© Pint of Science, 2026. All rights reserved.
Ideas can be stolen, materials can crack, and messages from the birth of our Solar System can fall out of the sky — but science gives us tools to protect, repair, and understand what we value.
Join us at Carlton Brewhouse for practical insights and hands‑on encounters with pieces of the universe — all wrapped up in a night about protecting what matters best. From navigating the hidden traps of patenting, to designing materials that can heal themselves, to handling meteorites as time capsules from deep space, these talks reveal innovation, waste reduction, and clues about our cosmic origins.
Join us at Carlton Brewhouse for practical insights and hands‑on encounters with pieces of the universe — all wrapped up in a night about protecting what matters best. From navigating the hidden traps of patenting, to designing materials that can heal themselves, to handling meteorites as time capsules from deep space, these talks reveal innovation, waste reduction, and clues about our cosmic origins.
Touching the Cosmos
Jesse Allen
(Jesse is a science communicator and meteorite merchant with a passion for developing interactive experiences that connect audiences with space through touch.)
Each meteorite is a burnt page torn from the book of our Solar System. Tonight, you're invited to hold these cosmic messengers, and hear what they have to say.
Self-healing materials meet MOFs
Simon Renner
(Simon studied chemistry in Graz, Austria, and is now pursuing his PhD at the Polymer Competence Center (PCCL) in Leoben, Austria. When he’s not in the lab, he enjoys heading out into the mountains for a hike—very much in the Austrian spirit. To balance his work in chemistry, he also pursues creative interests such as painting and poetry slamming. )
Cracks are part of our everyday lives—whether it’s a scratched phone screen or small cracks in the tiles at home. Over time, even tiny damage like this can grow and eventually means replacing the entire object. But what if materials could heal themselves before that happens?
In this talk, I’ll take you into a world where plastics can repair their own damage and where cracks disappear instead of spreading. This can help reduce waste and make everyday products last much longer.
I’ll also show how this idea can be combined with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)— a groundbreaking class of materials that has captured global attention, including last year’s Nobel Prize, and is at the forefront of research here in Melbourne
Join me to find out how these materials work and how we move from a world where materials break… to one where they heal.
In this talk, I’ll take you into a world where plastics can repair their own damage and where cracks disappear instead of spreading. This can help reduce waste and make everyday products last much longer.
I’ll also show how this idea can be combined with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)— a groundbreaking class of materials that has captured global attention, including last year’s Nobel Prize, and is at the forefront of research here in Melbourne
Join me to find out how these materials work and how we move from a world where materials break… to one where they heal.
Publish then perish
Julie Murison
(Julie Murison is a chemist turned patent attorney based in Melbourne who helps researchers from universities, start ups and industry turn scientific ideas into real world impact. She’s passionate about demystifying intellectual property and showing how patents fit into research, innovation and commercialisation.)
Why should you care about patents? When should you think about filing one, and what can quietly ruin it before you even start? Drawing on her transition from the chemistry lab to patenting drugs and explosives, Julie explores what inventors need to know about patenting, the good, the bad and the ugly, and hopefully spark an appreciation for how patents can support great science.
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Other Carlton Brewhouse events
2026-05-18
From Extinction to Adaptation
Carlton Brewhouse
24 Thompson St, Abbotsford, Melbourne, VIC 3067, Australia