79. Interview with science writer Sara Phillips

Let's Talk SciComm

https://saraphillips.net.au/

19:15

Can AI compress the years long research time of a PhD into seconds? Research scientist Max Jaderberg explores how “AI analogs” simulate real-world lab work with staggering speed and scale, unlocking new insights on protein folding and drug discovery. Drawing on his experience working on Isomorphic Labs' and Google DeepMind's AlphaFold 3 — an AI model for predicting the structure of molecules — Jaderberg explains how this new technology frees up researchers' time and resources to better understand the real, messy world and tackle the next frontiers of science, medicine and more. For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch . Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links: TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

about a year ago 33:59

MP3•Episode home

We’re so thrilled to be back with you for Season 11 of Let’s Talk SciComm. And to get the season off to a brilliant start, we had a wonderful conversation with Sara Phillips.

Sara is an award-winning science writer and editor based in Melbourne, Australia. She edited the 2020, 10th-anniversary edition of the Best Australian Science Writing.

Previously, she was Asia-Pacific bureau chief for Nature News, executive editor for the Asia-Pacific region of Nature Research Group’s custom publishing arm, the national environment reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and editor of ABC Environment online, a now-archived portal for the ABC’s environment content.

Starting out on an environmental trade publication WME, she later became deputy editor of Cosmos magazine, where she was part of the team that won magazine of year not once, but twice. Cosmos Online won internet site of the year under her editorship. And the editor won editor of the year for 2005 and 2006, while she was supporting him.

She was also the founding editor of G magazine, a sustainable lifestyle magazine. Her team won consumer magazine of the year (for print run over 30,000) at the Bell Awards for magazine publishing, and she took out editor of the year.

You can follow Sara and find out more about her work here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-phillips-3a15635/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/sara-phillips/3549260

https://invasives.org.au/our-team/sara-phillips/

Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/syy8

110 episodes

#Science #Unimelb SciComm

Let's Talk SciComm

79. Interview with science writer Sara Phillips

Let's Talk SciComm

17 subscribers

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

We’re so thrilled to be back with you for Season 11 of Let’s Talk SciComm. And to get the season off to a brilliant start, we had a wonderful conversation with Sara Phillips.

Sara is an award-winning science writer and editor based in Melbourne, Australia. She edited the 2020, 10th-anniversary edition of the Best Australian Science Writing.

You can follow Sara and find out more about her work here:

https://saraphillips.net.au/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-phillips-3a15635/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/sara-phillips/3549260

https://invasives.org.au/our-team/sara-phillips/

Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/syy8

110 episodes

#Science #Unimelb SciComm

All episodes

Let's Talk SciComm

1
108. Listen To This If… You need to write about a topic that’s been done to death 6:06

6 weeks ago6:06

6:06

Are you working on a piece of writing and feel like everyone else has already written about the same thing? Are you looking for a way to make the topic fresh? Stop for 5 minutes and tune into Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to find a new approach to writing about a popular topic. You can find more great advice on writing here: https://www.theopennotebook.com/2018/11/27/finding-the-science-in-any-story/ https://www.fromthelabbench.com/from-the-lab-bench-science-blog/blogging-tips-for-science-bloggers-from-science-bloggers https://royalsociety.org/blog/2017/08/writing-popular-science-as-a-scientist/…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
107. Listen To This If… You need to work effectively in a group 6:17

7 weeks ago6:17

6:17

Have you got a group project coming up? Maybe you’ve had some bad experiences of working in a team before and you’re wondering how to make it better this time? Drop everything for 5 minutes and tune in. In this week’s episode, Jen and Michael share their top tips on how to work harmoniously and productively in a group. You can find more great advice here: https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/resources/communicating-in-class/communicating-with-peers/working-in-groups https://learningcenters.rutgers.edu/resources/guide-working-groups https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/key-working-effectively-team-akhil-aggarwal/ https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip-sheets/teamwork-skills-being-effective-group-member…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
106. Listen To This If… You’re searching for motivation 5:43

8 weeks ago5:43

5:43

Have you lost your motivation? Do you need to get lots of things done, but you’re finding it hard to get started? Wondering how to get your mojo back? Stop for five minutes and tune into this week’s episode of ‘Listen To This If….’ for Jen and Michael’s advice on how to rediscover your motivation. You can find more great advice here: https://jamesclear.com/motivation https://www.ifocusandwrite.com/post/how-to-get-your-motivation-back-as-a-scientist https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/level-up-your-motivation https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/click-here-for-happiness/202212/5-science-based-tips-to-boost-self-motivation…

Let's Talk SciComm

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105. Listen To This If… You want to kickstart your career 6:15

9 weeks ago6:15

6:15

Are you graduating soon, or have you recently graduated? Are you looking for ways to get ahead in your career? Take a five-minute break to listen to Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to kickstart your career. You can find more great advice here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/networking-tips-early-career-scientists-lessons-from-science-tpfke/ https://conductscience.com/10-networking-tips-to-kickstart-your-graduate-career/ https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/12-networking-tips-for-students-who-want-to-get-the-best-jobs/ https://cheekyscientist.com/networking-tips/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/jq8p…

Let's Talk SciComm

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104. Listen To This If… You want to make your writing more conversational 5:45

10 weeks ago5:45

5:45

Is your writing too formal? Too boring? Or too hard to read? Have you been given the feedback that you need to make your writing more conversational? Take five minutes to tune into Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to make your writing easier to read. You can find more great advice here: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-conversationally https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/developing-people-and-skills/mrc/the-secrets-of-science-writing/ https://entomologytoday.org/2014/11/25/5-ways-to-improve-your-science-writing/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/7t8p…

Let's Talk SciComm

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103. Listen To This If… You’re feeling overwhelmed by a big task 6:07

11 weeks ago6:07

6:07

It's that time of year when many of us are feeling overwhelmed by our to-do lists. If you have a big task on your list that you’re struggling to make headway with, it’s time for your 5-minute Friday pep talk. Join Jen and Michael for their top tips on how to manage a sense of overwhelm and get stuff done! You can find more great advice here: https://www.calm.com/blog/what-to-do-when-you-feel-overwhelmed https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/well/mind/task-paralysis.html https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-manage-any-overwhelming-large-project-ellen-delap-cpo-3xuwc/ https://hbr.org/2019/10/how-to-deal-with-constantly-feeling-overwhelmed Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/qj8p…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
102. Listen To This If… Your powerpoint slides are BORING 5:41

12 weeks ago5:41

5:41

Got a talk coming up? Worried your powerpoint slides are boring? Think your audience might get distracted or even doze off while you’re talking? Stop for 5 minutes and tune into Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to improve your Powerpoint slides. You can find more great advice here: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-to-avoid-death-by-powerpoint https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/design-tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwpi1Lm6dFo https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/this-working-life/how-to-avoid-death-by-powerpoint/104210448 Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/3jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
101. Listen To This If… You want to start a new habit 6:27

13 weeks ago6:27

6:27

Keen to start a new habit? Maybe you want to exercise regularly, read more papers or get more writing done? Well, if you’ve got 5 minutes, Jen and Michael are back with a new season of Listen To This If…. This week they’re giving you a quick Friday pep talk with their top tips on how to get started with a new habit. Listen now! You can find more great advice here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-form-a-habit/ https://jamesclear.com/three-steps-habit-change https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/easy-science-backed-hack-habits https://theconversation.com/heres-what-happens-in-your-brain-when-youre-trying-to-make-or-break-a-habit-201189 Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/6jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

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100. Twenty questions with Jen and Michael 37:15

31 weeks ago37:15

37:15

Three years later and we couldn’t be more excited to be sharing Episode 100 of Let’s Talk SciComm with you. We are so proud to still be creating this podcast and couldn’t be more grateful to YOU, our fabulous listeners, for continuing to support us. To celebrate reaching episode 100 and the end of Season 13, Jen and Michael decided to turn the spotlight inwards and ask each other some of our favourite quick-fire questions, with a few new questions thrown in for good measure. We hope the result is a fun conversation in which you can get to know us a bit better and learn something about effective science communication along the way. We’ll be back with more episodes of ‘Let’s Talk SciComm’ and ‘Listen To This If…’ in February 2025 and in the meantime, we wish you all the best for a lovely Festive Season and hopefully holidays filled with fun and rest. We’d love to connect with you here: Jen https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-martin-scicomm/ https://bsky.app/profile/scidocmartin.bsky.social https://www.instagram.com/scidocmartin/ Michael https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wheeler-3872b869/ https://bsky.app/profile/michael-wheeler.bsky.social Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/9jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

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99. Our scicomm highs and lows - with the UniMelbSciComm teaching team 35:58

32 weeks ago35:58

35:58

It’s hard to believe this is the 99th episode of Let’s Talk SciComm! As you can imagine, we are very excited to still be producing our podcast three years and 99 episodes later. To celebrate, we invited the rest of our fabulous teaching team - Dr Catriona Nguyen-Robertson, Dr Linden Ashcroft and Dr Graham Phillips back to the podcast. The five of us spend half an hour reflecting on the highs and lows of our science communication experiences and what we’ve learned along the way about how to be more effective communicators. We hope you’ll find our reflections helpful! You can connect with us here: Jen https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-martin-scicomm/ https://bsky.app/profile/scidocmartin.bsky.social https://www.instagram.com/scidocmartin/ Michael https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wheeler-3872b869/ https://bsky.app/profile/michael-wheeler.bsky.social Catriona https://www.linkedin.com/in/catrionanguyen-robertson/ https://bsky.app/profile/nyuroscientist.bsky.social https://www.instagram.com/nyuroscientist/ Linden https://www.linkedin.com/in/linden-ashcroft-08640b59/ https://bsky.app/profile/lindenashcroft.bsky.social https://www.instagram.com/lindenashcroft/ Graham https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-phillips-80b3b920/ https://www.instagram.com/grahamphillipsscience/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/7jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
98. Interview with speech pathologist Dr Georgie Johnson 32:13

33 weeks ago32:13

32:13

This week we had a fascinating conversation with speech pathologist and science communicator Dr Georgie Johnson. Georgie is a clinical researcher with an interest in childhood stuttering treatment and addressing the psychological impact of stuttering for children. Georgie completed her PhD in 2024 investigating management of stuttering during the school years. Part of this program of research was a treatment trial of an intervention to support 6-12 year old children who stutter from across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. From this trial, Georgie and colleagues have published a range of freely accessible practical recommendations and clinical resources for community clinicians to use to optimise treatment outcomes for their school age clients. Georgie is also one of the Directors of the Stuttering Association for the Young Australia (SAY AU) and continues to work in the field to explore psychosocial support for young people who stutter. You can follow Georgie and find out more about her work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgie-johnson-5a87971b5/ https://bsky.app/profile/georgiejspeechpath.bsky.social https://www.rrr.org.au/on-demand/segments/speech-pathologist-dr-georgie-johnson-on-supporting-stuttering-children https://healthsciences.unimelb.edu.au/departments/audiology-and-speech-pathology/news-and-events/meet-speech-pathology-phd-student-georgina-johnson You can find out more information about SAY AU and their programs for young people who stutter at www.sayaustralia.com.au Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/5jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
97. Interview with wildlife scientist and science communicator Dr Vanessa Pirotta 35:17

34 weeks ago35:17

35:17

This week we had the most wonderful conversation with wildlife scientist, woman in STEMM/STEAM, science communicator, author and vessel operator, Dr Vanessa Pirotta. You’re going to love hearing Vanessa’s infectious enthusiasm for all things science and science communication. Vanessa’s research uses innovative technologies for wildlife conservation. Vanessa works collaboratively across both marine and terrestrial environments merging cutting edge technology to access animals in unique ways. Most notable works include drones to collect whale snot and the use of computer algorithms and AI for the detection of illegal wildlife trafficking. Vanessa is a passionate and experienced science communicator who plays an important role in society by making science accessible across generations. Vanessa’s spoken on the TEDx platform and has been recognized by the Australian Financial Review as one of the top 100 Women of Influence and recently, a 2024 finalist in the Australian’s Museums Eureka awards for promoting understanding of science and winner of the 2024 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards Emerging leader in Science. Vanessa is working collaboratively with indigenous knowledge holders such as the Gamay Rangers, to learn more about the marine mammals in our blue backyard but also identifying appropriate ways scientists can respectfully incorporate First Nations perspectives into marine research. Vanessa is also the lead scientist of the citizen science program Wild Sydney Harbour, connecting community with its blue backyard. Vanessa is also a proud children’s book author, with her book The Voyage of Whale and Calf, serving as an annual reminder of humpback whale biology and ecology in Australian waters. In 2024, Vanessa also released two additional books; The Humpback Highway: Diving into the mysterious world of whales and a second children’s book, Oceans At Night. Vanessa is a highly experienced presenter and was the invited MC for the prestigious Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science at Parliament House, Canberra in 2023/24. You can follow Vanessa and learn more about her work here: https://www.vanessapirotta.com/ https://www.wildsydneyharbour.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drvanessapirotta/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/drvanessapirotta/ https://www.facebook.com/DrVanessaPirotta/ https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/dr-vanessa-pirotta/ https://x.com/vanessapirotta https://www.tiktok.com/@drvanessapirotta Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/4jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
96. Interview with sustainability leader and climate justice advocate Linh Do 31:36

35 weeks ago31:36

31:36

This week we are lucky enough to chat with Linh Do, an incredible sustainability leader, educator, and climate justice advocate based in Melbourne, Australia. As Director of the Wattle Fellowship at the University of Melbourne, she cultivates the next generation of sustainability leaders through an innovative year-long program. With over a decade of experience across advocacy, media, and social enterprise sectors, Linh has worked globally to drive climate action and community engagement. Linh holds multiple leadership positions in the community, including chair of Climate Action Network Australia and a board member at the Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, and a research committee member at the Centre for Policy Development. She is a co-founder of the technology start-up OurSay and has previously led community organising at the Australian Conservation Foundation. Linh's work bridges diverse disciplines and sectors to create holistic approaches to complex environmental challenges. Prior to her current role, she served as the Australia and Pacific lead for The Climate Reality Project, Al Gore's climate leadership program; and as publisher and editor-in-chief of The Verb during the Paris climate negotiations. She has collaborated with diverse organisations, from high school students to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Reuters Foundation. Externally, she has been recognised with for her sustainability leadership from Green Gown Awards Australasia Sustainability Leadership, as a Woman of Influence from the Australian Financial Review (AFR) and as the Australian Geographic Young Conservationist of the Year. You can follow Linh and learn more about her work here: https://www.instagram.com/linhloop/ https://www.instagram.com/wattlefellowship/ https://x.com/lmdo https://www.linkedin.com/in/linhmdo/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wattle-fellowship/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/2jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

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95. Interview with science communication consultant Rachael Vorwerk 30:02

36 weeks ago30:02

30:02

This week we had the wonderful pleasure of catching up with one of our very own alumni! Rachael Vorwerk studied science communication with us many years ago and has gone on to forge an incredible career in the field. Rachael is a science communicator and freelance consultant who has been published in The Conversation, Cosmos Magazine and Eingana. She has helped scientists to share their research in BBC World News, The Independent, ABC and The Age, among others. Currently Rachael works at RMIT University as the Science Communication, Education and Outreach Manager at a 7-year Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence, the biggest research funding scheme available in Australia. She works with a group of around 50 researchers spanning PhD students through to Distinguished Professors – and helps the team to make their research more accessible to broader audiences. You can follow Rachael and learn more about her work here: https://au.linkedin.com/in/rachael-vorwerk https://twitter.com/rachael_vorwerk Here’s how a TV series inspired the KeepCup revolution. What’s next in the war on waste? What role does Entertainment-Education play in the adoption and maintenance of sustainable behaviours: a case study of reusable coffee cups in millennials https://www.combs.org.au/ (The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science (COMBS); AKA the 7-year Research Centre where Rachael is currently working) https://climatethrive.com.au/ (Climate Thrive, the company Rachael co-founded) Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/8jsp…

Let's Talk SciComm

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94. Interview with science communicator Professor Nancy Longnecker 30:58

37 weeks ago30:58

30:58

This week it is a huge honour for us to speak with our long-time scicomm colleague Nancy Longnecker who is Emerita Professor of Science Communication at the University of Otago. She has collaborated in the production of communication resources and assessment of their effectiveness in work that is often multidisciplinary and cross-cultural. In a career spanning four decades, Nancy has produced both physical and virtual resources, including exhibitions, displays, podcasts, websites, and teaching resources. She has written over 100 books, book chapters and articles. Nancy has taught science communication and contributed to workshops in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, the UK, and Denmark and has supervised over 50 science communication research students from 17 countries. Nancy is thrilled with her recent exhibition – Hou Rongo: Moriori | Music | Manawa . Hou Rongo offered an immersive look at the home and culture of New Zealand's indigenous Moriori people, who are often neglected or misunderstood. This exhibition blended tradition with innovative technology to evoke the feeling of being on Rēkohu (Chatham Island) amid the realms of the etchu (deities). The exhibition used sacred cultural objects, large video projections and an atmospheric soundscape to transport visitors to this special place. Nancy says, ‘I am proud to have been a part of a talented multidisciplinary team of academics and cultural advisors. With the Hou Rongo exhibition and its legacy components, we are honouring Moriori culture and contributing to its revitalisation.’ You can follow Nancy and learn more about her work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-longnecker-7275ab66/ https://www.otago.ac.nz/science-communication/staff/longnecker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Longnecker Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ym98…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
93. Interview with author and illustrator Sarah Firth 34:29

38 weeks ago34:29

34:29

Welcome to Season 13 of Let’s Talk SciComm. We’re so thrilled to be kicking off another season as we head towards our 100th episode! To get the season off to a fabulous start, this week we’re thrilled to talk with the incredible Sarah Firth (she/ her). Sarah is based on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne, Australia. She is an artist, writer, cartoonist, graphic recorder and animator, originally trained as a classical sculptor. She has received a Talking Difference Fellowship from the Immigration Museum, was a finalist in the Incinerator Gallery Award For Social Change and her comics were part of Eisner Award-winning and Ignatz nominated comic anthologies. Her debut graphic novel Eventually Everything Connects was shortlisted for The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2024, selected as The Age’s Non-Fiction Pick of The Week, ALIA’s Notable Graphic Novels of 2023 and one of The Best Graphic Novels Ever by Refinery29. You can buy Sarah’s brilliant book Eventually Everything Connects in Australia/ NZ here : http://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/daGy9Q And in US/UK/Europe here: https://www.graphicmundi.org/books/978-1-63779-068-7.html You can follow Sarah and learn more about her work here: https://www.instagram.com/sarahthefirth/ http://www.sarahthefirth.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahthefirth/ https://www.facebook.com/SarahTheFirthCreativeServices https://twitter.com/sarahthefirth https://www.tiktok.com/@sarahthefirth Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/om98…

Let's Talk SciComm

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92. Listen to This If….you want to grab your audience’s attention 5:36

40 weeks ago5:36

5:36

You NEED to listen to this. In this week’s episode of ‘Listen to This If…’ Jen and Michael explore how to grab your audience’s attention. In just five minutes Jen and Michael will discuss everything you need to know to turn heads and captivate your audience. https://hbr.org/2023/07/3-ways-to-keep-your-audience-focused-during-a-presentation https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-ways-hook-your-audience-first-60-seconds-jaimie-abbott-mba-gaicd/ https://thespeakerlab.com/blog/attention-grabber-examples/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/kog8…

Let's Talk SciComm

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91. Listen to This If… you want to conquer public speaking nerves 5:42

41 weeks ago5:42

5:42

Upcoming presentation got your palms sweaty, knees weak, arms heavy? Don’t worry, forget mum’s spaghetti, because we’re not going to let you miss your shot. Tune in to this week’s episode of ‘Listen to This If…’ where Jen and Michael give you all the tips and tricks to turn those shaky hands into a killer mic drop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXHivnWyZyo https://hbr.org/2016/10/how-to-calm-your-nerves-before-a-big-presentation https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/discover-ucl/top-tips-overcoming-dreaded-presentation-nerve Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/w8g8…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
90. Listen to This If... you can't stop doom scrolling on your phone 5:38

42 weeks ago5:38

5:38

Doomscrolling getting in your way? Don’t worry! Jen and Michael have some great tips to break the scrolling cycle and get you back to your task. In this week’s episode of Listen to This If, we’re discussing addictive algorithms and what strategies you can employ to get off your phone and back on track! https://hai.stanford.edu/news/psychiatrists-perspective-social-media-algorithms-and-mental-health https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2024/07/doomscrolling-breaking-the-habit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/news/2020/may/study-boosting-benefits-exercise https://catherineprice.com/phone-break-up-challenge Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/u778…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
89. Listen to This If… you are over the word count 5:19

43 weeks ago5:19

5:19

Over the word count on an assignment? It can be stressful trying to trim the writing you’ve put so much effort into. Luckily in this week’s episode, Jen and Michael have some handy tips to wriggle down those words while keeping your writing sharp and relevant to the task. Tune in now! https://www.brandeis.edu/writing-program/resources/faculty/handouts/reverse-outlining.html https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-aloud/ https://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/how-to-reduce-word-count-without-reducing-content Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/2d78…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
88. Listen to this if… you’re preparing for a job interview 5:01

44 weeks ago5:01

5:01

Got an interview coming up? Don't worry, Jen and Michael are here to help! In this five-minute episode, they'll give advice to make sure you're prepared for a perfect interview. From putting your mind at ease to carefully studying the job posting, Jen and Michael will provide you with practical tips that will boost your confidence and help you land the perfect job. Listen now and get ready for your interview! https://www.proclinical.com/blogs/2021-6/3-ways-to-make-a-good-impression-in-a-scientific-interview https://headspace.org.au/explore-topics/for-young-people/job-interview-preparation/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpkegRmPgis https://www.askamanager.org/category/interviewing https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-02/how-to-nail-job-interview/9868736 Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/is78…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
87. Introduction to Listen To This If! 1:12

45 weeks ago1:12

1:12

We're thrilled to launch an exciting new series of our podcast, 'Listen To This If...'. Jen and Michael will deliver a speedy, five-minute Friday fix packed with practical hot tips to tackle your toughest science communication challenges. Next Friday, we're starting with something we all want to know: how to ace a job interview! An enormous thank you to the University of Melbourne Science Communication students who form the production team for Listen To This If: Madeleine Kelly, Riccardo Petroni, Meiqi Peng and Lorne Whytcross. Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/9cc8…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
86. Interview with climate change communicator Dr Simon Torok 30:19

47 weeks ago30:19

30:19

We’re ending Season 11 with a fabulous conversation with climate change communicator Dr Simon Torok. Simon is CEO and Director of Scientell, a science communication company that seeks to maximise the impact of scientific information. He distils technical information for non-scientific audiences to communicate the importance of science in our lives and its role in understanding the environment. Simon has a Graduate Diploma in Science Communication from the Australian National University, and completed a PhD in climate change science at the University of Melbourne. He has managed communication for CSIRO in Australia and for the Tyndall Centre in England. He was editor of the Helix and Scientriffic science magazines, and has published more than 200 newspaper, magazine and scientific journal articles. He has co-authored 20 popular science and climate change books, several of which have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean and Hungarian. You can follow Simon and learn more about his work here: https://www.scientell.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-torok-5570782/ https://x.com/Simon_Scientell…

Let's Talk SciComm

1
85. How to make science funny with David Crisante 32:24

48 weeks ago32:24

32:24

This week we absolutely loved speaking with highly skilled communications coach David Crisante. David has had a career in journalism, political speechwriting - including for Australia's Foreign Minister - and science communications. These days he helps professionals to master storytelling techniques so that they’re more effective when communicating with stakeholders. David is founder of the Sydney Comedy School, where students discover their unique communication styles and how they can be more confident and charismatic, in public speaking and in everyday life. He is the director of Future Science Talks, and in 2024 he took his Science Comedy Program around Australia, training hundreds of scientists in the art of using humour to build rapport with audiences. David’s career history includes reporting for the ABC and SBS, as well as an international correspondent in Tokyo for several years, where he specialised in reporting on the nuclear disaster of 2011. He was a political and crisis response specialist for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. David has managed a wide array of PR crises, such as international kidnappings, pirate attacks and the disappearance of MH370. You can follow David and learn more about his work here: https://www.davidcrisante.com/ https://www.futu resciencetalks.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcrisante/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/future-science-talks/ https://www.youtube.com/@FutureScienceTalks https://x.com/ScienceTalksAU…

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84. Interview with medical writer and editor Dr Catherine Richards Golini 33:03

49 weeks ago33:03

33:03

This week we were incredibly fortunate to speak with Dr Catherine Richards Golini in Switzerland. Catherine is a Healthcare Publications Editor at Karger Publishers, specializing in creating, developing, and editing resources for patients and HCPs. Holding a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Swansea University, and with published research on patient communication, she is also a skilled plain language writer and reviewer of plain language summaries and patient materials. With expertise in health discourse, medical communication,and patient communication, Catherine also brings a wealth of experience in educational course development and language assessment. She cofounded and served as director of EALTHY, the European teachers‘ association for medical and healthcare English, demonstrating her commitment to advancing medical language education. You can follow Catherine and learn more about her work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinerichards/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/karger-publishers/ https://velocityofcontentpodcast.com/plain-language-summaries-go-beyond-language/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGWlf2RhM6k…

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83. How to communicate about science in English as a non-native language with Sara Garfield 28:46

50 weeks ago28:46

28:46

This week we had the wonderful opportunity to talk with Sara Garfield - a true expert in communicating about science in English as a non-native language. Sara is a dedicated educator with a diverse academic and teaching background that spans multiple countries and disciplines. Raised in Italy speaking English at home, her early fascination with languages and literature has paved the way for her academic interests and teaching career. Her undergraduate studies led her to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Modern Languages and Literature from Università Cà Foscari Venezia in Venice, Italy. During this time, she specialised in English and French languages and literature. Throughout her studies, she worked as an English private tutor, proof-reader and translator. Her true passion, though, has always been teaching and language learning. That is what drove her to train as an English language teacher in London, UK. Seeking to deepen her understanding of language acquisition and pedagogy, she pursued a Master of Science degree in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at Worcester College, University of Oxford, UK. Currently, she holds a permanent position as an English language instructor and course coordinator in the Department of Languages and Communication at the College of Science and Technology, University of Bordeaux. With a diverse teaching background, she has taught English for Specific Purposes and English for Science and Technology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her teaching philosophy emphasises active pedagogy, student-led learning, and the integration of digital tools for enhanced engagement. Among her research interests are topics linked to science communication using English as a lingua franca in international settings, teaching methodologies, intercultural communication, and the relationship between language and thought. Her approach is interdisciplinary and dedicated to fostering students’ linguistic, intercultural and communication competencies. You can follow Sara and learn more about her work here: www.linkedin.com/in/sara-garfield-816569b9 Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/skb8…

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82. Interview with Tilly Boleyn, head of Curatorial at Science Gallery Melbourne 32:17

51 weeks ago32:17

32:17

This week we were absolutely thrilled to speak with one of our favourite people: Tilly Boleyn. Tilly (she/her) is the Head of Curatorial, Science Gallery Melbourne, University of Melbourne. Basically, she’s a massive nerd, curious about the world and everything in it. She is a collaborative creature at heart and heads the team with a mixture of organisation, chaos, humour and sassy backtalk. She loves connecting people, making space for thought, and challenging people to back up their opinions in an imagined recreation of Mad Max Thunderdome. Her background is in museums, galleries, education, events, festivals, broadcasting and research. Originally a microbiologist, Tilly ran from the lab to the ABC, where she discovered a talent for science gossip – talking about other people’s science rather than doing her own. She then morphed into a curator and has created exhibitions on health, medicine, experimentation, the voice, engineering, sustainability, mental health, dark matter, identity and genders. Tilly is delighted by blurring the boundaries between science, art, design, technology, maths, engineering and large-scale-batteries-powered-by-human-urine. Currently she plots with scientists and artists to deliver a rolling series of innovative and thought-provoking shows to engage audiences with the bleeding edge of human knowledge. You can follow Tilly and learn more about her work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tilly-boleyn-a5397535/ https://x.com/tillsify https://www.instagram.com/tillyboleyn/ https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/ockhamsrazor/art-science-gallery-giant-urine-battery/102998322 (Tilly’s Ockham’s Razor talk) https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/166791 https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/560724 https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/powerhouse-museum-curator-tilly-boleyn-feeds-leeches-who-are-part-of-an-exhibit/news-story/222bdadf317c15bb01c952e630d01631 Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ekb8…

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81. Interview with science journalist Dr Jackson Ryan 33:33

1 year ago33:33

33:33

This week we had a fabulous conversation with multi-award winning science journalist Dr Jackson Ryan. Jackson is a former molecular biologist and current freelance science journalist with a focus on longform and narrative non-fiction science writing. He served as the Science Editor at CNET.com between 2018 and 2023 and was the 2022 winner of the Eureka Prize for Science Journalism. In 2024, he is co-editing the Best Australian Science Writing anthology -- and you should buy it! His longform writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, The Monthly and Nature. You can follow Jackson and learn more about his work here: https://www.jacksonwryan.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonryanscience https://x.com/dctrjack https://sjaa.org.au (Jackson is President of the Science Journalists Association of Australia) https://www.linkedin.com/company/science-journalists-association-of-australia You can read Jackson’s Antarctica stories here: https://linktr.ee/dctrj Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/i4b8…

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80. Interview with consultant, scientist and editor Dr Rachel Nowak 30:18

1 year ago30:18

30:18

This week we were privileged to have a wonderful conversation with Dr Rachel Nowak who is a consultant, an advisor, a scientist and a journalist. She has been working in science, technology and innovation on three continents. Her specialities include science journalism, knowledge mobilisation, research and technology assessment, and stakeholder engagement. She has been Washington Bureau Chief and Australasian Editor of New Scientist magazine. She was Director of Research Marketing and Communications at the University of Melbourne. She founded the social-good brain tech start-up The Brain Dialogue and is currently a Consultant Editor with Custom Media at the Nature Springer group. Rachel did her PhD in agricultural science at the University of Leeds. She studied writing, alongside poets and novelists, at The Johns Hopkins University. Her award-winning science journalism has changed R&D and medical practice, and research law and policy around the world. Rachel immigrated to Australia on a Distinguished Talent visa for her international record of outstanding achievements in science communication. You can follow Rachel and learn more about her work here: https://www.nowakassociates.net/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rachel-nowak-gaicd/ https://twitter.com/DrRachelNowak Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/6nb8…

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79. Interview with science writer Sara Phillips 33:59

1 year ago33:59

33:59

We’re so thrilled to be back with you for Season 11 of Let’s Talk SciComm. And to get the season off to a brilliant start, we had a wonderful conversation with Sara Phillips. Sara is an award-winning science writer and editor based in Melbourne, Australia. She edited the 2020, 10th-anniversary edition of the Best Australian Science Writing . Previously, she was Asia-Pacific bureau chief for Nature News, executive editor for the Asia-Pacific region of Nature Research Group’s custom publishing arm, the national environment reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and editor of ABC Environment online, a now-archived portal for the ABC’s environment content. Starting out on an environmental trade publication WME, she later became deputy editor of Cosmos magazine , where she was part of the team that won magazine of year not once, but twice. Cosmos Online won internet site of the year under her editorship. And the editor won editor of the year for 2005 and 2006, while she was supporting him. She was also the founding editor of G magazine, a sustainable lifestyle magazine. Her team won consumer magazine of the year (for print run over 30,000) at the Bell Awards for magazine publishing, and she took out editor of the year. You can follow Sara and find out more about her work here: https://saraphillips.net.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-phillips-3a15635/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/sara-phillips/3549260 https://invasives.org.au/our-team/sara-phillips/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/syy8…

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78. How to get into the business of science communication with Brendon Bosworth 31:50

1 year ago31:50

31:50

We’re ending Season 10 on a high, chatting with Brendon Bosworth in Cape Town, South Africa. Brendan is a communications specialist and science communication trainer who runs Human Element Communications. Brendon’s goal is to make research on topics of global concern, such as climate change and sustainable development, more accessible to non-specialists. After working as a communications officer on a large international climate change adaptation project in 2018, and as a journalist for more than 10 years before that, Brendon decided he wanted to work with scientists to build their communication skills. He partnered with Dr Tali Hoffman (director of Honeyguide Science Communication) to develop a science communication training programme, ‘Communicating Science for Impact.’ Since launching the programme in 2020, he and Dr Hoffman have trained over 300 people from institutions including UNEP, FAO, the University of Cape Town, the University of Ghana, the University of Nairobi, and the University of Saskatchewan to communicate about science with non-specialists more effectively. Brendon is a Fulbright scholar with a master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder. In his previous life as a journalist, he wrote about everything from ocean acidification to mental health, with some surf travel writing in between. He is also a photographer whose work has been featured in exhibitions in South Africa and abroad. As a consultant, Brendon has provided writing, editing, and communication services to clients including UN-Habitat, CARE, the Global Center on Adaptation, and the World Urban Forum. You can follow Brendon and learn more about his work here: https://www.humanelementcommunications.com/ https://www.humanelementcommunications.com/insights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am1-e0G27X8&t=974s (A recent interview Brendon did with Fancy Comma) https://www.brendonbosworth.com/ (Brendon’s photography website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendonbosworth https://www.instagram.com/brendon_bos/ https://twitter.com/BrendonBosworth Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/eyy8…

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77. Interview with poet Alicia Sometimes 33:06

1 year ago33:06

33:06

This week we have the immense pleasure of speaking with the brilliant Alicia Sometimes. Alicia is a multi-award winning poet and broadcaster who is deeply passionate about both art and science. She has performed her poetry at many venues, festivals and events around the world. Alicia is director/co-writer of the art/science planetarium shows , Elemental and Particle/Wave. In 2023 she received ANAT’s Synapse Artist Residency and co-created an art installation for Science Gallery Melbourne’s exhibition , Dark Matters. Her new book is Stellar Atmospheres. You can follow Alicia and learn more about her work here: https://www.aliciasometimes.com/ https://bookedout.com.au/find-a-speaker/author/alicia-sometimes/ https://www.instagram.com/sometimesalicia/ https://x.com/aliciasometimes https://sometimes2023.blog.anat.org.au/ https://corditebooks.org.au/products/stellar-atmospheres (Alicia’s new book) Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/xw58…

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76. How to communicate about science using an evidence-based approach with Dr Craig Cormick 32:26

1 year ago32:26

32:26

This week we had the great privilege of speaking with Dr Craig Cormick OAM. Craig is the Creative Director of ThinkOutsideThe. He is one of Australia’s leading science communicators, with over 30 years’ experience working with agencies such as CSIRO, Questacon and Federal Government Departments. In 2014 he was awarded the Unsung Hero of Science Communication by the Australian Science Communicators, and in 2011 was a co-winner of the International Association of Public Participation’s national best practice award for the development of the Science and Technology Engagement Pathways (STEP) framework. Craig has headed up several communications and marketing units, before moving to consultancy work. He specialised in communicating complex science to the general public – and in communicating the complex attitudes and beliefs of the public to scientists, particularly on topics of biotechnology and nanotechnology. He has a broad background in both the theory and the practice of working with social attitudes to new technologies, and methods of community engagement, particularly on how different values influence attitudes and receptiveness to messages or behaviour change. He has been a member of the Society of Risk Analysis and has published research papers on risk communications and risk perception, as well as giving many workshops and talks, both in Australia and overseas, on the differences between public and scientific perceptions of risk. Craig has a particular interest in evidence-based, and client- and audience-driven, communications and marketing. He has also published more than 40 books and won many writing awards. You can follow Craig and learn more about his work here: https://theconversation.com/profiles/craig-cormick-94194/articles https://thinkoutsidethe.com.au/?page_id=27 https://www.facebook.com/craig.cormick https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-craig-cormick-oam-08352123/ https://twitter.com/craigcormick Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/htv8…

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75. Interview with researcher Laura Bibiana Ospina-Rozo 29:34

1 year ago29:34

29:34

This week we had such a wonderful time speaking with Laura Bibiana Ospina-Rozo, who joined us all the way from her home in Columbia. Laura is a scientist who finds joy in tackling research questions in the field of biophotonics: where light and living matter interact. She completed her undergraduate and masters degrees at the University of Los Andes in Colombia and her PhD in 2022 investigating beetle colours at the University of Melbourne. As a postdoc at the Stuart-Fox lab at the University of Melbourne, she analyzes biological samples combining microscopy and colour-measuring techniques, and spends most of her time talking to people from different disciplines to interpret the results together. Her work has taught her the importance of communicating science in an engaging and efficient way, as well as listening to diverse perspectives around common questions. That is why she eagerly participates in science communication competitions such as the 3MT competition and the Big Science Pitch and also likes being part of the diversity and inclusion committees at the University of Melbourne. You can follow Laura and learn more about her work here: https://twitter.com/laubibianapina https://www.instagram.com/lau.b.pina/ https://biosciences.unimelb.edu.au/about/news-and-events/hbos/humans-of-biosciences-laura-ospina-rozo (the article we referred to at the start of the episode) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhC5auSY1d4 (an intro to Laura’s Big Science Pitch) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TYSU5-qGb0 The Big Science Pitch 2023 Laura also makes all her code public in https://github.com/lospinarozo Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/cjv8…

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74. How to create a scicomm outreach program with Dr Jen Payne 29:35

1 year ago29:35

29:35

This week we had a wonderful time speaking with Dr Jen Payne about her amazing initiative STEMpals. Jen grew up in a small country town, where the closest thing to scientists she saw was her teachers. She had no idea really what a scientist was or could be. Fast forward to now, where Jen is a research scientist, minimising deadly infections due to antimicrobial resistance. She is an award-winning science communicator who is passionate about real-world STEM in the classroom. This led to becoming the founder and CEO of a STEM charity the Curiosity Factory, which runs STEMpals. STEMpals is a pen pal program for upper primary school students where each student in the classroom is paired with their very own STEM professional to exchange handwritten letters across the year. This cross-curricular program inspires our next STEM generation one letter at a time. Jen also fosters greyhounds and has represented Australia around the world playing ultimate frisbee. You can follow Jen and learn more about her work here: https://stempals.org.au/ https://au.linkedin.com/company/curiosityfactory https://au.linkedin.com/in/jenniferaepayne https://twitter.com/DrPayne_AMR https://www.australiansepsisnetwork.net.au/community-awareness/signs-symptoms-sepsis And here is some important information about sepsis, a fatal condition we discuss on the podcast: Sepsis comes down to TIME, as every hour treatment is delayed, the likelihood of death increases by 4-9%. TIME can save your life. T = temperature - is it higher or lower than normal? I = infection - may have signs and symptoms of an infection M = mental decline - confused, sleepy, difficult to rouse E = extremely ill - severe pain, discomfort, shortness of breath Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/c9d8…

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73. Interview with scientist and adventurer Milly Formby 30:19

1 year ago30:19

30:19

What a treat this week’s episode is! We had a blast catching up with one of our brilliant former science communication students, Milly Formby. Milly is a qualified zoologist, pilot and illustrator of the children's book, A Shorebird Flying Adventure . In 2022-23 she was the first woman to fly a microlight aircraft around Australia. The aim of the adventure was to promote protection of wetland habitats for endangered migratory shorebirds. Milly took 160 hours of flight time over 365 days covering 14,000 kilometres to complete the journey. Along the way she visited 105 primary schools reaching over 6500 students in remote, regional and urban Australia. Milly has extensive experience in many different types of science communication and we know you’re going to love this conversation! You can follow Milly and learn more about her work here: https://wingthreads.com/ https://www.facebook.com/wingthreads/ https://www.instagram.com/wingthreads/ https://www.youtube.com/@wingthreads2347 https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-formby-a607a64b/ You can watch a documentary about Wing Threads here: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/wing-threads And you can purchase Milly’s book A Shorebird Flying Adventure here: https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/8006/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/iyy8…

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72. Interview with Brian Lin from EurekAlert! 30:19

1 year ago30:19

30:19

This week we had the great pleasure of speaking with Brian Lin in Washington DC. Brian oversees EurekAlert!, a non-profit news release distribution platform operated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He has more than two decades of experience as a science communicator, having interned at a national daily technology TV show in Canada before serving as a press officer for 13 years at the University of British Columbia, where he helped communicate scientific and medical research while developing and delivering media training for faculty and students. Since joining AAAS in 2014, he has more than tripled web traffic at EurekAlert! and led the development of a new platform that launched in 2021. His current focus is expanding access to EurekAlert! in low and middle-income countries and fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in and through science communication. You can follow Brian and learn more about his work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianlinworks/ https://x.com/brianlinworks https://blog.eurekalert.org/ - The EurekAlert! Science Communication blog https://www.eurekalert.org/newsportal/eurekalert_resources - The Eurekalert! Resources center for journalists and Press officers https://www.wired.com/2016/05/internet-hub-science-news-shaping-world-20-years/ - A Wired.com story about EurekAlert! at their 20th anniversary Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ayy8…

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71. Interview with Marnie Ogg, a leader in science-based tourism 32:00

1 year ago32:00

32:00

Welcome back to Season 10 of Let’s Talk SciComm! We’re thrilled to be back with you for another season of fantastic conversations exploring how we can all communicate about science in more effective and engaging ways. To get the season off to an amazing start, we’re thrilled to have caught up with science tourism and dark skies guru, Marnie Ogg. With over 17 years of experience as a Managing Director at Dark Sky Traveller, Marnie has seamlessly combined a passion for astronomy, tourism, and conservation to curate unique and unforgettable experiences for travellers and communities alike. As a dedicated Dark Sky Defender, Marnie holds a Diploma of Psychology and a Diplome de Francaise, leveraging these qualifications to champion the protection and promotion of the night environment, while educating and inspiring diverse audiences. Among her notable achievements are securing the designation of Australia's first Dark Sky Place, founding and spearheading the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance, orchestrating a Guinness World Record attempt, and managing a pivotal report for the Commonwealth Government on light pollution. Through these endeavors, Marnie has developed skills in facilitation, public speaking, project management, and conservation, all while striving to leave a positive and enduring impact on our world. You can follow Marnie and learn more about her work here: https://www.darkskytraveller.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/DarkSkyTraveller/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/marnie-ogg-0b36877b/ https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/dark-sky-conversations/id1464617065 (Marnie’s podcast) Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/9ot8…

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70. Interview with Dr Samantha Grover 31:17

2 years ago31:17

31:17

To finish Season 9 of Let’s Talk SciComm, we had a truly wonderful conversation with Dr Samantha Grover, who leads the Soil-Atmosphere-Anthroposphere Lab at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. Sam’s team explores the interconnections between food, climate change and people. They collaborate with farmers, NGOs, industry, government and other researchers around the world to more sustainably manage landscapes. They focus on high carbon systems such as peatlands, regenerative agriculture and composting. As a soil scientist, Sam applies techniques from soil physics, soil chemistry and soil microbiology with micrometeorology to explore the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. She collaborates with economists, social scientists, policy analysist as well as other biological and physical scientists to generate whole-of-system knowledge. Through her teaching of Bachelors and Masters of Environmental Science, as well as her public engagement as a Superstar of STEM, President of Soil Science Australia, VIC, various Board and Committee roles and growing media profile, she communicates her research to create impact. We talked with Sam about the many different types of science communication she’s involved with, including giving a TED talk and writing a children’s book. Sam has a wealth of scicomm experience and knowledge to share and we’re sure you’ll enjoy the conversation! You can follow Sam and learn more about her work here: https://www.rmit.edu.au/contact/staff-contacts/academic-staff/g/grover-dr-samantha https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-grover-169017186/ https://twitter.com/drsoilsam https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/dr-samantha-grover/ https://theleadershipfilm.org/samantha-grover/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wKA6JQQBSE (Sam’s TED talk) https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7464/ (Sam’s book Exploring Soils). https://www.twma.com.au/channel/sharing-transdisciplinary-soil-stories-by-dr-samantha-grover/…

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69. How to be strategic when communicating science 30:58

2 years ago30:58

30:58

This week Jen and Michael had a wonderful conversation with Professor John Besley about strategic science communication. John studies public opinion about science and scientists’ opinions about the public. His goal is to help science communicators be more effective by helping them consider evidence-based and strategic communication choices. He also does research aimed at understanding how peoples’ views about decision-makers and decision processes (i.e., trustworthiness and fairness beliefs) affect their overall perceptions of science and technology (S&T). John has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. This work has appeared in high-ranking journals including Risk Analysis, Science Communication, Public Understanding of Science, and the Journal of Risk Research as well as a range of edited volumes. He has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the United States Department of Agriculture, and a range of foundations. He is the associate editor for risk communication for Risk Analysis. In addition to his regular research, John was the lead author for the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 National Science Board chapters on public attitudes and knowledge about science and technology. Michigan State University awarded John its William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award in 2021 and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) honored him as a fellow in 2018. In 2013, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication awarded him the Hillier-Krieghbaum Under 40 Award. You can follow John and learn more about his work here: https://comartsci.msu.edu/our-people/john-c-besley https://www.instagram.com/johnbesley/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-c-besley-880a468/ http://strategicsciencecommunication.com/ (John and Anthony’s book) https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12411/strategic-science-communication…

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68. Interview with Jessie Panazzolo, the lonely conservationist 31:03

2 years ago31:03

31:03

What a wonderful conversation we had with Jessie Panazzolo this week! Jessie is the founder of Lonely Conservationists, a global online community working to help conservationists thrive by providing a platform to be heard, a strong community foundation and educational resources about caring for conservationists. Lonely Conservationists has become a pioneering platform in creating a space for environmentalists across the globe by giving them a safe space to share and normalise their lived experiences in the field. You can follow Jessie and learn more about her work here: https://lonelyconservationists.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessie-panazzolo-996293a2/ https://www.stemwomen.org.au/profile/jessie-panazzolo https://conservationoptimism.org/meet-the-optimists-jessie-panazzolo/ https://www.instagram.com/lonelyconservationists/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnZMK29gHZ6WaQ6k9JPWcQ…

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67. How to put Figures First! 28:01

2 years ago28:01

28:01

This week we had a fascinating conversation with visual science communicator extraordinaire Dr Sarah Treit. With a PhD in Neuroscience, ~25 peer-reviewed publications, and a 5-year H-index of 16, Sarah combines a strong research track record with a passion for communicating science through visuals. Through her company, Figures First, Sarah provides grant application support, including peer-review style feedback, writing, editing, and creation of visually appealing and impactful figures to help Investigators craft their story. She also shares her enthusiasm and knowledge through workshops and educational services for graduate students, faculty and other researchers. You can follow Sarah and learn more about her work here: https://www.figuresfirst.ca https://figuresfirst.thrivecart.com/fundamentals-of-effective-figure-design https://www.instagram.com/figures.first https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-treit-phd/ https://www.tiktok.com/@figures.first…

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65. How to get started in scicomm 31:32

2 years ago31:32

31:32

We know many of our listeners are keen to get more experience in science communication but don’t know where to begin. Have we got the episode for you! This week we had a fantastic chat with Dr Donovan Garcia-Ceron about how he got started in science communication and the things he’s doing to build his scicomm profile. As you’ll hear, Donovan is kind and curious. He works in research to protect crops from pests, with the aim of increasing food security and enabling healthier communities. He has worked in the creation of eco-friendly insecticides, and investigated how fungi “sneeze” to cause stronger infections in plants. As a research officer, Donovan now develops next-generation fungicides that can “switch off” the genes that fungi use to cause diseases, without being harmful to the environment. During his PhD, Donovan developed an interest in science communication. He won prizes for the 3-minute Thesis and Visualise Your Thesis competitions in several years, and has been invited to write for blogs and to participate in philanthropic events to pitch science projects. He is passionate about making scientific knowledge accessible and open to anyone, and is interested in connecting with other science communicators. In his spare time, Donovan does Brazilian drumming and builds furniture using reclaimed wood (IG: @slothfurniture). You can follow Donovan and learn more about him and his work here: https://twitter.com/DonovanGarciaC https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovan-garcia-ceron/ https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/dgarciaceron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP-DIKYgFCo (Donovan’s Visualise Your Thesis entry) https://www.instagram.com/slothfurniture/ Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/i79s…

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66. Interview with Professor Jo Salmon 31:28

2 years ago31:28

31:28

This week we had the great pleasure of speaking with Alfred Deakin Professor, Jo Salmon about the importance of effective science communication in research, especially when it comes to co-designed research. Jo is the Director of the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) at Deakin University and currently holds a NHMRC Level 2 Investigator Grant. She has spent the last 20 years conducting research on the development of effective programs to promote children’s physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour. Jo has been a Chief Investigator on over 30 nationally funded research projects and 14 international projects worth more than $28.8 million and has supervised 26 PhD students to completion and 14 postdoctoral fellows. She has published her research extensively with over 450 peer reviewed papers and book chapters, and for the past 7 years has been named a Clarivate Highly Cited researcher, which ranks her in the 1% most cited authors in the world for her subject field. Jo is the past President and a Fellow of the International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, and the founding current President of the Asia Pacific Society for Physical Activity (ASPA). She also played a key role in development of movement guidelines for youth in Australia (2004; 2008; 2014). You can follow Jo and learn more about her work here: https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/people/jo-salmon https://twitter.com/profjsalmon https://aspactivity.org/news/iwd-2023-profjosalmon/ https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/improving-health-and-wellbeing-children-making-it-easy-be-active-throughout-day…

Let's Talk SciComm

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63. How to ask good questions with Dr Shane Huntington OAM 31:34

2 years ago31:34