Niraj Lal

Dr. Niraj (Nij) Lal is a Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems within the College of Science at the Australian National University (ANU). He holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Cambridge (2012, Gates Scholar) and a BSc (Hons) from ANU (2007). His roles include Principal at AEMO, Project Lead for the Energy Security Board’s Post-2025 Market Design Program, and host of ABC’s Imagine This. He has authored two children’s science books, including Henry the Flying Emu, and contributed to overviews of renewable energy systems, grid services, and solar cell nanophotonics.

• Education: PhD (Cambridge, 2012), BSc (ANU, 2007)
• Awards: ABC Top 5 Scientists Under 40, Eureka Prize, Walkley Award
• Research: Focus on renewable energy grids, solar cell innovation, and science communication

His work bridges academia, policy, and public engagement, with key contributions to energy market design, distributed energy resources, and education initiatives. He has advised governments and organizations like the Australian Energy Market Operator and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Exciton Science.