National Science Week in Gladstone brought together an inspiring mix of voices at Science in the Brewery, co-hosted by CQUniversity’s STEM Central team and its CQ STEM Hub partners. The event held at Ward’s Brewery showcased voices across STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), with a special focus on Gladstone, connections to land and sea, and our shared future in sustainability and the environment.
The evening featured speakers from a diverse range of fields, each offering unique perspectives on how science and innovation are shaping a more sustainable tomorrow. Para-veterinary sea turtle professional Kim van Oudheusden shared stories from marine wildlife rescue, botanist Julie Hentzsch and former NRL player Sid Domic spoke about transforming native bush foods into new products, and Dr Heidi Edmonds from Beyond Zero Emissions explored the intersection of science, industry and art in the push for decarbonisation.
Among them was also Alpha HPA’s Training and Operations Specialist, Brody Gavranich, who shared his personal career journey from working as a coal quality technician to becoming part of Australia’s clean-manufacturing future. Brody highlighted how careers in science and industry can evolve alongside the global shift to sustainability – an important reminder of the opportunities that emerge when science is applied to solving real-world challenges.
Brody also shared a glimpse into Alpha HPA’s innovative Smart Solvent Extraction (SX) processing technology and its role in producing ultra-high purity alumina (HPA) products with a significantly lower carbon footprint. By designing processes around renewable energy, near-zero waste and efficient use of resources, Alpha HPA is pioneering cleaner, more sustainable pathways for the advanced materials that power technologies like semiconductors, lithium-ion batteries, Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE), LEDs and synthetic sapphire.
Events like Science in the Brewery shine a light on the role science plays in everyday life and celebrate the people and ideas that are shaping a cleaner, more sustainable Gladstone. For Alpha HPA, this was an opportunity to share how science underpins everything we do – and how our team is contributing to a future-focused industry right here in Central Queensland.
