Baking to Batteries: An Energy Engineering Chat with Rosie Barnes

Dr. Rosemary Barnes is an internationally recognised expert in energy technology, and host of the popular Australian YouTube channel, Engineering with Rosie. In May 2025, she spoke at Sveriges Energiforum in Stockholm and gave a lunch seminar at Chalmers University of Technology. While she was at Chalmers, Professor Tomas Kåberger borrowed the Verapodden microphone to record a conversation with her.

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Rosemary Barnes, from Australia, is an engineer with a PhD in composite materials and structural design, and she runs the popular science channel 'Engineering with Rosie', where she explores the role of technology in the transition to a sustainable future."

Rosmary Marnes and Tomas Kåberger

They discussed her path to becoming an engineer as a young woman, why she after her PhD chose practical engineering work over continued research, and the crucial role engineers and industry play in solving the world's energy challenges. They also talked about the Australian energy system, including how a blackout led to a groundbreaking battery solution.

Listen to: An Energy Engineering Chat with Rosie Barnes (Opens in new tab)

About Verapodden

In Chalmers Verapodd you will hear personal conversations with researchers, students, teachers and alumni. What are their experiences, driving forces and visions? What will become of the knowledge from Chalmers?

You can listen to the podcast in the following channels:

Project leaders: Cecilia Hillman & Maria Saline, Genie
Original music by Stefan Karlsson
Programme manager, technology & editing: Malin Avenius
Producer: Anne-Christine Nordin
Art Director: Carina Schultz

Vera Sandberg became Sweden's first female engineer in 1917. She studied as the only woman among 500 men. Today, Chalmers University of Technology has 10,500 students and one third are women.

Chalmers´Programme and Courses:

Chalmers University of Technology offers a comprehensive technological and scientific education, from bachelor’s level to master’s and doctoral degrees. Read nore: Programmes and courses

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Baking to Batteries: An Energy Engineering Chat with Rosie Barnes | Chalmers