Presenters Name: Shaun Patrick
Employment Title: Chief Chemist
Company: Evic
Biography: Shaun Patrick is a coatings expert with more than 20 years of hands-on formulation experience, and a track record of over $100 million in product sales. He is passionate about learning and sharing his insights on the coatings industry and beyond. As a conference speaker, he combines scientific rigour with a flair for entertainment, delivering engaging presentations that challenge conventional wisdom. He is currently in charge of new product development at Evic Pty. Ltd. and is a recent SCAA NSW Chairman and Board Member.
Presentation Title: Academics vs Paint Chemists – The Two Cultures.
Presentation Abstract: What if the very education that prepares paint chemists for their careers is both simultaneously their greatest asset and most significant hindrance? After years of tertiary study, industrial chemists often find themselves caught unawares in a cultural chasm between scholarly ideals and commercial reality. We must face the question squarely. In what ways does a scholarly outlook become a hindrance to success, once outside the ivory towers of universities? The central issue is not merely academic, so to speak. How do these chemists, tasked to solve industrial challenges, best exploit their scientific inheritance? And what must change, in order to thrive in this new, fast-paced environment? Drawing on extensive industry experience and case studies, we will dissect the fundamental philosophical differences between these two research cultures, and suggest practical strategies for professionals navigating this difficult divide.
