Person
Maschmeyer, Thomas (1966 - )
AO FAA FTSE
- Born
- 1966
- Occupation
- Organic chemist
Summary
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.
Details
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]
Chronology
- 1991
- Education - BSc (hons), University of Sydney
- 1994
- Education - PhD, Royal Institute of Great Britain
- 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
- 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
- Award - Applied Research Award, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 2012
- Award - Weickhardt Medal for Distinguished Contribution to Economic Advancement, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 2012
- Award - Archibald Liversidge Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales
- 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
- 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
- Award - R. K. Murphy Medal, Industrial Chemistry Division, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
- 2018
- Award - CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Innovation and Science, Australian Museum
- 2019
- Award - Contribution of Economic Development Award, Federation of Asian Chemical Societies
- 2019
- Award - Honorary Doctorate of Science, Universities of Ca'Foscari Venica and Trieste
- 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
- Award - David Craig Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science
- 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
- Award - UNSW Eureka Prize for Societal Impact in Science, Australian Museum
Related entries
Published resources
Resources
- Prime Minister's Prizes for Science 2020 [citations], Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Canberra, 2020, https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/prime-ministers-prizes-for-science-2020. Details
- David Craig Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science, 2022. https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/david-craig-medal-and-lecture. Details
- 'Maschmeyer, Thomas (1966 - )', The Academy's Fellows [Fellows elected between 2011 and 2015], Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, 2025, https://www.science.org.au/profile/thomas-maschmeyer. https://www.science.org.au/fellowship. Details
- Chief Scientist and Engineer, 2013 Category Award Winners: best and brightest recognised at 2013 NSW Science and Engineering Awards, Office of the New South Wales Chief Scientist and Engineer, 2013, https://web.archive.org/web/20140814220417/http:/www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/awards/2013-prize-winners. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 28 October 2025, Last modified: 16 December 2025