Michael Stockenhuber did his Ph.D. at the Institute of Physical Chemistry TU Vienna which he was awarded with distinction in 1994 (Dr.Techn.)  He joined Nottingham Trent University in 1995 as postdoctoral researcher and was later appointed lecturer and promoted to Reader in 2007.

In 2008 he moved to University of Newcastle where he was Professor of Chemical Engineering until 2025.

In 2025 he moved to University of Technolgy Sydney as a Professor of Engineering

Prof Stockenhuber is currently president of the Australian Catalysis Society and was vice president of the International Zeolite Association (Until 2025) and president of the International Advisory Board of the World Congress on Oxidation Catalysis.  

Prof Stockenhuber is member of the EPSRC (UK) and ARC (Australia) review colleges, chair of the International Conference on Environmental Catalysis advisory board, member of the International Association of Catalysis Societies (IACS), treasurer of the Association of Asia Pacific Catalysis Societies (APACS), member of the editorial board of The Applied Journal of Chemical Engineering and Catalysis Surveys from Asia.

His main research interest is heterogeneous catalysis and nanoporous materials with a special emphasis on structure- function relationships. He is an expert in the use of in situ spectroscopic techniques with a special interest in synchrotron radiation, XPS and IR as evidenced by his publication record and selection papers as Hot Topics in Green Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics and Chemical Communications. Current topics of interest include catalytic combustion of ventilation air methane, conversion of glycerol to useful products, biodiesel manufacturing, halogenated compounds conversion, acid site characterisation using i.r. and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons selective hydrocarbon oxidation and reduction and fine chemical synthesis using “green” solid catalysts. His team has recently made a number of breakthroughs on developing stable catalysts for Ventilation Air Methane (VAM) combustion, and has successfully developed a pilot plant for the conversion of glycerol to allyl alcohol. Prof. Stockenhuber has contributed significantly in the area of catalysis, and continues to publish in high impact journals. Prof Stockenhuber has given more than 40 invited lectures and was invited to contribute to 4 book chapters.

He has obtained funding from Industry (BHP, BP, Qenos, AEL, ACARP, EADS, Enviropacific, Ventia) as well as government (ARC, EPSRC, Australian Synchrotron, ESRF, Elletra, …) His total grant funding obtained is in excess of  $20m.