James Cooper is a research scientist with the Nanosensors and Systems group in the CSIRO Manufacturing Business Unit and is engaged in developing chemical sensors. Prior to CSIRO, he completed his PhD in the USA at the University of Notre Dame (home of the Fighting Irish) with research that was focused on fuel cell catalysts. Professionally he has had an irregular career path with jobs that have ranged from being the manager of a forklift crew in a brick yard to being an administrative assistant in a real estate office. For the last 10 years he has been a scientist for CSIRO, involved in everything from tuberculosis research in India, to jellyfish monitoring off the Great Barrier Reef.