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2025 International Women’s Day

Relive the moments from our International Women's Day 2025 event

Despite the rain, our International Women’s Day 2025 celebration at the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct was filled with inspiring stories, meaningful conversations and genuine connections. From our incredible speakers to vibrant networking, the event brought our community together to celebrate the incredible women driving progress across health, education and innovation.

To those who braved the rain and joined us in person—thank you for your incredible energy and presence. And to those who supported us from afar, we’re so grateful to have you in our community. Events like this aren’t possible without the support of our community—so thank you for showing up, leaning in, and helping us plant the seeds for meaningful conversations and future progress.

Meet the women shaping the future
This special video, created for our International Women’s Day 2025 celebration, showcases the remarkable women leading change across health, education and innovation in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.

View the gallery from the event
Browse the gallery below to relive the day and see some of the moments that made it so special.

Filed Under: Uncategorised

International Women’s Day event 2025

Celebrating Women Driving Change in Health, Education & Innovation

The Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct is proud to host our third annual International Women’s Day event, bringing together inspiring leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

Join us as we celebrate the incredible contributions of women across healthcare, research, education and innovation, and explore how collaboration within the Precinct is shaping a more inclusive and innovative future.

📅 Wednesday, 2 April 2025
⏰ 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 Aviary Rooftop Bar, Southport Sharks
🎟 Register now

Meet our incredible lineup of speakers

🌟 Associate Professor Dr Lara Herrero – 2023 Prime Minister’s Prize for New Innovators award-winner, research leader in mosquito-borne diseases and medical doctor.

🌟 Ali Stokes & Associate Professor Dr Laura Diamond – Transforming biomechanics and musculoskeletal health through cutting-edge software and hardware innovations, improving patient care and healthcare accessibility.

🌟Vanessa Rebgetz – Principal of Queensland Academy for Health Sciences (QAHS), exploring pathways for future healthcare leaders in conversation with Cordelia Mead-Small and Maria Ciubuc-Batcu, both QAHS graduates, Griffith University alumni, and now an intern and medical registrar at GCUH.

🌟Cr Brooke Patterson – Closing the discussion with reflections on key insights, takeaways and the collective impact of women driving change across the Precinct.

This is a celebration of the collective achievements of women across the Precinct, so whether you’re a leader, mentor, colleague, student, or ally, this is a chance to support and be part of an important conversation about the role of women in the Precinct.

Filed Under: HEALTH, Research Tagged With: biomedical research, Griffith University, research and development

Associate Prof Lara Herrero leading the fight against mosquito-borne diseases and advancing medical research

Dr Lara Herrero is a medical doctor, Associate Professor, and Research Leader at Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, dedicated to developing treatments for mosquito-borne viruses that impact thousands of Australians each year. She is at the forefront of research into Ross River virus (RRV) and chikungunya virus, which cause long-term joint pain and suffering.

Her passion for this field is deeply personal. Having experienced Ross River virus herself, Dr Herrero understands first-hand the need for better treatments. Her research has already translated from the lab to real-world impact, leading to a patented treatment strategy for viral arthritis, which has successfully completed phase II clinical trials.

In recognition of her ground breaking contributions, Dr Herrero was awarded the Prize for New Innovators in the 2023 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, acknowledging her pioneering work in viral disease research and commitment to improving global health outcomes.

Beyond her research, Dr Herrero is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists, working with medical students, PhD researchers, and postdoctoral scientists to foster innovation and encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM. When asked what message she has for women pursuing careers in STEM, Dr Herrero shared:

“STEM provides more than a career of endless opportunity—it empowers us to break barriers, build bridges, innovate boldly, and question fearlessly. STEM allows us to shape the future and drive real change in the world.”

She is also one of Griffith University’s leading contributors to The Conversation, with 23 articles and over 5.4 million reads, making complex medical research accessible to the public.

Her work not only strengthens Griffith University’s reputation in medical research but also contributes to the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct’s role as a hub for world-class research, industry collaboration and healthcare innovation.

Dr Herrero’s journey is a testament to the power of research in improving lives, driving medical breakthroughs and creating real change in global health.

Learn more about Dr Lara Herrero