Person
Bilek, Marcela (1968 - )
FAA FIEEE
- Born
- 20 January 1968
Prague, Czech Republic - Occupation
- Applied physicist
Summary
Marcela Bilek is a physicist who is a leading specialist in engineering new high performance materials with applications in many different sectors. Throughout her career she has conducted fundamental, high-impact research at the cutting-edge of plasma science. Her work micro-engineering surface properties has been applied in the area of solar energy production. She pioneered the use of biologically-active plasmas on the surfaces of biomedical devices and implants to make them less prone to cause infection, what is known as "biological cloaking". Bilek has published over 450 papers, while she research has resulted in 18 patents. In 2000 she became University of Sydney's first female Professor of Applied Physics (later Applied Physics and Surface Engineering..
Details
"Marcela Bilek is internationally known for contributions to the science and technology of plasma processes for surface engineering of materials, particularly utilizing energetic ions to control intrinsic stress and microstructure and to create a versatile new technology platform for the fabrication of advanced biointerfaces. Her work has enabled new capabilities in a range of settings including: magnetic storage devices; solid fuel plasma thrusters; implantable biomedical devices; in-vitro cell culture systems; diagnostics; stem cell and gene therapy; and nanomedicine." [from https://science.org.au/about-us/academy-fellows/discover-our-fellows/marcela-bilek 2026-03-31]
Chronology
- 1974
- Life event - Settled in Australia
- 1986
- Award - Science Foundation for Physics Scholarship
- 1987
- Award - G.S. Caird Scholarship in Computer Science
- 1987
- Award - Cadbury-Julius Sumner Miller Scholarship in Physics
- 1988 - 1989
- Award - IBM Prize for Computer Science, Japan
- 1989
- Award - Cadbury-Julius Sumner Miller Scholarship in Physics
- 1989
- Award - Walter Burfitt Scholarship for Physics
- 1989
- Award - W.I.B. Smith Prize in Physics (shared)
- 1989
- Award - Ian Jackson Memorial Prize for Computer Science
- 1990
- Education - Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc(Hons)), University of Sydney
- 1990
- Award - Prize for Physics Honours, New South Wales Branch, Australian Institute of Physics
- 1991 - 1993
- Career position - Industrial Research Scientist, Comalco Research Centre, Melbourne
- 1993
- Award - Reduction Technology Award, Minerals, Mines and Materials Society
- 1993 - 1996
- Award - Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Honorary Packer Scholarship
- 1993 - 1996
- Award - Peterhouse Research Studentship, University of Cambridge
- 1996
- Education - PhD, University of Cambridge
- 1996 - 2000
- Award - Emmanuel Research Fellowship, Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge
- 1996 - 2000
- Career position - Research Fellow, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
- 1997
- Award - Best Paper, International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings & Thin Films (ICMCTF)
- 1997 - 2000
- Career position - Visiting Research Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California, U.S.A.
- 2000 -
- Career position - Head, Applied Science and Surface Engineering Research Group, University of Sydney
- 2000 -
- Career position - Professor of Applied Physics and Surface Engineering, University of Sydney
- 2000
- Education - MBA, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
- 2001
- Award - Pollock Memorial Lecture, Royal Society of New South Wales
- 2001
- Award - Young Tall Poppy Award for achievement in Science, Australian Institute for Policy and Science
- 2002
- Award - Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year, Commonwealth of Australia
- 2002
- Award - Edgeworth David Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales
- 2003 -
- Career position - Member, National Fusion Facility Advisory Board, San Diego, California, U.S.A.
- 2003 - 2008
- Award - Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship
- 2003 - 2009
- Career position - Member, Nuclear Safety Committee, Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (APRANSA)
- 2004
- Award - Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science
- 2004 - 2006
- Career position - Member, National Committee for Physics, Australian Academy of Science
- 2007 -
- Award - Fellow, Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Dresden, Germany
- 2010 -
- Career position - Member, European Materials Research Society
- 2010
- Career position - Member, Program Committee, International Conference on Ion Beam Modification of Materials
- 2012 - 2016
- Award - ARC Future Fellowship
- 2013 -
- Award - Fellow, American Physical Society
- 2015 -
- Award - Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (FIEEE) - for contributions to the science and application of plasma processes for materials modification and synthesis
- 2018
- Award - Plasma Surface Engineering Leading Scientist Award
- 2019 -
- Award - Fellow, Royal Society of New South Wales
- 2020 -
- Award - Fellow, American Vacuum Society
- 2020 -
- Award - Fellow, Science and Technology of Materials, Interfaces and Processing
- 2020 - 2025
- Award - ARC Laureate Fellowship
- 2022 -
- Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science
- 2023
- Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to physics and biomedical engineering
Related entries
Published resources
Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions
- McCarthy, Gavan; Morgan, Helen; Smith, Ailie; van den Bosch, Alan, Where are the Women in Australian Science?, Exhibition of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, First published 2003 with lists updated regularly edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 2003, https://eoas.info/exhibitions/wisa/wisa.html. Details
Articles
- 'Marcela Bilek: Biological Cloaking', The Australian Innovation Challenge (2011), http://www.theaustralian.com.au/innovationchallenge/marcela-bilek-biological-cloaking/story-fn9dkrp5-1226212480165. Details
Resources
- Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q29326289. Details
- VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/166881570. Details
- 'Bilek, Marcela (1968 - )', Recipients [of the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science, 2000 - 2017], Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, 2017, https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20171113014523/http://www.science.gov.au/community/PrimeMinistersPrizesforScience/Recipients/2002/Pages/Professor-Marcela-Bilek.aspx. Details
- Pawsey Medal, Australian Academy of Science, 2022. https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/pawsey-medal. Details
- 'Bilek, Marcela (19680120-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1491919. Details
Resource Sections
- 'Professor Marcela Bilek: Member of the Order of Australia', in It's an Honour, Australian Awards and Honours Secretariat, Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet,, 2023. https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/search?searchText=marcela%20bilek. Details
- Heard, Marian, 'Interview with Professor Marcela Bilek, physicist', in Interviews with Australian scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 2001, https://science.org.au/our-focus/history-australian-science/conversations-australian-scientists. Details
See also
Rebecca Rigby and Helen Cohn
Created: 5 January 2012, Last modified: 31 March 2026