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Ian Mackinnon

Professor and Director, Centre for Clean Energy Technologies and Practices, Queensland University of Technology
Prof. Mackinnon obtained his BSc (Hons) and PhD degrees at James Cook University, Australia and is the Founder and former Executive Director of the Institute for Future Environments at QUT. Prior to his roles at QUT, Ian was Executive Director for Engineering and Environmental Sciences at the Australian Research Council and directed the Linkage Projects Scheme; a programme providing strong support for outcome-focused, collaborative research between universities and industry. He also managed the portfolios of the Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences and the Maths, Information and Computing Sciences panels for significant periods. Prof Mackinnon has more than ten years' experience in technology transfer including direct involvement with two start-up companies producing environmentally friendly materials for the chemicals and wastewater-treatment industries. He currently leads a hybrid renewable energy hydrogen project co-funded by ARENA, industry, state government and four universities. Prof Mackinnon is a member of the Ministerial Energy Council and of the Hydrogen Task Force for the Queensland Government. He has held appointments at Arizona State University, NASA Johnson Space Centre, The University of New Mexico in the USA and at The University of Queensland. Prof Mackinnon has served in advisory roles for five national and international centres in the environmental, minerals and energy sectors.

Economy

Will government investment make green hydrogen a reality in Australia?

In the budget last week, the government was keen to talk about its efforts to turn Australia into a renewable superpower under the umbrella of the Future Made in Australia policies. Future Made is a framework that sets...

Small businesses can help South Africa fight unemployment if they get proper support – study

South Africa has an alarming unemployment rate of approximately 32.1%. Solutions have been elusive. The unemployment rate has been consistently high for decades. Our research has revolved around entrepreneurship. We...

Australia is set to ban live sheep exports. What will this mean for the industry?

This month the federal government announced a plan to ban live sheep exports, set to come into effect from May 1 2028. The announcement coincided with the release of a highly anticipated report by an independent panel...

Latest inflation figures are good news

The U.S. economy is slowing, but not crashing. In the dismal science, this is what counts as good news. Thats the message I took away from the latest inflation data, released May 15, 2024, which showed U.S. consumer...

The budget is full of good news, but good news isn’t the same as good management

This years budget has something for everyone, with very little in the way of cuts and no new taxes. Its a classic good news pre-election budget. Whether it is too good to be true hinges on whether this budget...

Politics

Why the US government is intervening in the live music business and could break up Live Nation Entertainment – a music industry scholar explains

The U.S. Justice Department, along with 29 states and the District of Columbia, have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster. The lawsuit alleges that Live Nation...

6 ways to foster political discourse on college campuses

With deep divisions on college campuses most recently over the conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel many observers fear that universities are not places where students can discuss divisive issues with people who...

How Iran selects its supreme leader

The sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi is unlikely to drastically alter Irans foreign and domestic policies, but it has left a power vacuum. As stipulated by the constitution, Raisi was replaced by his first vice...

Why the upcoming South African election a massive milestone for the ruling ANC

South Africans governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), is in trouble. After 30 years in charge, it is scrambling for support ahead of the upcoming national elections. The ANC has run the country since the...

How Modi is using TV, film and social media to sway voters in India’s election

As the worlds largest electorate goes to the polls in India, political parties are seeking to sway voters through popular culture, like film. Although cinema has long reflected and influenced the countrys political and...

Science

Ancient DNA from an extinct native duck reveals how far birds flew to make New Zealand home

Ask a bird lover if they have heard of the extinct giant moa or its ancient predator, Haasts eagle, and the answer will likely be yes. The same cant be said of New Zealands extinct, but equally unique, mergansers a group...

Black holes are mysterious, yet also deceptively simple − a new space mission may help physicists answer hairy questions about these astronomical objects

Physicists consider black holes one of the most mysterious objects that exist. Ironically, theyre also considered one of the simplest. For years, physicists like me have been looking to prove that black holes are more...

Is dark matter’s main rival theory dead? There’s bad news from the Cassini spacecraft and other recent tests

One of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics today is that the forces in galaxies do not seem to add up. Galaxies rotate much faster than predicted by applying Newtons law of gravity to their visible matter, despite those...

Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never heard of

Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without...

IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects

About a trillion tiny particles called neutrinos pass through you every second. Created during the Big Bang, these relic neutrinos exist throughout the entire universe, but they cant harm you. In fact, only one of them is...

Technology

El Salvador's Pro-Bitcoin Leader Nayib Bukele Sworn in for Historic Second Term

Nayib Bukele, El Salvadors pro-Bitcoin president, was sworn in for a second five-year term, reinforcing his leadership and the countrys commitment to cryptocurrency innovation. Nayib Bukele Begins Second Term as El...

Huawei Chairman Confident in Beating Tesla's FSD with Intelligent Driving in China

Yu Chengdong, Chairman of Huawei Consumer Business Group, expressed confidence that Huaweis intelligent driving unit will outperform competitors in China, including Teslas FSD. Huaweis New Smart Cars Yu Chengdong,...

Shiba Inu and Dogecoin Prices Poised for Sharp Rally in June: Market Analysts

As June begins, investors eagerly anticipate a sharp rally for Shiba Inu and Dogecoin prices. Market analysts are closely watching these meme coins for significant price movements, driven by various macroeconomic factors...

Tesla Cybertruck Police Cruiser Unveiled, Potential Savings of $80K on Fuel Costs: Report

Teslas new Cybertruck police cruiser, with its commanding design, promises to save taxpayers $80,000 annually on fuel costs, according to a recent report. Unplugged Performance Showcases Tesla Cybertruck Police Cruiser,...

Hyundai IONIQ 5 Leads US Production with $7,500 Tax Credit; Chevy Offers No Payments on Equinox, Blazer EVs

Chevy offers no payments on Equinox and Blazer EVs for 120 days, but heres the deal. Meanwhile, Hyundai IONIQ 5 to lead US production at the new EV plant with a $7,500 tax credit in sight. Chevrolet Launches Equinox and...