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Prof John Irvine, Lead Academic

John Irvine FRSEFRSC has made a unique and world-leading contribution to the science of energy materials, especially fuel cell and energy conversion technologies. This research has ranged from detailed fundamental to strategic and applied science and has had major impact across academia, industry and government. Irvine’s science is highly interdisciplinary extending from Chemistry and Materials through physics, bioenergy, geoscience, engineering, economics and policy.

The quality and impact of John’s research has been recognised by a number of national and international awards, including the Lord Kelvin Medal from the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2018, the Schönbeim gold medal from the European Fuel Cell Forum in 2016, the RSC Sustainable Energy Award in 2015, with earlier RSC recognition via Materials Chemistry, Bacon and Beilby awards/medals.  Most recently John was awarded the Hughes Medal in 2021 for the introduction of new concepts in Energy Materials science.

John’s research into fuel cells, electrolysers and materials forms the basis of the Hydrogen Accelerator and Translating Hydrogen into Action.