The SciComm Collective

“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 about inclusive health science communication, cultural sensitivity in first aid training, teaching diverse age groups, mental safety for first responders, CPR with Kura the Bear, and more! Tune in to explore the intersection of sciencecommunication with training the next generation to save lives.

“Understanding different learning styles is so important.” – Samantha Crampton

Episode Links

St. John WA - https://www.stjohnwa.com.au/

St. John Youth Program - https://youth.stjohn.org.au/youth/

Science Communication at UWA – https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/courses/master-of-science-communication

Episode Credits

Hosts: Camila Pardo Uribe, Emma Gill

Guests: Suchi Kalia, Samantha Crampton  

Producer: Ke Yuan, Emma Gill

Editor: Annisa’ Eskahita Azizah

Audio Engineer: Matthew Gill

Researcher: Ke Yuan

Shownotes: Emma Gill

Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thescicommcollective/reels/

“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 like news, magazines, theatre, parks, museums, science centres, and youth groups.

In our third episode, Avantika and Ximena dive into the exhilarating world of science centres with Shanii Phillips, PhD student at the Australian National University's Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, and Audience Research Manager at SciTech. They explore what inclusion in science centres really looks like, how it can be understood through the idea of science capital, and why engagement through informal science learning is more like a springboard than a pipeline. Shanii also shares her own learning journey – from the experience that first sparked her love of science communication, to her current goal as a doctoral researcher on a National Industry PhD scholarship. Tune in now to find out more!

“It's not just those one-off events, it's everything throughout your life. I like to think of it as a science engagement ecosystem. So as a science communication community, I think it's really important that we work together… It's about how all of those little experiences over the course of your life can all work together to give you a sense of science identity, or seeing the relevance of science in your everyday.”

– Shanii Phillips

Episode Links

Learn more about Shanii’s research here – https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/shanii-phillips/

Read this paper by Shanii Phillips, Tarryn Basden, and Dr Heather Bray:“‘You feel like you’re a good parent if you go and do something sciencey’: The role of science centres in supporting science capital”

Visit SciTech’s website here – https://www.scitech.org.au/

Professor Louise Archer and the STEM Participation & Social Justice Research Group – https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/education-practice-and-society/research/stem-participation-and-social-justice-research-group

Researching the social impact of SciTech– https://www.scitech.org.au/2025/03/pilot-study-measures-the-social-impact-of-scitech/

Life Science Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne – https://www.life.org.uk/

Dr Karina Judd – what is inclusive sci comm? https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/publications/what-is-inclusive-science-communication/

Episode Credits

Hosts: Avantika Menon, Ximena Shaw Williams

Guest:  Shanii Phillips

Producer: Emma Gill

Editor: Hannah Archer

Audio Engineer: Matt Gill

Research: Avantika Menon, Ximena Shaw Williams

Show notes: Hannah Archer

Audiogram created using: Adobe Podcast

Socials: Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thescicommcollective/reels/

“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 the classroom.

They explore what makes MOD. different from a traditional science museum, why the organisation designs experiences specifically for 15–25-year-olds, and the importance of giving young people a voice through initiatives like the MOD. Youth Board. Lisa also shares her reflections on what makes science communication meaningful and memorable, and what excites her about its future.

Tune in to find out more.

“We are creating experiences to help young people think about what types of futures we want, or don’t want, and what types of actions we might want to take to go towards or away from those futures.” – Lisa Bailey

Episode Links:

MOD. – https://mod.org.au/Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mod_museum/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mod_museum

Australian Science Communicators – https://www.asc.asn.au/ASC Conference 2026 – https://conferenceasc.asn.au/

Futurium, Berlin – www.futurium.deMuseum of Tomorrow, Rio de Janeiro – www.museudoamanha.org.brMuseum of the Future, Dubai – www.museumofthefuture.ae/en

UWA Master of Science Communication – https://www.uwa.edu.au/study/courses/master-of-science-communication

Episode Credits

Host: Avantika Menon

Guest: Lisa Bailey

Producer and Editor: Avantika Menon

Audio Engineer: Matt Gill

Shownotes: Avantika Menon

Audiogram created using: Adobe Podcast

Socials: Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thescicommcollective/reels/

“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 science stories get into public spaces like news, magazines, theatre, parks, museums, science centres, and youth groups.  

Today's episode features Cat Williams, Particle Magazine's Digital Content Editor and science journalist extraordinaire. Join Kelly and Camila as they discuss Cat's  contributions to Australia's science media landscape as a science journalist and editor for one of Western Australia's most prominent digital science outlets. They talk about the joys and challenges of communicating science to different audiences, trying to keep up with their needs and what drew them all to the world of science writing and journalism. Cat shares some insights into what a science story is, what writing and editing for younger audiences entails, helping science writers find their voice and her vision for Australia's current science media ecosystem. Tune in now and click on the links below to find out more about Cat's work!  

“In terms of inclusive science communication, it's ensuring everyone has a voice and everyone has access to then read that science ... Anyone can speak to us about science, and anyone can read about that as well.” - Cat Williams

Episode Links: 

Read Particle Magazine here  

Visit Scitech’s website here 

Read more of Cat's work here  

Get your copy of The Best Australian Science Writing 2025  here 

Find out more about Cat’s nomination for the Kat Muscat Fellowship here 

This episode was brought to you by:   

Host: Camila Pardo Uribe, Kelly Hopkinson 

Guest: Cat Williams 

Producer: Camila Pardo Uribe 

Editor: Camila Pardo Uribe 

Audio engineering: Matt Gill 

Show notes: Camila Pardo Uribe

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 at CSIRO, and science communication PhD candidate at The Australian National University.

Jasmine shares how she got into science writing and editing, what she’s currently working on, and how digital versus print isn’t the problem – it’s more about what we’re saying, why, who with, and how long it takes to get a story out. Emma and Jasmine talk about news habits of Gen Z, how funding makes a big difference, long form versus short form (like social) media, inclusion in science media, and the differences between science communication and science journalism. Tune in to learn more about the Australian science media landscape in 2026 and how you can get involved!

Episode Links:

Refraction Media –

https://refractionmedia.com.au/

Double Helix (which did start in 1986 – great memory, Jasmine!) –

https://blog.doublehelix.csiro.au/about/

Cosmos Magazine (archive) –

https://connectsci.au/news/pages/cosmos-archive

Careers with STEM magazine –

https://refractionmedia.com.au/careers-with-stem/

Australian videogame magazine CONTINUE? –

https://continuemagazine.com/

More about the ‘Deficit Model’ –

https://thescicommcollective.com/podcast/episode-4-deficit-model/

The Digital News Report: Australia –

https://www.canberra.edu.au/research/centres/nmrc/digital-news-report-australia

Gender in Australian science news (open access paper) –

https://jcom.sissa.it/article/pubid/JCOM_2503_2026_A03/

Fast Food Versus Veggies: Jasmine’s blog post about news flavours –

https://jasminefellows.substack.com/p/its-fast-food-news-with-a-pinata

Science Journalist’s Association of Australia –

https://sjaa.org.au/

Episode Credits:

Host: Emma Gill Guest: Jasmine Fellows Producers: Emma Gill, Camila Diaz Duran Editor: Matthew Gill Researchers: Holly Dear, Camila Pardo Uribe Shownotes: Emma Gill

“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