The SciComm Collective

“You’ve got to get your research to the people who are going to use it… You’ve got to go to where the community is.”  – Sarah Brooker   How do scientists create impact with their research? In this episode, Science in Public’s Sarah Brooker talks to Camila and Emma about her work at “Australia’s Science PR Company” and why Public Relations (PR) isn’t a dirty word – it’s a proactive one. She shares...

“ My favourite thing about nature conservation and science is sharing it with people and connecting with people about it. ”   – Owen Cumming   Welcome back to The SciComm Collective! In this episode, UWA Master of Science Communication alumni Ximena Shaw and Owen Cumming chat about Owen's journey after studying science communication and experiences that have shaped his career as an ecologist a...

“ It’s about empowering the kids to feel like they can step in and help in an emergency.” – Suchi Kalia How can science communication enhance emergency responder training? This episode features two special guests, UWA SciComm alumni Suchi Kalia and Samantha Crampton, who design and deliver innovative first aid training at the St. John’s WA Youth Academy. Sam and Suchi chat with Camila and Emma abo...

“A really important part of inclusion is understanding your audience, understanding their needs, but also understanding their assets… What knowledge do they already have? … Science capital is about recognising what people already bring to the table.”  – Shanii Phillips Welcome back to Season 3 of The SciComm Collective! In this season we’re talking about how science stories get into public spaces...

“It’s being able to create experienceswhere young people feel like they belong.” – Lisa Bailey, MOD.   How can we design better science museumexperiences for 15–25-year-olds? In this episode of The SciComm Collective, Avantika chats with Dr Lisa Bailey, Director of the Museum of Discovery (MOD.), about informal science communication and the importance of engaging young people with science beyond t...

“There's a lot going on in the world, And I think that sometimes science gets dropped a little bit ... But in terms of media as a whole, it's there. And I think there's a lot more work to do, but I think it's clawing its way ...  There is space for science in breaking news.” - Cat Williams Welcome back to Season 3 of The SciComm Collective! In this season we’re talking about how sc...

Welcome back to Season 3 of The SciComm Collective! In this season we’re talking about how science stories get into public spaces like news, magazines, theatre, parks, museums, science centres, and youth groups. In our first episode, UWA science communication PhD candidate Emma Gill chats with Jasmine Fellows, Managing Editor of Refraction Media, former editor of Cosmos and Double Helix magazines...

“I was always interested in the storytelling element. I was really interested in how people create a place where people can just be themselves and talk.” – Crystal Ngo Welcome to the final episode of our Winter Shorts series 2026! In this special wrap-up, Camila and Heather chat with UWA Master of Science Communication alumnus Crystal Ngo, whose journey has taken her from nutrition, public health,...

"Kathakars were known as storytellers, and these are ways of telling mythological stories: they convey meanings through the form of dance, and you can think about it in sociological terms - the dancer is conveying a story." – Hari Krishna Gami In this Winter Shorts episode, science communication student Hari Krishna Gami shares his short podcast about Kathak, a traditional North Indian dance form,...

“When they’re discussing something, I feel that I need to listen to it…” – Ryan Siew   When you make a podcast, you should make something that you care about and that *you* would want to listen to.  On this Winter Shorts episode, UWA zoology student Ryan Siew shares how his listening preferences and his passion for conservation informed the decisions he made for the mini-podcast.  Ryan focused on...

“Next time you find yourself avoiding the work you should be doing, remember: your values hold the key to success.” – Tom Carbery Are you ever so worried about failing at something that you actively seek out other activities to do instead… and then ‘blame’ those as the reason you fail? You might be 'self-handicapping'. On this episode, UWA psychology student Tom Carbery shares his mini-pod...

~ Note from Producers: Episode audio updated on 28/6/2026 ~ "With science, we're trying to communicate with people, change behaviour, inspire people to think about things differently... Being able to pivot and adapt to what your audience needs is a really important part." - Sarah Brown     In this episode, Camila sits down with Minor of Science Communication student Sarah Brown to di...

“It’s the question I keep coming back to – how inclusion, neurodiversity, and different ways of seeing and being in the world are part of science and science communication…” – Emma Gill   Our Winter Shorts Series continues with Clare Boon sitting down with The SciComm Collective’s Emma Gill to chat about how far she’s come since recording her very first podcast - for an assignment at UWA. We share...

"Whatever you are interviewing about, be curious … Ask the questions with the full curiosity of: I don’t know this, can you teach me?" - Siobhon Eacott   Welcome to Winter Shorts, a bonus series by The SciComm Collective that hopes to keep you entertained during the first weeks of winter. We will explore the art of podcasting with professionals and former students of UWA’s Science Presen...

As The University of Western Australia gears up for the return of EnviroFest later in 2026, Ke chatted to the former guild environment officer Julia about the mission and logistical efforts required to bring a large-scale sustainability event to life in 2025. Emma and Rae then revisited their conversations last year at EnviroFest with a diverse range of community organisations to gather their insi...

“There should be no assumed knowledge in the rules” – Nick Godfrey Today, Rae sits down with Nick Godfrey to discuss his work developing a board game that teaches players about physics as covert education. They discuss how he brought together his background in physics and his love for board games to create something he’s passionate about. As every good science communicator considers, Nick reveals...

“When I go into those two different communities, I have to introduce myself differently” – Dr Jarita Holbrook Today, Kate, Rae and Felice sit down with Dr Jarita Holbrook to talk about their experience working with Indigenous communities. They discuss the ways in which researcherscan build connections with Indigenous communities and how communication is imperative in collaboration. They talk about...

“I think of the audience as a fried egg” – Phil Dooley  Today, Clare sits down with Dr Phil Dooley (the current President of the Australian Science Communicators) to discuss art and audiences. Together they explore how science art reaches different audiences and how the ever-changing algorithm impacts who our content reaches. As performers, they discuss how theatre has can be used in science commu...

Keelan investigates what consensus reality is with Holly and Camila and how this relates to our work as science communicators. They delve into the theory behind this concept and discuss the intricacies behind mimesis and fiction. This theoretical discussion touches on all kinds of important concepts such as positionality, the impact of lenses, and the importance of context.   Episode links: If you...

Join Kate (Master of Science Communication student, the University of Western Australia) and Camila (PhD Candidate, the University of Western Australia) as they talk with Alana Dooley about her journey in science communication. They discuss their personal definitions of science communication and the importance of Alana’s Indigenous identity in how she approaches her science communication practice....

Join Emma (PhD Candidate, The University of Western Australia) today as she talks to children’s book author Pamela Freeman. They discuss how Pamela got into writing ecological picture books for children, where her ideas come from, and how they align with the national curriculum. Pamela explains how she best engages children with her books and how her unconventional relationship with her current il...

Let’s get inspired! Ahead of the Innovators’ Tea Party’s ten-year anniversary celebration, join Holly (Master of Science Communication student, The University of Western Australia) as she talks with committee members and mentors about the impact of the Innovators’ Tea Party on Western Australian students interested in STEM and what it’s like being a woman in STEM. Hear right from the students’ mou...

"Science communication is not just about talking to the media; it's about this broader relationship. Food is social, not just scientific." - Dr Heather Bray. In our Summer Shorts bonus season finale, The SciComm Collective’s Kate is joined by guest Dr Heather Bray, Coordinator of UWA's Masters and Minor in Science Communication programs. Taking on the challenge she sets for stude...

“I liked the story of it and that's why I wanted to use that, to present [geology] in a way that was a bit more interesting, a bit more fun.”   - Owen Cumming On this episode of Summer Shorts, join The SciComm Collective’s Clare as she interviews Owen Cumming, a graduate of UWA’s Master of Science Communication program. Owen talks about his journey from environmental science to science communi...

“Learning and practising science communication is core to so much”  - Lotte George Welcome back to Summer Shorts, an exploration of podcasting by UWA science communication students. In this episode, The SciComm Collective’s Kate is joined by UWA Biomedical Sciences graduate Lotte George. Lotte shares how stumbling upon the UWA Tropical Grove during a study break inspired her to make a Shinrin-yoku...