Symposium 2025
A year defined by biotechnology innovation, scientific leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and national STEM engagement across Australia. Explore keynote presentations, finalist showcases, artificial intelligence research, regenerative medicine breakthroughs, sustainability initiatives, mentorship programs, and hands-on biotechnology experiences that brought together students, researchers, educators, and industry leaders through the 2025 BIOTech Futures journey.
BIOTech Futures Symposium 2025
Innovation, Mentorship, and the Future of Biotechnology
A large-scale biotechnology symposium bringing together students, mentors, teachers, researchers, and industry leaders to celebrate innovation, scientific collaboration, and emerging technologies at the University of Sydney.
A day of student innovation
On the 24th of October 2025, the BIOTech Futures team hosted its annual Symposium at MacLaurin Hall, welcoming hundreds of students, mentors, and teachers to celebrate the hard work and innovation developed throughout the BIOTech Futures Challenge.
Guests attended finalist presentations, keynote talks, interactive biotechnology workshops, and science fair activities while exploring student projects addressing challenges in medicine, sustainability, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies.
What happened on the day
Hundreds of students, mentors, and teachers attended
Finalist teams presented to industry judging panels
Guest speakers on biotech, AI, medicine, and sustainability
Interactive STEM workshops with prizes
Science fair featuring one-minute student pitches
Networking with researchers and mentors
Voices from across STEM
A/Prof Giselle Yeo
Stem Cell Biotechnology and Tissue Regeneration
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow leading a stem cell biotechnology group at the Charles Perkins Centre, focused on cell-instructive technologies for tissue regeneration.
Dr Kelsey Collins
Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Assistant Professor at UC San Francisco researching interorgan crosstalk and engineered stem cell therapies using osteoarthritis, obesity, and ageing as model systems.
Dr Lucy Buxton
Sustainable Oceans and Environmental Leadership
Co-Founder and Director of Ocean Decade Australia, working across science, strategy, and impact to connect research with sustainable practice and policy.
Ms Rola Fayaad
Global Biotechnology Partnerships and STEM Leadership
Venture partnerships specialist supporting BIOTech Futures' global chapters and international expansion, creating opportunities for young people in science and technology.
The day in full
The 2025 BIOTech Futures Symposium celebrated the achievements, creativity, and scientific innovation of students participating in the annual Challenge program. Hosted at MacLaurin Hall at The University of Sydney, the event brought together hundreds of students, teachers, mentors, academics, and industry representatives for a full-day showcase of biotechnology-inspired innovation.
Throughout the day, finalist teams presented their projects and proposed solutions to panels of industry experts and judges before participating in award presentations recognising creativity, scientific merit, communication, and innovation.
The Symposium featured keynote talks from researchers, entrepreneurs, and STEM leaders discussing topics spanning artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine, sustainability, biotechnology entrepreneurship, and advanced materials science. Students also participated in a hands-on STEM workshop and a science fair where they delivered one-minute pitches directly to judges.
The event concluded with celebration activities, networking opportunities, and sponsor showcases, reinforcing BIOTech Futures' commitment to mentorship, interdisciplinary STEM education, and empowering the next generation of innovators.