ACM CRC Partner Meeting 2026

ACM CRC Media Team • June 12, 2026


The ACM CRC Partner Meeting 2026 brings together partners, researchers, industry leaders and academia for two days of keynotes, collaborative sessions and strategic discussion in Sydney.


This year's program features:


  • Lisa Blair OAM - world record-holding solo sailor and climate activist, partnering with ACM CRC on sustainable composites with Steber International and UNSW Sydney
  • AI in Advanced Manufacturing - keynotes and hands-on breakout sessions exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming composites research and industry
  • Strategic and Research Program updates
  • RISE Fellowship Awards and the Prusty Prize for Best HDR Presentation


This is an opportunity for the ACM CRC network to connect, celebrate achievements and shape the future direction of Australia's composites manufacturing sector.


DATE: Wednesday 19 August and Thursday 20 August 2026

VENUE: Greenhouse Tech Hub. Level 3, 180 George Street Sydney

REGISTRATION: https://events.humanitix.com/acm-crc-partner-meeting-2026


KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Lisa Blair OAM

World Record-Holding Solo Sailor | Climate Activist | Author

  • Read Lisa Blair's Bio

    Lisa Blair OAM is a world record-holding solo sailor, climate activist and author, recognised for her services to sailing in the 2025 Australia Day Honours. 


    In 2017, just seven years after discovering sailing, she became the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica - surviving a dramatic dismasting at sea aboard her yacht Climate Action Now. 


    She now has eight world records to her name and is currently working towards her next frontier: the Arctic Impact Project, where she plans to build a sustainable boat from basalt fibre and bio-resins to sail solo around the Arctic Circle. 


    Lisa is a partner in ACM CRC's sustainable composites project with Steber International and UNSW Sydney.

Tong Xie

Associate Lecturer, UNSW Sydney | CEO & Founder, GreenDynamics

  • Read Tong Xie's Bio

    Tong Xie is an Associate Lecturer at UNSW Sydney's School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, where he leads the university's AI4Science initiative. His research sits at the intersection of machine learning, materials science and natural language processing, with a focus on large-scale scientific foundational models and AI-driven discovery. 


    He has directed several breakthrough projects at UNSW, including DARWIN - the world's first physical-science large language model - and MiST, the first reasoning-capable model purpose-built for chemical sciences. 


    Tong is also CEO and Founder of GreenDynamics, and is recognised among NCI Australia's Top 10 HPC-AI Talents.

RISE Fellowship Returns - Nominations Open


The RISE Fellowship will once again spotlight remarkable women in STEM from within the CRC. This prestigious award champions leadership, innovation and impact. To nominate a candidate, please complete the nomination form and submit it to the ACM CRC team. Nominations are welcome from across the CRC community and self-nominations are also encouraged.


ACM CRC HDR Student Prize


The ACM CRC HDR Student Prize returns, recognising outstanding academic and industry-focused research from our Higher Degree by Research (HDR) cohort. This annual prize celebrates excellence in research, innovation and engagement aligned with the goals of the CRC.


Submission details will be announced shortly - watch this space!
 

See the Partner Meeting highlights in 2025, 2024 and 2023.


Event Name: ACM CRC Partner Meeting 2026

Event date:   19 and 20 August 2026

Location:  Greenhouse Tech Hub

Level 3, 180 George Street Sydney


Register Now! >

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