Science champion

Dr John Parrott and Mrs Mary Parrott

Report: Lexey Odgers
Photography: Greg Ford

Since his days studying chemistry in the 1960s, Monash alumnus Dr John Parrott (BSc(Hons) 1968, PhD Sci 1972) has enjoyed a satisfying career in the field of resources and energy.

Dr Parrott says he owes his career to what he learnt at Monash.

“It’s not just the training, but the relationships you build at university that stay with you throughout life. Many of my life-long friendships were made at Monash and it is surprising how often in business I have run into friends from my undergraduate, PhD or cricketing days at Monash,” said Dr Parrott.

For 20 years Dr Parrott was an executive at BHP Billiton, and it was during this time that he chaired a Victorian government sub-committee on minerals and energy.  He championed research on ceramic or solid oxide fuel cells which was being done in Australia by CSIRO. “Ceramic fuel cells are the most efficient way we know to generate electricity.”

His far-sightedness in support of the technology resulted in him taking the job as CEO of start-up company Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd in March 1993, where he helped commercialise this new form of sustainable energy production. 

Dr Parrott’s experience as a research chemist had given him great exposure to the tenacity required in making a new discovery.  During the research phase of his own PhD, it took 16 tries to make the organometallic chemistry parent compound, before he succeeded.  “You really only start learning when you realise what you don’t know,” he said.

It’s because he understands what it takes to grow science research that he and his family are avid supporters of Monash University.  John and Mary Parrott donate towards student scholarships in the Faculty of Science to help future generations of students.  They have also committed a bequest to Science seeking to build a sustainable base of support for students. Dr Parrott works as a champion, helping to bring his network together to support the Faculty of Science at Monash.

“My years doing my PhD were some of the best years of my life. Chemistry is a science, which explains the fundamentals of the planet. It’s astounding how many advances through science the world has made in the last 100 years, for example, in the fields of transport, communications and entertainment.

“I firmly believe that science and education will provide answers to our major issues such as overpopulation. It is vital to support science and education to be able to provide a good standard of living for each generation. I wish I could come back in 100 years – to see what science has developed by then.”