Professor David Trimm is a CSIRO Fellow and Federation Fellow who undertakes research in synthetic fuels, such as gas-to-liquids conversion.
Current activities
Professor Trimm is conducting leading research into manufacturing petroleum substitutes from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a process known as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and into methods to produce the raw materials needed for this process.
He also leads a research group at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) within the Australian Research Council Centre for Functional Nanomaterials and applications to gas-to-liquids.
Researchers at UNSW are investigating steam reforming reactions of natural gas and conversion of acetylene to gasoline.
In addition, he is leading collaborative projects with the University of Tasmania and The University of Western Australia in gas separation under the Victorian Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) scheme.
Background
Professor Trimm joined CSIRO in 2001.
He has many years of experience in petroleum chemistry and catalysis research and has collaborated with numerous academic and industrial research groups around the world.
He was a Lecturer at Imperial College, London, in the United Kingdom (UK) 1963-76, where he lectured on industrial chemistry.
He was a Professor at the University of Trondheim in Norway, 1976-79 where he lectured on petrochemistry.
In 1979 he became a Professor at the School of Chemical Engineering and Industrial Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), a position he still holds as Emeritus Professor.
Academic qualifications
Professor Trimm has been awarded a:
Professor Trimm is conducting leading research into manufacturing petroleum substitutes from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
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Diploma of Imperial College from the Imperial College London, UK
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Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Exeter, UK
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Doctor of Philosophy, also from the University of Exeter.
His doctoral thesis was titled Free radical oxidation of hydrazoic acid.
Achievements
Professor Trimm was awarded:
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a Federation Fellowship by the Australian Research Council, in 2002
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a CSIRO Fellowship, in 2007
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an Award for Excellence in Natural Gas Conversion, in 2007
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the Catalysis Society of Australia Award, 2009, from the University of New South Wales and the Catalyst Society of Australia.
Professor Trimm has also been awarded:
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an Applied Research Medal, The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), 1988
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an Award of Excellence in Chemical Engineering, 1997
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a Murphy Medal RACI, 1997
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an Order of Merit of Australia, 1998
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a Distinguished Fellow, RACI
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a Scientia Professor, University of New South Wales, 2001 -.
He is a member of the editorial boards of several catalysis related journals and is a:
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Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)
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Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)
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Fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Australia (IEAust)
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Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Science & Engineering
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Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
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Fellow of the Society for Chemical Industry.
He has published over 350 papers and holds five patents.
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