Media release from The Hon Ed Husic MP, Minister for Industry and Science
24 May 2023
A Dark Matter Road trip, sharing First Nations science and drone coding are just some of the projects receiving a share of close to $500,000 in grants to support National Science Week.
With Australia’s national celebration of science and technology just around the corner, thirty-two grant recipients are gearing up to deliver a diverse range of events right across the country.
The National Science Week Grants provide funding of between $2,000 and $20,000 to support individuals and organisations to deliver community science events.
Many of the projects funded this year will support diversity and inclusion in science, with several grants supporting events featuring First Nations science and scientists, and a range of activities in remote and regional communities.
Dr Anai Gonzalez-Cordero. Credit: Children’s Medical Research Institute
Dr Anai Gonzalez-Cordero research aims to restore sight in people with inherited retinal diseases, by repairing or replacing damaged photoreceptor (light-sensing) cells in the eye.
She has already shown that she can grow cultures of healthy photoreceptor cells in a dish in the lab and then use the cells replace the defective cells and restore sight in laboratory models of hereditary blindness. And she has shown that gene therapy can repair diseased human retinal cells grown in the lab as ‘mini-organs’ (or ‘organoids’), providing them with normal light-sensing ability.
Her $55,000 Metcalf Prize will contribute to developing systems to progress both concepts towards clinical trials. She is based at Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) in Western Sydney.
Dr Ashley Ng is revealing how blood stem cells are controlled, and how they sometime go rogue, leading to blood cancers. He has discovered how a protein known as ‘ERG’ underpins healthy development of blood cells, and how it also plays a role in Down syndrome-associated leukaemia and a range of other blood cancers.
As a researcher at WEHI and a clinician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter Mac, Ashley will use his $55,000 Metcalf Prize to advance his ideas from the laboratory into treatments for blood and blood cancer diseases.
A net zero health system that’s ready to protect Australians from climate health impacts?
Big batteries that guarantee supply and put a stop to energy price spikes?
Renewable energy export opportunities creating 395,000 jobs?
Making zero emissions transport accessible to all?
Embedding climate justice?
Greater ambition on the path to net zero?
The second national Better Futures Forum, at UNSW Canberra and online on 6 and 7 September, will launch a collective commitment to an ambitious national climate agenda. One that creates regional jobs, protects the future health and prosperity of our businesses and communities, regenerates nature and underpins a booming renewable energy industry.
Australia’s top 10 trees have come in all shapes and sizes, from the slender mountain ash to the bulgy boab. They are found in a range of environments, from the river red gum of the inland waterways to the snow gum of the high country.
Across the nation, over 80,000 votes have been cast, as Australians picked their most loved native species in the second round of voting, awarding the top 10 most loved trees, including:
golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha), which adorns Australia’s coat of arms and is currently in bloom
Moreton Bay fig (Ficus macrophylla), a mid-east coast native only pollinated by fig wasps
river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), which provides shade along inland waterways like the Murray-Darling catchment
Highlights from day seven of National Science Week
Researchers, experts, and other interesting people available for interview around the country.
NSW: Fighting superbugs, big bad tech, cultural burning, and turning human waste into a valuable resource – Sydney Science Festival’s Friday highlights
TAS: Beer quenches scientists’ thirst for knowledge – online and Hobart
ACT: Flying drones, engineering defence, art-robots, and biology balloons: meet Canberra’s women of science and art
SA: Alzheimer’s takes centre stage in acclaimed play – Adelaide, SA
SA: Smaller, lighter, faster X-rays
TAS: Plant-powered cars, Jurassic poop, the science of piracy, and more at Festival of Bright Ideas 2022
TAS: Bugs, bats, brains, and space junk: young scientists tour Tasmania
Read on for more on these, including event contact details.
Researchers, experts, and other interesting people available for interview around the country.
NSW: Marie Curie, an inventor of a hair-sized endoscope, and France’s first female astronaut: a Powerhouse of women in science
NT: An AI ‘Time Machine’ and a health lab on wheels – Gunyangara
ACT: Flying drones, engineering defence, art-robots, and biology balloons: meet the women of science and art
VIC: Misinformation puts the Q into 5G
SA: Insect corn chips and roasted seaweed: what will you be eating in 2050? – online via Adelaide
QLD: A bottled history of cures and quackery
Read on for more on these, including event contact details.
Also today:
WA: Hot versus cold, the science of sound, and the birth of Planet Earth: at Scitech.
TAS: Explore the Antarctic landscape in an exhibition and virtual reality film THIN ICE VR.
National Science Week 2022 runs from 13 to 21 August. Media kit at www.scienceinpublic.com.au. Or visit the National Science Week website for more events and activities: www.scienceweek.net.au.
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Sarah's structure of the course, specific insight and understanding of science, her contacts and common mistakes made in communication were great and furthered my skills in this area.
Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020
Science In Public
2020-01-28T15:04:28+11:00
Anonymous - Sydney Jan 2020
Sarah's structure of the course, specific insight and understanding of science, her contacts and common mistakes made in communication were great and furthered my skills in this area.
This is one of the best science communication courses I have ever encountered. It teaches all research to think out of box and really simplify their research in lay man's language. I will highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about science communication.
Shwathy Ramesh
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2020-02-24T09:29:55+11:00
Shwathy Ramesh
This is one of the best science communication courses I have ever encountered. It teaches all research to think out of box and really simplify their research in lay man's language. I will highly recommend this to anyone looking to learn more about science communication.
Sufficient time given to work one-on-one with each participant. TV, radio and newspaper given sufficient weight. Practical, informative and professional
Anonymous - Gold Coast May 2021
Science In Public
2022-09-05T12:59:42+10:00
Anonymous - Gold Coast May 2021
Sufficient time given to work one-on-one with each participant. TV, radio and newspaper given sufficient weight. Practical, informative and professional
Good mix in terms of topics covered, people invited and media coverage. This course will make me more comfortable and I believe it will improve my confidence about myself and how I talk about my work in front of media.
FEnEX CRC, December 2021
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2022-09-05T13:01:49+10:00
FEnEX CRC, December 2021
Good mix in terms of topics covered, people invited and media coverage. This course will make me more comfortable and I believe it will improve my confidence about myself and how I talk about my work in front of media.
Sarah is an amazing instructor. She has looked after each of the participants very well. I really like her style. Thank you to all team for a valuable training session.
Seyhan Yazar, Garvan Institute of Medical Reseearch
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2022-09-05T13:02:58+10:00
Seyhan Yazar, Garvan Institute of Medical Reseearch
Sarah is an amazing instructor. She has looked after each of the participants very well. I really like her style. Thank you to all team for a valuable training session.
Pushed me to finesse/develop a pitch, find an edge that will facilitate communicating my research findings. The real world experience/opportunity for interviews was exceptionally helpful
Megan Bater
Science In Public
2022-09-05T13:06:38+10:00
Megan Bater
Pushed me to finesse/develop a pitch, find an edge that will facilitate communicating my research findings. The real world experience/opportunity for interviews was exceptionally helpful
The day was a great balance of topics and presented in an approachable and friendly style that was very inclusive. It was a fantastic and informative session that will really help me day-to-day in the communications work I do.
Ben Westmoreland, 2022
Science In Public
2022-09-05T13:07:28+10:00
Ben Westmoreland, 2022
The day was a great balance of topics and presented in an approachable and friendly style that was very inclusive. It was a fantastic and informative session that will really help me day-to-day in the communications work I do.
