Are you or your researchers keen to speak up for science? Now more than ever we need to hear stories of science, how science has made an impact and changed our lives. We need to see and hear from passionate researchers who are making a difference.
In this bulletin I’m focussing on training, prizes and showcasing science.
We’re holding training courses in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Townsville in the next few weeks. In these one-day workshops, we help participants distil the essence of their science into an interesting story that works for the media, government and stakeholders while remaining true to the science.
See the results of our training at the FameLab National Final, at the Fremantle Maritime Museum at 6 pm on 13 May. You’ll also see these dozen early-career researchers talking about their work in the press in the coming weeks and months.
Find out who’s representing your state below – the overall winner will represent us at the FameLab International Grand Final in the UK in June.
Our Stories of Australian Science 2014 magazines are winging their way to Japan and Canberra, and will be online later today. You’ll see copies around Australia soon.
The Prime Minister’s Prizes are open now – they’re looking for champions of Australian science like Terry Speed, Andrea Morello, John O’Sullivan and Angela Moles.
The Eurekas are also open and in Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria, the state governments are looking for local science heroes, early-career researchers and science teachers.
Finally – we’re hiring at Science in Public. Demand for science communication is growing. Find out more about what we do and what we’re looking for at the end of this post.
In this bulletin
- Training workshops across Australia
- Killer bees and cannibalistic cancer, future fuels and drilling on mars: FameLab Australia
- Recognising top scientists: Prime Minister’s Prizes and other awards
- We’re hiring – do you know any passionate science communicators?
- Science in Public – planning, mentoring, communicating
Training workshops across Australia
Are your researchers ready to speak up about their science?
It’s time to get them out there, demonstrating their passion for their science and showing the world how their work is making an impact.
In our one-day media training course, we help participants distil the essence of their science into an interesting story that works for the media while remaining true to the science.
Working journalists join us throughout the day to chat about what they need to make a story work for them, and give scientists interview practice in front of the camera and on tape.
We’re taking bookings for courses in the first half of 2014:
- Melbourne: Wed 30 Apr, Wed 2 Jul
- Sydney: Tue 6 May
- Adelaide: Fri 30 May
- Perth: Fri 16 May, Mon 14 July
- Later in the year, we’ll be up north in Townsville, Cairns, Darwin and Alice Springs. Other cities on request.
Read more about the courses at: http://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/training
Book a place or chat through the options with Sam Harris-Wetherbee on samantha@scienceinpublic.com.au or (03) 9398 1416.
Killer bees and cannibalistic cancer, future fuels and drilling on mars: FameLab Australia
Fresh Science stories on stage at the FameLab Australia national final in Perth on 13 May.
Across Australia, more than 300 people gathered at pubs, museums and universities to hear our first crop of FameLab state finalists – training our early-career scientists to become our future media voices, role models, and educators in Australian science.
Now we’re stepping things up a notch – we’ve chosen a dozen of the most inspiring competitors with engaging stories from across the country to compete at the FameLab National Final in Perth.
Over four days in May, they’ll perfect their story-telling with help from experts in science communication and presentation, and we’ll tell the media and science community about their work.
If you’re in Perth, join us for the national final:
When: Tuesday, 13 May, 6-8pm
Where: WA Maritime Museum, Fremantle
RSVP: www.famelabaus14.eventbrite.com
The overall winner will represent Australia at the FameLab International Grand Final at the Times Cheltenham Science Festival in the UK in June.
This year’s FameLab finalists are:
- James Makinson, The University of Sydney
- Nick Roden, University of Tasmania and CSIRO
- James Aridas, Monash University
- Prue Cormie, Edith Cowan University
- Vince Polito, Macquarie University
- Lydia Tong, University of Sydney
- Francis Torres, University of Western Australia
- Niraj Lal, Australian National University
- Lisa Schafranek, SAHMRI
- Tim Brennan, AIBN, University of Queensland
- Linden Servinis, Deakin University
- Michael Smout, James Cook University
Read more about FameLab Australia at www.famelab.org.au
FameLab is an initiative of The Times Cheltenham Science Festival. FameLab Australia is presented by the British Council, Cheltenham Festivals and Fresh Science; and supported by Inspiring Australia, the Western Australian Museum and the British High Commission, Canberra.
Recognising top scientists: prizes and awards
Applications closed last week for the L’Oréal For Women in Science Fellowships – the jury are currently reviewing the 186 applications to select the three 2014 Fellows.
The Metcalf Prizes for Stem Cell Research are also closed. From 30 applications, the jury have shortlisted 10 and will meet to select two winners next month.
There’s still time to apply for:
- The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science
- Eureka Prizes
- Western Australian Premier’s Science Awards
- South Australian Science Excellence Awards
- The Victoria Prize for Science & Innovation and The Victoria Fellowships
Nominate Australia’s best for the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science
Each year the Australian Government rewards and celebrates the nation’s best scientists and science teachers through the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science.
Help us to identify Australia’s best scientists and teachers – we’re looking for:
- An exceptional Australian scientist whose contribution to the nation has not yet been recognised
- Early to mid-career scientists whose outstanding research results are already making an impact
- Science teachers – at primary and secondary level – who are dedicated to effective and creative science teaching
These five leaders in science and education will share in $500,000 worth of grants, which will be presented at a dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra.
The winners will receive national recognition, and meet leaders in science, industry, education and government.
The five prizes are:
- $300,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science
- $50,000 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year
- $50,000 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year
- $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools, shared between the teacher and their school
- $50,000 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Primary Schools shared between the teacher and their school
Nominations are encouraged from scientists working in a wide range of fields: from physics and astronomy to engineering and IT; from medical research to basic biology to agriculture. Past winners have come from both basic and applied research backgrounds.
Nominations are now open and close at 5.00pm AEST on Thursday 29 May 2014
More details at http://www.industry.gov.au/scienceprizes
Or email pmprize@industry.gov.au
Eureka Prizes
Fatherhood – from a sea dragon’s perspective; a ‘vaccine’ that stops mosquitoes from spreading dengue; a laser that knows when giant mining grinders will fail; and lighter, strong armour for our troops in Afghanistan. These were some of the stories we heard about at last year’s Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
The Eureka Prizes, now in their 25th year, celebrate Australian science in its many forms, with prizes for: research and innovation; leadership and commercialisation; science communication and journalism; and school science.
Applications close next Friday 2 May 2014. More details at: http://australianmuseum.net.au/eureka
Western Australian Premier’s Science Awards
2014 Scientist of the Year: a world class scientist who, over the past 10 years, has demonstrated excellence in a field of science, scientific research or technological advancement.
2014 Early Career Scientist of the Year: an outstanding scientist who is within the first five years of completing their highest degree and who has demonstrated excellence in a field of science, scientific research or technological advancement.
2014 Student Scientist of the Year: an outstanding postgraduate student who has demonstrated a commitment to science at an early stage and shows great promise in reaching the highest levels of excellence.
2014 Science Engagement Initiative of the Year: recognising an initiative that has made an outstanding contribution to community awareness, interest and/or participation in science.
They’ll announce winners during National Science Week in August.
Applications open Monday 28 April for these four cash prizes. More at http://www.dpc.wa.gov.au/science/ScienceAwards
South Australian Science Excellence Awards
$25,000 South Australian Scientist of the Year: awarded to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in a field of scientific endeavour and who has made an outstanding contribution in providing leadership that has inspired others to become involved in science.
Three $10,000 awards for PhD Research Excellence (for those who graduated in the previous 12 months):
- Health and Medical Sciences
- Life and Environmental Sciences
- Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering
Three $10,000 awards for Early-Career STEM Professionals (less than 5 years since highest degree):
- Health and Medical Sciences
- Life and Environmental Sciences
- Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering
Two $10,000 awards for Early-Career STEM Educator of the Year (less than 10 years teaching experience):
- School Teaching
- Tertiary Teaching
Nominations are now open and close at 5pm on Friday 16 May 2014. More at: http://www.scienceawards.sa.gov.au
The Victoria Prize for Science & Innovation and The Victoria Fellowships
Two $50,000 Victoria Prizes will be awarded – for life science and for physical sciences – for a scientific discovery or technological innovation, or a series of such achievements that significantly advances knowledge. The clear potential to produce a commercial outcome or other substantial benefit to the community will be highly regarded.
Read more about the Victoria Prize at www.veski.org.au/vicprize
Twelve Victoria Fellows will each receive a travel grant of up to $18,000 to undertake a short-term overseas study mission to assist in developing a commercial idea; undertaking specialist training; or career development not available in Australia.
Read more about the Fellowships at: www.veski.org.au/vicprize?q=vicfellow
These awards both open on Monday 28 April.
We’re hiring – do you know any passionate science communicators?
Join our team: we need a new project manager and science writer
We’re looking for someone who:
- loves science and understands how the science community ticks
- can hone in on key ideas and express them clearly
- is a clear, accurate and eloquent writer
- has a solid grounding in web tools like WordPress, Mailchimp and Twitter
Successful applicants will have a degree in science or communication (or both) and three to five years’ experience.
Please email expressions of interest to Toni Stevens at toni@scienceinpublic.com.au Any questions, give Sarah Brooker a call on 0413 332 489.
Science in Public – planning, mentoring, communicating
Communication audits, mentoring and training:
We can review your stakeholders, messages and tools and help you and your communication team refine your plans for 2014. We offer this service for individual announcements or for a whole program or institute
Media releases, launches, and campaigns:
We can help you develop an outreach program, from a simple media release through to a launch, a summit, a conference, or a film.
Publications and copy-writing:
From a tweet to a newsletter; from a brochure to a Nature supplement, we can write compelling and accurate science-driven copy which captures the essence of your story and purpose.