“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, and being a model to science communication in the disability sector. She reflects on navigating career uncertainty, discovering science communication as a creative home for art and science, and conducting research on the motivations of Australian science podcasters as part of her Masters degree. She shares what she learned about the identity of science podcasters, the persisting deficit-model thinking, and the importance (and absence!) of strategic audience engagement.

Crystal also shares how her current role at Kiind supporting families raising children with disabilities has deepened her passion for community, equity, and inclusion. Joined by Camila and Heather, together they break down what inclusive science communication looks like in practice and explore how individual positionality shapes the way we communicate.

“I just really appreciate community and the strength and power of community, and how that makes such a big difference in people’s lives.” – Crystal Ngo

Episode Links

UWA Master of Science Communication

Read Crystal’s article (Open Access) here: “It's having conversations that I like with people I like": Exploring the motivations of Australian science podcasters

Learn more about Kiind and their podcast, Kiind Conversations

Find out what motivates The SciComm Collective

Catch our previous episode about how we approach podcasting

Listen to our student roundtable discussion about the deficit model

Revisit Camila’s reflection about positionality and community

Read Dr Ann Grand’s reflection about inclusive science communication

Further Reading:

Amarasekara & Grant, (2019). Exploring the YouTube science communication gender gap: A sentiment analysis.

Marjadi et al., (2023). Twelve Tips for Inclusive Practice in Healthcare Settings.

Episode Credits

Episode Hosts: Camila Pardo Uribe, Dr Heather Bray

Special Guest: Crystal Ngo

Producers: Camila Pardo Uribe, Dr Heather Bray

Editing: Ke Yuan

Audio Engineering: Matthew Gill

Show notes: Ke Yuan

Audiogram: Adobe Podcast

"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, with hosts Avantika and Emma – discussing how this connects to science communication, hybrid identities, and intersectionality. Drawing on their lived experiences, Krishna and Avantika muse about what it means to wear multiple hats in multicultural Australia and how culture, language and community shape the way we see ourselves and others.

The conversation explores the challenges and strengths of holding multiple identities and the role of cultural practices in maintaining connections. They also reflect on the importance of listening across different perspectives and how embracing diverse experiences can help create more inclusive science communication.

"The conversation needs to be less around ‘do you belong to a certain community?’ and instead ‘do you belong to multiple communities of cultural identities?’" – Hari Krishna Gami

Episode links

Master of Science Communication: The University of Western Australia

Learn more about the art of Kathak dancing here

Read about the role of identity and culture in science communication here

Read about inclusion in science communication here

Learn about interculturalism and choreography here

Episode Credits

Hosts: Avantika Menon and Emma Gill

Special Guest: Hari Krishna Gami

Produced and Edited by: Emma Gill

Audio Engineering: Matthew Gill

Show notes by: Avantika Menon and Camila Pardo Uribe

“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 the famous story of the extinction of the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō in the early 2000s, then tied that forward to the plight of the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo today to make the story matter to his audience. 

“How do I make it important to someone? You can tell someone a terrible story, but what do you stand to gain out of telling the story that’s important? It's a matter of how to create meaning.” – Ryan Siew

Episode Links: 

⁠UWA Science Communication Minor⁠

Ryan uses this recording in his 3 minute podcast: RecordingOf The Last Kauaʻi ʻōʻō Bird. (2020). Internet Archive.

Ryan directly relates the extinction of the Kauai ‘o’o tothe current crisis facing black cockatoos: Black Cockatoo Crisis Documentary | Australia Foundation.

Saunders et al. (2024). A challenging future for Carnaby’s Cockatoo (Zanda latirostris) under a changing climate.

Smith et al. (2006). Evidence for the role of infectious disease in species extinction and endangerment.

Episode credits:

Episode Host: Keelan Powell

Special Guest: UWA zoology student, Ryan Siew

Producers: Emma Gill, Ke Yuan

Audio Editing & Engineering: Matthew Gill

Show notes: Keelan Powell

Episode art: Moho braccatus by John Gerrard Keulemans, Public Domain

“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-podcast about self-handicapping with our host, Emma. They discuss how self-sabotaging behaviours can affect academic performance, the psychology behind maladaptive coping strategies, and the importance of self-affirmation.

Tom also shares his creative process: why he chose the topic, how he aimed to reduce ATAR students’ anxiety about assessments, what’s good – and not so good – about recording inside a closet, AI tools for podcasting, and the importance of authority, evidence, and appropriate guests when sharing psychological science.

“You need to show all parts of the spectrum… the empirical evidence, the case study, as well as the more personal feel. I think that creates the best balance. Self-help advice is great, but you need to have evidence for what you’re saying.” – Tom Carbery

Episode links

Tom talks about this paper:

Steven Berglas and Edward Jones (1978). Drug choice as a self-handicapping strategy in response to noncontingent success. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36: 405–417. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.36.4.405

For more information about the consequences of self-handicapping behaviour, check out the SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Psychology: https://sk.sagepub.com/ency/edvol/socialpsychology/chpt/selfhandicapping#_

SciShow Psych cover self-handicapping in this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/d1YYgY0etrU

If you or someone you know is living with anxiety or self-destructive behaviour, help is available. Connect with Beyond Blue or your local counselling services: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Credits for this episode

Episode Host: Emma Gill

Special Guest: Tom Carbery

Produced & Edited by: Emma Gill

Audio Engineering: Matt Gill

Show notes by: Emma Gill

Audiogram by: Adobe Podcast

~ 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 discuss the process behind her "Brownbeak Chronicles" podcast episode. They talk about their mutual love for birds (in classic ageing millennial fashion), music, true crime, and Sarah's journey in STEM and science communication. Sarah shares how her interest in different artistic expressions - particularly music - has informed her practice of sharing science with different audiences. Stemming from their personal experiences, they discuss how science communication is an interdisciplinary practice in which multiple worldviews are welcome. 

"Before I started this degree, I had zero STEM background... So I had no idea what to do with science. So I felt like science communication, I could kind of bridge that gap a little bit where I didn't feel like I was completely floundering." - Sarah Brown 

Episode links:  

See Walyalup’s 2024 AFLW Indigenous jumper here

Listen to Gisela Kaplan's insights on bird behaviour here

Listen to Geraldine Hickey's Death by Birding episode here

Read more about inclusive science communication here

Check out Sarah's birding and drawing account here

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Camila Pardo Uribe 

Special Guest: Sarah Brown 

Producers: Camila Pardo Uribe

Audio editor: Camila Pardo Uribe  

Show notes: Camila Pardo Uribe 

“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 Emma’s episode on misophonia, a condition which triggers intense emotional or physical responses to certain sounds. Clare and Emma discuss how the episode was a chance to explore what mattered for Emma, and some lessons learned about editing and episode preparation over the years. Together they reflect on Emma’s path through science communication so far.

“Doing a podcast is about having a go. We’re all on a journey.” – Emma Gill

Episode links:

Misophonia charity So Quiet

Misophonia expert Dr Jane Gregory

Sentipensate author Laura Réndon

Free audio editing software Audacity

Foley sound effects on Freesound.org

The University of Western Australia: Master of Science Communication

Episode credits:

Episode Host: Clare Boon

Special Guests: Emma Gill

Producer: Clare Boon

Audio editor: Clare Boon

Audio engineer: Matthew Gill

Show notes: Clare Boon

"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 Presentations unit, so kick back, enjoy a hot beverage and listen in!

Today, Ximena sits down with Dr Heather Bray and Siobhon Eacott to talk about their experiences preparing for and conducting interviews. Heather shares insights from her time working on live radio and Siobhon reflects on the process of recording podcasts in a discipline she was initially unfamiliar with. They discuss practical strategies for keeping conversations flowing smoothly, comparing a good interview to a tennis match where the dialogue is constantly moving back and forth. This episode originates from one of The SciComm Collective’s most recent workshops, designed to encourage students to step outside their comfort zones, try new things and explore the world of podcasting. 

"For practising [interviewing], there has to be something that makes it unfamiliar… your learning zone is out of your comfort zone… so you are practising to acquire that muscle memory." – Dr Heather Bray 

Episode links:

Check out Heather’s lecture on interviewing skills  

Find out more resources on reporting science from the Australian Science Media Centre  

Discover more interviewing skills in BBC Academy 

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Ximena Shaw 

Special Guests: Dr Heather Bray and Siobhon Eacott 

Producer: Ximena Shaw 

Audio editor: Matthew Gill 

Show notes by: Ximena Shaw 

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 insights of participating in event like this and how they take tangible actions on environmental issues. They then explored how organisations track behavioural change and use qualitative feedback to measure impact. By highlighting personal reflections from student volunteers and organisers alike, this episode demonstrates that the true value of such events lies in the power of collaboration and reflection. 

Episode links:

For updates of EnviroFest 2026, visit UWA Guild Environment Department, or follow their Facebook and Instagram. 

Wanna volunteer with UWA? Sign up on their website. 

Learn more about Friends of Australian Rock Art here. 

Support Trillion Trees Australia’s restoration initiatives here. 

Discover Kanyana Wildlife’s rehabilitation works here.

Visit Keep Australia Beautiful WA to see how you can help maintain our environment. 

Join the mission of SAVE African Rhino Foundation here. 

This episode was brought to you by: 

Episode Hosts: Ke Yuan, Emma Gill and Rae Kumar

Special Guests: Julia Suffell (UWA Guild Environment Officer 2025), Douglas Laurie (Trillion Trees Australia), Danny Shelton (Kanyana Wildlife), Judith Hugo (Friends of Australian Rock Art), Catriona Drysdale (Keep Australia Beautiful Council), Linton Kirk (SAVE African Rhino Foundation), Xavier Caguiat (UWA PhD student volunteer) 

Produced: Emma Gill and Rae Kumar 

Audio edited: Ke Yuan  

Audio Engineering: Matthew Gill 

Show notes: Clare Boon  

Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram and online at https://thescicommcollective.com/

“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 how he keeps the game adaptable for different audiences with different knowledge bases to keep the game fun for multiple audiences. Nick describes how he built an accessible game through trial and error, keeping fun at the forefront of his educational tactics. The discussion then turns to theplace of games in science communication and why fun is so important when learning. Finally, he gives some advice on how science communicators can use games in their work.

Find Nick on LinkedIn here 

Hidden Variables will (hopefully) be available in 2026!

Follow Hidden Variables on Instagram for updates here

Sign up to Nick’s mailing list to be notified of thelaunch here

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Rae Kumar

Special Guests: Nick Godfrey

Produced: Rae Kumar

Audio edited: Emma Gill  

Show notes by: Clare Boon 

Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram and online at https://thescicommcollective.com/

“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 the importance of identity when introducing yourself to different audiences and how holding multiple identitiescan be a strength. The discussion then turns to code switching and whiteness, andthe way privilege plays on conceptions of race. Jarita also shares their experiences in Perth and how they navigate issues around funding their research.

Episode links:

Check out Astrofest in 2026 here

Read about the FAIR and CARE principles forIndigenous Data Governance here

Delve deeper into code-switching here

Find out more about Whiteness Theory here

Watch Jarita talk about inclusivity in quantum gravity and cosmology here

Find Jarita on Bluesky @astroholbrook.bsky.social

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Kate Holmes

Special Guests: Dr Jarita Holbrook

Produced: Rae Kumar and Felice Ng

Audio edited: Matthew Gill

Show notes by: Clare Boon  and Camila Pardo