Presenters Name: Bruce Gascoigne
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Biography: Bruce’s journey towards understanding the world began in his high school years, where his Year 12 Chemistry teacher offered pivotal advice. When Bruce asked how to truly grasp the workings of the Real World, his teacher replied, “You need to have an understanding of Maths, Chemistry and Physics.” This guidance sparked Bruce’s lifelong passion for discovering how things operated and how they could be improved.
After completing a degree in Applied Chemistry, Bruce entered the workforce in the mid-1970s. He quickly realised his enthusiasm lay in developing new and innovative products. Over the years, Bruce pursued this passion across various industries, including adhesives, sealants, coatings, textiles, and noise control. He consistently sought roles that allowed him to remain involved in product development, even as many Australian companies began to reduce their local development departments from the 1980s onwards, often due to acquisitions or requirements from international head offices for centralised R&D.
Throughout his career, Bruce held a range of positions, from bench Chemist to Business Development and General Management. Regardless of his role, his core motivation remained unchanged: understanding how products worked and helping potential users recognise the advantages of new technologies.
In 2012, Bruce made the decision to step away from business management and return to his true passion—laboratory work. Dulux provided him the opportunity to fulfil this wish, and he spent time working in their Clayton laboratories until moving into semi-retirement in 2024. Today, Bruce continues to contribute on a casual basis with the Dulux technical team and has recently joined the R&D committee of Paintback Pty Ltd.
Presentation Title: A fortunate life in search of the REAL WORLD.
Presentation Abstract: Bruce draws inspiration from President Ronald Reagan’s 1970’s response to a young college protester. The protester claimed that Reagan’s generation could not understand theirs due to lacking “instant electronics, space travel and jets,” Reagan responded, “You are absolutely right. We didn’t have those things when we were growing up. WE INVENTED THEM.” This response has served as a guiding light for Bruce, reinforcing his commitment to innovation and progress.
In his presentation, Bruce will share his perspectives on approaching innovation, maintaining curiosity, and generating passion for the products he has worked on in an ever-evolving world. Key drivers of his career include self-belief, a constant challenge of established norms, and a fearless attitude towards failure. Bruce has adhered to several mantras and guiding principles to remain focused on new ideas. These approaches will be discussed during his presentation.
