Shows
Let's Talk SciComm103. Listen To This If… You’re feeling overwhelmed by a big taskIt'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-overwhelmedhttps://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/well/mind/task-paralysis.htmlhttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-manage-any-overwhelming-large-project-ellen-delap-cpo-3xuwc/2025-05-0806 min
Let's Talk SciComm102. Listen To This If… Your powerpoint slides are BORINGGot 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-powerpointhttps://www.student.unsw.edu.au/design-tipshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwpi1Lm6dFohttps://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/this-working-life/how-to-avoid-death-by-powerpoint/104210448Transcript: https://go.uni...2025-05-0105 min
Let's Talk SciComm101. Listen To This If… You want to start a new habitKeen 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-changehttps://www.sciencefocus.com/science/easy-science-backed-hack-habitshtt...2025-04-2406 min
Let's Talk SciComm100. Twenty questions with Jen and MichaelThree 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...2024-12-1637 minLet's Talk SciComm99. Our scicomm highs and lows - with the UniMelbSciComm teaching teamIt’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 o...2024-12-1035 minLet's Talk SciComm98. Interview with speech pathologist Dr Georgie JohnsonThis 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...2024-12-0232 minLet's Talk SciComm97. Interview with wildlife scientist and science communicator Dr Vanessa PirottaThis 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 passi...2024-11-2535 minLet's Talk SciComm96. Interview with sustainability leader and climate justice advocate Linh DoThis 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...2024-11-1831 minLet's Talk SciComm95. Interview with science communication consultant Rachael VorwerkThis 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 C...2024-11-1130 minLet's Talk SciComm94. Interview with science communicator Professor Nancy LongneckerThis 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...2024-11-0430 minLet's Talk SciComm93. Interview with author and illustrator Sarah FirthWelcome 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 w...2024-10-2834 min
Let's Talk SciComm92. Listen to This If….you want to grab your audience’s attentionYou 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/kog82024-10-1705 min
Let's Talk SciComm91. Listen to This If… you want to conquer public speaking nervesUpcoming 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/w8g82024-10-1005 min
Let's Talk SciComm90. Listen to This If... you can't stop doom scrolling on your phoneDoomscrolling 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/u7782024-10-0305 min
Let's Talk SciComm89. Listen to This If… you are over the word countOver 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/2d782024-09-2605 min
Let's Talk SciComm88. Listen to this if… you’re preparing for a job interviewGot 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
2024-09-1905 min
Let's Talk SciComm87. Introduction to Listen To This If!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.a...2024-09-1201 minLet's Talk SciComm83. How to communicate about science in English as a non-native language with Sara GarfieldThis 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, sh...2024-08-0528 minLet's Talk SciComm82. Interview with Tilly Boleyn, head of Curatorial at Science Gallery MelbourneThis 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 an...2024-07-2932 minLet's Talk SciComm81. Interview with science journalist Dr Jackson RyanThis 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 h...2024-07-2233 minLet's Talk SciComm80. Interview with consultant, scientist and editor Dr Rachel NowakThis 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...2024-07-1530 minLet's Talk SciComm79. Interview with science writer Sara PhillipsWe’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...2024-07-0833 minLet's Talk SciComm78. How to get into the business of science communication with Brendon BosworthWe’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 (direc...2024-05-2731 minLet's Talk SciComm77. Interview with poet Alicia SometimesThis 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:
2024-05-2033 minLet's Talk SciComm76. How to communicate about science using an evidence-based approach with Dr Craig CormickThis 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 ma...2024-05-1332 minLet's Talk SciComm75. Interview with researcher Laura Bibiana Ospina-RozoThis 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...2024-05-0629 minLet's Talk SciComm74. How to create a scicomm outreach program with Dr Jen PayneThis 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...2024-04-2929 minLet's Talk SciComm73. Interview with scientist and adventurer Milly FormbyWhat 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, re...2024-04-2230 minLet's Talk SciComm72. Interview with Brian Lin from EurekAlert!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...2024-04-1530 minLet's Talk SciComm71. Interview with Marnie Ogg, a leader in science-based tourismWelcome 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 d...2024-04-0832 minLet's Talk SciComm70. Interview with Dr Samantha GroverTo 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 econ...2023-11-2731 minLet's Talk SciComm67. How to put Figures First!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...2023-11-0628 minLet's Talk SciComm65. How to get started in scicommWe 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 creati...2023-11-0531 minLet's Talk SciComm66. Interview with Professor Jo SalmonThis 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 mi...2023-10-3031 minLet's Talk SciComm63. How to ask good questions with Dr Shane Huntington OAMWelcome to Season Nine of Let’s Talk SciComm! We’re thrilled to be back with another season, chatting each week about our very favourite topic – how we can all be more effective when it comes to communicating about science.
We’re kicking off the season talking with our good friend Dr Shane Huntington OAM (@DrShaneRRR) – in case you haven’t listened yet, you can get to know Shane on episode 9 of Let’s Talk SciComm! Shane is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Little Big Steps; a charity helping kids with cancer.
Shane is also a speaker...2023-10-2331 minLet's Talk SciComm64. Interview with Olly Dove from That's What I Call ScienceThis week we are so delighted to chat with Olly Dove. Living up to her bird name, Olly Dove is a marine ecology PhD candidate researching the foraging behaviour of little penguins and short-tailed shearwaters in lutruwita/Tasmania. Olly’s favourite part of working in zoology is undoubtedly the exciting fieldwork it leads her to, and
she loves sharing stories about the natural world with others.
When not hanging out with critters, Olly is an incredible science communicator. She is the weekly host, a co-manager, and an editor on the nipaluna/Hobart-based radio/podcast show, That’s What...2023-10-2331 minLet's Talk SciComm56. Interview with Zoos Victoria CEO Dr Jenny GrayThis week we have the enormous pleasure of speaking with Dr Jenny Gray who is the Chief Executive Officer of Zoos Victoria, charged with the operation of the Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park and Werribee Open Range Zoo.
Over the last decade Zoos Victoria has transformed into a Zoo Based Conservation Organisation, committed to fighting extinction and creating a future rich in wildlife. Working closely with 27 critically endangered species and engaging with over 2.6 million visitors and 360,000 members, Zoos Victoria is testing models of optimism and bravery to address threats to species survival and enhancing care of...2023-10-2234 minLet's Talk SciComm62. Interview with nutrition misinformation expert Emily DennissThis week we were thrilled to have the opportunity to chat with Emily Denniss who is a PhD Candidate at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University. Her research is focused nutrition communication and misinformation on social media and how social media is used by young adults to seek information about food and nutrition. Emily also teaches into undergraduate public health and nutrition science units at Deakin and gave us lots of food for thought about understanding online misinformation.
You can follow Emily and learn more about her work here:
https://www...2023-08-2831 minLet's Talk SciComm61. How to be a confident networkerThis week we had the great pleasure of chatting with Joshua Tinner who is full of fantastic advice about how to build your professional networks. Josh currently the Country Manager of the UK team at InternMatch, a company that helps students and graduates find internships as a step towards employment. Previously Josh has worked in a variety of businesses including managing the administration of a migration consultancy, helping run the division of Melbourne for two federal elections, assistant-coaching a football team, and seven years of bartending. As demonstrated through this loose associations of jobs, Josh believes that there is...2023-08-2133 minLet's Talk SciComm60. How to write an excellent CV and job applicationThis week we were thrilled Executive Recruiter and Scientist Marilyn Jones was able to make time to chat with us. Marilyn has over 25 years’ experience in resourcing staff for companies and assisting individuals with their career aspirations and we learned so much from her about how to get your dream job.
Marilyn undertook research in cancer and immunology, leading to managing an R&D project for the commercialisation of the purified components of snake venom for human therapeutic purposes. Combined with additional commercialisation projects in wheat identification and infectious diseases, she gained a comprehensive understanding of the di...2023-08-1432 minLet's Talk SciComm59. How to present science conciselyThis week we had a wonderful conversation with Dr. Bruce Kirchoff who is a scientist, improviser, and storyteller. He teaches young scientists to speak clearly and intelligibly about their research. His book Presenting Science Concisely (https://presentingscienceconcisely.com/book) draws on the relation between the scientific process and story structure to present science with impact.
Bruce is also Emeritus Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he taught courses in plant diversity, flowering plant identification, and evolution. His research combined insights from biology and cognitive psychology to improve the reliability of plant de...2023-08-0733 minLet's Talk SciComm58. How to find a fantastic research supervisor (and work well with them)This week we were so lucky to have the opportunity to chat with Professor David Dunstan about being a research supervisor. David holds a joint appointment at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia with the positions of: Head – Baker/Deakin Department of Lifestyle and Diabetes and Chair, Lifestyle and Diabetes (Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin); and Deputy Director/Physical Activity Laboratory Head (Baker).
His research focuses on understanding the adverse health consequences of too much sitting and the potential health benefits resulting from frequently breaking up sitting time. In pa...2023-07-3128 minLet's Talk SciComm57. Interview with science journalist Belinda SmithThis week we had the best time chatting with Belinda (Bel) Smith, science writer extraordinaire. Belinda became a science journalist after realising she wasn't going to cut it as a scientist. Based in Melbourne, she's currently science reporter at the ABC. Her work appears on the ABC News website and has featured in the Best Australian Science Writing 2016 and 2018. You can also hear her talking about science on local ABC radio and Radio National. In her spare time, Bel's a GPS artist who runs routes in the shape of animals.
You can follow Belinda and learn more...2023-07-2431 minLet's Talk SciComm55. How to get kids excited about scienceWelcome to another season of Let’s Talk SciComm! We’re very excited to be back with Season Eight, podcasting about our very favourite topic – science communication.
We’re kicking off the season talking with the brilliant Julia Cleghorn about approaches to getting kids excited about science.
Julia is an extroverted science geek, science communicator, project manager and performer at heart. Her career combines science and the arts to promote engagement and curiosity in science. She has communicated science to kids on TV - as writer, producer and presenter for Network Ten’s Scope; in magazines...2023-07-1030 minLet's Talk SciComm54. Top 6 ‘How to’ episodes: How to get your thesis writtenIt’s the end of another season of Let’s Talk SciComm and it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. It’s the end of our countdown of our most popular how-to episodes and coming in at number one is…… How to get your thesis written.
Writing a thesis is hard! It’s probably the longest document you’ve ever had to write, and the experience is often accompanied by a tendency to procrastinate and feelings of overwhelm and imposterism.
This episode will help! Jen and Michael briefly talk about their thesis writing experience...2023-06-0527 minLet's Talk SciComm53. Top 6 ‘Best of’ episodes: How to improve your science writingWe’re continuing our countdown of our most listened-to episodes and this week we’ve made it to number two. It came as no surprise to us that science writing is a topic so many of our listeners want to learn more about – being able to write clearly is such an essential skill!
In 2014, Steven Pinker published a piece in The Chronicle of Higher Education titled ‘Why academic writing stinks’. While we might take offence at the notion that our writing ‘stinks’, there’s no question that the way many of us have been taught to write as researchers a...2023-05-2936 minLet's Talk SciComm52. Top 6 ‘Best of’ episodes: How to NOT be boringWe’ve hit the middle of Season 7 and we’re continuing to explore our 6 most listened-to episodes. Each episode has a new introduction in which Jen and Michael reflect on why the topic resonated so much with our listeners and what we’ve learned about the topic in the interim.
Coming in at number 3 is ‘How to NOT be boring’ and the title pretty much says it all.
We’re sure you can all remember sitting through an incredibly boring science talk or struggling to read a boring piece of science writing. If you want to get your...2023-05-2231 minLet's Talk SciComm51. Top 6 ‘Best of’ episodes: How to tackle imposter syndromeThis is Season 7 and we’re excited to be revisiting our 6 most listened-to episodes. Each episode has a new introduction in which Jen and Michael chat about why we think the topic resonated so much with our listeners and what we’ve learned about the topic since it was first published.
Coming in at number 4 is ‘How to tackle imposter syndrome’.
On the outside you appear confident, composed and on top of your game. But on the inside, you are wracked with self-doubt. You feel like a fraud and as though someone is about to tap you...2023-05-1531 minLet's Talk SciComm50. Top 6 ‘Best of’ episodes: How to give a better science talkWe’re very excited to hit episode 50 today!! This is Season 7 and for something a bit different, we’re excited to be revisiting our 6 most listened-to episodes. Each episode has a new introduction in which Jen and Michael reflect on why the topic resonated so much with our listeners and what we’ve learned about the topic in the interim.
Coming in at number 5 is ‘How to give a better science talk’.
All scientists need to give talks but being able to give a brilliant talk takes skill. Are you wondering how to best keep your audie...2023-05-0838 minLet's Talk SciComm49. Top 6 ‘Best of’ episodes: How to tackle procrastinationWelcome to Season 7: for something a bit different, we’re excited to be revisiting our 6 most listened-to episodes. Each episode has a new introduction in which Jen and Michael reflect on why the topic resonated so much with our listeners and what we’ve learned about the topic in the interim.
Coming in at number 6 is ‘How to tackle procrastination’. It comes as no surprise that many of us want advice on how to procrastinate less! It’s one of the biggest challenges many of us come up against in our day-to-day work. And it can certainly be a major...2023-05-0135 minLet's Talk SciComm48. How to manage public speaking nervesNerves are a completely normal part of giving a talk and as you’ve probably heard many times – nerves are a good thing! Feeling nervous means you care about this presentation which will help you to do a great job. But nerves can also be very unsettling and even completely debilitating. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to help manage your nerves. In this episode, Michael and Jen share their advice on what you can do before and during a talk to get your nerves under control and not only give a fant...2023-03-2731 minLet's Talk SciComm47. How to communicate about controversial topics (like aliens)This week we had a fascinating conversation with Dr Graham Phillips focused on how to talk about controversial or divisive science topics – like aliens. Graham is a much-loved Australian science communicator and journalist and has plenty of experience communicating about tricky topics, especially when he was the host and a producer-reporter on ABC TV’s science program Catalyst.
Graham began his career as a scientist (he has a PhD in astrophysics) before quitting to become science journalist/broadcaster/communicator. He’s been a regular science commentator on all the free-to-air TV commercial networks, written about science for almost...2023-03-2030 minLet's Talk SciComm46. How to communicate about your work with industryThis week we had the great pleasure of talking with Dr Josh Chu-Tan who until very recently was the Business Development Manager for the College of Health and Medicine (CHM) based in the ANU Office of Business Engagement and Commercialisation as well as a Research Fellow at JCSMR with the Clear Vision Research Group. Josh completed his PhD in 2019 and was hired as a postdoc and lecturer in Medical Physiology by the ANU Medical School. Since his PhD, he has published 16 papers with 6 as first author and won an NHMRC Ideas Grant as a CI. Josh then moved onto...2023-03-1330 minLet's Talk SciComm45. How to communicate about science with high school studentsThis week we had an absolute blast speaking with Christian Williams, who is an expert teacher in Melbourne, Australia. He has been recognised nationally and internationally for his expertise as a National Excellence in Teaching Award Winner, Finalist for the Global Teacher Prize and a Finalist for Young Australian of the Year. At Mentone Girls’ Grammar School, Christian manages the award-winning Enterprise Academy, a world leader in educating, inspiring and empowering young women for a better world. He is also the Co-Founder of one of Australia’s top education start-ups The STEM Circle.
You can follow Christian and...2023-03-0629 minLet's Talk SciComm44. Interview with visual science communicator Dr Tullio RossiThis week we loved catching up with award-winning science communicator, marine biologist and graphic designer Dr Tullio Rossi. As founder of the science communication agency "Animate Your Science", he helps researchers tell their story to the world.
His engaging video animations and eye-catching graphics make science understandable for everyone, reaching millions of people around the world, thereby creating a real-life impact.
You can follow Tullio and learn more about his work here:
https://twitter.com/Tullio_Rossi
https://twitter.com/Animate_Science
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tulliorossi/
https://www...2023-02-2729 minLet's Talk SciComm43. Interview with science educator Dr Jarrod McKennaThis week we had a lot of fun chatting with, and learning from, Dr Jarrod McKenna. Jarrod is a reproductive biologist turned zookeeper turned science educator and has had quite a mixture of jobs. As a PhD student at Monash University, he investigated early pregnancy and assisted reproduction in the world’s only known menstruating rodent: The Egyptian Spiny Mouse. He then went on to work as a zookeeper at Zoos Victoria and as the Communications Officer at the National Youth Science Forum. These days he works as an Outreach Program Coordinator in the Faculty of Science at the Un...2023-02-2029 minLet's Talk SciComm42. Interview with environmentalist and author Andrew KellyThis week we were so fortunate to talk with Andrew Kelly, environmentalist, convenor of The Waterway Network, and former Yarra Riverkeeper. Among other things, Andrew has worked as an editor, publisher, spokesperson, advocate and author. He played a key role in formulating the formulation the Yarra River Protection (Willip-gin Birrarung murron) Act which was passed unopposed. He has also written a number of books for children including Peregrines in the City, Willam: A Birrarung Story and The Accidental Penguin Hotel. Andrew has lots of fantastic advice to share about how we can share our messages more effectively.
...2023-02-1331 minLet's Talk SciComm41. Interview with physicist, author and science communicator, Associate Professor Suzie SheehyHappy New Year and welcome to another season of Let’s Talk SciComm! We’re excited to be back for another year of podcasting about our very favourite topic – science communication. And we’re launching Season Six with a bang, talking with Associate Professor Suzie Sheehy.
Suzie is an accelerator physicist who specialises in novel particle accelerators and beam dynamics, with a current focus on medical applications. Her research at The University of Melbourne investigates novel particle therapy accelerators and beam delivery systems, compact linear electron accelerators (X-band) and improving accelerator reliability in Low and Middle-Income countries (STELLA p...2023-02-0631 minLet's Talk SciComm40. Interview with speaker, author and performance coach, Christine BurnsFor our final episode of the season, we were absolutely thrilled to speak with Christine Burns. Christine (BA Psych, PG Dip Sport Bus Mngt, MIPPA) is the CEO and Co-Founder of WALT Institute. As a former elite athlete in hockey for New Zealand, she has over 20 years of coaching, sport psychology and performance expertise which she brings to the global arena of Authentic Leadership. Typically, she works with individuals and teams in STEMM to provide the strategies to bust through the status quo, be seen, be heard and be the best version of themselves every single day!
...2022-12-1930 minLet's Talk SciComm39. Interview with Austrian exchange student Isolde GottwaldThis week we absolutely loved talking with Isolde Gottwald (AKA Issie), an exchange student from the University of Vienna who spent semester 2 this year studying with us at the University of Melbourne. Listen to the podcast to hear how we got to know Issie!
Within her degree, Issie is particularly interested in environmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Out of her deep curiosity for science and the practice of science, she worked as a student assistant and intern at various research institutions. That’s when she discovered her passion for science communication, which led her to work at Wi...2022-12-1227 minLet's Talk SciComm38. Interview with ARC Future Fellow Professor Natalie HannanThis week we had the enormous pleasure of speaking with the one-and-only Professor Natalie Hannan. Natalie is an ARC Future Fellow, the Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion in the Faculty Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences and leads the Therapeutics Discovery and Vascular Function in Pregnancy Group, in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the University of Melbourne. She is passionate about developing new approaches to combat major complication of pregnancy, especially preeclampsia.
Natalie’s research has been recognised by the award of continuous funding support through eminent Fellowships and research grants, with over $9 Million awarded to da...2022-12-0530 minLet's Talk SciComm37. Interview with writing coach Dr Malini DevadasThis week we had the great pleasure of chatting with Dr Malini Devadas about all things writing. After completing her PhD at the Australian National University in the 1990s, Malini did a postdoc and then realised that she enjoyed the writing part of the job more than the lab work! In 2004 she started working as a professional editor, becoming accredited in 2009. In 2013 Malini launched MD Writing and Editing, working as a trainer and editor to help academics and medical professionals get published faster.
After working with academics for many years, Malini discovered that there are many reasons...2022-11-2827 minLet's Talk SciComm36. Interview with immunologist Dr Kylie QuinnThis week we loved talking with Dr Kylie Quinn, who is a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow and leads the Ageing and Immunotherapies Group at RMIT University. Her group is developing ways to improve immune responses in older people during vaccination and new cell-based cancer therapies. Immune cells from older people become more difficult to activate, so her team are identifying factors that limit activation with the aim of targeting these factors to improve immune health.
Kylie has received a number of awards for her work on ageing and immunity, including the John and Eileen Haddon Award in 2019 an...2022-11-2129 minLet's Talk SciComm35. Interview with physical activity and mental health researchers Associate Professor Megan Teychenne and Dr Niamh MundellThis week we loved chatting with two more researchers from Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN): Associate Professor Megan Teychenne and Dr Niamh Mundell.
Megan’s PhD is in Behavioural Epidemiology and she’s currently an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at IPAN. For more than 15 years Megan has investigated the role of health-related behaviours (e.g. physical activity, sedentary behaviour) in the prevention and treatment of mental health conditions (particularly depression and anxiety), with a focus on vulnerable population groups including socioeconomically disadvantaged populations and women (pregnant and postpartum). She has played a pivota...2022-11-1430 minLet's Talk SciComm34. Interview with nutrition and mental health researchers Dr Helen Macpherson and Sara DingleThis week we’re so pleased to have had the opportunity to talk with Deakin University researchers Dr Helen Macpherson and Sara Dingle about a topic we’re fascinated by: the intersection of mental health and nutrition.
Helen is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), at Deakin where she co-leads the Exercise and Nutrition for Brain Health group. She has a background in cognitive neuroscience and completed her postdoctoral training at Swinburne University, Australia. Helen is the recipient of a National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council Deme...2022-11-0728 minLet's Talk SciComm33. Interview with visual communicator Dr Sue PillansWelcome back to season 5 of Let’s Talk SciComm! We’re thrilled to be sharing another season of great episodes with you and we know you’re going to love this first episode with the one-and-only Sue Pillans.
Sue is a marine scientist, artist, children’s author/illustrator and graphic recorder who specialises in creative and visual communications. As a graphic recorder Sue draws out ideas with people, teams and organisations to visually capture and convey discussions, information and concepts. She uses the art and science of visual storytelling to help make the complex simple and the simple c...2022-10-3132 minLet's Talk SciComm32. How to look after your mental health with Psychiatrist Professor Sandra RadoviniFor our final episode in Season Four, we wanted to talk about another major barrier many of us experience to being able to do the work we care about: good mental health. So we asked our colleague Professor Sandra Radovini if she would have a chat with us. Sandra is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of Mindful, the Victorian state-wide Child & Adolescent Mental Health teaching and training unit for professionals working with children, young people and their families. Mindful is part of the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Melbourne. Sandra has held a number of key leadership...2022-09-2637 minLet's Talk SciComm31. Interview with Emily King from Voices of AcademiaThis week it was our huge pleasure to speak with Emily King, currently undertaking her PhD at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne. Her current project investigates whether insulin resistance develops as a result of mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle, using both mouse models and cell lines. The projected impact of these studies is to determine whether related conditions, such as Type 2 Diabetes, can be managed with novel, muscle-specific therapies.
Emily is a passionate educator, holding sessional roles as a Graduate Teaching Associate within the Faculty of Science at Monash University. Emily also produces the...2022-09-1930 minLet's Talk SciComm30. Interview with climate scientist Professor David Karoly (Part 2)What better way to celebrate the 30th episode of Let’s Talk SciComm than continue our conversation with world-renowned climate scientist and climate science communicator, Professor David Karoly. This is part 2 of our conversation with David, so if you haven’t listened to last week’s episode, please go back and do that first!
David is an honorary Professor at the University of Melbourne having retired in February 2022 from CSIRO in Australia, where he was a Chief Research Scientist in the CSIRO Climate Science Centre. He is an internationally recognised expert on climate change and climate variability.
...2022-09-1230 minLet's Talk SciComm29. Interview with climate scientist Professor David Karoly (Part 1)This week it was our absolute honour to speak with Professor David Karoly, world-renowned climate scientist and climate science communicator. David is an honorary Professor at the University of Melbourne having retired in February 2022 from CSIRO in Australia, where he was a Chief Research Scientist in the CSIRO Climate Science Centre. He is an internationally recognised expert on climate change and climate variability.
Professor Karoly was the Leader of the Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub in the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program, based in CSIRO, from 2018 until the Hub closed at the end of Ju...2022-09-0530 minLet's Talk SciComm28. How to get the most out of attending a conferenceWhether virtual or in person, conferences are without question one of the best ways to meet people and hear about new work in your field. Amongst other things, they can also be fantastic places to find jobs, collaborators, and thesis examiners. But to get the most out of attending a conference, it really pays to prepare before you go, to be brave once you get there and then do some follow-ups afterwards.
This week Michael and Jen chat with our wonderful colleague Dr Linden Ashcroft about our strategies for getting the most out of attending a conference...2022-08-2933 minLet's Talk SciComm27. Interview with Associate Professor in genetics and genomics, Francine MarquezThis week we’re thrilled to speak with one of the busiest (and most wonderful) scientists we know: Associate Professor Francine Marques. Francine is a Viertel Charitable Foundation and National Heart Foundation Fellow, and head of the Hypertension Research Laboratory at Monash University. She has published >90 peer-reviewed papers in top journals such as Nature Reviews Cardiology, Nature Medicine and Circulation, and has secured $7 million in competitive funding.
Francine has won 25 awards including the 2019 American Heart Association Hypertension Council Goldblatt Award, 2020 High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia and 2021 International Society of Hypertension Mid-Career Awards, and the 2021 Australian Ac...2022-08-2229 minLet's Talk SciComm26. How to use crowdfunding to raise money for your work in STEMGiven how low success rates are for many/most granting schemes, it’s incredibly useful for researchers to understand whether crowdfunding might be an appropriate way to raise funds for their work. And if it is, how you should go about running a successful crowdfunding campaign.
So we invited Jonathan O’Donnell back to the show – you may remember we chatted with him in episode 22 about how to write successful grant applications. And Jonathan is the perfect person to chat with about crowdfunding because he’s currently in the write-up phase of his PhD thesis on…… you guessed it –...2022-08-1528 minLet's Talk SciComm25. Interview with Professor Andy PaskWe’re so excited to welcome you to Season Four of Let’s Talk SciComm, with new episodes now released every Tuesday.
First up this season, we chat with Professor Andy Pask. Andy is a Professor in the School of BioSciences at the University of Melbourne and Domain Leader for Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology within the School. His research focuses on evolution and development.
His recent work is centered on the reproductive system and particularly the influence of hormones and endocrine disruptors on reproductive disease. He also has an active research program (TIGRR lab) on m...2022-08-0831 min
Let's Talk SciComm24. How to make time for SciCommGot a ridiculously long to-do list? Feeling overwhelmed by all the stuff you need to get done? Time management is something we all struggle with and it can sometimes be difficult to make time to share our work with different audiences. This week Jen and Michael invite our wonderful UniMelbSciComm colleagues, Linden Ashcroft, Catriona Nguyen-Robertson and Graham Phillips for a 5-way chat about the tips and tricks we've learned along the way about how to make time for the things that really matter to us.
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/56pe2022-06-2932 minLet's Talk SciComm23. Interview with healthcare Managing Director Dr Michael WinloThis week, Jen and Michael were delighted to speak with Dr Michael Winlo. Michael is Managing Director at Emyria, a data-driven, drug development and clinical services company focused on improving care of patients with unmet needs. Emyria leverages the clinical evidence created with patients to launch and register novel drug development and treatment programs with global regulators.
Michael is also a Director at Linear Clinical Research - Perth’s only dedicated early phase cancer and clinical trial unit. Michael was previously CEO at Linear which, under his leadership, was the first site in Australia to complete a co...2022-06-2229 minLet's Talk SciComm22. How to write successful grant applicationsApplying for grants is an experience common to all researchers and with success rates for many funding schemes extremely low, any advice to improve the chance of success for your application is very welcome!
In this episode, Jen and Michael were thrilled to have the chance to chat with Jonathan O’Donnell and to pick his brains about how to write a successful grant application.a
Jonathan is the right person to seek advice from because in his job, he helps people get funding for their research. To be specific, he helps the people in th...2022-06-1533 minLet's Talk SciComm21. Interview with scientist & visual artist Kate CranneyThis week we are so excited to catch up with one of our University of Melbourne Science Communication alumni who is doing amazing things in the world!
Kate Cranney is a science communicator, scientist and visual artist. She combines these skills in her role as a Communications Advisor with CSIRO, Australia's national science agency.
Kate's background is diverse. She's climbed trees in Borneo, scaled volcanoes in Papua New Guinea, pulled snakes out of traps in the Simpson Desert, and counted turtle hatchlings in Solomon Islands … all in the name of science. With interests spanning ecology, th...2022-06-0828 minLet's Talk SciComm20. How to get your thesis writtenWriting a thesis is hard! It’s probably the longest document you’ve ever had to write, and the experience is often accompanied by a tendency to procrastinate and feelings of overwhelm and imposterism.
This episode will help! Jen and Michael briefly talk about their thesis writing experiences and share their top tips. But most of the episode is filled with advice and tips from eight of our UniMelb SciComm alumni who have recently written theses. They’ve been right where you are now and have so much wisdom to share!
You’ll hear from Nancy Ri...2022-06-0124 minLet's Talk SciComm19. Interview with #covid19 science advisor Professor James McCawThis week, we couldn’t be more thrilled to chat with James McCaw, Professor of Mathematical Biology in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Melbourne. James studied physics before embarking on a research career in infectious diseases epidemiological modelling. One of his primary research interests over the past 15 years has been pandemic preparedness and response.
Since January 2020, he has supported the Australian government's response to COVID-19 through membership of key national committees and leadership of a research program evaluating the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 in Australia.
We’re so chuffed James was...2022-05-2528 minLet's Talk SciComm18. How to give a fantastic very short talkIf you haven’t yet taken part in a speaking competition like the Three-minute thesis (3MT) or Famelab, what are you waiting for? You’ll gain so much by working out how to explain your research in a really short amount of time.
This week Michael and Jen are joined by our wonderful colleague Catriona Nguyen-Robertson, who has had great success in a number of speaking competitions.
Together, we give all our best advice on how to prepare and deliver a brilliant short talk. We also have excellent tips for you from our alumni Kate Huck...2022-05-1832 minLet's Talk SciComm17. Interview with physicist and science comedian Dr. Jessamyn FairfieldWelcome back to Season Three of Let’s Talk SciComm – we couldn’t be more excited to be back talking about science communication with you.
To launch our new season, we’re joined by the fabulous (and funny) Dr Jessamyn A. Fairfield, a lecturer in the School of Physics at the National University of Ireland Galway. She leads research in neuromorphic nanomaterials, physics education, and public engagement with science. She is also an award-winning science communicator, and the director of Bright Club Ireland, a comedy night bringing academic research to the public.
You can follow Jessamyn...2022-05-1130 minLet's Talk SciCommSpecial: Introducing #MyScienceMay#MyScienceMay
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/my8e2022-04-2505 minLet's Talk SciComm16. How to tackle procrastinationProcrastination is of the biggest challenges many of us come up against in our day-to-day work. And it can certainly be a major barrier to effective science communication. Whether you’re trying to write a thesis, an assignment or a blog post, chances are you’ve found yourself delaying getting started.
This week Jen and Michael share their experiences of procrastination and evidence-based advice on how to stop. Two of our wonderful UniMelbSciComm alumni, Caitlin Minney and Lily Ahlemeyer also share their experiences and advice about how to tackle procrastination.
Here are some resources to supp...2022-03-2333 minLet's Talk SciComm15. Interview with Science Communicator Amy LeBlancThis week we’re so excited to introduce you to one of our former science communication students, Amy LeBlanc. Amy started off studying bird communication at the University of Melbourne but ended up graduating into full-time science communication instead! These days, Amy lives in Ghent, Belgium, where she is the Chief Editor of BioVox, an online news platform covering life sciences innovations. She spends a lot of her time interviewing scientists and industry leaders from around the world, writing articles, and editing content. She also works as a science communicator for Turnstone Communications, a consultancy company which provides strategic an...2022-03-1632 minLet's Talk SciComm14. How to make videos about scienceWe all know videos are one of the most popular and effective mediums to share science and that it’s possible to make great videos on your phone. Gone are the days of needing specialist, expensive equipment! But we can still all benefit from learning about how professionals approach making exciting, engaging videos.
This week Michael and Jen are joined by our wonderful UniMelbSciComm colleague Dr Graham Phillips who has had a long and illustrious career presenting science on TV. As you would imagine, Graham has a heap of advice and tips to share! Two of our Un...2022-03-0933 minLet's Talk SciComm13. Interview with Wildlife photojournalist Doug GimesyWe’re thrilled to introduce you to photographer extraordinaire Doug Gimesy in this week’s episode.
Doug is a professional conservation and wildlife photojournalist who focuses on Australian issues. A Senior Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), his clients include National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, bioGraphic, Australian Geographic, Audubon, as well various mastheads like The Guardian and NewsCorp. Initially trained as a zoologist and microbiologist, he later completed a Masters of Environment and a Masters of Bioethics. Together, these two qualifications helped shape his thinking as what type of issues he should be focusing on and...2022-03-0231 minLet's Talk SciComm12. How to edit your writing effectivelyIn this episode, Michael and Jen are joined by our wonderful UniMelbSciComm colleague Dr Linden Ashcroft to discuss why editing is such an important skill. We all agree that allowing sufficient time to edit our writing is essential if we want to produce clear, concise and easy-to-read writing. Together we explore how we all learned to edit our writing and the different approaches we’ve learned along the way. We share our top tips and bond over the fact that effective editing can be a hard, but vital, skill to develop. In addition to our thoughts, hear fantastic advice fr...2022-02-2334 minLet's Talk SciComm11. Interview with Dr Catherine WhellerWe can’t wait for you to meet Dr Catherine Wheller on this week’s episode.
Catherine has had a wonderfully diverse career and is currently the Communications Manager at the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF). The NYSF is a not-for-profit organisation that runs a number of programs to encourage young people in their passion for science.
Catherine is an experienced science communicator, and higher education teaching professional with a history of working in the university, tech, museum, and NGO/NFP sectors. As a communicator with a PhD in mineral thermodynamics, she is a competent anal...2022-02-1632 minLet's Talk SciComm10. How to build a professional online profileWe’ve all heard the phrase ‘Publish or perish’. But what about the more recent maxim ‘Be visible or vanish’? Regardless of your career stage, there are many advantages to having a professional online presence: it will bring new opportunities, connections and visibility. But it can be hard to know where and how best to invest your time and energy when it comes to social media. In this episode, Michael and Jen talk about why to build your profile, where and how to start, and how to ensure you are developing your profile strategically. We also specifically consider the value of Li...2022-02-0933 minLet's Talk SciComm9: Interview with science radio broadcaster Dr Shane Huntington OAMWelcome to Season Two of Let’s Talk SciComm! We’re thrilled to introduce you to our first guest for this season, Dr Shane Huntington OAM.
Shane is the Chief Executive Officer of Little Big Steps; a charity helping kids with cancer. Shane is also a speaker, trainer and facilitator. He has been providing consulting services in communication and strategy for over 20 years.
He is the host and producer of 3RRR’s science radio program Einstein A Go Go. Over the last 30 years he has interviewed thousands of scientists and explained hundreds of scientific concepts to the...2022-02-0234 minLet's Talk SciComm8: How to tackle the imposter syndromeOn the outside you appear confident, composed and on top of your game. But on the inside, you are wracked with self-doubt. You feel like a fraud and as though someone is about to tap you on the shoulder and ask you what you think you’re doing. You’re sure you’re not good enough, experienced enough or smart enough to be doing what you’re doing.
This week Jen and Michael chat about the Imposter Experience, better known as the Imposter Syndrome. Listen for our thoughts and advice on how to tackle feeling like an imposter...2021-12-0829 minLet's Talk SciComm7. Interview with the singing scientist Catriona Nguyen-RobertsonIn this episode we’re so excited to introduce you to Catriona Nguyen-Robertson who is a singing scientist: she sings in the laboratory and dreams up immunology experiments in the shower. She is a researcher at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, studying the immune response in skin allergies. An advocate for diversity in STEM, she is Secretary of the Pride in Action Network, and was Vice-President of Women in Science and Engineering at The University of Melbourne.
Catriona is also an enthusiastic science communicator. She is part of the Science Communication Teaching Team at Th...2021-12-0127 minLet's Talk SciComm6. How to improve your science writingIn 2014, Steven Pinker published a piece in The Chronicle of Higher Education titled ‘Why academic writing stinks’. While we might take offense at the notion that our writing ‘stinks’, there’s no question that the way many of us have been taught to write as researchers and scientists can be difficult for our readers to make sense of. In this episode, Michael and Jen chat about why science writing can be so hard to read and a number of different approaches to improve the clarity and readability of our writing. We focus particularly on the style of writing that is most ef...2021-11-2434 minLet's Talk SciComm5. Interview with science journalist Dr Graham PhillipsIn this episode we’re delighted to speak with Dr Graham Phillips, a very familiar – and much loved – Australian science communicator and journalist.
Graham was the host of ABC TV’s science program Catalyst for many years, and also a producer-reporter on that program. He began his career as a scientist (PhD in astrophysics) before quitting to become science journalist/broadcaster/communicator. He’s been a regular science commentator on all the free-to-air TV commercial networks, written about science for almost every major newspaper in Australia and had regular science columns in a number of them. He’s contribute...2021-11-1728 minLet's Talk SciComm4. How to give a better science talkAll scientists need to give talks but being able to give a brilliant talk takes skill. Are you wondering how to best keep your audience’s attention? How to design slides that enhance, rather than distract from what you’re saying? And how to tackle your inevitable nerves?
This week Jen and Michael chat about how to give a better science talk. Listen for our thoughts and advice on how to plan, design and deliver a fantastic talk plus tips from two of our UniMelb SciComm students, Randy Mann and Stephanie Wong.
Here are a few...2021-11-1034 minLet's Talk SciComm3. Interview with climate scientist Dr Linden AshcroftIn this episode we’re thrilled to chat with Dr Linden Ashcroft, a lecturer in climate science and science communication at The University of Melbourne, and a proud member of the UniMelbSciComm teaching team. She is also a historical climatologist, and uses pre-1900 documents and weather observations to explore the climate of Australia’s past so we can better prepare for the future.
Her career has spanned the academic, non-for-profit and government sectors, including a stint at the Bureau of Meteorology, and managing a national citizen science project.
Linden is a regular on community radio, give...2021-11-0329 minLet's Talk SciComm2. How to NOT be boringThis week Jen and Michael chat about the important topic of ‘How to NOT be boring’ when communicating about science.
We’re sure you can all remember sitting through an incredibly boring science talk or struggling to read a boring piece of science writing. If you want to get your message across, it’s essential you capture your audience’s attention and convince them what you’re writing or speaking about is of relevance to them.
Listen for our thoughts and advice on how to be more engaging when communicating about science plus tips from two of our U...2021-10-2729 minLet's Talk SciComm1. Interview with ecologist Professor Euan RitchieIn this episode, we’re delighted to chat with Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation in Deakin University’s Centre for Integrative Ecology and the School of Life and Environmental Sciences in Melbourne, Australia.
Euan has published over 150 scientific articles related with biodiversity conservation, wildlife ecology and management, ecosystem management, and environmental policy. His work has a strong focus on predators and their ecological roles, invasive species, fire ecology, and the ecology, conservation and management of Australian mammals. He was part of a research team whose work on the dingo won the NSW Office of Envir...2021-10-2032 min
Let's Talk SciCommWelcome to Let's Talk SciCommWelcome to Let's Talk SciComm! In this trailer episode, hosts Dr Jen Martin and Dr Michael Wheeler introduce themselves and season one of the podcast.
For updates, be sure to follow us @LetsTalkSciComm on Instagram and Twitter, and Let's Talk SciComm Podcast on Facebook.2021-10-1304 min