Flying fox art connecting creativity with environmental action; how technology is changing healthcare

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Here are the Victoria-based events and activities that were awarded grants from the Australian Government for National Science Week 2026 through the Inspiring Australia program.

  • Art of bats: art installation focused on the vulnerable Grey-headed Flying Fox explores the relationship between humans and ecosystems.
  • Experts explore MedTech, Biotech, and Digital Health, alongside ethical and social implications.

More on each of these below.

National Science Week in Victoria is coordinated by Inspiring Victoria. Visit their website: www.rsv.org.au/inspiring-victoria.

For general National Science Week media enquiries, contact scienceweek@scienceinpublic.com.au.

Remnant

Grant recipient: City of Greater Dandenong

Artists Charlie Lawler and Wona Bae invite audiences to explore environmental science through contemporary art. Their work ‘Remnant’ highlights the Grey-headed Flying Fox, a vital yet vulnerable species, as a starting point to explore biodiversity, climate change and our connection to ecosystems.

Rather than relying on traditional science communication, the project uses gallery an exhibition, public art, transmedia storytelling, and immersive installations to invite audiences to connect with environmental science through creativity. This approach fosters deeper understanding and personal connection to ecological issues, making science more inclusive and culturally relevant.

The project brings together technical partners including Chisholm Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, and RMIT’s Future Play Lab; and conservation partners, including the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne and the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.

Live public lecture at the new Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery

Grant recipient: St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research

A live public lecture featuring world-class scientists and engineers at the new Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD) will bring emerging medical and engineering research to life.

A dynamic panel of scientists, engineers, and clinicians will discuss breakthroughs in MedTech, Biotech, and Digital Health, alongside ethical and social implications. It will showcase the collaborative, multidisciplinary approach ACMD champions to solve real-world healthcare challenges.

Broadcasting by 3RRR’s Einstein A Go‑Go to a live audience will provide opportunities for interaction, foster transparency, spark public interest in medical innovation, and demystify complex research. Ultimately, this event will help to build trust in science, and highlight how engineering and medicine converge to improve patient outcomes.

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