Dr Martin Markotsis
Position: Polymer scientist Field: Science research Organisation: Scion
Key skills for innovation
Martin thinks the following attributes are important for working in innovation:
Energy and drive.
Resilience.
Perseverance.
Passion.
Meet an innovator: Dr Martin Markotsis
Dr Martin Markotsis of Scion has a passion for environmentally friendly materials. He describes how this passion, along with other personal skills and attributes, help him drive innovation forward.
Jargon alert
Fossil fuels Materials such as coal, oil and natural gas formed from the fossilised remains of plants that lived many millions of years ago. Often burned as fuel.
Background knowledge and experience
Innovative projects draw on a range of people with diverse knowledge and expertise. Each person involved contributes a unique knowledge and skill set, which is determined by their particular educational background and the range of experiences they are involved in through their work as well as their life outside of work.
When you can make plastics that have an environmental benefit or don’t use fossil fuels, that gives me an extra drive and a passion to develop an end product.
The background knowledge and experience that have contributed to Martin’s unique knowledge and skill set for innovation include:
BSc and BA degrees
a PhD in polymer engineering from the University of New South Wales
his current job focus – incorporating bio-based byproducts or residues into petrochemical and/or bioplastic materials
the focus of his previous jobs – bioplastics research, developing new grades of starch-based plastics and product development with a plastic bottle manufacturer.
Update
Listen to this 2014 Radio NZ interview with Dr Martin Markotsis about the biospife.
This article is based on information current in 2013.
