About the Authors

Thushan Hettige

Dr Thushan Hettige is the Managing Director of Decode and its most senior content developer. Thushan graduated dux of Scotch College in 2011 with an ATAR of 99.95, scoring 5 perfect 50s (one of which included Chemistry) and Premier’s Awards in Chemistry, Biology, English Language and Mathematical Methods. This means that Thushan was in the top 5 students in the state for four of the subjects he studied. Thushan also won a silver medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad 2011 in Turkey, and received the top score (among Year 12 students) in the Monash University Enhancement Program in university-level Chemistry. His achievements earned him the Australian Students’ Prize for 2011, which is awarded to the top 500 students from across the country.

Thushan has almost 10 years of tutoring and lecturing experience in VCE Chemistry, having provided classes, revision lectures and online tutorials for ATAR Notes and James An College. He is also the author of the ATAR Notes Complete Course Notes for VCE Chemistry and Biology.

Thushan is the lead author of a number of the Decode titles, including VCE Biology and Chemistry, as well as HSC Chemistry and Mathematics Advanced.

Thushan has completed a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (Honours) and a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) at Monash University. He is currently training to become a haematologist through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia.

Maoyuan Liu

Maoyuan Liu graduated dux of Kambrya College in 2008 with an ATAR of 99.65, obtaining a 50 and a Premier’s Award in Chemistry. He has since completed a Bachelor of Science, obtaining a First Class Honours in Physical Chemistry, graduating at the top of his class, and has completed his PhD in Chemistry at the University of Melbourne. He is now a software developer.