Professor Elizabeth Thurbon is an internationally recognised expert in international political economy and green energy statecraft. Her work focuses on how nations design and implement ambitious green industrial and energy strategies that advance both security and sustainability. As Director of the Green Energy Statecraft Project at UNSW, she leads research examining how governments and industries can ‘turbocharge the green transition’ in ways that are equitable, strategic and globally informed.

She has held major academic and policy advisory roles, including Scientia Fellow at UNSW, Asia Society Australia–Korea Fellow, and Research Board Member for Jubilee Australia. She currently serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Equitable Transition. Her latest book, Developmental Environmentalism (Oxford, 2023), is recognised as a landmark study of East Asia’s green energy shift. Positioned at the intersection of scholarship, policy and business, Elizabeth provides thought leadership that is both academically rigorous and practically relevant.

Elizabeth brings a globally informed, policy-savvy perspective on green energy, industry strategy and system transformation—strengthening the committee’s ability to anticipate trends and shape high-impact research initiatives.