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How can we eat well to live longer, feed future populations, and sustain planetary health? What's the science behind creating the world's most resilient hybrid wheat?
Food makes us who we are. The ways we eat together change lives and communities. In this Sydney Ideas event, we bring together some of the best brains to cook up new ideas and solutions to shift how we think about food for the better. They serve inspired visions for changing the way we eat, produce and understand why food is so important.
This Sydney Ideas event was presented on 22–23 October at Riverside Theatres, with the support of City of Parramatta as part of Parramatta Lanes, one of Sydney’s most exciting street festivals, transforming the city's streets, laneways and car parks into a playground of Eats, Beats and Art.
Juliet is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies (SCHS) and Charles Perkins Centre (CPC), and member of Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney. Juliet’s research draws connections across scales and subjects to activate co-creative and systemic interventions for personal and planetary wellbeing. She is currently working on SCHS and CPC’s joint research program on the social life of food and nourishment applying critical social theory to systems of food production and consumption.
Rebecca is lecturer in Geography in the School of Geosciences, Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney. She is a rural and environmental geographer with a keen passion for understanding how local knowledge and innovation can be harnessed for sustainable, regenerative and Indigenous transitions in agriculture and natural resource management. She employs a participatory, bottom-up community approach to her research.
Shadia is a Specialist Dietician and Research Support Lead of the CPC RPA Health for Life Program, bringing extensive experience in nutrition and health promotion. As an accredited practising dietitian, Shadia has contributed to advancing evidence-based nutrition practice, particularly focusing on food systems, food labelling, and nutrition in schools. She supports the Health for Life Program and assists researchers at the CPC RPA Clinic by facilitating clinical trials and providing guidance on implementing impactful clinical research.
In her previous role, Shadia championed initiatives to transform school nutrition environments as Head of Nutrition at the Healthy Kids Association, demonstrating her commitment to enhancing public health through collaborative nutrition systems.
Alice is a clinically trained dietitian with a PhD in the dietary management of obesity and currently completing a Master of Science in Medicine (Clinical Epidemiology) part time. Her research leverages her clinical training and interventional research skills and applies it at the population level to reduce the burden of lifestyle-related chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. She currently leads two major streams of research. Firstly, using large cohort studies linked to routinely collected health data (‘linked data’) to investigate how behavioural, sociodemographic, and health service factors impact long-term health outcomes. Secondly, she investigates the public health nutrition impacts of the ‘digital food environment’, particularly the emergence of food delivery apps.
Peng is Associate Professor within the Plant Breeding Institute and School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney. She has been working on identifying new resistance sources to rust diseases from wild relatives of wheat, introgress target resistance genes into wheat, and recombine rust resistance genes to develop durable resistant germplasm. Peng holds a Master of Science in Biotechnology from Wageningen University, The Netherlands, and a PhD in Genetics from Kansas State University, USA.
Sophie is a professor in the English Department at Princeton University and currently a Vice-Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Sydney. She's a novelist, journalist and scholar and her most recent book is a history of 18th century novels, eating rituals and empire called The Barbarous Feast (forthcoming from Princeton University Press). Sophie is producer and co-host of the Secret Life of Books, a podcast about classic books.
The SCM Chinese Music Ensemble was established by Dr Catherine Ingram in 2016. Most members are undergraduate students from the Conservatorium and other University faculties participating in the ensemble as one unit of study within their degree. They are joined by Master of Music (Performance) students and postgraduate students from other disciplines, as well as the ensemble teaching staff who have a wide and diverse range of Chinese music performance experience.
Since 2017, the ensemble has performed at various places including the ABC, Floriade, National Folk Festival, Sacred Music Festival, Riverside Theatre, The Calyx (Royal Botanic Gardens) and Chinese Garden of Friendship.
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Summary: On the ongoing optimisation of everything, everywhere.
Event Start Date: 2025-12-10T18:30:00.000+11:00
Event End Date: 2025-12-10T19:30:00.000+11:00
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Summary: Explore the science and stories shaping our food experiences and futures with host Sophie Gee and USYD experts.
Event Start Date: 2025-10-22T18:30:00.000+11:00
Event End Date: 2025-10-23T19:30:00.000+11:00
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Summary: How might we all live – and stay – well, for longer, at any stage of life?
Event Start Date: 2025-09-24T18:30:00.000+10:00
Event End Date: 2025-09-24T19:30:00.000+10:00
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Summary: Climate change, gender equality and the rise of AI - join social researcher Rebecca Huntley for a spirited open conversation.
Event Start Date: 2025-07-29
Event End Date: 2025-07-29
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Summary: Acclaimed theoretical astrophysicist Katie Mack presents a lively talk on the likely ways the universe can die.
Event Start Date: 2025-07-10T18:30:00.000+10:00
Event End Date: 2025-07-10T19:30:00.000+10:00
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Summary: Why are nations around the world racing to secure critical minerals? What’s at stake, and what does it mean for you?
Event Start Date: 2025-05-20
Event End Date: 2025-05-20
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Summary: British journalist and editor Alan Rusbridger sits down with Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney.
Event Start Date: 2025-03-26
Event End Date: 2025-03-26
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Summary: Unpack language, culture and power with linguist John McWhorter in a conversation with host Nick Enfield.
Event Start Date: 2025-03-12
Event End Date: 2025-03-12
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Summary: Hear acclaimed historian and writer Sir Simon Schama in-conversation with Professor Avril Alba.
Event Start Date: 2025-03-05
Event End Date: 2025-03-05
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Summary: Defining the elements of a breakthrough, can we engineer the next great discovery in business, science, policy and civic life?
Event Start Date: 2024-11-26
Event End Date: 2024-11-26
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Summary: Jo-An Occhipinti, John Buchanan, and Richard Denniss explore mental wealth as a new measure of national wellbeing.
Event Start Date: 2024-10-24
Event End Date: 2024-10-24
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Summary: Economist and parliamentarian Andrew Leigh discusses his book, Battlers and Billionaires with entrepreneur Cliff Obrecht.
Event Start Date: 2024-10-23
Event End Date: 2024-10-23
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Summary: Fake research papers are on the rise. Explore what's fuelling this, why it's concerning, and how we can address this issue.
Event Start Date: 2024-10-22
Event End Date: 2024-10-22
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Summary: Can liberalism be the basis of a meaningful and fun way of life? Philosopher Alexandre Lefebvre explores this with Mark Scott.
Event Start Date: 2024-09-19
Event End Date: 2024-09-19
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Summary: Can we fast-track cures for diseases? Researchers Michael Bowen, Victoria Cogger, and Chenyu Tim Wang discuss.
Event Start Date: 2024-08-22
Event End Date: 2024-08-22
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Summary: Lee-Fay Low, Neal Peres Da Costa, and Helen Mitchell explore whether music participation can prevent dementia.
Event Start Date: 2024-06-20
Event End Date: 2024-06-20
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Summary: Explore the natural world, deep sea, and life through time with Dr. James Bradley, Professor Maria Byrne, and Tishiko King.
Event Start Date: 2024-04-08
Event End Date: 2024-04-08
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Summary: Explore how the arts are transforming health and education to improve care and wellbeing.
Event Start Date: 2024-03-21
Event End Date: 2024-03-21
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Summary: Alastair Campbell and leading experts discuss what we can do to move the needle on mental health outcomes.
Event Start Date: 2024-03-04
Event End Date: 2024-03-04
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Summary: Hear from Sydney alumni Zara Seidler and Phoebe Saintilan, two media pioneers reshaping news and storytelling.
Event Start Date: 2023-09-21
Event End Date: 2023-09-21
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Summary: Epidemiologist Melody Ding explores loneliness—its trends, causes, and why it’s a major public health issue.
Event Start Date: 2023-07-27
Event End Date: 2023-07-27
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Summary: Experts weigh in on AI’s rapid rise and the risks of a superintelligent future—could it lead to an existential threat? 13/07/2023
Event Start Date: 2023-07-13
Event End Date: 2023-07-13
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Summary: Could a cap on excessive wealth and asset ownership hold the key to addressing the housing crisis in Australia?
Event Start Date: 2023-04-08T23:00:00.000+10:00
Event End Date: 2023-04-08T23:00:00.000+10:00
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Summary: How can we meaningfully engage with Pacific peoples and regional issues? A conversation hosted by Professor Jioji Ravulo.
Event Start Date: 2023-03-15
Event End Date: 2023-03-15
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Summary: Hear from Professor Marcia Langton on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament at the Voices on the Voice event.
Event Start Date: 2023-03-08
Event End Date: 2023-03-08
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Summary: Experts explore how extreme heat impacts our health and share the latest research on staying cool in a world that's heating up.
Event Start Date: 2022-12-13
Event End Date: 2022-12-13
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Summary: Female staff, students and alumna discuss leadership in male-dominated fields at a gender equity roundtable.
Event Start Date: 2022-11-23
Event End Date: 2022-11-23
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Summary: Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert explores state hostage-taking and how Australia can better respond to this complex global issue.
Event Start Date: 2022-09-29
Event End Date: 2022-09-29
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Summary: A team of experts share cutting-edge research and explore practical ways to reach peak mind and brain health.
Event Start Date: 2022-09-27
Event End Date: 2022-09-27
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Summary: Join Dr Karl and Prof Peter Tuthill for a guided tour of stunning new images from NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope.
Event Start Date: 2022-09-20
Event End Date: 2022-09-20
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Summary: Professor Frank Pasquale joins local experts to explore how AI is reshaping medicine—and the legal and ethical issues it raises.
Event Start Date: 2022-07-25
Event End Date: 2022-07-25
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Summary: Professor Emma Johnston AO and co-authors discuss key findings from the 2021 report and what’s ahead for our environment.
Event Start Date: 2022-07-21
Event End Date: 2022-07-21
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Summary: Teela Reid, Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman and Sydney Uni’s First Nations Practitioner-in-Residence, on democracy’s big questions.
Event Start Date: 2022-07-20
Event End Date: 2022-07-20
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Summary: Nick Bryant hosts a panel on the new government’s promises with MPs, legal experts, and political theorist Tim Soutphommasane.
Event Start Date: 2022-07-20
Event End Date: 2022-07-20
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Summary: Hear from global leader Dr Kakenya Ntaiya, activist and founder of a nonprofit empowering girls and ending harmful traditions.
Event Start Date: 2022-05-19
Event End Date: 2022-05-19
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Summary: Fran Kelly leads a panel with ABC’s Antony Green and political experts on key policy issues shaping the upcoming election.
Event Start Date: 2022-04-28
Event End Date: 2022-04-28
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Summary: After climate disasters like the east-coast floods, how do communities support each other through emotional climate distress?
Event Start Date: 2022-04-21
Event End Date: 2022-04-21
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Summary: Explore how AI can enhance human intuition with Professor Geordie Williamson and MC Adam Spencer.
Event Start Date: 2022-03-18
Event End Date: 2022-03-18
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Summary: How can we foster the conditions for creativity to thrive? Hear from Michael Rodrigues, Jess Scully, Sara Saleh and more.
Event Start Date: 2022-03-02
Event End Date: 2022-03-02
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Summary: Sydney Ideas kicks off 2022 with bold ideas on what’s ahead, what’s trending, and how we should set the agenda.
Event Start Date: 2022-02-17
Event End Date: 2022-02-17
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Header image: credit Andrej Lisakov via Unsplash
For media enquiries about Sydney Ideas guests, please contact the University's Media team.