Six Decades of Analytical Chemistry at Chiang Mai University: Creative Initiatives Based on Simple Concepts

This review traces the development of analytical chemistry as a major research contributor at Chiang Mai University (CMU) over its 60-year life. The evolution of analytical chemistry at CMU has been systematically traced using bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature over each of the six decades. The simplicity and creativity that are features of the research work were born of necessity, given the limitations on equipment and resources in the earlier decades. These underlying themes of simplicity and creativity have been perpetuated throughout the 60-year period despite increasingly sophisticated research, through the use of simple materials for fabrication, natural reagents, common information technology (IT) devices for detection, with an emphasis on green chemistry and sustainable approaches.