Join us for the NSW Polymer ECR Symposium 2026, a premier one-day event bringing together postgraduate students, early career researchers (ECRs), postdoctoral fellows, and young professionals from across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
The symposium provides a valuable platform to showcase and discuss cutting-edge polymer research spanning the full breadth of polymer science, engineering, and technology. Topics will include advances in polymer synthesis, novel polymer architectures, characterisation and processing techniques, as well as emerging applications in health, energy, sustainability, industry, and translational research.
Attendees will have the opportunity to present their work, learn from leading researchers, and build connections with peers, academics, and industry professionals. Through scientific presentations, networking sessions, and collaborative discussions, the event aims to foster knowledge exchange and strengthen the polymer science community across NSW and beyond.
Key Registration Dates
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Registration Open
Friday 14 August 2026
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Registration Closes
Wednesday 23 September 2026
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Abstracts
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Call for Abstracts
Open Now
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Submissions Close
13 September 2026
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Authors Notified By
TBC
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Program
Coming soon!
Organising Committee
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Dr Youngwoo Choo
UTS
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A/Prof Qiang Fu
UTS
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A/Prof Jiangtao Xu
UNSW
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Speakers
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Dr. Brooks Abel
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Brooks Abel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley and staff scientist in the Materials Science Division at LBL. He received a B. S. in Polymer Science and a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering (NSF Graduate Fellowship) from the University of Southern Mississippi. His Ph.D. work under the advisement of Prof. Charles McCormick focused on synthesizing stimuli-responsive water-soluble polymers using controlled radical polymerizations for applications such as drug delivery and oil/water remediation. Following his graduate studies, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Geoffrey Coates at Cornell University (2017-2021) where he developed bifunctional Lewis acid catalysts for the alternating ring-opening copolymerization of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides to synthesize well-defined polyesters. While at Cornell, he also developed new methods for living cationic ring-opening polymerization of cyclic acetals, enabling the synthesis of ultra-high molecular weight polyacetal thermoplastics with capable of near-quantitative chemical recycling back to monomer. His independent research interests lie in the areas of sustainable polymer organic chemistry, main group polymerization catalysis, and ionic ring-opening polymerizations.
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Dr. Tao Li
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Tao Li completed his PhD degree in 2013 at the University of Pittsburgh, where he studied novel porous materials under the supervision of Prof. Nathaniel Rosi. After two-year postdoctoral research in the field of polymer physics in Prof. Ting Xu’s group at the University of California at Berkeley, Li started his independent research career at ShanghaiTech University in 2015 and was promoted to tenured Associate Professor in 2022. In 2024, Li joined the University of Adelaide and started his Lecturer position in the School of Physics, Chemistry, and Earth Science. His research focuses on the rational design and construction of well-defined porous composite materials, porous liquids and membranes for gas separation, environmental remediation, and catalysis. Li has published over 70 journal articles in renowned journals such as Nature Energy, Science Advances, Journal of the American Chemical Society, ACS Central Science, and Angewandte Chemie International Edition etc. He works have been cited over 9000 times with an H-index of 42.
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Event Terms & Conditions
Cancellation Policy D applies to this event. For full details, view our Cancellation Policy. By registering for this event, you agree to, and will be bound by, the RACI Event Terms and Conditions and Event Code of Conduct.
More Information
Whether you are presenting your latest research or looking to expand your professional network, the NSW Polymer ECR Symposium 2026 offers an excellent opportunity to engage with the next generation of polymer scientists and contribute to the future of the field.