Suleshi Gedara
PhD Researcher | School of Chemistry & Physics | QUT
October 2025 – January 2026 | 3 months
Company Spotlight
Earthodic Pty Ltd is a Brisbane-based climate-tech startup pioneering bio-based barrier coatings for paper packaging. Their flagship product, Biobarc™, delivers water resistance, compostability, and repulpability without requiring changes to existing equipment. Earthodic’s mission is to enable circular packaging solutions that reduce plastic waste and carbon footprint.
Placement Overview
Suleshi’s placement focused on developing bio-based coating formulations to improve the performance of sustainable paper packaging. She worked on formulation development, coating application, and characterisation testing, contributing to Earthodic’s mission to scale innovative materials for commercial use. Her role also included data analysis, reporting, and participation in technical meetings, gaining insight into the commercialisation process for sustainable materials.
Skills Developed
- Coating formulation and application techniques
- Use of industrial instruments for coating characterisation and quality control
- Data analysis, documentation, and reporting for internal and client communications
- Collaboration and communication in a fast-paced R&D environment
- Understanding of commercial workflows and IP considerations
Outcomes
- Hands-on experience with large-scale coating trials (including a 200 kg scale-up run)
- Strengthened technical troubleshooting and leadership skills
- Gained insight into translating academic research into commercially viable products
Suleshi says:
“This placement solidified my ability to translate lab-scale research into industry-ready solutions. I’m grateful for this opportunity to learn directly how novel research is converted into commercially viable, sustainable materials. I gained practical experience with industrial instruments and learnt how to collaborate effectively in a fast-paced R&D environment.”
