After receiving her first class honours in mathematics at Mahidol University, Bangkok, Ngamta joined UOW in 2001 to undertake her PhD studies in the field of granular mechanics. She was then awarded an Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Australian Research Council to develop mathematical models for applications of nanomaterials in biology and medicine, which continues to be her area of focus. She investigates modelling electro-rheological fluids, the mechanics of carbon nanostructures, nanomaterials used in biology and medicine and protein and other polymer chain structures using the calculus of variations. Thamwattana has a number of her research publications appearing in top fully-refereed international journals, such as the Proceedings of the Royal Society, and an impressive citation record. She is the winner of the 2014 Vice-Chancellor’s Emerging Research Award and received the 2014 J.H.Michell Medal from the Australian Mathematical Society.