Sir Frank Ledger Breakfast 2026
“From Materials Engineering to Automation and AI: A Mid-Career Journey”
Speaker: Chris Bradshaw, SEA Global
When: Tuesday, 10th November, 2026
Where: Frasers Function Centre, 60 Fraser Avenue, Kings Park, Perth
Time: Door Opens 7:00 am; Full Breakfast 7:30 am; Presentation 7:45 am; Finish before 9:00 am
Materials Australia is a Technical Society of Engineers Australia. This event is eligible for CPD
Cost:
• Members: $75.00/pers person (members of Materials Australia or of Engineers Australia)
• Group Booking (six or more attendees): $70/person
• Non-Members: $85.00/person
RSVP: Tuesday, 3rd November, 2026
Parking: Parking available behind the venue
Enquiries: Ehsan Karaji, Convenor SFLB, wa@materialsaustralia.com.au
DETAILS:
This presentation describes the personal journey of a materials engineer venturing into the world of computerised automation and artificial intelligence. Starting with little more than vague memories of university coding courses, the journey progressed through learning Python and adopting modern AI tools to solve real engineering problems. While these technologies can appear intimidating and are often surrounded by unfamiliar terminology, the experience demonstrates that engineers can successfully develop these skills without formal training, regardless of their career stage.
Why should engineers embrace computerisation? In an increasingly competitive global market, Australian engineers must continually improve efficiency while delivering high-quality technical insights. As more engineering work is outsourced to lower-cost regions, local engineers need to demonstrate greater value through superior technical capability, productivity, and accuracy. By leveraging automation and AI, a single engineer can dramatically increase their output, allowing more detailed analyses to be completed in less time.
The presentation will illustrate how these tools can provide higher-definition engineering assessments during the early phases of projects, enabling organisations to make critical decisions with greater confidence. Several practical examples will be presented from both the oil and gas sector and the rapidly growing Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) industry.
Terms and Conditions
CANCELLATIONS: A cancellation fee of $20 applies until 3rd November 2026. No refund will be given for subsequent cancellations. Only written cancellations will be accepted. Substitutions may be made at any time. This event is subject to cancellation if sufficient attendees are not obtained. Official notification will be given to participants 7 days prior to the scheduled date and Materials Australia will refund fees received.