Recognising creativity; internationalising science; and media training for scientists

Bulletins, Science stakeholder bulletins

In this bulletin:

As the government changes it’s a good time to remind Canberra of the power of science to transform society.

Fortunately, it’s ‘prizes season’ so there’s lots of good news about remarkable researchers and their achievements.

This week, the $25,000 Centenary Institute Lawrence Creative Prize for early career biomedical researchers has opened for applications. There are several other science prizes open right now including the NSW Science and Engineering Awards.

Prizes are a great tool for mentoring researchers and reaching the media. Last week’s Eureka Prizes gained got lots of media interest: vaccines to stop mosquitoes spreading dengue; lighter armour for our troops; a ‘Zebedee’ which can map mines, caves and forests while you walk.

Please consider whether you know suitable candidates and forward this onto them. Most winners of science prizes don’t self-nominate. They’re pushed forward by their peers and supervisors. You can see more upcoming science prizes via the calendar on the Inspiring Australia website.

Our colleagues at EMBL Australia are continuing their mission to internationalise Australian research with a series of visits by Japanese researchers to Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney. We’re also keen to identify Australian researchers with significant collaborations with Japan.

And finally, here at Science in Public we have media and communication training workshops coming up in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. We can also help scientists and science organisations with planning or implementing science communication strategies, events, launches and media releases.

Creative young scientists – apply for the $25,000 Centenary Prize

Applications are now open for the $25,000 Centenary Institute Lawrence Creative Prize for early-career biomedical researchers.

The Centenary Institute is looking for early-career scientists in biomedical research with a uniquely creative way of significantly contributing to their chosen field.

The past two winners of the prize are:

  • Dr Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research. Marie-Liesse has moved from looking at how and why breast stem cells contribute to the progression of breast cancer, to lung stem cells and their role in cancer.
  • Dr Jian Yang, from the Diamantina Institute at the University of Queensland, for solving one of the great puzzles of human genetics-why the genes typically implicated in inherited diseases like schizophrenia, obesity and diabetes only account for a small amount of their heritability.

The prize is open to researchers:

  • from any country whose research was substantially carried out in Australia
  • from any institute, university or educational institution
  • who received their PhD on or after 1 January 2006 (with special criteria for medical graduates)

Applications are now open and close at 5pm on Friday 4 October 2013.

Applying is easy – the whole process is online.

For full details of the eligibility criteria and how to apply on the Centenary Institute’s website.

Celebrating Australian science, from school kids to life-saving research

At the Eureka Prizes, we saw some amazing inventions that are saving lives and solving big issues for industry.

From a laser that knows when giant mining grinders will fail to a ‘vaccine’ that stops mosquitoes from spreading dengue, the Eurekas drew attention to the range of great science being done in Australia.

But one of the lovely things about the Eureka Prizes is the way the Australian Museum recognises Australian science in its broadest sense. We met a group of primary school kids who had made a video about friction featuring Doug Traction and Professor Static. And we congratulated reptile guru Rick Shine for his efforts in mentoring more than 90 students.

A few of my personal favourites:

  • Zebedee maps mines, caves and forests while you walk
  • A ‘vaccine’ that stops mosquitoes from spreading dengue
  • How vitamin B provides early warning of invasion
  • A laser that knows when giant mining grinders will fail
  • Lighter, strong armour for our troops in Afghanistan
  • And fatherhood – from a sea dragon’s perspective

More information on each of the winners, including YouTube videos and photos, at australianmuseum.net.au/2013-winners-eureka

The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes are the country’s most comprehensive national science awards, honouring excellence across four categories: research and innovation, leadership and commercialisation, science communication and journalism, and school science.

More prizes and awards for Australian scientists

In the next month, we’ll be helping to announce the winners of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science and the CSL Florey Medal.

Stay tuned also for announcements of the Victoria Prize winner and the Banksia Environmental Awards.

For the inside scoop on upcoming prizes and awards for science, head to the Inspiring Australia prizes and events calendar: inspiringaustralia.net.au/calendar

Closing soon: NSW Science & Engineering Awards 2013

The NSW Scientist of the Year prize will be awarded to an outstanding individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of science and/or engineering that benefits or has the potential to benefit our community.

There are also awards in eight categories, from research to education, maths to molecular biology.

More details at: chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/awards/nsw-science-and-engineering-awards-2013

Internationalising Australian science and building links with Japan

Meet Japanese science leaders at EMBL Australia events in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra.

During September and October, EMBL Australia will be hosting several leading scientists from Japanese research institute RIKEN, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

The visits are an important part in fostering both research and government level collaborations between Australia and Japan and will include one-on-one meetings with high level researchers and government officials, and some public events.

In Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne, they will be welcoming:

  • Hiroki Ueda, a rising star in systems biology from RIKEN and the University of Tokyo will be visiting Melbourne and Adelaide from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 September.
  • Makoto Asashima, the Executive Director of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), which is interested in developing relationships with Australia
  • RIKEN delegation – a delegation of researchers from Japan’s leading research organisation with interests in genomics, systems biology and immunity are coming to Melbourne from Monday 7 to Thursday 10 October.
  • Hiroaki Kitano, Director of Japan’s Systems Biology Institute (SBI), is returning to Australia. The systems biology pioneer will join the RIKEN delegation.
  • Prof Kitano is also presenting public lectures in Melbourne and Sydney on the theme “Act Beyond Borders” – how mathematics is the key to healthcare and global sustainability, and why it should feed into strategic and policy decisions.

More details on all these events at: emblaustralia.org/About_us/Events.aspx

Calling all women in physics – are you the next Prof Brian Cox?

Work with Emmy-award winning documentary maker Sonya Pemberton

The team at Genepool are looking for a female physicist to host their next international documentary series.

She must have a background in physics – in particular, nuclear or particle physics. She must hold a doctorate, or be currently studying at post-grad level. It’s not essential to have had previous TV experience, but a passion for communication is a must.

More details on how to apply at: www.scienceinpublic.com.au

Read more about Genepool’s past TV projects at: genepoolproductions.com

Harvesting the passion of scientists and communicators

A new collaboration will harvest the passion of leading non-government science organisations, providing a united voice on key scientific issues facing Australia.

The Science Sector Group includes the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Science Media Centre, Science & Technology Australia and RiAus – organisations that represent the vast majority of Australia’s working scientists or those involved in science communication.

They’ll be working together across the sector on science-related issues that are important both to the nation and the Australian science sector, and conducting joint public education campaigns for emerging scientific issues that have the potential to become controversial.

Read more in the latest Inspiring Australia newsletter: inspiringaustralia.net.au/leading-science-peak-bodies-to-form-a-unified-voice

Media training for scientists in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth

Conveying the complexity of your research into a 30-second grab for the media can be hard, and sometimes daunting.

The solution is to shape the essence of your science into a story. Our media training courses help scientists and communication staff develop and target news stories for specific audiences and media.

In this one-day course, you’ll meet three working journalists from print, TV and radio who will give you practice in being interviewing and teach you about life in the newsroom.

Adelaide: Tuesday 17 September
Perth: Tuesday 1 October
Melbourne: Tuesday 15 October
Sydney: Monday 11 November

We can also hold courses in other locations or on other dates if there’s sufficient demand, and we welcome expressions of interest for possible future courses. If you have at least four people to participate, we can probably find others in your area to make a course viable.

More details about the course can be found online at scienceinpublic.com/training.