USC is taking science and research into Fraser Coast pubs as part of a free ‘Raising the Bar’ public lecture series.

Hervey Bay’s Beach House Hotel will become a pop-up lecture theatre from 6-8pm on Thursday 26 October, with USC academics sharing local insights from their latest global research.

Nano scientist Dr Greg Watson’s pub talk will discuss how the smallest things in nature and evolution can provide solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems.

Dr Watson, who lectures in first-year Science at USC’s Fraser Coast campus, is involved in international research into the bacteria-killing properties of insect wings and lizard skins, and the self-cleaning properties of these surfaces.

“The talk will be a show and tell on the spectacular shapes of the micro-world that exist on the surfaces of some animals and plants,” he said.

“These intricate architectures, many less than one thousandth of a millimetre in size, impart extraordinary features to their surfaces which we can use as templates for exciting man-made applications, including artificial red blood cells.”

Dr Watson’s research has featured nationally and internationally, including on ABC’s Catalyst program and in New Scientist, National Geographic and Smithsonian.com.

Also at the bar will be USC Marketing researcher Darren Boardman, who will present ‘Keeping up with the Joneses? How envy drives consumer engagement’.

Mr Boardman will discuss how envy influences the way consumers engage with brands and consume goods and services, so that service providers can better understand how to retain customers.

More information on USC’s Raising the Bar public lecture series can be found at www.usc.edu.au/events