Written by a bloke with no relevent experience for a fossil fuel funded thinktankIn the light of this comment it is interesting that the CIS has just announced the creation of its new “CIS Energy Program” which “will offer tangible energy solutions to address concerns about climate change, focusing on nuclear power and the clean energy transition.”
With CIS’s proud tradition of proclaimed reputable research, one would imagine that such a program would be led by a notable figure in the energy field, perhaps a leading academic or professional.
The figure selected to head up this project describes himself as “not a professional with any sort of industry inside experience” nor does he have any “particular credentials.” Instead he is a “kind of interested, enthusiastic layperson.” He says he “sort of stumbled across” the Twitter (X) debate and “threw my two cents in.” While he has a physics degree, he sums himself up thus: “I follow things on Twitter a little bit. I’m interested in economics. I’m interested in energy. I’m interested in physical systems. I’m interested in military technology.” When discussing his climb to relevance as a Twitter debater this year, Morrison said, “I barely even know…I know a couple of the energy debaters.” One would imagine that a person selected to head up a CIS research project would know the thought leaders in the field.(1)
https://www.quixoticquant.com/about/Originally trained as a physicist, I think these days I’m best described as an entrepreneur, with interests in data analytics, military technology, and hospitality.
Born and raised in Launceston, Tasmania, I attended Launceston Church Grammar School before moving to Canberra to study at the Australian National University. I completed a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours. My majors were in Physics and Theoretical Physics, and my thesis was in Theoretical Particle Physics, on Kaon Decay in the Generation Model. I took up a Ph.D. scholarship to the University of Melbourne were I worked on experimental particle physics, on the ATLAS experiment at CERN.
I left my PhD uncompleted to start life as an entrepreneur, setting ambitious goals that were in some ways also akin to tilting at windmills.
My first venture, Rubber Ducky Defence, was inspired and informed by my experience calculating collision cross-sections of subatomic particles. Certain principals applied well at other scales, and I decided to challenge the idea that bigger ships were better at winning naval battles. Rubber Ducky has advanced designs for a small boat and torpedo optimised for swarming tactics, including one granted patent in the US.
My second venture sought to challenge the notion that quirky bars with cool cocktails were the preserve of the inner-urban elite, and couldn’t possibly survive anywhere South of Surry Hills and North of Melbourne. With a few friends I’d met while working hospitality shifts to support my efforts with Rubber Ducky, I opened Bat Country, a bar/cafe/restaurant in the South-Eastern Suburb of Randwick inspired by the life and works of Hunter S. Thompson.
