Tech Transfer Talk

In this episode I had the opportunity to discuss the genesis and history of Science Meets Parliament (SMP) with Science and Technology Australia running of the 25th SMP in February 2025. Drs Cathy Foley, Jeremy Brownlie and Ken Baldwin, joined me to explore the origins of the event, how the event has evolved and why it remains a centrepiece to informing parliamentarians of the cent

In this episode, I had the opportunity to reflect on the 2024 National Innovation Policy Forum with Jane O’Dwyer, CEO of Cooperative Research Australia. Firstly, we reflect on the opportunity before the Australian innovation community to influence policy and bring innovation to the centre of economic policy, and not merely as an afterthought. We then hear some highlights from th

In this episode, I had the opportunity to chat with Matt Ryan of Rubicon Water on a tech transfer success story that is rippling through irrigation markets around the world. Rubicon Water is an ASX listed company that started in 1995 following the consolidation of a number of Victorian rural water boards. Members of the departing staff identified inefficiencies in the movement of w

In this episode I had the great pleasure of catching up on the global bioeconomy with Jim Lane, a global champion of the biobased economy with his daily publication The Digest and semi-annual ABLC events. Over the past 12 months, a lot has been happening in the bioeconomy, and we had the chance to catch up on Bold Goals, renewable fuels and feedstocks, among other things. Our discu

In this special edition, we hear from the National Innovation Policy Forum patrons, David Thodey AO and Catherine Livingstone AC. We reflect on the 2023 NIPF event (also hosted by Cooperative Research Australia), discussing the practical outcomes that were being sought from the last forum and setting them in the context of 'where to from here?' David and Catherine both reflect on c

In this episode, I had the great pleasure of having a wide-ranging discussion with Professor Mark Hutchinson. He is currently a member of Australia’s National Science and Technology Council, Advisory Board Member to Australian Economic Accelerator Program, recent past president of Science and Technology Australia, and has been a successful research leader and tech transfer advoca

In this episode I had the chance to catch up with Dr Angeline Achariya, who has had a successful technology transfer journey moving across industry and the innovation sector throughout her career. With her formative years spent on the land in Fiji and in Queensland, she moved into agribusiness starting at Mrs Crockett’s then moving through Mars and Fonterra to where her executive

In this episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with my colleague, business partner and good friend, Dr Rohan Rainbow, who has been a leading voice in the implementation of agricultural technologies in Australia for over 30 years. His early childhood journey moved him from suburban Melbourne to farming in rural Victoria, followed by South East South Australia and then settling i

In this episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with Andy Shafer, who’s been a leader in building businesses in the 21st century biobased economy. A Dow Chemical alumnus, he started his 'bio-journey' with NatureWorks, a Joint Venture between Dow Chemical and Cargill, where he had a leadership role in bringing PLA to market. He then moved to Elevance Renewable Sciences for 9 ye

In this episode, we reflect on Science Meets Parliament 2024 – a bespoke training event run annually by Science and Technology Australia. This event brings together emerging scientists and Australian federal parliamentarians to strengthen connections between STEM professionals and decision-makers. I chat with Sharath Sriram, President of Science Technology Australia, RMIT Profess