Illustration of "Raising the Bar Sydney" against vector graphics of Sydney skyline and the University's Quadrangle
Partnership_

Raising the Bar 2024

Quench your thirst for big ideas
The University of Sydney and the City of Sydney are teaming up again in 2024 to deliver Raising the Bar Sydney on Tuesday 9 April.

Held for one night across 10 different inner city bars, audiences can experience 20 free talks from the University of Sydney’s innovative thinkers and the city’s entrepreneurs.

With the theme Healthier Futures, this year’s talks will delve into a variety of topics, including Artificial Intelligence, health science and technology, astronomy and environmental sustainability.

From insights into how AI may be used to treat depression, to the positive impact of dogs on public transport, there’s something for everyone at this year’s Raising the Bar. View the full program here, and explore individual talks below.

Raising the Bar 2024

6pm - Cars, canines & cities: your commute can be better, with Dr Jennifer Kent

How Sydney’s ban on pets on public transport promotes our love affair with cars.

Register now

8pm - The future of electric flights, with Siobhan Lyndon and Andrew Moore

Siobhan and Andrew share what they are doing to decarbonise aviation and what this will mean for the future of transport.

Register now

 

 

 

6pm - Changing reality with stories, with Associate Professor Tom van Laer - SOLD OUT

Find out how fiction can shape our attitudes to rights, freedom and responsibility.

Register now

8pm - Can your health be programmed like an app?, with Pete Field

Find out how emerging technologies are evolving to meet our biggest health needs.

Register now

6pm - The blueprint for building cooler cities, with Emma Bacon
 
How one organisation, built from the ground up in a short four years, empowers communities to take on extreme heatwaves in their cities.

Register now

8pm - New neurological disease treatments (and a wobbly cat), with Dr Collin Anderson and Dr Daria Anderson

Two neuroscientists share the latest in electrical and viral neurological disease treatments.

Register now
6pm - Migrapreneurs can unlock a better future for all, with Usman Iftikhar

We know that the global warming crisis will lead to future-defining human migration. Australia may soon welcome many new migrants – so how can we harness this talent for the wellbeing of all?

Register now

8pm - Preventing disease: get ahead of the curve, with Associate Professor Meru Sheel
 
Join the disease detective for a fascinating talk on how infectious diseases work and what clues are used to investigate their spread. Find out how we can build systems to ensure everyone in the world has a right to health.

Register now

6pm - Is depression a form of jetlag?, with Dr Jacob Crouse

What is a circadian clock and how does living ‘out of time’ disrupt our health and wellbeing?

Register now

8pm - Ocean advocacy is for everyone, with Emily Rowland

Learn how your actions, no matter how small, can contribute to a thriving future for our oceans. Together, we can make real waves in ocean protection.

Register now

6pm - Should local councils create better food systems?, with Dr Belinda Reeve

Find out why Australian local governments are critical to transforming how we grow, transport, sell, eat and dispose of food.

Register now 

8pm - How tickets for good is evolving capitalism, with Jenny Chung

Learn from a business that breaks away from pure capital growth and creates social impact.

Register now

6pm - Unleashing purposeful investment for a better world, with Vis Vythilingam

The role of business in our world has transformed over the past decade. The potential for organisations to generate long-term value by investing in people and a healthier planet is on our doorstep.

Register now 

8pm - Could understanding dark matter save the world?, with Dr Ciaran O’Hare - SOLD OUT

Dr Ciaran O’Hare, a leading theoretical physicist, explains how understanding dark matter may one day change our everyday lives.

Register now

6pm - Living with limited internet: how tiny tech is saving lives, with Associate Professor Manoj Thomas

In a world marked by wide disparities in the quality and availability of healthcare information, inclusive solutions are vital.

Register now 

8pm - Unravelling the mystery of your business carbon footprint, with Afonso Firmo

Sustainability in business is no longer just a nice-to-have, it is becoming a license to operate.

Register now

6pm - Corridor cultures: Gender and sexuality at school, with Dr Victoria Rawlings - SOLD OUT

What lessons about gender and sexuality happen when students are chatting in class or playing in corridors? How do these impact how young people imagine their futures?

Register now

8pm - Biology and engineering meet to build a sustainable world, with Saron Berhane

In this fascinating talk, agricultural technology entrepreneur Saron explains why communities in developing countries prefer local jobs over aid.

Register now

6pm - Harnessing brain waves to improve mental health, with Cameron Higgins - SOLD OUT

Join Cameron as he explains how brain network science underpins our mental health.

Register now

8pm - 10,000 flavours: the vape marketing trap, with Associate Professor Becky Freeman

The rise of cheap, flavoured, disposable vapes that are high in nicotine, is fuelling a new public health crisis.

Register now


Related news