A Triumph of Innovation and Ingenuity

On October 3rd, 2023, The University of Sydney played host to a gathering of over 200 students, parents, and teachers at the annual BIOTech Futures Symposium. The event featured 23 finalist teams from across Australia, with participants hailing from the Queensland and Victorian challenges.

This year we were amazed as we showcased 450 of the world's brightest high school students participating from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Canberra, rural and remote Australia, New Zealand, US, Romania, and Jordan!

The top honours of the day went to Zachary Ho, Wilson Qu, Ethan Sun, Daniel Zhang, Bruce Xu from North Sydney Boys. Their exceptional project, "C-Pal," featuring therapeutic toys for children with Cerebral Palsy, captured the judges' attention with its innovation and impact.

The Symposium also included a riveting science fair where all teams presented their posters to a panel of academics. Yvonne Chau, Tessa Jolly, Barina Zhong, Alicia Chu, Kai Xia Ma, mentored by Young No and Hamish Fernando, secured the best presentation award for their project, "Squeezable Bone Paste for Critical Bone Defects.“

The event offered students a unique opportunity to hear from esteemed speakers such as NSW Chief Scientist, Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, and distinguished professor Fang Chen, who shared insights into the transformative use of big data and AI across sectors like water, agriculture, and health. Prof. Ali Abbas inspired attendees with a vision of carbon-neutral innovations for a sustainable future.

Beyond presentations, students engaged with mentors and sponsors at the science fair, exploring VR goggles, operating robotic arms, and even designing and building robotic hands themselves.

Thank you to everyone that support and attended the BIOTech Futures Symposium for 2023. Stay tuned for what's in store next year!