Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science

Prize time; stories needed; charge up your communicators

It’s down to work in 2014 with the challenges of communicating science in an arguably more hostile environment.

Prizes are a powerful platform to create role models and reach our investors – the Australian public. Please consider who you can put forward for prizes new and old which open for nomination in the coming weeks.

In particular we’re looking for 60 early career researchers for FameLab Australia, a new initiative combining our Fresh Science program with the British Council’s global program.

Strong stories can drive public and political opinion. Our Stories of Australian Science collection will highlight the best of 2013. And we’re offering audits, mentoring and training services to help your scientists make the best of their moment in the media spotlight. More on those below.

[continue reading…]

From skin cells to eye cells: Stem Cell Foundation launch

Embargo: 10.30 am Monday 18 February

Melbourne researchers are turning skin cells into eye cells to help them understand an incurable form of blindness that affects one in seven older Australians.

Hear more on Monday at the launch of the National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia, a new charity that is supporting stem cell research, and informing the community of the potential opportunities, and the present dangers of stem cell medicine.

Meet Dr Kathryn Davidson, a young American stem cell researcher who’s coming to work at the Centre for Eye Research Australia.

Meet a patient the research could help and see the world through her eyes.

Also in this bulletin: the end of poverty; the killer on our doorstep; and science in pubs from Broome to Hobart.

[continue reading…]