That's What I Call Science!

Join Olly and Sarah in this episode as they dive into an interesting engineering application involving lobsters.  Our expert guest Charles Sutherland is a PhD student in the School of Engineering and has been working on enabling technology to identify pre-moult lobsters.  Through this episode Charles shares the engineering journey he has been on in developing low-cost technology for this cross-dis...

In the paradise of Ticino, Switzerland palms line the foothills of the alps, but why are they here and are they a problem? Thibaut Juillard studies what makes these palms successful for his PhD in the PERL (Plant Ecology Research Laboratory) at EPFL (the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland). Dr Kate Johnson and Katya Bandow ask Thibaut about ‘his’ palms and how he studie...

Join us as we journey through time and space to unlock Earth's dynamic history with expert guest Dr. Sheree Armistead. In this episode, we delve into Sheree’s groundbreaking research, from unravelling the mysteries of supercontinent Gondwana's tectonic evolution in Madagascar, India, and East Africa during her PhD studies, to exploring the ancient links between supercontinents and ore fo...

Welcome to the third instalment of our 'Geoscience Mini-Series', a four-part journey where we engage with geoscientists from Tasmania and across Australia. This week, we're thrilled to chat with Dr. Indrani Mukherjee, a geology lecturer and researcher at the University of New South Wales. Join us as we explore Indrani’s work unravelling the intricate connections between early Earth...

Welcome to our second instalment of the ‘Geoscience mini-series’, a four-part series where we talk to geoscientists based in Tasmania and elsewhere in Australia. Dr. Owen Missen, a Lecturer in Environmental Geology, shares insights into the role of critical metals, such as Cobalt and Tellurium, in Australia’s sustainable future. Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Olly Dove (@olly_dove) Co-Host:...

Welcome to our first instalment of the ‘Geoscience mini-series’, a four-part series where we talk to geoscientists based in Tasmania and elsewhere in Australia. This episode’s guest, Izzy Von Lichtan, is an esteemed expert in earth sciences, serving as curator at the Rock Library & Geological Museum and associate lecturer at the University of Tasmania. With over two decades of experience in te...

Drones, Aussie mangroves and pine forests in the Swiss mountains; come on a journey around the world with Parisian Ecophysiologist Dr Alice Gauthey. Find out how Dr Gauthey investigates the impacts of climate change including drought, heat and increasing CO2 on plants in this interview with fellow-plant-lover Dr Kate Johnson. You’ll also hear Dr Gauthey’s insights into the joys and challenges of r...

Welcome to our first new episode of 2024! We’re kicking off the year by delving into the captivating world of beetles and bugs with Tessa Smith, a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania. Tessa's not just an insect expert, she's also a rockstar in the science communication scene! From co-hosting "That's What I Call Science" to organising the super cool "Science in...

Our Australian Museum Eureka Prize miniseries wraps up this week with part 4, where we interview Lila Landowski. Lila was a finalist for the Celestino Eureka prize for Promoting Understanding of Science. A neuroscientist by day, she’s also presented a Tedx Talk with nearly 2 million views, and appears as a regular guest science communicator on major radio and television broadcasts.  Tune in to hea...

For week three of our four-part Eureka Prizes mini-series, we’re joined by two members of the Sea Slug Census team: Dr Nicole Mertens and Professor Steve Smith.  The Sea Slug Census was a finalist for the Innovation in Citizen Science category at the Eureka Prizes 2023, and brings together slug enthusiasts across the country to find these wonderful critters of all different sizes and colours. Tune...

For week two of our four-part Eureka Prizes mini-series, we’ve got a million things to talk about. More specifically, we’ve got 1 Million Turtles to talk about! Joined by three team members from the 1 Million Turtles project (James Van Dyke, Deborah Bower, and Ricky Spencer), we hear all about freshwater turtles in Australia, and how we can help them survive and thrive. We also hear what winning a...

For week two of our four-part Eureka Prizes mini-series, we’ve got a million things to talk about. More specifically, we’ve got 1 Million Turtles to talk about! Joined by three team members from the 1 Million Turtles project (James Van Dyke, Deborah Bower, and Ricky Spencer), we hear all about freshwater turtles in Australia, and how we can help them survive and thrive. We also hear what winning a...

Robyn Williams is a legend in science journalism. For over 50 years he has brought science stories to the airways through ABC National’s Science Show.  As the founder of Australia Museum’s Eureka Prize, he joins Anna and Olly for part one of four episodes in the Eureka Prizes mini-series. They discuss the history of STEMM communication, cultural changes, and what’s kept Robyn passionate across his...

Welcome to our final episode of the Conservation of Tasmanian Plants mini-series. Today, our botany hosts Kate and Katya have the incredible privilege of chatting with Professor Greg Jordan, a paleobotanist and plant science lecturer at the University of Tasmania. Greg shares some of his career highlights and his love for Tasmanian native flora, and shows us why Tassie is such a unique place to st...

It's week two of the Conservation of Tasmanian Plants mini-series, and this week Katya and Olly are chatting to Dr. Laura Williams from the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. In this episode, Laura talks us through the unique plant collections found at the gardens and the many conservation initiatives she is involved in. We also hear a little bit about her previous work monitoring plants on M...

Kicking off our three part mini-series on the Conservation of Tasmanian Plants, today we are talking to Dr. Miguel de Salas from the Tasmanian Herbarium, a branch of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG). Join us as we chat about botany curation, plant taxonomy, dinoflagellates, and how you can get involved with plant conservation using the iNaturalist app.  Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod H...

Australia’s national research vessel, the RV Investigator, recently celebrated a special milestone; it set sail on its 100th voyage! Hannah and Olly sit down with Dr Ben Arthur from CSIRO’s Marine National Facility to celebrate, hear about the various voyages which have taken place over the last nine years, and ask how you might be able to join a voyage on the Investigator! Show theme music: Kevin...

In September 2023, twelve early career researchers from across Australia were brought together in Perth to battle it out for the FameLab Australia National Finals 2023.  While a winner did emerge from the competition, the real winners were the friends we made along the way. Join Olly as she hears from the finalists about their wholesome experiences in FameLab and their passions for science communi...

Recently, Hannah and Olly from the TWICS team attended the Centre for Marine Socioecology (CMS) Showcase Day. CMS (www.marinesocioecology.org) is a multi- and transdisciplinary research collaboration based in lutruwita/Tasmania, made up of individuals from various backgrounds and experience, from undergraduate students to experienced researchers.  The focus of CMS’s Showcase Day was all about look...

Fossils, plants and big data are three things Dr Matilda Brown loves and brings together in their position in the Conservation Assessment and Analysis team at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in London. Join Dr Kate Johnson to hear about Matilda’s work in a wonderland of palm-houses and rooms full of pressed plants where she seeks not only to improve the inclusion of plants in world-wide data-sets bu...

In this episode, we embark on an icy adventure with Meg Harlan, a dual-degree PhD candidate exploring the secrets locked within polar ice cores. Join us as we decode Earth's ancient climate history, from the hidden chemistry of ice cores to their role as climate proxies. Meg takes us on a journey to coastal East Antarctica, where she investigates volcanic eruptions' impact on iron fertil...

Join Bianca on a journey through Tadmania’s wilderness as she shares her passion for plant chemistry and more. From using coffee machines to uncover ancient plant secrets you’ll get an insight into the world of botanical science.  Show theme music: Kevin MacLeod Host: Olly Dove (@olly_dove) Co-Host: Emma Hamasaki  Production: Ryan Smith Media & Promotion: Emma Hamasaki (@EmmaHamasaki)

Evolutionary trees hold a dual meaning in the life of mathematician, Dr Julia Shore. During her PhD journey in phylogenetics, she used mathematical techniques to model intricate processes found in nature. But here's the twist - she did all of this while raising three children! In this episode, we explore the field of phylogenetics, where maths meets evolution. We explore Julia’s work and  hea...

Dr Meredith Castles takes an unorthodox approach to communicating science, she livestreams a ‘conversational science’ show to anyone who wants to learn. Essentially, she crowdsources science information from around the world by discussing what people find interesting using Twitch, an online gaming entertainment platform. In this episode we delve into the world of online communities and how to crea...

Sylvie King is a master's student at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science (IMAS), in affiliation with the Australian Antarctic Partnership Program (AAPP) and the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). In this episode we dive deep into her world researching and modelling zooplankton in the southern ocean.  What are zooplankton and why should we be continuously monitoring them? Wha...