AI and the Future of Chemical Engineering

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenter: Liz Hallifax

From Expert to Influential: How Engineers Can Communicate with More Impact

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST
Presenter: Brenda Denbesten, SpeakWorthy

Do you know exactly what you want to say but struggle to get people to really hear it? You're not alone. Most engineers are trained to master their technical craft, but not the art of communicating it. In this session, Brenda Denbesten - chemical engineer and leadership communication specialist — shares the communication gap that holds technical professionals back, and the practical frameworks that close it. Whether you're presenting to a boardroom, speaking up in a meeting, or trying to influence without authority, this session will give you tools you can use immediately.

Please note; this session will not be recorded.

Water Pollution Prevention and CIRIA736

Time: 16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenter: David Cole, Technical Director, Sandfield Penstock Solutions limited

Water pollution prevention is undergoing a major shift. High‑profile pollution incidents and growing public intolerance for environmental harm have driven regulators to introduce far stricter controls - particularly for new and permitted industrial sites. David Cole - launch speaker and contributing author of CIRIA736 - will explain the latest guidance, regulatory expectations, sentencing implications, and the technologies now available to help organisations remain compliant and avoid costly environmental failures.

To be announced

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST

Enzymes for a Low-Carbon Future

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenter: Crystal Xue Er Thew, Novonesis

The transition towards a low-carbon and circular economy requires transformative approaches to how materials, fuels, and industrial processes are designed and managed. Among the emerging solutions, enzyme technologies have gained increasing attention due to their ability to catalyse highly specific reactions under mild operating conditions, offering opportunities to reduce energy consumption, minimize chemical waste, and enable more sustainable manufacturing pathways.

This session explores the expanding role of enzymes in enabling sustainable systems across materials, energy, and manufacturing sectors, drawing on perspectives from both academic research and industrial biotechnology. It will highlight applications in circular material strategies, including enzymatic degradation of synthetic polymers developed in research settings, as well as their deployment in industrial bioprocesses such as bioethanol production and biomass conversion. Together, these examples illustrate how enzyme technologies are driving both innovation and practical implementation across diverse application contexts.

Managing Career Disruption

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST
Presenter: Paul Day, IChemE Benevolent Fund and Michael Czarny, Benevolent Fund Ambassador

Many industries are undergoing rapid change. For some engineers that change is being felt in very real ways, through redundancy and uncertainty about what comes next. This session is aimed at chemical engineers who are either out of work, facing redundancy, or concerned about their long-term career prospects. The session will cover practical next steps, including techniques to build resilience, alongside guidance on how to manage your mental wellbeing and personal finances.

Professional Membership: Getting Chartered with IChemE

Time: 16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenters: Jordan Shodunke-Elliott, IChemE Chartered Engineer (UK), Alvin Ho, IChemE Chartered Engineer (Malaysia), Dean Williams, IChemE Chartered Engineer (Australia, based in UK)

A relaxed, fireside-style discussion bringing together recently Chartered engineers from different backgrounds, industries and regions.

The aim of the session is to share practical insights into:

• The different routes to becoming Chartered
• How educational background and experience shape the journey
• Common misconceptions and challenges associated with professional registration
• What helped speakers successfully achieve Chartered status
• Practical advice for engineers considering applying

How Leading Companies Develop their Engineers

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST
Presenters: James Nuttall, Tom Kitching, Robert Weir and Callum Grundy

A discussion bringing together representatives from leading ACTS accredited organisations to explore how they attract, develop and support engineering talent.

The aim of the session is to share practical insights into:

• How organisations structure graduate and development programmes
• Approaches to supporting engineers towards Chartered status
• The skills and behaviours employers value most
• How engineers can get the most from development opportunities
• What successful early career engineers do to accelerate their growth

Carbon dioxide mineralisation: a global scale solution for a global problem

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenters: Matthew Watson, The University of Canterbury and Simon Reid, Aspiring Materials

Aspiring Materials’ process takes olivine and other ultramafic rocks and converts them into oxides and hydroxides of silicon, iron, and magnesium. Operating at ambient pressure and low temperature, and using electrochemistry to recycle its reagents, the result is a process with near zero waste that can be powered entirely by renewable electricity.

The magnesium-based product has been shown to mineralise carbon dioxide sourced either directly from the air, industrial flue gas emissions, or dissolved in wastewater. The mineralisation reactions transform carbon dioxide into solid carbonates and/or aqueous bicarbonate, thereby locking away emissions for millennia.

In this presentation, we will describe the Aspiring Materials process and share results that show how oxides and hydroxides of magnesium derived from olivine can play a major role in decarbonising anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions.

Evaluating LLM‑Generated Computational Deception in Biorefinery Engineering: Detection Strategies and Best Practices

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST
Presenter: Adeel Ghayur

Engineering Resilience: Lessons from Real‑World Commercialisation

Hybrid event with Victoria JCEC at Melbourne University

Time:16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenter: A/Prof Gang (Kevin) Li

This talk shares practical insights into research commercialisation and entrepreneurship, drawing on experience from two spin-offs: Gas Capture Technologies and Thin Air Technology. It traces the journey from fundamental research in gas separation and direct air capture to real-world deployment, highlighting key steps including IP strategy, industry engagement, scale-up, and venture formation. The talk will discuss both successes and challenges in translating academic innovation into market-ready technologies, with a focus on clean energy applications. It aims to provide a practical perspective for engineers and researchers interested in bridging the gap between laboratory discovery and commercial impact.

The Tip of the Iceberg: What Commercialisation Actually Takes

Presenter: Caecilia Potter, VesnoGrow​

Research is only the visible part of innovation. Beneath the surface sits everything that determines whether a technology reaches industry or remains in the lab: scale-up, capital, regulatory constraints, manufacturing, customer adoption, failed trials, investor scepticism, and the constant pressure of limited time and resources.

This talk is an honest account of building VensoGrow and commercialising BreezeCoat™, a patented agri-coating and flash-drying platform developed from foundational chemical engineering research by Emeritus Professor Owen Potter. Rather than a retrospective success story, it is a live case study from a company still navigating pilot deployment, hardware scale-up, pre-revenue fundraising, and commercial validation in deep-tech AgTech.

The talk will explore the gap between technical feasibility and commercial reality, including lessons from process scale-up, industry engagement, IP strategy, fundraising, partnership negotiations, and product-market fit. Particular focus will be placed on the skills engineers may not have been taught: communicating value to non-technical stakeholders, managing uncertainty, making decisions with incomplete information, and adapting rapidly when plans fail.

A central theme is anti-fragility: the ability to turn setbacks into technical and commercial advantage. Failed trials generate process insight. Funding setbacks force sharper prioritisation. Difficult industry feedback improves the product.

The goal is to give engineering students and researchers a practical view of what commercialisation actually looks like beyond the laboratory — and why some technologies succeed commercially while others never escape the prototype stage.

To be announced

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST

Leveraging Dynamic Simulation in Oil and Gas

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenter: Rafil Elyas, East One-Zero-One Sdn Bhd

Australian Migration and Visa options for Chemical Engineers

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST
Presenter: Nicole Kirkwood, Immigration Director and Registered Migration Agent, AVIE

Australian Visa and Immigration Experts (AVIE) presents a seminar on Australian Migration and Visa options for Chemical Engineers

The session will include information on:

• Skilled Migration
• Employer Sponsorship
• Temporary Visas including Student, Graduate Visas, working holiday and (403 visas - this one is only available to the UK people)

You will also learn about skills assessments, state and regional nomination and other visas that may enable you to remain in or travel and work in Australia.

You will learn more about short term and long-term strategies to assist you think about travelling to or remaining in Australia.

Come prepared, you will have an opportunity to ask questions.

Visit: avie.com.au

Unlocking Hidden Talent: How Returners Strengthen Skills and Innovation in Engineering

Time: 16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenters: Natalie Desty and Marcail Roe, STEM Returners

Despite their experience and technical expertise, returners (professionals re-entering the workforce after a career break) remain an often-overlooked talent pool within the engineering sector. Yet, as the industry faces increasing demand for skilled professionals, returners represent a valuable opportunity to address skills shortages, strengthen teams, and drive innovation.

Join Natalie Desty, Founder and Director of STEM Returners UK, and Marcail Roe, Director of STEM Returners Australia, for an insightful discussion on how returners bring fresh perspectives, industry knowledge, and renewed energy to engineering organisations.

In this session, you will:

• Explore how returners’ technical skills, transferable experience, and diverse perspectives can support innovation and operational excellence in engineering
• Gain practical strategies for attracting, supporting, and successfully integrating returners into engineering and technical teams
• Hear inspiring success stories showcasing the impact returners are making across the engineering sector
• Learn how inclusive hiring practices can help organisations tackle skills shortages and build more resilient workforces

Supported Return to Work Programmes | STEM Returners

IChemE Connect

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST
Presenters: Dianne Watson and Luis Vieira, IChemE

Sustainable Process Heat

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenter: Kyle Nicol, Windsor Energy

Windsor Energy are leaders in sustainable thermal energy company. This presentation covers innovative solutions for industrial energy requirements, which include electric resistance boilers, electrode boilers, biomass boilers and coal to biomass boiler conversions.

Modelling Battery Hazards for Safer Operations

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST
Presenter: Sonia Ruiz Pérez, Gexcon

Learn from Sonia Ruiz Pérez, Product Manager, Gexcon, an IChemE Safety Centre industry partner: the main battery types used in Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), the associated hazards, and methods for consequence and risk modelling.

Policy and the Chemicals Sector: Global outlook for next 12 months

Time: 16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenters: Mitchell Clark, Head of Policy, IChemE, Benjy Lee, Australian Energy Policy and Market Expert, Suzanne Hay, Principal Process Engineer and Chair of the IChemE New Zealand Board, Peter Styring, The University of Sheffield and Hong Wai Onn, Research Institute for Sustainable Excellence and Leadership (RISEL)

Supporting and Developing Chemical Engineering Talent

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST
Presenters: Victoria Barnes, Ampol (Australia), Andrew Ng, Pyrogen (Malaysia), Nathan Walsh (UK)

A relaxed, fireside-style discussion bringing together early career representatives from across the global community.

The aim of the session is to share practical insights into:

• how engineers gain a foothold in the industry
• what helps individuals stand out early in their careers
• how to find and make the most of opportunities
• the role that networks such as National Early Career Groups can play in supporting development

Food and Drink

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenters: Dr Sravani Gupta, Dr Ching Lik Hii, Séamus Higgins

The Impact of Food Processing on the Food Safety of Seafood
Dr Sravani Gupta

Processing of Insects as Food
Dr Ching Lik Hii

Food and Us: Realigning Human Biology with Modern Food Systems
Séamus Higgins, University of Nottingham

For millions of years, food shaped human biology—today, we are shaping food systems that may be working against it.

Despite unprecedented global food production—now approaching 3 billion tonnes of grain annually—diet-related disease, environmental degradation, and food insecurity continue to rise. This research explores a central paradox: a growing mismatch between human biology and a modern food system optimised for scale, efficiency, and profit.

Using a systems-based methodology, the work integrates evolutionary biology, food process engineering, microbiome science, agricultural history, and economic incentive structures into a unified analytical framework. It demonstrates that system design—not just individual choice—shapes dietary patterns, health outcomes, and environmental impact.

The findings suggest that current challenges are driven less by production constraints and more by structural misalignment. The challenge ahead is not to produce more food, but to redesign the system so that it works with—rather than against—human biology.

Sharing Singapore’s Safety Case Insights

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST
Presenter: Jaime Lim, Ministry of Manpower Singapore

This presentation covers the key learning points from the Safety Case regime in Singapore, for Major Hazard Installations.

Enabling a Growth Mindset and Learning at IChemE

Time: 16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenter: Michael Potts, IChemE

• How we can support a growth mindset and continual learning.
• Increase the awareness of the L&D function and activities to support a growth mindset, learning culture and continual learning:
  
  
  • Who we are
  • What we do
  • Looking back and looking forward
    
    
• Recognise the value and importance of learning and development resources, activities and events for individuals, teams and organisations.
• Signpost useful resources.

Getting Chartered - Underpinning Knowledge and Understanding (UKU) Process

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST

Presenter: David Hassell, University of Bath

The Aerosol Can: Celebrating 100 Years of Design and Manufacture

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenter: Gary Bowman, Australian Aerosols Association

In this presentation, Gary will showcase the history of the aerosol format, which celebrates 100 years from the date of its first patent in 2027. Gary will discuss breakthrough innovations in the design, technology, and manufacturing of this product format, which has become a staple grocery item for a range of household uses worldwide.

Risk Based Process Safety (RBPS) - Leadership and Culture

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST
Presenter: Fiona MacLeod, IChemE International Safety Centre

What could possibly go wrong? An introduction to process safety leadership aimed at sectors such as food, water, waste, new energy, recycling, mining, minerals and metals. The introduction provides a taster of a web-based training program in development for IChemE Safety Centre Partners, including key concepts, real-life examples and challenges, finishing with an overview of process safety courses available from IChemE.

Find out more about joining IChemE (as an individual) or the IChemE Safety Centre (as a company).

Digital Twin Methodologies and Advance Sending for Hydrogen Direct Reduced Iron Processes

Time: 16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenters: Matthew Watson, The University of Canterbury and Bavinesh Maisura, CullBeck

Digital twins and smart sensor systems are transforming real‑time process control across the mining, minerals, and metals sectors. This webinar explores how advanced modelling, sensor fusion, and data‑driven decision tools can unlock new levels of operational insight, particularly for hydrogen direct reduced iron (H2‑DRI) processes, where dynamic behaviour, feed variability, and tight control of reduction conditions are critical.

Professor Matthew Watson will discuss the integration of high‑fidelity digital twins with next‑generation sensing technologies to improve mineral liberation monitoring, optimise reagent dosing, and enable predictive maintenance. Drawing on his extensive industrial and academic experience in process engineering, decarbonisation technologies, and industrial‑scale modelling, he will illustrate how these tools accelerate innovation and support the transition to low‑carbon metals production.

Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST
Presenters: David Bogle, Emeritus Professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Raffaella Ocone, President, IChemE and Chair of Chemical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University, David Shallcross, Professor of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne and Chris Hamlin, Co-Founder and Lead Advisor, HancockHamlin

Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion on ethics in modern engineering, inspired by the launch of a new, forward-looking Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics. As the profession moves beyond rigid rules towards a values-driven approach grounded in honesty, integrity, and accountability, this session will explore what ethical practice really looks like in today’s complex world. Our expert panellists will share insights on navigating real-world dilemmas, building public trust, and balancing professional responsibility with organisational pressures.

Expert Opinion - Your overriding duty to inform the Court

Time: 14:00–14:50 MYT, 16:00–16:50 AEST, 18:00–18:50 NZST, 07:00–07:50 BST
Presenter: Dr Frank Mendham, Managing Director, Mendham Consultants

In new industrial construction projects, hazardous area classification is undertaken, electrical design is developed, and process safety aspects are addressed. Relevant designers certify compliance for their design as Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland (RPEQ), or for the work carried out by others under their direct supervision. All fairly straightforward and ‘business as usual’ — until the next-door neighbour appeals the Development Application and a Court challenge eventuates. Such cases may be heard in the Land and Environment Court, the Magistrates’ Court, or the Supreme Court, depending on the gravity of the matter.

As an expert witness, are you prepared to develop an expert report and attend court? This paper explores the nature, scope, and practical implications of the expert witness’s paramount duty to the court: examining legal principles, professional obligations, ethical challenges, and evolving expectations in contemporary litigation, with specific reference to the engineering and process safety profession.

Electrolysis tech for large-scale power-to-H2

Time: 15:00–15:50 MYT, 17:00–17:50 AEST, 19:00–19:50 NZST, 08:00–08:50 BST

Presenter: Ming S Liu, Dimer

Professional Membership: Becoming a Fellow with IChemE

Time: 16:00–16:50 MYT, 18:00–18:50 AEST, 20:00–20:50 NZST, 09:00–09:50 BST
Presenter: Surabhi Mishra, IChemE Fellow (UK)

A relaxed, fireside-style discussion bringing together IChemE Fellows to explore the experiences, achievements and contributions that led to Fellowship.

The aim of the session is to share practical insights into:

• The different routes to Fellowship
• The role of leadership, influence and professional impact
• How engineers can build a career that extends beyond technical competence
• What Fellowship represents and why it matters
• Advice for members considering Fellowship in the future

Management of Change (MOC)

Hybrid event with JCEC South Australia

Time: 17:00–17:50 MYT, 19:00–19:50 AEST, 21:00–21:50 NZST, 10:00–10:50 BST
Presenter: Paul Battersby, IChemE International Safety Centre

Organisations continue to face incidents linked to poorly managed changes – whether technical, process, or organisational. This introduction is designed to share practical, real world tools to strengthen your MoC systems and prevent avoidable failures. Join for an introduction to Management of Change (MOC) led by Paul Battersby BEng, MIEAust, using the new guidance framework developed by an IChemE Safety Centre cross-industry international working group.