After a two-month internship Schlumberger Cambridge Research Centre, Silvester joined Curtin University as a postdoctoral scholar.

[3] Redox active explosive compounds including TNT can be detected using electrochemistry by monitoring the reduction of the nitro groups.

[4] To enhance the sensitivity of the devices, Silvester has proposed surface-modified electrodes (including platinum nanoparticles and electrodeposited porous nanostructures[5]).

[3] Silvester showed that by combining her ionic liquids with poly(methyl methacrylate) it was possible to form a gel-like material that can remain stable in various orientations, making the devices much more robust and adaptable to the demands of gas sensing.

She believes that this occurs due to void-assisted pairing between the protons within the ions of the water with the anions of the room-temperature ionic liquids.