There was a moment in time when he was the only person in the world who knew this one piece of information.
David Heyne made the discovery in the lab when he was working on a strain of seaweed known as Asparagopsis taxiformis – otherwise known as red sea-plume.
“During routine Gas chromatography (GC) analysis, tribromoacetic acid decomposes to give bromoform so reported values were artificially inflated,” David says.
It sounds incredibly technical but that’s not the point – it was that moment of discovery.
“It doesn’t mean much at all in the grand scheme of things,” David continues, “but at that moment, that piece of information was something that only I knew. No one else in the world knew it.
“That was a real thrill.”
It’s that thrill of discovery that drew David to the sciences. But it was not a straight path to get there.
As a child, David was always interested in science. But he was really interested in the army too – an interest that would see him enlist once he was old enough.
Based in Brisbane, David deployed twice during his six years with the infantry – one in Afghanistan and one in Timor-Leste.
But after that, it was time to discover new horizons.
After a stint as a commercial diver, that new horizon led David to originally study a teaching degree, specialising in maths and chemistry – where his love for the sciences caught alight.
If chemistry was the fuel, Dr Peter Brooks was the spark – a UniSC lecturer at the time who is a significant figure in the Australian science industry, specifically for his work researching natural products and medicinal honey.
“In the labs, looking around at all the instrumentation, I really started thinking about how incredible it was to use all this equipment to discover the world around us,” David says.
“That’s the point. It’s the whole foundation of the sciences – discovery.”
David made the switch from teaching to science, completing his degree at UniSC, where he worked with researchers such as Dr Nick Paul from the Seaweed Research Group, which is where he discovered tribromoacetic acid decomposes to yield bromoform.
By the time he graduated, David had a job working in the labs at Gourmet Garden – a food company based at Palmwoods that specialises in products such as crushed garlic and chopped coriander.
David wasn’t the only UniSC graduate working there – he was one of many.
As a major local employer, Gourmet Garden attracts graduates from across disciplines – including two from Biomedical Science who work with David in the lab.
Gourmet Garden is owned by McCormick & Company. Chief Human Relations Officer Sarah Piper says the group seeks out graduates from an array of backgrounds – what they focus on is genuine interest in the food industry.
“We favour graduates who combine technical knowledge with a high degree of adaptability and leadership potential,” Sarah says.
Bachelor of Science program coordinator Associate Professor David McMillan agreed, saying graduates from science-based programs can end up in interesting or unexpected fields.
“Science is fundamentally about curiosity, exploration and inquiry,” he says.
“These traits – either inherent or learnt – when combined with the scientific and lab-based skills developed through our programs, produce highly adaptable graduates ready to work in a range of science-based fields.”
Little has dimmed David’s enthusiasm for science over the years. When he talks about it, he smiles – his face lights up. He’s relaxed and personable – his own enthusiasm becoming infectious.
When asked if there’s any skills he’s picked up from his long and interesting road to working in science, he reflects on his time in the army.
“I’d say dealing with adversity – because in science, it doesn't always go how you want it to.
“Often, you'll invest so much time and effort for nothing – or rather it can feel like nothing at the time.
“But really, it’s all part of it – an important part is learning what doesn’t work.
“So it can be frustrating, but knowing how to deal with that frustration is useful.”
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