Join us for the inaugural joint Presidents’ Dinner between the NSW Branches of the RACI and the AIP in an evening of celebration, networking and recognition marked by the presentation of following awards.
- RACI NSW Branch 2022 President’s Award
- Nyholm Youth Lecturer Award
Our members and guests will be treated to a generous 3-course meals and a line up of exceptional speakers, featuring Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM (Australia’s Chief Scientist), Dr Helen Cartledge (Director, The Maritime Autonomous & Remote Underwater Systems at Australian Government Department of Defence) and Dr Adam Martin (2019-2020 RACI Nyholm Youth Lecturer).

The RACI and AIP have a growing history of joint events bringing together the chemistry community and providing our members and guests with informative talks and stimulating conversation in a relaxed and social environment. We do hope you can join us!

When: Friday 12 August 2022
Where: Concord Golf Club,  Majors Bay Road, Concord, NSW 2137
              Entry via Flavelle Street
Time: 6:00PM - 9:00PM AEST
Cost: RACI Members & partners - $100 pp (3 course meal; drinks for purchase at the bar)
           AIP Members & partners - $100 pp (3 course meal; drinks for purchase at the bar) request promo code for discount at checkout. 
           Non-Members - $115 pp (3 course meal; drinks for purchase at the bar)

           RACI Student Members  - $25 pp (3 course meal; drinks for purchase at the bar)

                    Members, partners and guests are cordially invited to attend.

RSVP: by 5th of August
Dress Code: Smart casual

Guest Speakers

Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM (Australia’s Chief Scientist)

Dr Foley commenced as Australia’s ninth Chief Scientist in January 2021. Dr Foley was appointed to the role after a lengthy career at Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO; she was appointed as the agency’s Chief Scientist in August 2018, the second woman to hold that role.
Dr Foley’s career in physics began with her PhD at Macquarie University on the semiconductor indium nitride. She and her colleagues were one of the first groups to carry out pioneering research that examined the properties of indium nitride in light-sensitive devices, the best-known application being white light emitting diodes used for household low energy lighting. Dr Foley’s scientific excellence and influential leadership have been recognised with numerous awards and fellowships, including being elected to the Australian Academy of Science in 2020, along with an Order of Australia for service to research science and to the advancement of women in physics. She was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering in 2008 and was elected as an honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics in 2019. Dr Foley has a passion for advancing scientific research and has held various roles, including member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council, President of the Australian Institute of Physics, President of Science and Technology Australia, Editor-in-Chief of Superconductor Science and Technology journal and Council Member for Questacon. Dr Foley is an inspiration to women in STEM across the globe and is committed to tackling gender equality and diversity in the science sector. Throughout her career she has strived to create an environment that embraces the full human potential of both men and women for wellbeing and economic benefit and for equality.

Dr Helen Cartledge (Executive Director Engineering & Logistics for Maritime Integrated Warfare Systems (MIWS) branch in Defence.)

Dr Helen Cartledge has spent two decades serving Australia’s Defence and National Security (NS) interests through a variety of leading roles in peace time and in overseas operations.
Graduating with a PhD in Engineering from Sydney University in 1998, Dr Cartledge has worked in a number of government and ADF – support roles including; Senior Science NS Advisor in the Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Science Liaison Officer to the ADF Joint Taskforce in the Middle East Region, Program Director and Scientific Advisor to VCDF/Navy/Army, Director of Maritime Autonomous and Remote Underwater Systems, and now Executive Director Engineering & Logistics for Maritime Integrated Warfare Systems (MIWS) branch in Defence.
Engineering and technical highlights of Dr Cartledge’s career include Mine Clearance research and Navy capability analysis and counterterrorism technology development. Since she was appointed the engineering authority delegate by Navy in Dec 2021, Dr Cartledge constantly faces challenges of overseeing multiple technically complex MIWS projects. 
In 2019, she received Recognition for her achievements in supporting ADF in peace time and operations from Defence Science and Technology Group. In the same year, she was also awarded Professional Engineer of the Year by the Engineers Australia. In 2017, Dr Cartledge received an Operational Service Medal in her Middle East deployment with ADF. In 2015 she has received a commendation from Defence for shaping and delivering science and technology program to Army. In 2012, she received Recognition from US Defense for her contributions to the US/AUS bilateral partnership in combating terrorism. In 2015 she received an Alumni Award from the University of Sydney for her distinguished Professional Achievement in STEM. She took the words to heart from her mother “Science can save the world” and “you came to the world with a mission.” Cartledge is passionate about promoting women in STEM. “Women play an important role in the engineering field, both as professionals and as the mothers of the future world,”
Away from work Dr Cartledge’s interests include flying, stand-up comedy and composite engineering research in combating pollution.

Dr Adam Martin (2019-2020 RACI Nyholm Youth Lecturer)

Adam Martin completed his PhD at UWA in supramolecular chemistry. He then commenced a postdoctoral position at the University of Nottingham synthesising novel metal organic frameworks before moving to UNSW to establish design rules in short peptide hydrogels. In 2016 he was awarded an NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Fellowship to utilise these scaffolds to develop accurate preclinical stage Alzheimer’s Disease models. In 2019 he commenced a Group Lead/Senior Lecturer position at Macquarie University within the Dementia Research Centre. In 2020 he moved back to Perth, where he is currently Director of Chemistry at preclinical biotech company PYC Therapeutics.


The RACI NSW Branch is indebted to our sponsors for their generous financial support of this event. 

Any questions about this event, please contact [email protected]