Dr James Tickner has achieved global impact through his research, inventions and leadership. As co-founder and chief technology officer of Chrysos Corporation, he oversaw the successful commercialisation ofthe PhotonAssay technology that he initially developed whilst working at the CSIRO. PhotonAssay provides a faster, cleaner, safer and more accurate way of measuring gold, silver and other elements in mineral ores, and is transforming the global mining industry.

He also contributed to the invention and commercialisation of numerous X-ray and nuclear-based instruments for mining and security applications, including the Eureka-prizewinning CSIRO air cargo scanner.

Dr Tickner holds more than 90 patents and has won multiple awards, including the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation and the ATSE Clunies Ross Technology Innovation Award. An advocate for the role of early-career researchers, he helped found the Global Young Academy, an international collaboration giving young scientists a voice in policy and education.

Dr Tickner's global impact has spanned the minerals industry in the development and application of novel analysis technologies, built global scientific linkages through co-founding of the Global Young Academy and transformed the gold assay market through the founding of Chrysos Corporation, an ASX company.