Melissa Sterry

Melissa Sterry is a world-renowned design scientist, systems theorist, bio-futurist, and Founder of Bioratorium, Bionic City and Panarchic Codex. She works on cutting-edge projects underpinned by unprecedented conceptual, creative, and commercial potentialities, and she advises the most prominent individuals and institutions worldwide. As a respected global authority on science, technology, design and thinker on building a better world for humanity, Melissa is a highly sought-after speaker who has spoken at leading events for prestigious organisations, including Unilever, Toyota, World Bank, Ministry of Defence, University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge, among others.

A transdisciplinary design scientist and complex systems theorist, Melissa has over 25 years of experience researching and developing original biomaterial, bioinformatic and bioinspired concepts. She is highly regarded as a world-leading futurist and serves as a global consultant for both public and executive-level private sector clients. Her expertise is vast and includes a range of complex disciplines, such as the future of the built environment, utilities, design, publishing, communications, and media. As a result, Melissa has played a vital role in several cutting-edge projects and publications in the US, South East Asia, the UK, and Europe.

Since 2010, Melissa has conducted transdisciplinary research to establish the potential for building urban and peri-urban resilience to significant meteorological, ecological, and geographical disruptions by mimicking biochemistries, behaviours, and relationships of systems of flora and fauna. She completed a PhD at the Advanced Virtual and Technological Architecture Research group in London, where she researched ground-breaking architectural and urban design paradigms for the wildland-urban interface. Furthermore, Melissa has served as an academic in a variety of capacities, such as visiting lecturer, visiting fellow and workshop host for UCL, the University of the Arts London, the University of Greenwich, and the University of Salford, to name a few.

Moreover, Melissa has published work in over sixty international trade, consumer, and academic journals. She has also taken part in prominent media productions for TV, film, and radio, including The Guardian, Volvo, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Star Talk podcast and BBC Radio 4. For her revolutionary work, Melissa has been the recipient of prestigious accolades for innovation, creativity, and enterprise, including the Mensa Education and Research Foundation International Award for enhancing intelligence that benefits society, 40 over 40 Women to Watch honouree and is included in the Libertine 100 list. She was also inducted into the Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network Hall of Fame. Now Melissa can be booked to give pioneering talks on a variety of topics relating to bio-futurism, design science and systems theories.