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Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney

Started academic life as a theoretical physicist and applied mathematician, then broadened out into interdisciplinary fields, working on energy technologies and policies, and sustainability. His latest book is Mark Diesendorf & Rod Taylor (2023) 'The Path to a Sustainable Civilisation: Technological, Socioeconomic and Political Change' (Palgrave Macmillan). From 2016 to the present, he has been Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Humanities & Languages, UNSW Sydney.

Prior to joining UNSW in 2004 was: a Principal Research Scientist in CSIRO Division of Mathematics & Statistics, 1975-1985; Coordinator of the Australian Conservation Foundation's Global Climate Change Program, 1990-1994; Senior Lecturer in Human Ecology at the Australian National University, 1994-1996; Professor of Environmental Science and Founding Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at University of Technology Sydney, 1996-2001; Director of Sustainability Centre Pty Ltd; Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Institute for Environmental Studies at UNSW Sydney, 2004-2016; Education Program Leader of the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, 2017-2019.

Earlier books include Mark Diesendorf & Clive Hamilton (eds) (1997) 'Human Ecology, Human Economy: Ideas for an Ecologically Sustainable Future' (Allen & Unwin); Mark Diesendorf (2007) 'Greenhouse Solutions with Sustainable Energy' (UNSW Press); Mark Diesendorf (2009) 'Climate Action: A Campaign Manual for Greenhouse Solutions' (UNSW Press); and Mark Diesendorf (2014) 'Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate Change' (UNSW Press, Sydney, and Routledge-Earthscan, London).

Research interests: Rapid climate mitigation; energy policy; renewable energy; nuclear energy; ecologically sustainable, socially just development

Experience

  • 1996–2001
    Professor of Environmental Science and Founding Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

Education

  • 1968 
    University of New South Wales, PhD in applied mathematics
  • 1964 
    University of Sydney, BSc (Honours 1) in physics