Rob Stranger graduated and received his PhD from the University of Tasmania. He has since held positions at the Tasmanian Education Department and the University of Queensland. He is currently Professor at the Research School of Chemistry, ANU.

Rob is the  Chief Investigator in the Australia - China Joint Research Centre for Functional Molecular Materials. He is the Group Leader for Computational Quantum Chemistry. This group carries out computer-based calculations which use quantum chemical methods, primarily Density Functional Theory (DFT), to explore the molecular structure, bonding and reactivity of inorganic, bioinorganic and organometallic compounds, particularly those involving transition metal ions.