up with individuals across the UK where I provide mentoring to help individuals pursue personal and professional development.  mentee quotes "Baljit has had an impact of how I see myself as a merging professional within the institution", "Baljit provided me with a clear understanding of how to progress within the university and deeper understanding of my own career goals".

  • Kingston Educational Trust Trustee
  • OCN Access to HE Diploma Validation Panel Member
  • I'm A Scientist Get Me Out of Here Volunteer (2015)

I volunteered to be involved in the online "I'm a Scientist get me out of here" event that takes place annually, where schools and colleges submit questions to be answered by researchers/professionals within science.  The impact report can be found here: https://about.imascientist.org.uk/2015/spectroscopy-zone-report/

Professional and scholarly affiliations

  • Fellow RSC
  • Member Chartered Society of Forensic Science
  • Member of Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Leadership and management

University Roles

  • As the University Co-Chair for the Race Equality Charter Mark (2020-present) I am working towards creating a more inclusive culture at Kingston University for both staff and students.
  • Having completed the Stellar HE leadership programme, I have gone onto take part in several external events focussed on creating a diverse leadership pool such as "Different Women, Different Places"

Qualifications and expertise

  • ILM
  • Advance HE-Race Equality Charter Mark Panel Chair
  • Royal Society of Chemistry Nominations Committee member

University responsibilities

  • Race Equality Charter Co-chair
  • EDI committee member
  • Network of Equality Champions member
  • Internal Subject Reviews and Validation Panel member
  • FHEA, SFHEA applications reviewer

Public and CIVIC roles

  • RSC Downland section committee member (EDI Lead)
  • Certified Mentor (Royal Society of Chemistry & recognised by UK National Mentoring Consortium)
  • Kingston Educational Trust Trustee
  • Advance HE- Race Equality Charter Mark Panel Chair
  • RSC Admissions committee member

Videos of my work

Kingston University staff members discuss importance of global study into diverse female leaders