Young Innovators Showcase the Future of Health Technology
The University of Sydney hosted the 2022 BIOTech Futures Challenge, an annual competition which sees high school students from across Australia and New Zealand engineer solutions to address current problems in healthcare and the environment.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Symposium. It was a fantastic day celebrating some of the brightest young minds Australia has to offer and highlighting the power of innovation at the intersection of engineering, health, and technology.
Students and audience members heard from University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President Mark Scott AO, The Hon. Alister Henskens MP, Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology and Minister for Skills and Training, and Professor Hala Zreiqat, before presenting their ideas and prototypes to a panel of judges from across the engineering and health sectors.
The competition’s top prize was awarded to an innovative concept exploring the restoration of touch through optogenetics and bioluminescence — emerging techniques that use light to control the activity of neurons and other cell types.
Pymble Ladies’ College student Evelyn Zhu developed the idea to help amputees regain sensory feedback from their prosthetics, receiving recognition for her approach to improving accessibility and quality of life for people living with disability. Evelyn was awarded a 3D printer and DIY robotic arm kit to further develop her innovation.
Other students were recognised for creative solutions addressing healthcare challenges, including novel approaches to relieving pressure sores and moisture-monitoring gloves designed to reduce symptoms associated with psoriasis.
A team from Baradene College in Auckland, New Zealand, was also commended for their collaboration and design of an automated hand sanitiser and door-opening system aimed at reducing hospital-acquired infections.
The Symposium showcased the creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving abilities of the next generation of STEM innovators, demonstrating the potential of young people to drive meaningful advances in health and biotechnology.
“STEM is so critical to understanding complex issues. The work students are doing as part of the Biotech Challenge is a wonderful foundation for further studies in this area.” — Professor Scott
“These high-school students have conceived ingenuous solutions to longstanding issues in healthcare and the environment. It just goes to show that you're never too young to have a great idea.” — Professor Hala Zreiqat
"Nurturing the innovation mindset at school age is enormously beneficial for students' minds and will help provide the much-needed skills in innovation, technology and STEM for Australia's future.”
Minister Henskens said nurturing STEM skills will be vital to solving many of society’s challenges.
“STEM really is the key to our future wellbeing and prosperity as a community. We have some big challenges lying ahead in the future and science, innovation and STEM are going to be the key to solving those wicked problems.”
For enquires about the challenge, how to participate or to support us, please contact us at biotech.futures@sydney.edu.au or register here