Let's Talk SciComm

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 (a...

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 sever...

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 we...

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-...

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 sh...

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 f...

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&#...

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...

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&#39...

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...

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. Micha...

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 wanti...

"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 ref...

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 descr...

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 ho...

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 intersecti...

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. Slo...

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...

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 focu...

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...

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, ho...

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...

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...

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...

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...