ACT & VIC-TAS Branch Seminar: 08 August 2025

Combined ACT & VIC-TAS Branch Online Seminar

“Rising Costs, Rising Global Temperatures:  What is the Future for Power Generation and (Some of!) the Materials Which Enable it?”

8^th August 2025

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM AEST

Join us for a thought-provoking seminar by Prof. Joy Sumner as she explores the future of power generation in the face of rising energy costs and global temperatures. Drawing on her expertise in materials performance and energy systems, Professor Sumner will unpack the challenges and opportunities facing the energy sector. What lessons can be learned from the energy systems of the past to support new developments? From hydrogen fuels to supercritical carbon dioxide, discover how innovation in materials engineering can shape a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

Whether you're in academia, industry, or policy, this seminar offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of energy generation.

About the Speaker: Prof. Joy Sumner

Professor Joy Sumner is a professor in the School of Engineering, and also the Co-Director of FACET, the Franco-Australian Centre for Energy Transition.

She holds a PhD and MA/MSc in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, with early research focused on scanning probe microscopy of gallium nitride semiconductors. Her career includes postdoctoral work at the University of Bath and at Cranfield University, where she investigated hydrogen fuels in gas turbines and the performance of superalloys under extreme conditions. These experiences shaped her interest in how materials influence energy generation and policy. At FACET, she promotes international collaboration between France, Australia, and the Indo-Pacific to support a just and sustainable energy transition. Prof. Sumner is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (UK), holding CEng and CSci status, and a member of Engineers Australia.