Thomas Maschmeyer is a world leader in the chemistry of catalysis. His research focuses on inventions and processes that contribute to environmental sustainability and the reduction of carbon emissions; it sits at the junction of cutting-edge research and commercialisation of technological solutions to some of the world's greatest problems. Recent work has been on high-performance batteries. Maschmeyer is Professor of Chemistry at the University of Sydney where he founded the Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis for Sustainability and was Director of the Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology.
Professor Maschmeyer's ground-breaking research in materials and catalysis led to his meteoric rise in international stature. His guiding principle of 'selectivity tuning by active site design' underlies discoveries from pharmaceutical synthesis to process intensification and biofuels. A rapid rise to Assistant Director of the Davy Faraday Laboratories, The Royal Institution (two years after his PhD) then Professor/Head of the Department of Applied Organic Chemistry and Catalysis, Delft Institute of Chemical Technology and Vice-Chairman of this Institute, has been mirrored by his outstanding record since his return to Australia in 2003 as a Federation Fellow and subsequently a Future Fellow. [from https://www.science.org.au/profile/thomas-maschmeyer 28/10/2025]
1991
1991
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc (hons)), University of Sydney
1994
1994
Education - PhD, Royal Institute of Great Britain
1995
1995
Education - DPhil (Science), University of Sydney
1997
1998
Career position - Assistant Director, Davy Faraday Laboratories, Royal Institute of Great Britain
1998
2000
Career position - Professor and Head of Department of Applied Organic Chemistry and Catalysis, Delft Institute of Chemical Technology
2000
2003
Career position - Vice-Chairman, Delft Institute of Chemical Technology
2003
Career position - Professor of Chemistry, University of Sydney
2003
Career position - Founder, Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis for Sustainability, University of Sydney
2003
2013
Career position - ARC Professorial Fellow, University of Sydney
2007
2007
Award - Le Fèvre Memorial Prize, Australian Academy of Science
2010
2015
Career position - President, Catalysis Society of Australia
2011
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)
2011
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)
2011
Award - Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
2011
Award - Foreign Member, Academia Europea
2011
2011
Award - Applied Research Award, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
2012
2012
Award - Weickhardt Medal for Distinguished Contribution to Economic Advancement, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
2012
2012
Award - Archibald Liversidge Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales
2013
2013
Award - Award for Renewable Energy Innovation, New South Wales Science and Engineering Awards
2014
Award - Fellow, Royal Society of New South Wales
2015
Career position - Founding Director, Gelion Technologies
2015
2015
Career position - Honorary Distinguished Professor, University of Cardiff, Wales
2015
2017
Career position - Founding Director, Australian Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, University of Sydney
2018
2018
Award - R. K. Murphy Medal, Industrial Chemistry Division, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
2018
2018
Award - CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Innovation and Science, Australian Museum
2019
2019
Award - Contribution of Economic Development Award, Federation of Asian Chemical Societies
2019
2019
Award - Honorary Doctorate of Science, Universities of Ca'Foscari Venica and Trieste
2020
2020
Award - Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation, Commonwealth of Australia: for translating his outstanding fundamental research into two pioneering technologies: the Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (Cat-HTRTM), and zinc-bromide energy storage design
2021
2021
Award - David Craig Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science
2024
2024
Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to science as a researcher, innovator and educator, and business through pioneering commercial technologies
2025
2025
Award - UNSW Eureka Prize for Societal Impact in Science, Australian Museum