On 19 August, UNSW’s Colombo Theatre filled with students, researchers and members of the public for ‘Where Marine Science Grows’, a lightning symposium held during National Science Week. The event brought together five researchers that delved into how their work and careers had been shaped by collaboration and to celebrate the power of partnerships in science.

Where Marine Science Grows was presented by UNSW Science and the SIMS as part of National Science Week 2026, with support from UNSW’s Centre for Marine Science and Innovation and Sydney Airport.

The evening drew on this year’s National Science Week theme, Seeds of Science: Nurturing Knowledge for All, with SIMS and UNSW celebrating their partnership through stories of collaboration.

Professor Alistair Poore, Head of UNSW’s School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, moderated the session. Each researcher gave a five-minute talk on their work which was followed by a panel discussion.

Dr. Janine Ledet, a postdoctoral researcher with Living Seawalls, spoke on how Living Seawalls blends engineering and ecology, turning harbor infrastructure into habitat.The idea has since taken root well beyond Sydney, with Living Seawalls now installed across Australia and NZ, as well as installations in Asia, Europe and North and South America. 

Professor Ian Suthers spoke about the partnerships behind the “Tube Fishway”, a fish ladder that now helps native species move past weirs and dams and allows them to continue their normal migratory and breeding journeys in our inland waterways. 

Bryce Liddell, who manages the Gamay Rangers’ scientific research and restoration programme, turned attention to Botany Bay/Kamay. Scientific institutions, government and the local community have all contributed to the work. He also introduced a newer partner in the effort, the Sydney Airport, announcing that they have funded the very first Gamay Rangers led seagrass restoration project with Botany Bay/Kamay. .

While Dr Veronique Lago outlined how IMOS is turning fishing vessels into ocean observers. Commercial fishing vessels now help gather oceanographic data. The data then returns to the fisherpeople in a form they can use allowing them to correlate ocean conditions with their own catch data.

Dr Giulia Ferretto, spoke about Operation Posidonia, which has seen more than 17,000 Posidonia seagrass shoots planted across four NSW estuaries. The project has brought together scientists, Indigenous partners, local communities, citizen scientists, industry and government.

After the talks, the audience moved into the foyer for refreshments and a poster session. Researchers stood beside displays on Living Seawalls, the NSW Ocean Outlook Project, the Sydney Seahorse Project, Operation Posidonia, Project Restore and Sydney Airport’s seagrass restoration work in Botany Bay/Kamay.

The conversations helped the audience get a glimpse of what the evening had set out to show. Behind every project was a network of people, each with something different to bring to the work. 

We are extremely grateful to our partners at UNSW and Sydney Airport for helping make this event possible, to our wonderful scientists who presented on the night and to everyone who came along to make the night such a success.