Dr Nasir Mahmood is a world-leading materials engineer, working at the frontline of scientific discovery and research into clean energy solutions. 

As a Vice Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow at RMIT University in Melbourne, Nasir is leading a body of research into innovative new ways to leverage advanced materials for a sustainable, clean-energy future. In early 2023, Nasir and his team announced a major breakthrough on the road to creating a truly viable green hydrogen industry, by developing a cheaper and more energy-efficient way to make hydrogen directly from seawater. The new method developed by Nasir and his team splits the seawater directly into hydrogen and oxygen – skipping the need for desalination and its associated cost, energy consumption and carbon emissions. With ongoing development in partnership with industry, the goal is to advance the establishment of a thriving green hydrogen industry in Australia. 

Nasir joined RMIT as a research fellow in 2017, after many years studying and working as a researcher in Pakistan – where he grew up – and also in China, where he completed his PhD. Beyond his work on green hydrogen, clean water and renewable energy, Nasir is also working on challenges in healthcare, focused on early disease detection. Having contributed to over 110 publications and won numerous prestigious awards, Nasir’s work continues to place RMIT and Australia at the forefront of global innovation in sustainable engineering, in his quest to create a cleaner, greener future.