Dr Niraj (Nij) Lal is a Visiting Fellow with the ANU Centre of Sustainable Energy Systems. In 2012 he graduated as a a Gates Scholar with a PhD in physics from the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. In 2016 he was named one of the ABC's Top 5 Scientists Under 40 for his research on solar cell nanophotonics, and in 2017 got his first gig on ABC TV with Todd Sampson's Life on the Line Series, followed by shows with The Discovery Channel and ABC iView.

He has written two childrens books about science and has taught science at levels ranging from pre-school to post-graduate.  Niraj presented his first Catalyst on ABC TV in 2020 and is the current host of ABC Imagine This, Principal at AEMO, Physics Consultant to the ARC Centre of Excellence for Exciton Science, Director of First Principles and Founder of TheKnews.org. Previous jobs include being a long-line tuna fishing boat deckhand out of Coffs Harbour, a bicycle courier in Perth, and Lecturer of the Renewable Energy course at the ANU.  More info can be seen at his website www.nirajlal.org