When innovation meets clarity, extraordinary things happen. At the recent Biotech Futures Challenge Symposium at the University of Sydney, Year 10 students Mia Bek and Davina Rajkumar achieved just that – earning the prestigious Science Writer Award for their exceptional ability to communicate complex scientific ideas.
What is the Biotech Futures Challenge?
The Biotech Futures Challenge is a national initiative designed to inspire high school students to explore biotechnology and its potential to solve real-world problems. Participants work in teams, guided by university mentors, to develop innovative solutions that combine engineering, biology and technology. This year, more than 150 teams from across Australia competed for recognition.
The winning idea
Mia and Davina’s project, the Lungevity Bio-Lung Patch, tackles one of healthcare’s most pressing challenges: restoring lung function without the need for a full organ transplant. As they explain, ‘Conventional lung transplantation is constrained by the persistent shortage of suitable donor organs, a limitation that inevitably prompts complex ethical dilemmas regarding patient prioritisation.’
Their solution offers hope. ‘Our Bio-Lung Patch eliminates dependence on donor availability,’ they note, ‘advancing healthcare equity, minimising waiting periods, and ensuring that all patients are afforded an equitable opportunity for recovery.’
A journey of growth
This clarity of vision – and the ability to articulate it – earned them recognition among 150 teams from across Australia. Although this work was part of our enrichment opportunities, Mia and Davina credit their success in the Challenge to skills honed in class, specifically after their Year 10 research project, where constructive feedback from their teachers shaped their scientific writing.
While their triumph was a highlight, they were part of a larger story of excellence. Ten students from Years 9 and 10 represented Santa Sabina at the symposium, forming three teams and collaborating with University of Sydney mentors to solve real-world problems. Another Year 10 team also reached the finals – a testament to their creativity and determination.
We are proud of every student who embraced this challenge and demonstrated what it means to be ready for the future.
