What makes human mentoring special in the age of AI?
Exploring what human mentoring offers that no algorithm can replicate — and what that means for how we build careers, teams and institutions in an AI-enabled
AI can now answer almost any technical question in seconds. So what's left for a mentor to give?
Join ATSE Fellows and STEM professionals from academia and industry for a provocative, facilitated evening exploring what human mentoring offers that no algorithm can replicate — and what that means for how we build careers, teams and institutions in an AI-enabled world.
Facilitated by Dr Nick Fleming FTSE and Dulani Sooriyaaratachi, the evening moves fast: sharp opening provocations, a live on-stage AI demonstration that puts the question to the test, and structured table conversations designed to surface genuine disagreement, not polite consensus. You'll hear considered reflections from participants at different career stages — including senior Fellows offering the advice they wish they'd been given — before the evening opens into networking.
This event will be a facilitated dialogue, with table discussions, a live demonstration and networking. It's a chance for industry leaders to test their thinking against a room of up-and-coming STEM researchers — and for those earlier in their careers to work out what they actually need from the people around them, human and artificial.
Date
Tuesday 6 October 2026
Time
6:00 PM - 8:30 PMCost
$15 (registration plus canapes)
Important information
Limited tickets available.
If tickets in your selected category sell out, you will have the option to join a waitlist and be notified if a place becomes available.
Speakers
Executive Coach | Past National President of Engineers Australia
John McIntosh HonFIEAust is a past National President of Engineers Australia. He completed a double degree in Engineering and Business Studies and is a qualified Ontological Coach and Hypnotherapist. He was an evaluator for the Australian Business Excellence Awards for 25 years. He has experience working and consulting across multiple nations and small-to-large enterprises.
Chair of Great Ocean Road Health | Executive Coach
Chair of Great Ocean Road Health | Executive Coach
Dr Joy Humphreys is an executive coach, governance consultant and change counsellor with more than 20 years’ experience working across health, community and government settings. She holds a Doctorate in Organisation specialising in human systems and psychodynamics, and works with leaders, boards and professionals to strengthen relationships, build trust and navigate change within complex systems. Joy is an accredited Balint Group Leader, bringing particular expertise in reflective practice and the relational and emotional dimensions of professional life. She currently serves as Chair of Great Ocean Road Health and as a Non-Executive Director of Better Place Australia.
Health Economist
Health Economist
Dr Yanan Hu is a health economist and digital health researcher at Monash University. Her work focuses on women’s, maternal and child health, using economic evaluation, health services research and artificial intelligence to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes. She has expertise in conducting economic evaluations alongside clinical trials and using large-scale linked administrative datasets to develop machine learning-based risk prediction models.
Dr Sasikaran Kandasamy is a senior industry engagement and commercialisation professional with experience spanning biotechnology, medtech, advanced manufacturing and research translation. He has worked across product development, regulated manufacturing, commercialisation and industry–research partnerships, including eight years with Vaxxas supporting the development and scale-up of its vaccine delivery platform. He is currently Senior Manager, Partnerships at RMIT University, where he works with industry and researchers to translate research capabilities into commercial and strategic partnerships.
Facilitators
Managing Director
Managing Director
Dr Nick Fleming is an expert in strategy, systems thinking and complex problem solving, and has received multiple awards for technical excellence, leadership and innovation. His professional experience spans multiple sectors including water, energy, mining, transport, defence, R&D and education. He sits on multiple boards, is an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland, and is a sought-after to deliver unique executive development programs. From 2021-23, he served as National President and board chair of Engineers Australia.
PhD Candidate | Biomedical Engineer
PhD Candidate | Biomedical Engineer
Dulani Sooriyaaratchi is a biomedical engineer and final year PhD candidate developing non-destructive techniques to assess engineered tissue constructs, with a focus on cartilage regeneration. She is an ATSE Elevate Scholar and Elizabeth and Vernon Puzey Scholar, and sits as an Observer on the ATSE Victorian Division Committee, supporting student engagement with research and industry pathways. She is also involved in Australia's biomedical engineering community, including as Co-chair of the Graeme Clark Institute Student Committee, a past treasurer of the Biomedical Engineering Postgraduate Society, and Victorian Student Representative for ASBTE, where she has co-chaired the Victorian Regional Showcase since 2024 and contributes to the ASBTE 2026 Annual Conference as a Scientific Program Committee member and EDI Champion.
