Fortitude Valley is set to feature prominently in National Science Week, with quantum technology, advanced technologies, and neuroscience explored across two events on 18 and 19 August.
Read: Fortitude Valley Science Week Summit Puts Queensland Quantum Future in the Spotlight
Running from 15 to 23 August 2026, National Science Week will reach more than 3 million people through thousands of events nationally, with Queensland’s program featuring everything from moon rover technology and sports science to Indigenous botanicals and disease research.
Quantum technology is already here
For Fortitude Valley, the program begins with the Qx Summit on Tuesday, 18 August. The Qx Summit, presented under the theme ‘Make it in Queensland’, will focus on the state’s work in quantum technology, semiconductors and deep tech.
Rather than treating quantum technology as something far off, the event will look at Queensland-made breakthroughs that are already being deployed locally and globally.
The program will bring together stakeholders from industry, officials, research and the broader quantum community to examine how advanced technologies are translating into real-world outcomes.
Health, sports technology, logistics, artificial intelligence and defence are among the areas highlighted for discussion, giving the summit a practical focus rather than concentrating solely on laboratory research.
Queensland’s push to attract investment, talent and partnerships will also be examined, alongside the skills, education and training pathways supporting the state’s quantum and advanced technology workforce. There will also be opportunities for attendees to connect with investors, industry experts, researchers and policymakers.
The Qx Summit will be held at The Precinct on Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley on Tuesday, 18 August.
Dungeons, Dragons and neuroscience
On Wednesday, 19 August, Monsters and Molecules: Journey to the Centre of the Brain will bring science and fantasy together in an improvised live comedy show.
Cutting-edge quantum research meets role-play as comedian Jaimeson Gilders, educator Joel Gilmore and Professor Lezanne Ooi take on a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired adventure centred on one of the most complex systems to exist: the human brain.
The event is supported by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology and explores quantum research connected with mapping the brain.
Science communicator and dungeon master Shu Ezackial will host the show, with live music by Melbourne musician Sean Sully.
The performance will take place at The Brightside on Warner Street, with doors opening at 6.30pm and the show beginning at 7pm. The event is listed for audiences aged 18 and over.
Read: Monsters and Molecules Fortitude Valley Turns Brain Science into a Live Comedy Quest
Fortitude Valley is only part of Queensland’s National Science Week program. Elsewhere, Queensland highlights include a Planetarium concert exploring music, misinformation and the cosmos, an electric flying taxi made by Sunshine Coast students, and a Gold Coast Airshow featuring super-fast planes, an Australian astronaut and a Moon rover.
Toowoomba will host a sport psychology VR experience exploring the brain of a professional rugby player, while Townsville will look at the science behind gin made using Indigenous botanicals.
Other events across the state will explore topics including mosquitoes, superbugs, the Tasmanian devil and Australia’s wildflowers.
For Fortitude Valley audiences, however, the local program offers two particularly different perspectives: one on technologies being developed and deployed now, and another on the science of the brain delivered through live performance.
Published 10-August-2026
