Abstract
Polymer research at CSIRO had its beginnings within the Division of Applied Mineralogy working on mineral organic complexes, synthesising polymer applications and importantly the start of developing polymer banknotes.

In 1970 David Solomon was transferred to the Division of Applied Chemistry and in 1974 was appointed the foundation Chief of the new Division of Applied Organic Chemistry. Under his stewardship leading scientists such as Ezio Rizzardo, Graeme Moad and San Thang were employed.  In 1976 Ezio Rizzardo was the first of the post doctorates to be employed, quickly becoming David's right hand man where they rapidly developed a partnership of equals.

Research teams in Australia led by Professors Ezio Rizzardo and David Solomon have invented revoluntionary chemical theories and processes that are used in almost every university chemistry department, and the laboratories and factories of DuPont, L'Oréal, IBM, 3M, Dulux and more than 60 other companies.

Their work has been cited more than 12,000 times in scientific literature and is an integral part of more than 500 patents and counting.