“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 communication, especially when we can get scientists up on stage with us.  

Episode links:

Catch up with Phil Dooley on social media ⁠here⁠

Find Phil on Youtube ⁠here⁠ 

Watch Phil’s videos with Veritasium ⁠here⁠   

If you want to catch Phil in person, try to get to his ⁠next Phil Up On Science event⁠  

Interested in Australian Science Communicators? Check out their ⁠website⁠ 

Check out Clare's work here

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Clare Boon

Special Guests: Dr Phil Dooley 

Socials:  Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram  

Produced: Clare Boon 

Audio edited:  Holly Dear  

Show notes by:  Clare Boon  

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

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 want to see Keelan’s diagrams, click here

Read about the deficit model ⁠here⁠ and ⁠here⁠ and listen toour episode on it ⁠here⁠

Read up on Haraway’s situated knowledges ⁠here⁠

If you’re interested in Bourdieu’s social capital, you canread his original work on it ⁠here

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Keelan Powell

Special Guests: Holly Dear and Camila Pardo Uribe

Socials: Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram 

Produced: Keelan Powell, Holly Dear and Camila Pardo Uribe

Audio edited: Keelan Powell

Show notes: Clare Boon 

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

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. They explore the weaponisation of science towards certain communities and the importance of acknowledging and addressing our colonial history in Australia. Alana tells us about the importance of Indigenous knowledge in understanding the night sky in her own life and the impact this has had on her understanding of how scientific knowledge is understood.   

*Disclaimer: This episode was recorded in November 2024. Since then, the JOIDES Resolution (JR) Academy has stopped operating.  

Episode links:  

Read about Alana’s experience aboard the JR vessel here 

Read about the deficit model here and here and listen to our episode on it here  

Find out more about science capital by reading up on Emily Dawson’s work  

Want to find out about most of sci comm being women? Read the paper here  

Heather’s raising the bar episode 
  

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Kate Holmes and Camila Pardo Uribe  

Special Guests: Alana Dooley 

Socials: Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram  

Produced: Kate Holmes and Camila Pardo Uribe  

Audio edited: Ximena Shaw and Camila Pardo Uribe  

Show notes: Clare Boon and Camila Pardo Uribe

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

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 illustrator is integral to the work she does. They discuss the process of getting a picture book published and how to evaluate if your work has had an impact.

Episode Links:

Pamela Freeman's website  

This episode was brought to you by:

Episode Host: Emma Gill  

Special Guests: Pamela Freeman 

Socials: Follow The SciComm Collective on Instagram  

Produced: Emma Gill 

Audio edited: Matthew Gill 

Show notes: Clare Boon  

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

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’ mouths about their experience at one of the Innovator’s Tea Party’s events.

Episode Links:

The Innovator’s Tea Party

This episode was brought to you by:

  -Episode Host: Holly Dear

-Special Guests: Evelyn Chuck (ITP founder), Estela Hogarth (ITP STEM program coordinator), Sophie Smith (mentor), Rhianna Hepburn (ITP ordinary committee member), Dr Sabine Bellstedt (Mentor), India Cywinski-Jan (Mentor), Jawaria Mahmood (ITP ordinary committee member, mentor)

-Produced: Holly Dear and Emma Gill

-Audio edited: Holly Dear

-Show notes by: Clare Boon 

Follow The SciComm Collective on ⁠Instagram and online at www.thescicommcollective.com

"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 students, Heather reflects on her performance at UWA's Raising the Bar 2024, where she presented on the future of food science. Kate and Heather discuss the importance of purpose, audience and message in science communication, how to plan for a presentation (and how not to!), and why reflective practice is vital for all science communication practitioners.

Episode Links:  

The SciComm Collective: 

Instagram

Facebook

“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 communication. Hear how Owen took his passion for making complex geological stories more accessible and engaging, to create his mini podcast episode, “Carved in Stone”, bringing the history and geology of continents to life through storytelling and sound.

Content warning: Mild offensive language.

Episode Links:  

• Owen Cumming’s LinkedIn and website

• UWA Science Communication
• Check out Episode 4 for more on the Deficit Model

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

Episode Details:

Host: Clare Boon  

Guest: Owen Cumming

Produced & Edited by: Clare Boon  

Shownotes by: Felice Ng  & Emma Gill

Sponsored by: UWA Grand Challenges Make A Difference Impact Grant 

“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 (“forest bathing”) meditation podcast, and how her Science Presentations unit of study has benefited her even beyond the scientific landscape.  

Episode Links:  

• Watch Lotte’s valedictory address

• Shinrin-Yoku

• UWA Science Communication

• Why a walk in the woods really does help your body and soul by Jeffery Craig and Susan L. Presscott

The SciComm Collective: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• Website

Episode Details:

• Host: Kate Holmes  
• Guest: Lotte George
• Produced by: Kate Holmes
• Edited by: Holly Dear
• Show notes by: Felice Ng
• Sponsored by: UWA Grand Challenges Make A Difference Impact Grant 

“While I’ve always had this interest in science, I didn’t always feel like it was the most accessible or easily understandable, so I was really drawn to science communication.” - Felice Ng

Join The SciComm Collective’s Clare as she interviews Felice Ng, a UWA student pursuing a Bachelor of Biomedical Science in Pharmacology and Genetics, along with a Science Communication minor. In this episode, Felice shares how Australia’s unique biodiversity inspired her to make a podcast about Triggerplants (Stylidium) as part of a bigger series called “Wildflower Walks.”  

Note: The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions is mentioned for student assignment purposes only.

Episode Links: 

• Felice Ng on LinkedIn 

• FloraBase

• 'Very rare' trigger plants catapult pollen onto visiting insects in Western Australia, by Leah McLennan and Arthur Mull

• UWA Science Communication

The SciComm Collective: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• Website

  
  

Episode Host: Clare Boon  

Episode Guest: Felice Ng

Produced by: Clare Boon 

Edited by: Holly Dear & Emma Gill

Show notes by: Felice Ng  

Sponsored by: UWA Grand Challenges Make A Difference Impact Grant 

“Science can be silly, it can be goofy, it can be funny, and interesting!” - Anna Balaguer

In Summer Shorts we're exploring the art of podcasting with former UWA Science Presentations unit students. Today’s guest star is Bachelor of Science (Zoology) and Science Communication (Minor) student Anna Balaguer. Join Anna and The SciComm Collective’s Emma as they discuss the inspiration behind Anna's “Bone Zone” podcast about Anglerfish mating, the struggles of finding copyright-free music, and her science communication journey so far.

Content warning: Some adult themes.

Episode Links:

Anna Balaguer on LinkedIn

Freesound (sound effects database)

UWA Science Communication

The SciComm Collective:

Instagram

Facebook

Website

Episode Host: Emma Gill

Episode Guest: Anna Balaguer

Produced & Edited by: Emma Gill

Shownotes by: Felice Ng

Sponsored by: UWA Grand Challenges program Make A Difference Impact Grant

Additional Music: Sensual Jazz by Grand Project