Tim White received His PhD from the Australian National University in mineral chemistry and crystallography. He is presently Professor and Associate Chair (Research) in MSE and Co-Director of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N). During his career he has held various posts at the Australian National University (Canberra), Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering (Singapore), The University of South Australia (Adelaide), University of Queensland (Brisbane), The University of Melbourne, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (Sydney). Secondments have included the Institute for Transuranium Elements (Germany), Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute and The University of New Mexico (US). His research awards include the Cowley-Moodie Award for Electron Microscopy and a Senior Fulbright Fellow, and an Asia Fellowship.

Tim White has thirty years of experience in the design and demonstration of advanced materials for environmental, superconducting, ionic conductivity and hydrogen storage applications. His particular interests lie in tailoring ceramics at the atomic scale to develop or enhance particular properties. These studies have been supported and facilitated through the use of advanced characterization methods, including atomic resolution electron microscopy, crystal refinement using X-ray and neutron diffraction, and synchrotron-based surface analysis for the investigation of chemical states and molecular environments. He is author or co-author of over 200 publications, 4 conference proceedings, 3 patents and confidential reports to industry.

In 2006, he introduced a suite of teaching modules for materials scientists called On-line Micro- and Nano-characterisation Instruction (OMNI). These courses were extended by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council to create MyScope, a national curriculum in microscopy and imaging. For three years (2007-2009), he ran the first totally on-line course at NTU called Symmetry and Crystals. Together with a team from Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), he is delivering the Coursera MOOC Beauty, Form and Function: An Exploration of Symmetry.