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Susan Hockfield
Susan Hockfield, neuroscientist and former MIT president, helps organisations navigate biotechnology innovation and convergence science. She works with business and government leaders on emerging technology strategy and institutional leadership, delivering insights from leading one of the world's top research universities.
Susan Hockfield is a neuroscientist and former MIT president whose work focuses on the convergence of engineering, technology, and biology to solve pressing global challenges.
Hockfield served as the first woman to lead MIT, where she guided the university through a period of significant scientific investment. She is the author of The Age of Living Machines, which explores how bio-convergence technologies are reshaping industries from energy to agriculture.
Hockfield draws on decades at the intersection of research, leadership, and policy to explain how emerging technologies like virus-built batteries and computer-designed crops will alter manufacturing, healthcare, and food systems. Her ability to translate complex science into practical strategy helps leaders in business and government understand where to invest attention and resources as these fields mature.
Audiences leave her sessions with a clearer understanding of which convergence technologies are closest to market readiness, practical frameworks for positioning organisations to benefit from bio-technological advances, and insight into how institutional leadership can accelerate or hinder innovation cycles.
Book Susan Hockfield to give your audience a grounded, science-backed perspective on the technologies that will define the next economy.
Hockfield brings MIT-level rigour to the commercialisation timeline of bio-convergence technologies, helping leadership teams separate near-term investment opportunities from longer-horizon bets. Her institutional perspective on how organisations either accelerate or stall innovation cycles is particularly valuable for teams navigating R&D allocation decisions in sectors facing biological disruption.
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frequently asked questions
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To book Susan Hockfield, email susan.hockfield@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Susan's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
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Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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