Professor Akshat Tanksale completed his PhD at The University of Queensland in 2008 examining nanomaterials / chemical reaction engineering.  This was followed by a postdoctoral position at UQ examining the conversion of biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals and hydrogen storage.  Joining Monash University in 2011, Prof Tanksale leads the Catalysis for Green Chemicals group where his interest is in the field of heterogeneous catalysis for conversion of carbon dioxide and biomass into fuels and chemicals.

Prof Tanksale is the Deputy Director of ARC Research Hub for Carbon Utilisation and Recycling and Carbon Theme Leader of the Woodside Monash Energy Partnership.

Research interest:

Prof Akshat Tanksale believes that innovating new processes and designing novel heterogeneous catalysts at the nanoscale is the key for developing low or negative carbon emission technologies.  As group leader of the Catalysis for Green Chemicals group at Monash University, he is working in the field of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) to develop catalysts and technologies which can convert carbon captured from the air or point sources to make value added chemcials and fuels. In addition to being carbon neutral, these products will offer additional benefits of offesetting the cost of carbon capture.

This research is very challenging. There is no easy route to achieve a long term sustainable renewable energy or chemical sources. It involves a multi-disciplinary approach to find a solution. Apart from the fundamental chemical engineering principles, his research involves breakthrough science in the fields of nanomaterials and applied chemistry. This research is hugely important in the current socio-economic environment where renewable energy has become one of the top priorities of the very existence of human-kind. If a long-term solution to the energy crisis and climate change problem is not solved then in the near term we face global economic slowdown, and in the long term the rise in global temperatures.

Awards and Distinctions:

• Deans Award for Innovation in Learning and Teaching 2020, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University
  
• Caltex Award 2018 by The Australian and New Zealand Federation of Chemical Engineers
• Finalist, Academic Sharp Brain competition at RACI Centenary Congress 2017
• Young Engineer Fellow at the Convocation of Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) 2015
• Theo Murphy High Flyers Think Tank, 2012
• Australia-India Science and Technology Award, 2010
• Fellow of the Australia-Japan Emerging Research Leaders Exchange Program, 2010
• Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research Higher Degree Thesis, 2008

CHE2162: Mass and Energy Balances

CHE3165: Separation Processes

• Chair of IChemE Research Working Group in Australia and New Zealand.
• Founding member of the ICheme Research & Innovation Community of Practice.