Prof Chuan Zhao is a Professor at the School of Chemistry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and the Head of UNSW Nanoelectrochemistry Lab. Prof Zhao received his PhD with an excellence award from Northwest University, then completed postdoctoral research at University of Oldenburg and Monash University, before starting his independent career in UNSW in 2010. He is currently the Deputy Director and Theme Leader for hydrogen production in the ARC Training Centre for the Global Hydrogen Economy, the Deputy Research Director, Flagship Program Director and the Sydney Node Director in the ARC Centre of Excellence on Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide, and the past Chair of the Electrochemistry Division Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). Prof Zhao is a Highly Cited Researcher and has received numerous awards including recently the HG Smith Memorial Award, the most distinguished Australian award in chemistry, and R.H. Stokes Medal, the most distinguished Australian award in electrochemistry. He is the elected Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), Fellow of RACI (FRACI) and Fellow of Royal Society of New South Wales (FRSN). Prof Zhao is interested in discovering novel electrochemical methods and materials for applications in water splitting, hydrogen fuel cells, CO2 reduction, aqueous batteries, and sensors. He has published more than 320 high impact research papers, and holds 16 families of patent of which 10 have been commercialised.

Professor Chuan Zhao is a pioneer in developing low-cost catalyst materials for green hydrogen production who has brought about a paradigm shift in the hydrogen industry. Through spinout companies and a suite of his patented technologies, his electrochemistry research breakthroughs have been translated into sustainable materials to improve the efficiency of water electrolysers for hydrogen production. His worldwide patented 3D-electrode® technology is widely regarded as the benchmark by laboratories all over the world, and has been adopted broadly by the hydrogen industry for reducing the cost of green hydrogen production; significantly promoting Australia’s transition to a zero-carbon hydrogen economy.