Let’s Talk SciComm
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- 12. Nov. 2026
Über den Podcast
Hosted by Associate Professor Jen Martin and Dr Michael Wheeler, Let’s Talk SciComm is a podcast from the University of Melbourne’s Science Communication Teaching Program. Listen for advice, tips and interviews about how to communicate science in effective and engaging ways. Show notes, transcripts and more info: https://science.unimelb.edu.au/engage/lets-talk-scicomm-podcast
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159. Interview with communications director and persuasion expert Paula González Carracedo
This week we were delighted to be joined, all the way from Madrid, by Paula González Carracedo: a self-described “fellow communications nerd” who has spent twenty years working at the sharp end of the social …
Shownotes
This week we were delighted to be joined, all the way from Madrid, by Paula González Carracedo: a self-described “fellow communications nerd” who has spent twenty years working at the sharp end of the social impact sector. Paula is an executive communications director who built and grew her own agency, leading campaigns for organisations including the Humane Society International and Mercy for Animals, and securing more than 2,000 global media features along the way. She’s also an academic, lecturing in the theory of communication, oratory and debate at several Spanish universities, where she designs curricula and runs workshops on science-based communication, rhetoric and ethical persuasion. What makes Paula such a fascinating guest is that she has a foot in two worlds, both the hands-on craft of running campaigns and working with the media, and also the theory of how persuasion actually works. For the last couple of years she’s turned her attention to “narrative friction”: the gap that opens up when rigorous, data-driven organisations are brilliant with evidence but struggle to tell a story that moves people.
Join us for a fascinating conversation about Paula’s winding path into communication through animal activism and competitive debating, how to translate complex data for a general audience without losing academic precision, balancing logic and emotion in a way that’s intellectually honest but still moves people to act, communicating across languages and cultures (be curious, not judgmental), and why the medium is always part of the message.
You can follow Paula and find out more about her work here:
Paula’s agency, The Vegan Agency: theveganagency.es/en
Paula on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulagonzalezc
The Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication (University of Cambridge), which Paula recommends for frameworks on communicating risk and evidence: wintoncentre.maths.cam.ac.uk
Paula’s article on how AI is helping us understand other species — the English version of her El País piece: read it here
And, as promised, Paula’s fantasy reading recommendations: Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree, Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series, and When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker.
158. Listen To This If… You Want Your Message To Stick
Poured hours into a talk, only to suspect your audience will remember almost none of it? In this short episode, Jen and Michael share how to make your take-home message actually stick. Their advice: your real …
Shownotes
Poured hours into a talk, only to suspect your audience will remember almost none of it? In this short episode, Jen and Michael share how to make your take-home message actually stick. Their advice: your real message isn’t what you say, it’s what people repeat to others afterwards, so decide on the one thing you want them to take away, build your talk backwards from it, and say it more than once (especially right at the end, rather than surrendering your final words to “thanks for listening”). And because people forget facts but remember how you made them feel, attaching that message to an emotion is the glue that makes it last.
You can find more great advice here:
Ten simple rules for making good oral presentations: Rule 4 says it best: your message is working if people can still recall it a week later.
Put your take home message at the top of your slides: Including the “half-life” exercise for distilling your message down to its essence.
How to make a scientific presentation: On letting your take-home message drive the whole narrative, and using a “home slide” to reinforce it.
157. Interview with urban ecologist and science communicator Dr Kylie Soanes
This week we were delighted (and a little bit starstruck) to be joined by Dr Kylie Soanes: conservation biologist, urban ecologist and self-described “friendly neighbourhood wildlife scientist”. Kylie’s work …
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This week we were delighted (and a little bit starstruck) to be joined by Dr Kylie Soanes: conservation biologist, urban ecologist and self-described “friendly neighbourhood wildlife scientist”. Kylie’s work takes the question of how nature and people can live alongside one another and turns it into real, visible change: building rope bridges so gliders can cross busy highways, 3D-printing nesting hollows for powerful owls, and adding floating wetlands to city rivers. She collaborates with councils, community groups, engineers and architects, writes for the likes of The Guardian, The Conversation and Australian Geographic, and has built a wonderful audience of nearly 29,000 people on Instagram with her trademark warmth and wit (and the occasional Jane Austen reference in a peer-reviewed journal). A research fellow in urban biodiversity at the University of Melbourne, she is, by her own admission, probably running late to her next meeting because she got distracted by a cool bird.
Join us for a fabulous conversation about why conservation belongs in cities and not just “out there”, how to fill the information vacuum before nonsense does, why storytelling and evidence-based hope beat battering people with data, and Kylie’s lovely reminder that reach is a verb - you have to go to where the people are.
You can follow Kylie and find out more about her work here:
156. Listen To This If… You Need To Introduce A Speaker
Been asked to introduce a speaker: at a conference, on a panel, or at an event big or small, and want to get it right? In this short episode, Jen and Michael share how to do that job well, starting with a …
Shownotes
Been asked to introduce a speaker: at a conference, on a panel, or at an event big or small, and want to get it right? In this short episode, Jen and Michael share how to do that job well, starting with a reminder of what it’s actually for: warming up the room for the speaker, not showcasing yourself. They talk through the things that make all the difference - speaking to the person beforehand (and checking how to pronounce their name and their pronouns), finding one warm, human detail that no bio would give you, resisting the urge to read out a long list of accolades, and setting a calm, generous tone that the speaker can step straight into.
You can find more great advice here:
Introducing a speaker? Here are 5 tips: On brevity, genuine enthusiasm, and striking the right balance between personal and professional.
How to introduce a speaker (with examples): Practical, example-led advice on opening with a hook and telling a story rather than reading a bio aloud.
Chairing sessions: A researcher-focused guide to introducing speakers warmly and chairing a session effectively.
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/77vh
155. Interview with science communicator and author Aśka
This week we were delighted to be joined by the wonderful Aśka (pronounced 'Ash-ka'; she/they): award-winning comics maker, visual storyteller, science communicator and former quantum physicist, whose career is …
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This week we were delighted to be joined by the wonderful Aśka (pronounced 'Ash-ka'; she/they): award-winning comics maker, visual storyteller, science communicator and former quantum physicist, whose career is a glorious collision of two worlds that rarely meet. Before the drawing board, Aśka earned a first-class honours degree in physics (complete with a university medal) and spent several years in quantum optics labs across Australia, Germany and Denmark, work she describes as tickling atoms until they give up their secrets and glow fluorescent green.
Somewhere along the way she swapped the lab for the page, and has since published more than a dozen books and graphic novels, spent seven years touring Western Australia as a travelling science presenter with Scitech, and now teaches students of all ages how to "write with pictures". Their latest young adult graphic novel, The Friendship Paradox, draws all these threads together in the story of Dash, who tries to use the laws of physics to make sense of other people. It’s a stunning book about science, but even more about friendship, difference and self-acceptance.
Join us for a wonderful conversation about the leap from quantum optics to comics, why pictures sit unfairly at the bottom of our communication hierarchy, what years on the road taught Aśka about making science feel personal, and her lovely advice to pick up a concept and roll it around in your hands until you find a surprising new way in.
You can connect with Aśka and learn more about their work here:
Aśka's website: askastorytelling.com
The Friendship Paradox (Allen & Unwin): https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/A%C5%9Bka-Friendship-Paradox-9781761181689, a teaser of the book
The Cosmic Adventures of Alice and Bob: a free middle-grade comic Aśka co-created about research and searching in science
Qublings – Quantum Siblings, an award-winning comic about quantum entanglement: askastorytelling.com/short-comics
Aśka's blog post on science communication through pictures: askastorytelling.com/musings
Non-fiction middle-grade books Aśka has illustrated: Behind the Screens and How to Save the Whole Blinkin' Planet
Instagram: @askastorytelling
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/c7vh
154. Listen To This If… Someone Says ‘So What?' About Your Science
Ever had someone you care about listen to you talk about your work and ask, "so what?". It stings, but what if it's actually a gift? In this short episode, Jen and Michael reframe that deflating moment as one …
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Ever had someone you care about listen to you talk about your work and ask, "so what?". It stings, but what if it's actually a gift? In this short episode, Jen and Michael reframe that deflating moment as one of the most useful questions you'll ever be asked: the very thing every funder, editor and audience member is quietly wondering anyway. They talk through how to answer it well: distinguishing why your work matters in your field from why it matters to the person in front of you, using the "five whys" to dig down to something they genuinely care about, and turning all those answers into a handful of ready-made hooks for different people and situations.
You can find more great advice here:
The Message Box. The signature (and free) science communication tool whose whole crux is the "So what? Why should your audience care?" question, with a different version built for each audience you want to reach.
Research contribution vs significance. A clear, recent piece from the wonderful Pat Thomson framing significance as the "so what?" of your work, warning against both the vague non-answer ("it's important because mental health matters") and underselling what you've done.
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/w7vh
153. Interview with comedian and science communicator Alanta Colley
This week we were thrilled to be joined by the wonderful Alanta Colley - Naarm/ Melbourne-based comedian, science communicator and storyteller, and living proof that the path into science communication is …
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This week we were thrilled to be joined by the wonderful Alanta Colley - Naarm/ Melbourne-based comedian, science communicator and storyteller, and living proof that the path into science communication is rarely a straight line. With a background in international public health, Alanta spent two years doing public health work in rural eastern Uganda, coordinating HIV education, setting up mosquito-net micro-businesses and running sanitation campaigns. Along the way, she collected a few unwanted souvenirs in the form of several parasites. Rather than quietly moving on, she turned the experience into her first solo show, Parasites Lost, which sold out its entire run at the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. She's since written and toured a string of solo shows: Days of Our Hives on beekeeping, On the Origin of Faeces on the gut microbiome, and Trick or Treatment on the evidence behind alternative medicine, performing across Australia, New Zealand and for the Gates Foundation in Seattle, and she's the co-founder of Sci Fight, Melbourne's long-running science comedy debate series.
Join us for a fabulous chat about non-linear careers, what public health work in Uganda taught Alanta about listening and testing your assumptions, the delicate art of balancing "funny" with "too much information", why failure is one of the most powerful tools in both comedy and science communication, and her advice for anyone whose knees knock at the very thought of public speaking.
You can follow Alanta and find out more about her work here:
Alanta on the Shirtloads of Science podcast: shirtloadsofscience.libsyn.com
Instagram: @alanta_colley and @sci_fight_science_comedy
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/b7vh
152. Listen To This If… You’re preparing for your thesis oral defence
Preparing for your thesis oral defence (the viva, the oral exam, whatever it's called in your neck of the woods) and quietly dreading it? In this short episode, Jen and Michael reframe the whole experience …
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Preparing for your thesis oral defence (the viva, the oral exam, whatever it's called in your neck of the woods) and quietly dreading it? In this short episode, Jen and Michael reframe the whole experience: your defence isn't an interrogation, it's a conversation between engaged and curious colleagues welcoming you into the field, not with adversaries who are hunting for holes. They share practical ways to prepare - knowing your discussion section inside out, planning honest and non-defensive answers to the questions you're dreading, and being upfront that every piece of research has its limitations. And with AI making it more important than ever to show you can talk candidly about your own work, they suspect oral defences are only going to become more common.
You can find more great advice here:
How to survive a thesis defence A classic, practical guide: you know your work better than anyone, the examiners aren't out to get you, and a pause to think is your friend.
The dreaded doctoral defense From The Thesis Whisperer, Australia's best-known PhD blog, on reframing the defence and preparing for the questions you're dreading.
How to present an effective and successful viva voce A thorough, recently updated guide making the same core point Jen and Michael do: the viva is a conversation, not an interrogation, and the common questions are entirely predictable.
The viva. From the UK's researcher-development body, which frames the viva as a chance to discuss your work with experienced experts and recommends a calm, non-confrontational approach to any criticism.
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/y7vh
151. Interview with native bee researcher and performer Dr Kit Prendergast
This week we were absolutely delighted (and, we'll admit, a little starstruck) to sit down with Dr Kit Prendergast: native bee researcher, taxonomist, conservation biologist, science communicator and performing …
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This week we were absolutely delighted (and, we'll admit, a little starstruck) to sit down with Dr Kit Prendergast: native bee researcher, taxonomist, conservation biologist, science communicator and performing artist, better known to many as Bee Babette. Kit came to science through a blend of the arts and the sciences, and that mix of creativity and rigour has come to define her career. She fell for native bees back in 2016, drawn in by macro photography and bee hotels, and went on to complete her PhD at Curtin University as a Forrest Research Scholar studying native bee biodiversity, urban pollination networks, and the genuinely contentious question of how introduced European honeybees affect our native species. Since then she's been remarkably prolific: more than 80 peer-reviewed papers, two brand-new bee species described (one named after her beloved dog, Zephyr), an award-winning science circus comedy show called The Birds & the Bees, a book, a swag of outreach awards, and a real knack for throwing out the rulebook on how scientists engage the public.
Join us for a fabulous conversation about falling in love with native bees, the trouble with "bee washing", why species names matter far more than you'd think, combining acrobatics with science on stage, and Kit's advice to be unapologetically your true self.
You can follow Kit and find out more about her work here:
Everything Bee Babette on Patreon: patreon.com/cw/TheBeeBabette
Kit's Forrest Research profile: forrestresearch.org.au/profiles/dr-kit-prendergast
YouTube: The Bee Babette
Instagram: @dr.beebabette
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/dr-kit-prendergast-7b9250135
Facebook: Kit Prendergast, The Buzz on Wild Bees, and Creating a Haven for Native Bees
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/o7vh
150. Listen To This If… You’re Struggling With Perfectionism
Perfectionism isn't all bad — it usually means you care deeply about your work. The trouble starts when it tips into paralysis and nothing ever makes it out into the world. In this short episode, Jen and …
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Perfectionism isn't all bad — it usually means you care deeply about your work. The trouble starts when it tips into paralysis and nothing ever makes it out into the world. In this short episode, Jen and Michael share how they've learned to hit publish anyway: separating high standards from a fear of being judged, asking what you'd tell a friend in the same boat, gathering people who'll remind you your work is good enough, and using deadlines to get comfortable with "that'll do."
Their verdict? Done is better than perfect (and salted caramel ice cream might just be the exception that proves nothing else can be perfect).
You can find more great advice here:
How to escape perfectionism as an excellent researcher The crucial difference between striving for excellence and chasing perfection.
Identifying and overcoming perfectionism in academic writers Why high standards help, perfectionism doesn't, and "done is good enough" more often than we think.
How would you treat a friend? A simple, research-backed exercise built on exactly Michael's question: what would you say to a friend, and can you say it to yourself?
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/u7vh
149. Interview with marine biologist and science comedian Forrest Shaw
We're kicking off Season 20 with a guest whose career path we found completely fascinating. Forrest Shaw is a stand-up comedian and writer whose comedy career began after a decade working as a marine and …
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We're kicking off Season 20 with a guest whose career path we found completely fascinating. Forrest Shaw is a stand-up comedian and writer whose comedy career began after a decade working as a marine and environmental biologist in his hometown of Miami, Florida - a career that saw him study everything from manatees and sea turtles to seagrass meadows, coral reefs and water quality. So it's safe to say he knows his way around the ocean. Then he made the kind of career pivot a lot of scientists quietly daydream about: he moved into stand-up, and has absolutely thrived, performing at some of the biggest comedy festivals in the world: Netflix Is A Joke Fest, Just For Laughs in Montreal, Moontower, Clusterfest and Bridgetown among them, and releasing his debut special, Poor Decisions, on Amazon. Most recently he brought his science-based comedy show The Ocean Hates You! (all about pollution, overfishing, climate change, sharks, and why talking about the ocean doesn't have to feel like going to a funeral), to the Adelaide Fringe.
Join us for a joyful conversation about ten years in marine science, the leap into stand-up, and why making people laugh might be one of the most powerful ways to make them care.
You can learn more about Forrest’s work here:
Forrest's website: forrestshaw.net
Instagram: @forrestshaw and @theoceanhatesyou
Facebook: @forrestshawcomedian and @theoceanhatesyou
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/57vh
148. Listen To This If… You’re Facing A Big Deadline
Staring down a big deadline and suddenly overcome by the urge to tidy your desk, reorganise your bookshelf, or look up random facts? You're in good company. In this short episode, Jen and Michael (both fresh …
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Staring down a big deadline and suddenly overcome by the urge to tidy your desk, reorganise your bookshelf, or look up random facts? You're in good company. In this short episode, Jen and Michael (both fresh from some very big deadlines of their own) share how they get unstuck: treating procrastination as an emotional issue rather than a time-management one, being kind to yourself when you've (once again) left it late, holding onto the basics like sleep and good food, and remembering that progress always beats perfection.
You can find more great advice here:
Procrastination is an emotional problem, Fast Company - why the fix is managing your feelings, not your calendar.
Why we procrastinate and what to do about it, APA's Speaking of Psychology podcast - a researcher on the surprising role of self-compassion.
Emotion regulation and procrastination, Solving Procrastination - practical, evidence-based strategies for getting started.
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/nu8h
147. Interview with science communicator and Miscible founder Molly Patton
This week we were thrilled to be joined by the wonderful Molly Patton - founder, sci-comm lead and producer at Miscible, a Melbourne-based science communication studio that has quickly made a name for itself …
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This week we were thrilled to be joined by the wonderful Molly Patton - founder, sci-comm lead and producer at Miscible, a Melbourne-based science communication studio that has quickly made a name for itself for the way it turns complex research into visually striking, deeply engaging stories. Molly's path here is a fascinating one: a former biomaterials postgrad, she walked away from academia after watching the same three problems crop up again and again: no time, no funding, and no shared language to explain why the work actually mattered. With a dual background in science and the arts (photography in particular), she's spent the last nine years leading creative teams to help researchers communicate work that is, in her words, "easy to understand and impossible to ignore" - translation work that has supported nearly $200 million in research funding in just the past four years.
Join us for a fabulous conversation about why science and the arts were never meant to be separate, science communication as a profession in its own right, the art of a great grant application, and Molly's lovely reminder to be human first and scientist second.
You can follow Molly and learn more about her work here:
Molly on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mollypatton
Miscible on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/miscible-co
Molly's Substack: mollykpatton.substack.com
And, since he got a mention, Molly's very photogenic dog Kodak: @kodak_the_bluemerle
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/z58h
146. Listen To This If… You’re Preparing for a Radio Interview
Been invited to talk about your research on the radio? Congratulations, and welcome to the world of "wild listeners." In this short episode, Jen and Michael explain why radio is unlike almost any other …
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Been invited to talk about your research on the radio? Congratulations, and welcome to the world of "wild listeners." In this short episode, Jen and Michael explain why radio is unlike almost any other communication opportunity you'll get: your audience hasn't tuned in specifically for you, and they're very likely driving, cooking, or wrangling a toddler while you talk. Michael shares his practical tips for cutting through - short soundbites, signposting ("this matters for three reasons"), and a bit of repetition to help distracted listeners follow you. Jen, who has been talking about science on the radio for twenty years, makes the case that radio is fundamentally about human connection, not perfection: bring your whole self, be willing to stumble, smile while you speak, and prepare by talking out loud about your work rather than clinging to a script.
You can find more great advice here:
Top tips for media work: a guide for scientists, Science Media Centre - a practical checklist for broadcast interviews, including what to ask before you say yes.
What makes a great radio interview, COMPASS - a radio producer's perspective on what makes a scientist a great guest.
TV and radio media tips, AAAS - the nuts and bolts, including just how short a soundbite really needs to be.
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/q58h
145. Interview with anthropologist, neuroscientist and board game inventor Dr Paul Mason
This week we were thrilled to chat with the wonderfully interdisciplinary Dr Paul Mason: anthropologist, neuroscientist, medical researcher, and inventor of a dung beetle board game. Paul cheerfully describes …
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This week we were thrilled to chat with the wonderfully interdisciplinary Dr Paul Mason: anthropologist, neuroscientist, medical researcher, and inventor of a dung beetle board game. Paul cheerfully describes his own CV as looking "like a pizza with the lot" (with, somehow, even the pineapple on there). Paul is also a musician, dancer and capoeira practitioner who began his studies wanting to get into brain research, before realising he was far more interested in understanding the brain in context. That curiosity took him from laboratory internships at the Howard Florey Institute (and beyond) into a PhD in anthropology, and out into the world doing fieldwork with arts communities in Indonesia and Brazil, infectious disease patients in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, and conservation education at Taronga Zoo.
In our wide-ranging conversation, Paul shares why he believes good science communication actually makes for good science, and how creative formats can carry serious ideas to the people who need them most. We talk about his award-winning children's book about tuberculosis (translated into thirty languages and distributed free in four countries) his dung beetle board game Hexcrement, and the surprising social magic of gathering people around a table to play. Paul also offers his best advice for researchers who want real-world impact: put in the work to ask good, well-structured questions, and always make it easy for people to help you - because kindness begets kindness, and communities of shared practice are where change begins.
You can follow Paul and learn more about his work here:
Fresh Produce Bioactives: freshproducebioactives.com.au
Insta: @freshproducebioactives and @sociocerebral
Hexcrement, via Aelytra Conservation: aelytra.com
- Paul's tuberculosis children's book: https://paul.sobriquet.net/publications/
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/k58h
144. Listen To This If… You Want To Explain Your Science Without "Dumbing It Down"
"I'm happy to talk to different audiences, but I don't want to dumb down my research."It's a phrase Jen and Michael both quietly dread and in this short episode, they dig into why it rubs them the wrong way …
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"I'm happy to talk to different audiences, but I don't want to dumb down my research."
It's a phrase Jen and Michael both quietly dread and in this short episode, they dig into why it rubs them the wrong way. The problem isn't wanting to stay accurate; it's the assumption baked into "dumbing down" that your audience isn't intelligent. Jen and Michael reframe the whole challenge: it's not about simplifying your ideas, it's about simplifying your language while keeping every bit of nuance intact. Along the way they share why getting your audience to care comes first, how "clarifying" beats "simplifying," and why explaining your work simply is one of the best ways to understand it more deeply yourself.
You can find more great advice here:
Tim Radford, A Manifesto for the Simple Scribe - the source of the fantastic quote we talk about: "Don't overestimate your reader's knowledge and don't underestimate their intelligence."
Ed Yong, On jargon, and why it matters in science writing - a lovely case for replacing jargon rather than dumbing down.
Don't dumb it down: the effects of jargon in COVID-19 crisis communication - research on why audiences engage with complexity.
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/j7ah
143. Interview with astrometallurgist Dr Matt Shaw
Have you ever met an astrometallurgist? Neither had we, until we had the great pleasure of chatting with Dr Matt Shaw on this week's episode!Matt's career genuinely sounds like it was pulled straight from the …
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Have you ever met an astrometallurgist? Neither had we, until we had the great pleasure of chatting with Dr Matt Shaw on this week's episode!
Matt's career genuinely sounds like it was pulled straight from the pages of a sci-fi novel, but it's very much grounded in real, cutting-edge science. He began as a metallurgist in the mining industry - extracting metals like gold from rocks, or as he describes it, "basically Minecraft, but in real life" - working everywhere from the Australian desert to the Canadian Arctic. Having mastered some of the most extreme environments on Earth, Matt decided to tackle the ultimate hostile environment: space. He completed a PhD in astrometallurgy at Swinburne University, exploring how we might one day extract and process materials on the Moon, and worked with CSIRO's space in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) team developing technologies to produce water, oxygen and metals beyond Earth.
These days, Matt continues his space research while working predominantly with the Green Steel and Critical Minerals teams at CSIRO Clayton, investigating innovative ways to reduce emissions and tackle one of the biggest challenges facing our planet: how to make green steel.
But what makes Matt especially exciting to talk with isn't just the very cool science. It's his passion for communication and collaboration. Whether he's talking with school students, appearing in the media or engaging with the public, Matt has a real knack for making complex ideas feel both exciting and accessible - and he's got the track record to prove it:
Winner, Asia-Pacific Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2021 – watch Matt's winning talk
Judge, Asia-Pacific 3MT Final 2022
Runner-up, FameLab Australia 2023 – watch Matt's presentation
STEMPals Curiosity Communicator Award 2024
You can follow Matt and learn more about his work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-shaw-001/
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/r7ah
142. Listen To This If… You feel like an imposter
Ever feel like you don't quite belong, or that everyone around you knows what they're doing while you're just hoping no one finds out that you don’t? In this season’s first Listen To This Episode, Jen and …
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Ever feel like you don't quite belong, or that everyone around you knows what they're doing while you're just hoping no one finds out that you don’t? In this season’s first Listen To This Episode, Jen and Michael talk honestly about the imposter experience at work: why feeling like a bit of a fraud is more normal (and more useful) than you might think, and how to keep showing up anyway.
Sharing how you feel with friends, colleagues, family, or supervisors helps you realise how normal the imposter experience really is, and that it's a sign you're challenging yourself in all the right ways.
You can find more great advice here:
https://www.nyas.org/ideas-insights/blog/confronting-imposter-syndrome-in-stem/
https://jobs.sciencecareers.org/article/how-to-banish-impostor-syndrome
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02408-z
In this TEDx talk, Mike Cannon-Brookes offers a funny and reassuring take on how impostor syndrome can sometimes be used as fuel rather than treated only as a flaw. https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_cannon_brookes_how_you_can_use_impostor_syndrome_to_your_benefit
This short Science careers piece offers practical advice for researchers who feel like frauds, starting from the useful reminder that “you are not a fraud.” https://www.science.org/content/article/how-banish-impostor-syndrome
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/x7ah
141. Interview with The Weekend Birder host and creator Kirsty Costa
Welcome to a new season of Let’s Talk Scicomm - we’re thrilled to be back with you for Season 19! We can’t imagine a better way to launch the season than a chat with the brilliant Kirsty Costa, host and creator …
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Welcome to a new season of Let’s Talk Scicomm - we’re thrilled to be back with you for Season 19!
We can’t imagine a better way to launch the season than a chat with the brilliant Kirsty Costa, host and creator of the Weekend Birder Podcast.
Weekend Birder is one of Australia’s most-loved science and nature podcasts, opening birdwatching up to anyone who’s curious. Kirsty works at the intersection of conservation, storytelling and community engagement, helping people notice birds, understand ecology and feel more connected to the living world around them. Through conversations and bird walks, Kirsty translates everyday encounters with nature into stories and ideas that inspire curiosity and care. She appears regularly in national media as a trusted voice on birds, wildlife and everyday science.
We hope you love listening to this conversation as much as we loved having it.
You can learn more about Weekend Birder here:
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/67ah
140. Listen To This If...You Want To Up Your Email Game
Email is essential, but it can also suck the life out of you. In this episode, Jen and Michael share their best advice for taming the inbox: write clear subject lines, put your call to action up front, and keep …
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Email is essential, but it can also suck the life out of you. In this episode, Jen and Michael share their best advice for taming the inbox: write clear subject lines, put your call to action up front, and keep emails short so you reduce the cognitive load on the person reading.
They also discuss a brilliant piece of counterintuitive advice from Dr Jonathan O'Donnell: take longer to reply. Slowing down your responses to non-urgent emails breaks the cycle of constant back-and-forth, and gives everyone a bit of time back in their day.
You can find more great advice here:
- https://hbr.org/2022/08/5-tips-for-writing-professional-emails
- https://www.sunsama.com/blog/how-to-manage-email-overload
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/us72
139. Interview with scicomm researcher and evolutionary linguist Dr Hannah Little
This week we were lucky enough to have an absolutely fascinating conversation with Dr Hannah Little. Hannah has been researching science communication for nearly 10 years, first as a Senior Lecturer in Science …
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This week we were lucky enough to have an absolutely fascinating conversation with Dr Hannah Little. Hannah has been researching science communication for nearly 10 years, first as a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication at UWE Bristol and now in the Department of Communication and Media at the University of Liverpool. Previously, she did her PhD in the field of evolutionary linguistics at the Artificial Intelligence Lab at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, and went on to a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in the Netherlands. Throughout her career, she has endeavoured to share her love for evolutionary linguistics as a science communicator herself with well-received appearances at, among others, the British Science Festival, TEDx and on BBC Radio 4. Her work as a science communicator influences her research, especially in terms of exploring how storytelling, comedy and science fiction can influence public perceptions and understanding of science. In her spare time does competitive speed puzzling, stand-up comedy, and is writing a popular science book about linguistics and aliens. She is a member of the UK SETI Research Network and the SETI Post Detection Hub hosted at the University of St Andrews. As you might be able to gather, Hannah is an amazing person to chat about scicomm (and communicating with aliens) with!
You can follow Hannah and find out more about her work here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-little-3709371a2
https://bsky.app/profile/hanachronism.bsky.social
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoeXkCM2wSs
We mentioned this paper on cognitive biases in our conversation: http://doi.org/10.1177/09636625251387445
And here’s the storytelling toolkit for practitioners: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3194747/1/Little_Storytelling%20Toolkit%202025_33MB.pdf
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/5s72
138. Listen To This If… You Want to Disagree with Someone Effectively
Disagreements are part of life, and science communication. Whether you’re talking about vaccines, climate change, or just what counts as the best breakfast, navigating differing views can be tricky.In this …
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Disagreements are part of life, and science communication. Whether you’re talking about vaccines, climate change, or just what counts as the best breakfast, navigating differing views can be tricky.
In this episode, Jen and Michael explore how to approach disagreement in a way that’s respectful, productive, and human. Rather than trying to “win” or change someone’s mind outright, they suggest focusing on creating space for alternative perspectives, and recognising when agreement may not be possible.
They discuss practical strategies like actively listening, acknowledging the other person’s viewpoint, and asking permission before offering your own. Just as importantly, they reflect on when a disagreement goes beyond ideas and into values or identity and how that shifts what a “good outcome” looks like.
You can find more great advice here:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_stay_open_and_curious_in_hard_conversations
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200930-how-to-politely-and-productively-disagree
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ds72
137. Interview with ecologist and author Professor Deb Bower
This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Professor Deb Bower. Deb is a Professor of Zoology in the School of Environmental and Rural Science at the University of New England, Australia. Her research …
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This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Professor Deb Bower. Deb is a Professor of Zoology in the School of Environmental and Rural Science at the University of New England, Australia. Her research focuses on the ecology, behaviour, and conservation of freshwater turtles. She investigates how altered river flows, invasive predators, and habitat modification influence turtle populations and population dynamics. Her work combines spatial ecology, population ecology, and reproductive biology to inform conservation management. Deb collaborates closely with government agencies, conservation organisations, and communities to translate ecological research into practical strategies that support the long-term conservation of Australia’s threatened freshwater turtles. She has authored several children’s stories and she loves rhyming words.
You can follow Deb and find out more about her work here:Instagram handle: @lazer_une
Media:
Turning the tide for turtles - ABC listen
Tracking the health of turtles in the Murray Darling | 7.30
Environmental experts, detection dogs team up to protect native freshwater turtles - ABC News
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ts72
136. Listen To This If… You Need To Prepare for Question Time
Question time can feel like the most unpredictable - and nerve-wracking - part of giving a talk. You’ve prepared your slides, rehearsed your key points… but what about the questions you can’t anticipate?In this …
Shownotes
Question time can feel like the most unpredictable - and nerve-wracking - part of giving a talk. You’ve prepared your slides, rehearsed your key points… but what about the questions you can’t anticipate?
In this episode, Jen and Michael share practical strategies to help you approach Q&A with more confidence (and maybe even enjoyment).
They discuss why it’s okay not to have all the answers, how to respond to challenging or “prickly” questions, and how a little preparation can go a long way. From planning for the questions you’re most worried about to strategically inviting the ones you want, this episode reframes question time as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Ultimately, Q&A isn’t a test, it’s a chance to engage, get feedback, and continue the conversation.
You can find more great advice here:
https://www.animateyour.science/post/how-to-answer-questions-after-a-research-presentation
https://patthomson.net/2011/09/03/answering-audience-questions-at-conferences/
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/ms72
135. Interview with parasitologist and artist Dr Tommy Leung
In this weeks' episode we had a fascinating chat with Dr Tommy Leung who is a parasitologist interested in the ecological and evolutionary facets of parasitism. Their research covers a range of parasite-related …
Shownotes
In this weeks' episode we had a fascinating chat with Dr Tommy Leung who is a parasitologist interested in the ecological and evolutionary facets of parasitism. Their research covers a range of parasite-related topics including macroecological patterns of parasitism, parasite community composition, parasite-host interactions, and disease ecology. The aim of their research is to shed light on a ubiquitous but often overlooked aspect of biodiversity.
Tommy is also passionate about communicating parasitology and some of the lesser-known aspects of zoology to the general public. They write the Parasite of the Day blog, and has written multiple articles about parasites for The Conversation. They have also appeared on radio segments and podcasts, and is currently the social media editor for the Journal of Helminthology.
You can follow Tommy and find out more about their work here:
Parasite of the Day blog:
https://dailyparasite.blogspot.com/
Tommy's articles on The Conversation:
https://theconversation.com/profiles/tommy-leung-106786/articles
Tommy's Google Scholar profile:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TyMT3ggAAAAJ&hl=en
BlueSky account:
https://bsky.app/profile/the-episiarch.bsky.social
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/fs72
134. Listen To This If…You Get Invited To Talk With A Journalist
Being invited to speak with a journalist is both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. In this episode, Jen and Michael chat about how to approach media interviews with confidence while staying in control of …
Shownotes
Being invited to speak with a journalist is both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. In this episode, Jen and Michael chat about how to approach media interviews with confidence while staying in control of your message.
They emphasise the importance of knowing your key points before you begin, while also being prepared for conversations to take unexpected turns. Michael shares a “walking the dog” analogy to capture this balance: having a clear direction, but knowing how to guide things back when needed.
The episode also explores how interviews are often edited into short grabs, making clarity essential, and highlights the importance of setting boundaries when questions stray beyond your expertise.
If you’re preparing for a media interview, this episode offers practical advice to help you stay focused, flexible, and confident.
You can find more great advice here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2666869625000016
https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/wp-content/upload/2014/04/SMC-Desk-Guide-for-Scientists.pdf
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/hs72
133. Interview with science communicator Emma Donnelly
Welcome to Season 18 of Let’s Talk SciComm! We’re excited to be launching our new season with a fantastic conversation with scicomm guru Emma Donnelly. Emma is a science communication specialist, leadership …
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Welcome to Season 18 of Let’s Talk SciComm!
We’re excited to be launching our new season with a fantastic conversation with scicomm guru Emma Donnelly. Emma is a science communication specialist, leadership trainer and coach with more than 25 years’ experience helping researchers and technical experts translate expertise into influence.
She is Manager of Inspiring Victoria at the Royal Society of Victoria, works with the Association for Tertiary Education Management, and runs her consultancy, Comm-it: Training and Communication Solutions. Emma has worked across the higher education sector nationally, including with the University of Melbourne, Monash University, UNSW, the University of Sydney, Curtin University, UWA and RMIT. She’s coached Prime Minister Science Prize winners and been the national FameLab consultant and trainer for several years.
Her work in citizen science, research translation and engagement has been recognised through national and state awards, including the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes and the WA Premier’s Science Awards. Earlier in her career, she brought food science into mainstream media through work connected with My Kitchen Rules, and developed Eat Drink Think, a cookbook and program translating the science of food and flavour for public audiences.
Today, Emma works with founders, scientists, researchers and university leaders to elevate pitching, storytelling, stakeholder engagement and leadership presence. Her warm, inclusive and evidence-based approach has supported thousands of professionals to build confidence, build trust and amplify their impact. Emma believes that great ideas only travel as far as your communication allows them to.
You can follow Emma and find out more about her work here:
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/2s72
132. Listen To This If… Networking feels scary (or just a bit icky)
Everyone tells you networking is essential for your career. But what if the idea of walking into a room full of strangers and “working the room” makes you want to hide?In this short episode, Jen and Michael …
Shownotes
Everyone tells you networking is essential for your career. But what if the idea of walking into a room full of strangers and “working the room” makes you want to hide?
In this short episode, Jen and Michael unpack why networking can feel uncomfortable and how reframing what networking actually is can make it much easier.
Our key message: networking isn’t about collecting contacts or performing in crowded rooms. It’s about building genuine relationships over time.
In this episode, we explore:
Why it helps to rethink what “networking” really means
A simple approach to conversations at conferences and events
Why a short, practiced response to “What do you do?” can make things easier
How to spot others in the room who might feel just as overwhelmed
Why humour and honesty can break the ice (“Networking is a bit awkward, isn’t it?”)
The often-overlooked importance of networking with your own colleagues
Networking doesn’t have to mean working every corner of the room. Sometimes it’s as simple as introducing yourself, asking a thoughtful question, and following up later for a coffee or a conversation.
And remember: most people in the room are probably feeling just as awkward as you are.
You can find more great advice here:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/21-networking-tips-i-just-gave-my-future-bosses-shane-o-leary-7fzwe/
https://www.comm-it.com.au/training/7-tips-for-easy-and-effective-networking/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/networking-tips-early-career-scientists-lessons-from-science-tpfke/
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/cph2
131. Interview with "Bee Man" Clancy Lester
This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Clancy Lester aka "Bee Man" - a nature lover and founder of Bees and Blossoms.Through growing up on Yorta Yorta Country in regional Victoria, Clancy developed an …
Shownotes
This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Clancy Lester aka "Bee Man" - a nature lover and founder of Bees and Blossoms.
Through growing up on Yorta Yorta Country in regional Victoria, Clancy developed an early fascination with the natural world that later evolved into community-focused biodiversity education through social media and hands-on workshops.
His work empowers young people and communities to engage with local biodiversity, and learn about indigenous knowledge, especially through watching his '7Seasons' documentary.
You can follow Clancy and find out more about his work here:
- Clancy's website: https://beesandblossoms.org/
- Clancy's bee hotel website: https://nativebeehotels.com/
- Clancy's pursuit article: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/fighting-to-save-our-aussie-bees-one-bee-hotel-at-a-time
- Clancy's ABC news article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-09/bee-hunter-saving-native-species-one-hotel-at-a-time/104881770
- Bees and Blossoms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beesandblossoms.aus/
- Bees and Blossoms LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beesandblossoms/
- Clancy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-clancy-lester/
- 7Seasons documentary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7seasonsdocumentary/
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/wph2
130. Listen To This If… you’re struggling to find the story in your research
Everyone keeps telling you to “tell a story” about your research… but what if you genuinely can’t see one?In this short episode, Jen and Michael tackle one of the most common (and quietly stressful) challenges …
Shownotes
Everyone keeps telling you to “tell a story” about your research… but what if you genuinely can’t see one?
In this short episode, Jen and Michael tackle one of the most common (and quietly stressful) challenges in science communication: finding the story in your own work.
Their reassurance? If you’re looking for a story, you’re already on the right track.
In this episode, we explore:
Why story = a problem–solution dynamic
How to identify the real problem your research is addressing
A simple sentence starter: “This matters because…”
The powerful question: “What has changed because of my work?”
Why your personal motivation might be part of the story
How brainstorming, sticky notes, conversations (and even AI tools) can help uncover new angles
Why audience and purpose determine which story you should tell
One research project can contain dozens of possible stories. The trick isn’t finding the story — it’s choosing the right one for the people you’re speaking to.
And most importantly: there is always a story. It might just take a little curiosity and creativity to uncover it.
You can find more great advice here:
https://reshub.uts.edu.au/whats-on/news/how-nail-your-research-story
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/find-hero-energy-story-your-research
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/yrs2
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