Insites
Speakers
2018 Stem Festival Speakers
Jack Cullen
JAR – STEM Careers
Jack Cullen is the CEO and Co-Founder of JAR Aerospace, a company which specializes in the design, manufacturing and systems integration of highly technical Unmanned Systems, capable of completing advanced operations throughout a host of different environments. Jack has a broad technical knowledge encompassing minor details across many engineering disciplines.
Built of great character, Jack is a natural born leader portraying maturity far beyond his age. Combined with his strong technical and operational insight, Jack is a strong advocate for investing in his people with a focus on ingraining a successful culture throughout JAR Aerospace’s highly qualified project team.
His natural leadership, innovative desire and ambition to develop Australia’s Aerospace industry into a world leader is what makes Jack such a promising individual for the industry moving forward. Jack has a clear vision to redefine the Australian Aerospace landscape and has been a pivotal member in securing JAR Aerospace’s successes to date. His experience in the development of Unmanned Aerial Systems includes both large and small systems, varying in complexity and function from educational catalysts to complex military grade systems.
JAR Education was founded from the personal experiences of those involved at JAR Aerospace; with a quest for space exploration. After reflecting on personal educational experiences, Jack and the team realized that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics were not only dated but worse yet, struggling to retain students. Just like that, JAR Education was created, to focus on providing students with exciting and engaging project-based learning options where core and optional course components could be learnt using new technologies such as drones, gimbals and other systems as educational catalysts.
As a knowledgeable thought leader in this Industry, Jack is a notable member of any speaking group in this space.
Stephen Dadd
Timber High Rise Construction – Our Future
Stephen Dadd is the Executive General Manager of Boral’s Timber Division with responsibility for Boral’s wood supply management, timber milling and product distribution businesses in Hardwood and Softwood. Stephen has worked in Boral’s Timber business for 14 years and prior to that worked for the Boston Consulting Group and CSR’s Sugar Division. Stephen has a degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from the London Business School.
Maddy Dobbins
Maddy Dobbins is very active in the youth food movement and is a wealth of knowledge about sustainable food cultures. This workshop introduces students to youth food culture with a discussion about young professionals in the food industry and the trend toward traditional cooking skills. The teacher will also discuss seasonal cooking and eating and how Cornersmith has helped promote this sustainable approach within Australian hospitality.
Nicholas Johnson
The Bad Science Show
Nicholas J. Johnson is a professional speaker, magician, author and educator who specialises in improving the public’s understanding of deception and helping them to identify scams, hoaxes and suspect science.
For the past 20 years, Nicholas has worked with businesses, law-enforcement agencies and universities to uncover the tricks behind the tricks.
In the past two decades, he has presented for hundreds of organisations including ANZ, Microsoft, ACCC, AusCERT, Consumer Action Law Centre and the Financial and Consumer Rights Council. He has collaborated on projects with scientists from Monash University, RMIT, Swinburne University, CSIRO and the Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function. He’s also appeared as an expert on fraud and scams on The Project, A Current Affair, Sunrise, TODAY and The Real Hustle.
Nicholas is the author of two best-selling novels, Chasing the Ace and Fast and Loose (Simon & Schuster). Both books use fiction to explore the facts behind the world of professional con artists.”
Harry Moate
Construction: Using Your Brain to Lift Heavy Weights
FDC Construction & Fitout is a national, multi-disciplinary building contractor with construction, fitout and refurbishment expertise. With offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.
We have a proud history of training Cadets whilst they study at university including several Newington Old Boys.
We operate across many market sectors including commercial, warehouse, manufacturing, retail, data centres, education and healthcare.
FDC’s clients include Apple, Google, Qantas, Optus, Virgin Active, Westpac, Gadens, NEXTDC, Fujitsu, Digital Realty and LinkedIn.
Jacqui Love
Little Beasts – Travel Bugs
Jacqui was a Senior Zookeeper at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo for almost 10 years. She has kept over 200 different species of LIVE spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets, flies, cockroaches, beetles, worms, preying mantis, stick insects, crayfish, snails, ants and bees and the list continues to grow. She possesses a diverse range of qualifications including a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Science from Charles Sturt University, the Zookeeping and Animal Attending Certificates from the Sydney Institute of Technology and an assortment of other specialty courses such as Spider Identification, Herpetological Techniques, Aquarium Science and Beekeeping. She also taught the Invertebrate component of the Zookeeping Certificate through the Sydney Institute of Technology for 3 years and recently taught Animal Studies at Bathurst and Orange TAFE in 2005-2006. Jacqui has been operating Travelbugs Mobile Mini-beasts for over 8 years.
Jason Lyell
Technology Based Learning – A Rural Context
Jason Lyell (B.Ed. Industrial Arts/ Design and Technology) Newcastle University
Jason is a technology educator with over 25 years’ experience. He has taught the full range of technology subjects at all year levels. Jason has a particular focus on visible learning and project based learning and has received an Excellence in Education award for his work.
Jason has a passion for community/industry links and as a result has developed an industry-teacher training network for VET construction/metals and engineering teachers.
Jason also has a particular focus on boys’ education programmes focusing on STEM which have been integral in increasing the level of student engagement.
N2 Extreme Gelato
Gelato Tasting and Making
Get your taste-buds revving and brain-cells spinning as N2 teaches you everything you need to know about liquid nitrogen gelato. Who knew science could be so fun? Known for pushing gelato to the extreme, we’ve made everything from cough syrup gelato to conventional chocolate favourites. Everything we make is made in-house (our fudge, cake crumbs etc.), sourced from local dairies, or uses real honest ingredients. Indulgent, extreme, magical, we’ve been called it all.
During our presentation, we’ll teach you the finer art between using liquid nitrogen, safety handling and everything in-between. But it doesn’t stop there. You’ll be TASTING our gelato after knowing everything that went into it, every step of the way.
Ruben Meerman
The Surfing Scientist
Ruben is a surfer with a physics degree and a passion for STEM education. He has been performing science demonstrations in Primary and High schools since 1995. He has worked in the laser engineering industry as an industrial physicist, taught primary science education at Griffith University and is a regular guest lecturer in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of New South Wales.
Ruben’s career took an unexpected turn in 2013 when, after losing a few kilograms, he asked the simple question “when somebody loses weight, where does the fat go?” By tracing every single atom in a fat (triglyceride) molecule out of the body, he showed that 84% of the mass lost is exhaled as carbon dioxide. The remaining 16% becomes water. Ruben’s novel calculations were published in The BMJ (formerly The British Medical Journal) on 16 December 2014. His latest book ‘Big Fat Myths’ (Ebury Books) demystifies the widely misunderstood science of weight loss and corrects the common misconception that human beings convert food and body fat to energy. In 2017 Ruben presented a lecture at the prestigious Royal Institution, London.
Ruben has written four children’s books and hundreds of online articles for teachers including lesson plans, DIY demonstrations and fascinating science conundrums to engage young learners, all published by the ABC.
He has appeared on many ABC radio and television programs since 2006, including the flagship science program Catalyst, Sleek Geeks with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Adam Spencer, Studio 3, Roller Coaster, The Experimentals and he was the first ever resident scientist on Play School.
Ben Newsome
Fizzics Education
Ben Newsome is the founder of Fizzics Education, a science education company that reaches over 70,000 students via outreach and video conference across Australia each year. He has been involved in presenting science shows and workshops at schools and special events over the past 10 years at hundreds of schools, and is a regular speaker at teaching and learning conferences.
Max Nicola-Woods
A Tertiary Design Perspective
Max Nicola-Woods is a Newington Old Boy (Class of 2014). He has a passion for design and making and he is currently completing an undergraduate degree in Integrated Product Design at UTS. Max is a pragmatist who enjoys sketching and modelling to facilitate his design’s. His philosophy also supports a sustainable and minimal approach to design and he is inspired to make a difference to our world.
Brent Phillips
Software Development in the Real World
Brent Phillips is a Newington Old Boy (Class of 2014) who went on to become a software developer at a global company and is now leading a digital transformation project. He has also worked in two start-ups in both the fintech and hospitality sectors, founding one of the two start-ups. Software development in the real world is all about exploring what’s out there after high school and creating a personal brand to ensure you fulfil your potential and get that dream job.
Blake Raven
Engineering in the Real World
Blake is a Newington Old Boy, Class of 2008 who went on to study Civil Engineering at Wollongong University. During his studies, he worked as Cadet Engineer with NACE Australia and since gone on to specialise in on-site construction project management. His jobs have included Road Building, Bridge Building, Quantity Surveying and specialising in Concrete Construction.
Blake will speak about Engineering in the Real World. What students leaving school and embarking on a career in Engineering can expect during their studies at University and then once they get a job. Expectations, pitfalls and tips.
Michael Richards
Kite Site
Michael has run his business Kite Site for nearly 20 years. His main work is in the broader community and he often travels to events in distant parts of Australia. Michael is a Member of the Australian Kiteflyer’s Society. He has developed exceptional kite design and building skills and also uses these skills in projects far removed from windsports such as art works, public event banners and fiberglass structures.
Dr Malcolm Ryan
Macquarie University
Dr Malcolm Ryan is Director of the Game Design and Development program at Macquarie University. He has been doing research in game design and development for over 10 years, with a particular focus on ethical decision-making in games, and the use of VR technology to treat optical disorders. In his spare time, he designs games for his studio WordsOnPlay. His first release, in 2014, was a zombie-survival card game called The Road. This year he plans to publish Möbius, a time-looping arcade game for mobile. In rare moments when he is not making, playing or writing about games, he also plays in a ukulele band.
David Sanders
Construction: Using Your Brain to Lift Heavy Weights
FDC Construction & Fitout is a national, multi-disciplinary building contractor with construction, fitout and refurbishment expertise. With offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.
We have a proud history of training Cadets whilst they study at university including several Newington Old Boys.
We operate across many market sectors including commercial, warehouse, manufacturing, retail, data centres, education and healthcare.
FDC’s clients include Apple, Google, Qantas, Optus, Virgin Active, Westpac, Gadens, NEXTDC, Fujitsu, Digital Realty and LinkedIn.
Dr Manjula Sharma
Professor Sharma has a PhD in physical optics and MEd research methods. She specialises in physics education research, heading the Physics Education Research group at the University of Sydney and leading several national projects. Prof Sharma has received repeated funding and is recognised internationally in her field of research. Her awards include the 2012 Australian Institute for Physics Education Medal, 2013 OLT National Teaching Fellowship and she is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK.
Patrick Spicer
Patrick Spicer is an Associate Professor in UNSW’s School of Chemical Engineering. He is the leader of the Complex Fluids group, a team that works with industry and academic partners to design smart fluids with unique response and flow behaviour linked directly to product and material performance. His lab at UNSW combines broad microscopy, microfluidic, and rheology capability that can be used to understand the behaviour of fluid coatings, films, and other complex products. Before UNSW, Pat ran a central engineering research department for the Procter & Gamble Company in the US for 15 years. His group developed new product and process technology there for all of P&G’s billion-dollar brands. He is co-inventor of P&G’s $30 million cubosome patent portfolio that Children’s Hospital Cincinnati used to develop the first product to prevent life-threatening infections in premature infants. He is also the inventor of P&G’s recently-patented responsive droplet technology.
Dr Timothy Wiley
Creative Robotics Lab at Art & Design
Dr Timothy Wiley is a Research Associate at the Creative Robotics Lab at Art & Design, and with the AI & Robotics Research Group in the School of Computer Science and Engineering, both at UNSW Sydney.
He has two primary research interests. Firstly, in using autonomous robots as a platform for efficient machine learning, and secondly in investigating explainable artificial intelligence with applications in human-robot interaction.
He also supervises the RoboCup Soccer “rUNSWift” team at UNSW.
