043 | 100 Claudia Vickers: Food futures

Synthetic biologists like Claudia Vickers are developing new methods of food production to fight climate change and transform carbon intensive industries. Metabolic engineering of organisms by synthetic biologists could also produce valuable raw building materials and provide energy for future fuels using sustainable methods.

See Claudia Vickers in conversation with journalist Rae Johnston, recorded live at Powerhouse as part of 100 Climate Conversations. Entry is free, but bookings are essential as places are limited. Doors open at 2.45pm for a 3pm start. No late admittance.

100 Climate Conversations is a two-year survey of visionary Australians who are accelerating the net zero carbon revolution. To find out more and subscribe to the podcast visit 100climateconversations.com.

Claudia Vickers is the Chief Scientific Officer of Eden Brew, formulating sustainable animal-free milk products by mapping cow milk genes to produce dairy proteins for a low carbon future. Vickers is the former director of CSIRO’s Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform. The unit’s goal is to develop a local industry based on synthetic biology technologies to help the nation manage plant stress under various climate change scenarios. Vickers was the founding president of Synthetic Biology Australia and has advised a variety of government and non-government organisations.

Rae Johnston is a multi-award-winning STEM journalist, Wiradjuri woman, mother and broadcaster. The first Science & Technology Editor for NITV at SBS, she was previously the first female editor of Gizmodo Australia, and the first Indigenous editor of Junkee. She is a part of the prestigious ‘brains trust’ the Leonardos group for The Science Gallery Melbourne, a mentor with The Working Lunch program supporting entry-level women in STEM and an ambassador for both St Vincent De Paul and the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge.