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Two Women, One Roof
This International Women’s Day, we sat down with female entrepreneur and winner of our Creator Space™ event, Sheree Rubinstein. Watch the interview to find out how she felt about winning the event, her advice to young entrepreneurs and what’s next for One Roof.  
Chemistry on the court
The tennis season is officially upon us. But as thousands of fans flock to see their favourites battle it out for the top spot in Australian Open, it got us thinking about the chemistry that goes on behind the scenes to make the game possible.
Five spooky facts about food waste that will frighten you
Halloween pumpkin sales are on the way up in Australia but before you bin that perfectly good pumpkin, consider these scary facts about food wastage.
Solution to help protect bees from Varroa mite approved for use in Australia
News emerging yesterday that a deadly ‘bee-killing parasite’, Varroa mite, has been found in a nest of Asian honey bees in far north Queensland, sparked concern among agriculture experts.
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Cereals to get a sharpen up
Sharpen®, the most powerful and fast-acting Group G herbicide, has recieved registration for reduction of wild radish seed set and viability of weed seeds in wheat, barley and triticale from the early milky dough crop stage.
Meet our 2018 GROW Graduate - Lachlan
Getting your first job or graduate placement after university is an exciting time, but can also feel like a big decision to choose the right fit and experiences for you. If a graduate program that provides exposure across a multinational business in a variety of roles sounds like it might be the opportunity you’ve been after, then BASF’s Graduate program could be for you. Our BASF ANZ 2018 GROW Graduate, Lachlan Hedges, shares his experience in choosing the right path for him.
Tablets are more than just active ingredients
Every year the pharmaceutical industry produces more than 1.3 trillion tablets globally but there’s more to a tablet than just the active ingredients.
Debunking sunscreen myths part 5 – How much SPF are we really getting?
Another myth is to do with the application amount of sunscreen and value of SPF we enjoy from it. This myth has been spread often by ‘experts’, from which we often hear: ‘If you use a half the volume of SPF, then you actually only enjoy a square root of the SPF value.’ But is this the truth?
Debunking sunscreen myths part 4 – Effectiveness of photostable vs photo unstable UV filters
In June 2011, the American FDA standardized and regulated UVA protection for the first time. This concluded that the standard of broad spectrum UVA protection could be fixed at a critical wavelength greater than or equal to 370nm. But why did the FDA choose 370nm?
Debunking sunscreen myths part 3 – Is SPF 30 only marginally better than SPF 15?
We often hear myths around sunscreen like: The protecting factor of SPF 15 is not double that of SPF 30, nor is SPF 60 twice as effective as SPF 30. The rationale behind this myth is that if SPF 30 can filter out 96.7% of UV rays, while SPF 60 can filter out 98.3%, the resulting difference is only 1.6%. Actually, this is looking at the situation in the wrong way!
Dark tanned body of young woman in summer with sunscreen  lotion in shape of sun
Debunking sunscreen myths part 2 - Physical UV filters only scatter and reflect UV rays?
Some people differentiate between soluble and insoluble sunscreen particles, grouping them into two types of UV filters, ‘physical’ and ‘chemical’ - but thinking about them in this way has led to many people misunderstanding how sunscreen really works to protect the skin.
businesspeople look somewhere  in office in hongkong
Debunking sunscreen myths part 1 - UV radiation and sunburn
An abundance of information on the nature and damaging effects of ultra violet (UV) radiation from different sources has resulted in myths about suncare that are often passed off as facts. So through a series of articles, we’ll debunk five common misconceptions around sunscreen.
Getting to the Heart of the Matter
A growth in sedentary lifestyles and high-fat diets has seen incidences of cardiovascular disease (CVD) increase. As a result, on average, someone now dies every 12 minutes in Australia from CVD. Taking a proactive stance against this and choosing food products fortified with plant sterols can significantly reduce the threat of heart disease, particularly for those most at risk.
50 years of Scholarships for Australian-German Student Exchange
BASF is proud to support the 50th year of the scholarship that offers Australian students the chance to travel to Germany for 10 weeks.
Wasps wiped out in game changing conservation program
The Wasp Wipeout community led conservation program, supported by BASF, achieved significant results in reducing the invasive wasp populations in the Nelson Bay, New Zealand, region.
Supporting women in STEM through SPRINT
In line with our ongoing support of STEM and in addition to our commitment to diversity and inclusion at BASF ANZ, we proudly supported the Royal Australian Chemical Institute's Women in Chemistry inaugural SPRINT program.
Students get hands on experience at our Tamworth Farm
Getting out of the classroom and into the field can be an invaluable experience for agriculture students, which is exactly what BASF provided recently when hosting a class of students from the University of New England at its research farm in Tamworth.
David Hawkins
BASF Australia and New Zealand’s new leader takes centre court
Back in April, we announced the appointment of David Hawkins as the new Chairman and Managing Director for BASF Australia and New Zealand. And today, 1 July 2016, marks David’s first official day in the new role.
Our research farm turns one
It’s been one year since we opened the gates at our research farm in Tamworth, New South Wales. And what a cropping success it has been!
Pretty in pink
The iridescent salt lakes at BASF’s Hutt Lagoon facility were a natural choice for Myer’s Spring 2016 advertising campaign shoot.
Another successful year for BASF Kids’ Lab
This year, Kids’ Lab events were held across Australia and New Zealand in partnership with Monash University in Melbourne, Curtin University in Perth, University of New South Wales in Sydney and University of Auckland in New Zealand.
What does it take to revolutionise a safety helmet? Chemistry!
Martogg Group of Companies is Australia’s largest privately owned polymer distribution, resin compounding and plastics recycling company. Martogg worked with BASF to develop a plastic compound for a customer, Sureguard Safety Australia, seeking to produce a translucent safety helmet.  
Nowhere to hide: New approach in animal production rodent control

With rodent populations in rural areas booming, animal producers are taking to herbicide action plans alongside traditional baiting in a strategic bid to prevent the risk of feed contamination and spread of disease while securing electrical assets and water systems.

Rural areas are the target of hordes of mice again this year with farmers being warned to plan preventative pest control to secure their yields and protect property.

BASF's prince of Albany
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, the BASF Albany office is tucked away in a modern, industrial estate north of Auckland. This site is home to BASF New Zealand's Construction Chemicals business, and a prince.
The man with the van: on the road with Johnnie Jackson
From veterans to new joiners, rock stars to princes, we went on the road to get to know the people who are BASF New Zealand. ​Johnnie affectionally known to his colleagues as the ‘man with a van’,  has been on the road selling BASF’s Glasurit automotive paints for 14 years and has many stories to share. 
Between people and perfection
BASF is a proud sponsor of the 2018 Science Gallery Melbourne youth mediators program. Hear from Science Gallery mediator Emma Byers, on working at PERFECTION and getting young people excited about STEM.  
A lunch break with New Zealand's Customer Service team
When it comes to close-knit teams, they don’t come much closer that the BASF New Zealand Customer Service team. Based in BASF’s Auckland office, opposite the airport, on most days the team have the freedom to make almost as much noise as the planes flying overhead. 
A chat with Tony Chapman
We spoke to Tony Chapman, operations supervisor, about a typical day working at BASF Australia's Automotive Refinish Technology (ART) distribution center in Dandenong South.
Talking crop protection with Anna Anderson
On most days you can find Anna Anderson, Territory Manager for Crop Protection, driving around the North Island of New Zealand visiting resellers and farmers.  Find out about Anna's life on the road.
Jane hits the road with Mining Solutions
They say you can't understand someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. To get more of an understanding of what her colleagues get up to out in the field, Mining Solutions customer service officer Jane Azzopardi, went on the road. 
Empowering women in construction 
When Fatima Mirzad, Master Builders Solutions NSW Specification Consultant, began her career in construction it was a daunting industry for a young, female, chemical engineer to enter.  We caught up with Fatima to chat about how the construction industry has changed and her experience being a Women In Construction Ambassador at the Sydney Build expo. 
David Hawkins new Chair of Chemistry Australia
As the world’s leading chemical company, our social licence is key to enabling us to contribute both sustainably and economically to Australia for the long term. This is not only true for us at BASF, but also for the wider chemistry industry. To support the continued progression of our industry, David Hawkins, Chairman and Managing Director of BASF Australia and New Zealand, has accepted the role of Chair of Chemistry Australia.. 
A trip of a lifetime
Each year BASF sponsors a student to travel to Germany for 10 weeks to practice their language skills and learn more about the culture. We caught up with Tara Keshavarz, BASF’s 2018 Australian- German exchange student, to find out more about her experience.
BASF supports Professional Women in Australian Pest Management Excellence Award
BASF is supporting the PWAPM Excellence Award, which seeks to recognise and highlight the achievement of women who have advanced the pest management industry. 
Glasurit EDUCATE student going for gold in Russia
BASF’s premium paint brand Glasurit is an official sponsor of the 'car painting' category of the upcoming WorldSkills competition in Kazan, Russia. Ahead of the event, we caught up with Maxine Colligan, Australia’s spray painting representative and graduate of the Glasurit EDUCATE program. 
First Serifel® sale is Berry Sweet
Lee-Anne and Anthony Yewers at Berry Sweet are longstanding trailblazers in sustainability, so it comes as no surprise that they were the first in the Australia to buy BASF’s new Serifel® Biological Fungicide.

 
Paving the way for women in pest management
Being named the inaugural winner of the 2019 Professional Women in Australian Pest Management (PWAPM) Excellence Award sponsored by BASF, is an impressive title, and one Kylee Enwright from CPR Pest Management Services is no doubt doing justice.
The man inside the mirror
Do computers control society? Should we be weary of Artificial Intelligence? Fearing that the everyday person has a limited understanding of AI, Dr. Niels Wouters created the sci-fi installation ‘Biometric Mirror’ to force viewers to question AI, and their own reflection. 
If it ain't broke, you can still fix it
How do you sell a new product to customers who live by the mentality ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’? Yvonne Mah, Business Development Manager Plastic Additives, shares some things she’s learnt about winning new business in her career. 
The chemistry of chocolate and coffee
Chemists and epicureans alike recently gathered at the BASF Head Office in Melbourne to attend the RACI’s Women in Chemistry’s ‘Chemistry of Chocolate and Coffee’ event to further their knowledge on what goes into creating two of life's finest treats.
Recognising technical excellence in industrial coatings
The Journal of Surface Coating's Australia spoke with Evan Tzardis about receiving the 2019 BASF Perpetual Award for Technical Excellence to find out what he has learnt during his career to date and how he sees his place in the coatings industry.
Leading diversity in Australian agriculture
Rachel Carson is one of the National Farming Federation’s (NFF) 2019 Diversity in Agriculture Leaders. We chat to Rachel about what she got out of the program and her commitment to changing the face of the Australian agriculture industry.
Dilution is not the solution to polution 
Professor Peter Scales is on a mission to find sustainable and economical methods to remove pollutants from waste water and is not afraid to explore unconventional methods. Find out more about Peter’s 'Urinotron' installation, featured in Science Gallery Melbourne's 'Disposable' exhibition. 
Farming industry strives towards gender diversity
BASF is a proud supporter of the National Farmers Federation’s (NFF) Diversity in Agriculture Leadership Program. Find out more about the NFF's two-day immersive retreat for the mentees in Canberra and meeting with Australia’s first Federal Agriculture Minister.
Digging deep with Daniel Chipfunhu
It was more curiosity than careful planning that saw Daniel Chipfunhu enrol in a Metallurgical Engineering. Find out more about Daniel's career journey here. 
Mining towards the future
BASF’s Mining Solutions division sponsor an award for outstanding academic achievement at Curtin University’s School of the Mines. We spoke to 2019’s recipient, Adisa Umari Yoniton, about moving to Kalgoorlie and plans for the future.
Walking a mile in someone else’s (dusty) shoes
Rocks, dust and wildlife are not things Barbara Goeke and Sarah Sma, normally encounter in a standard day based out of BASF's head office. Late last year however, the pair swapped their city office for an adventure in the bush when they visited two mining customers in rural New South Wales.
One year, three moves and a 27-hectare office 
Twelve months ago Georgia Readett joined BASF’s GROW Graduate Program. After a huge year, we caught up with Georgia to see where she is now.

Innovating architectural coatings: New polymer dispersion helps paint withstand early rain
Architectural exterior coatings work hard all year round, especially across Australia where the weather can be extremely volatile. We spoke to Shehani Nanayakkara, Technical Services Chemist at BASF, about  testing products for multi-weather suitability. 
Creating chemistry for protection
Find out more about the chemical solutions BASF provides to medical professionals and the public at large to combat viruses like Covid-19.
PhD students visit BASF's Nutrition and Health site
BASF’s Cheltenham site recently hosted a group of PhD students from the Institute of Chemical Engineers. The goal of the day was to show the students what a typical day working at BASF’s Nutrition and Health site entailed, jam packed in to only one hour.
We plant trees for corporate volunteering

What better way to celebrate World Environment Day than to have some of our team out in the fresh air together to plant trees!

As a benefit to our staff and through our commitment to our community BASF Australia and New Zealand offers one corporate volunteering day each year, per person to use on a volunteering initiative of their choice.

Driving a career in automotive
As a child Elizabeth Kemp loved nothing more than watching her two heroes restore old cars: the first was her father and the second Chip Foose from the tv show ‘Overhaulin’.  Now working as a Technical Services Representative (TSR) for BASF, we spoke to Betsy about her career journey. 
BASF’s Somersby celebrate fantastic first quarter of Nodulator production
Between navigating bushfires and a global pandemic, BASF's Somersby team have celebrated the expansion of their production facility and started producing a brand-new inoculant for the first time in Australia. 
Cultivating a career in agriculture
Following a secondment in New Zealand, we caught up with Edwina Gadsby to chat about her career with BASF, her exciting new role and advice for young people who are about to start their career.
Making art child’s play with Glasurit
Appreciating the subtle hues of different colours is a passion shared by paint technicians and artists alike. While the two groups may operate in very different industries, there is a space where they intersect, as Perth-based artist Geoffrey Drake-Brockman discovered. 
Texapon® SFA and Dehyton® SFA are effective alternatives to surfactants containing sulfate and are very gentle on the skin and eyes.
Taking care of your skin with sustainable solutions
Find out how BASF's product solutions are enabling our Care Creations® team to contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. 
Staying connected during COVID
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic means that many of us adjusting to new ways of working. Here Gavin Jackson, Head of BASF Agricultural Solutions Australia and New Zealand, shares how he and his team are communicating through COVID.
Snow soccer and Vegemite at Christmas
While the weather in Tinashe Madhuvu’s hometown of Melbourne was warming up, Tinashe was packing his thickest winter jacket, preparing to travel to Germany.  Although the weather upon his arrival was chilly, luckily the reception that greeted him was anything but. Here Tinashe, BASF's 2019 SAGSE sponsored exchange student, shares stories from his adventure.
BASF gives Western Australian Country Football Clubs much needed boost
Agricultural companies BASF and Nutrien have joined forces to support local football clubs in Western Australia. Through a jointly funded community football initiative, the companies will fund 500 footballs for 89 WA Football Clubs in a massive show of support for country football.
Seaweed speculation: an algal bloom of ideas
With the COVID-19 pandemic sparking many DIY projects, life under the new restrictions is also making us rethink how we can live our lives more sustainably. The team at Science Gallery Melbourne think seaweed might just play a role in the answer. 
Plastic water tanks survive and enable survival in the Australian outback
The Australian outback is one of the hottest and driest places on earth. Living and surviving under such severe climatic conditions depends on the use of water collected in plastic water tanks. But, wouldn’t the harsh Australian sun be too much for water tanks made of polyethylene to handle?
Rising to the top in BASF’s Flotation segment
If you think a career in sales involves long lunches, a day with Tara Haskell will pretty quickly set the record straight. Forget games of golf, when it comes to winning new clients in Tara’s line of work, customers only want one thing: proof, and lots of it. 
Jesse's summer flotation
While many uni students spend their summer breaks going travelling or to the beach, Jesse McEwan instead used the time away from his studies to gain some valuable work experience at BASF’s Mining Solutions Research and Development laboratory in Perth. Here Jesse shares what he learnt working in R&D and his plans for life after uni.
Mercedes Benz Brighton ahead of curve with Glasurit 100 Line
Mercedes Benz Brighton prides themselves on staying ahead of the curve, so it comes as no surprise that when they were approached to be one of the first auto repairers in the world to trial Glasurit's new game-changing 100 Line technology, they jumped at the opportunity. 
BASF and The Smith Family inspire with digital work experience program
BASF and national children’s educational charity, The Smith Family,  recently partnered to deliver a virtual work experience program from secondary students. The 'Work Inspiration' program provides young people with the opportunity to experience the world of work in a meaningful and inspiring way. 
From mentee to mentor: If you don’t see it, you can’t be it

In honour of International Rural Women’s Day, Rach Carson, BASF National Commercial Manager Agriculture, shares stories from her career journey and the key role mentoring has played in her development.

 

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Drilling into online training
While John Anderson, Hydrometallurgy Sales and Technical Account Manager, is no stranger to running face-to-face training sessions, he recently discovered that when it comes to adapting these sessions to an online format, a new set of skills is required. Here, John shares lessons he learnt from a recent training he held for Mining Solutions customers.
BASF and DeadlyScience inspire a new generation of scientists
With a shared mission to inspire a new generation of Indigenous scientists, BASF and Indigenous STEM charity 'DeadlyScience' have teamed up to donate 450 personalised science books to remote schools around Australia.
QueersInScience serve up Science on a Serviette
To celebrate LGBTQIA+ STEM Day, Queers in Science (QiS) have partnered with Science Gallery Melbourne and BASF, to lead a ‘Science on a Serviette’ competition. Here QiS Victorian chapter co-chair, Dr. Mohammad Taha, shares their own journey and why initiatives such as this are vital in raising the profile of Queer folk in science.