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The conference program is subject to change, and will be updated here frequently (last update Sun 12 Feb 1:23 PM). Do ensure to check back often.
Talks have durations listed after talk titles.
Links for skipping to the relevant session
Tuesday, 14 Feb: Evening
Wednesday, 15 Feb: Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Evening
Thursday, 16 Feb: Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Evening
Friday, 17 Feb: Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Evening
Saturday, 18 Feb: Morning
All times are in local AEDT.
Tuesday, 14 Feb
Tuesday has pre-conference meetings for the conference committee and an informal social networking event, open to all (not just conference attendees).
Tuesday Evening
| CPAS, ANU 6:00 PM – ASC2023 Welcome reception and demo extravaganza Ensure to RSVP if you are not already registered for the conference. No social ticket is required to attend this event. |
Wednesday, 15 Feb
Wednesday sees the first full conference day where we will look to the future with foresight. With an address from the Australian Chief Scientist, and provocations into the field of science communication and our role within the national and global context over the coming years, we will consider how our field and our association can best contribute into the future.
Wednesday Morning
| FOYER & JAEGER ROOM 7:30 AM – Check-in and morning coffee Coffee & light breakfast snacks available |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 8:30 AM – Welcome and scene setting Conference MC: Jirana Boontanjai Welcome to Country: Aunty Jude Barlow Conference priorities: Dr Tom Carruthers |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 9:00 AM – Reviewing Australia’s science priorities (45 min) Keynote: Dr Cathy Foley in conversation with Prof Joan Leach |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 9:45 AM – Science communication; what are we talking about? (60 min) Panel: Ms Sonia Bluhm, Dr Heather Bray, Dr Graham Walker, Mr Toss Gascoigne. Facilitator: Dr Simon Torok What are the main subjects of science about which we (the scicomm industry) facilitate discussion? Come along to participate in a facilitated discussion to find out. |
| JAEGER ROOM 10:45 AM – Coffee break Coffee and morning tea available |
Wednesday Midday
| IAN WARK THEATRE 11:15 AM – The role of science communication in saving the Earth (45 min) Conference provocation: Julian Cribb No government on earth yet has a plan for human survival, in this the most dangerous era of our history. Can science communicators help devise one? |
| 12:00 PM – Case studies and talks session 1 Times are estimates only. Each session includes 5 minutes to move between rooms and 5 minutes for chair introductions. Any extra time will be assigned to facilitate Q&A with the speakers. IAN WARK THEATRE The virus that shall not be named Session chair: Abigail Goff 12:05 PM – Who shares misinformation about COVID-19 and why? (20 min) Mr Matt Nurse What can we learn from social science about why Australians share misinformation about COVID-19? Matthew Nurse will give professional science communicators new evidence about this wicked problem. 12:25 PM – Scicomm through the pandemic (20 min) Dr Jessica Stokes-Parish co-authors: Mike Todorovic, Mikayla Couch, Carly Hudson, Emily Lowe-Calverley What did health science communicators experience during the pandemic? 12:45 PM – Avoiding the uninvited guest: COVID-19 and events (10 min) Natalia Bateman Do you have to organise an event but not want it to become a COVID-19 super spreader? Science communication is here to rescue you! This talk will give you some evidence-based tips to minimise the risk of COVID infection in your next event DOROTHY HILL ROOM Let’s get technical Session chair: Kate Bongiovanni 12:05 PM – BinarX: Building space missions in Aussie schools (15 min) Mr Rockwell McGellin Cubesats are 10cm-wide spacecraft, designed to survive extreme temperatures, radiation, and vacuum. But can it cope with the even harsher environment of the Australian education system? 12:20 PM – Winning Hearts and Minds to unlock Bits and Bytes (20 min) Mr Mark Stickells co-author: Karina Nunez Kaya! Quokka selfies and meteorites: Australia’s most powerful supercomputer winning hearts and minds before delivering bits and bytes – insights from Pawsey’s Chief Evangelist, Mark Stickells. 12:40 PM – Taking an exhibition online: storytelling & gaming (15 min) Dr Dylan DeLosAngeles, Dr Lisa Bailey We developed a museum exhibition online using interactive storytelling and gamification to create a digital experience on existential risk. |
| JAEGER ROOM 1:00 PM – Lunch Lunch and coffee available Shine Dome tour, led by the Academy of Science archivist. View some of the Academy’s unique scientific archive including the Fenner Collection. Meet in the FOYER at 1:20 PM. |
Wednesday Afternoon
| IAN WARK THEATRE 1:50 PM – Business, brilliance & battle scars (55 min) Panel: Tina Chawner, Zoe Piper, Claire Harris. Facilitator: Dr Phil Dooley Thinking of going into business, or have you already started on the journey? This session will provide raw insights and a chance to ask questions of these diverse business leaders. |
| 2:45 PM – Case studies and talks session 2 Times are estimates only. Each session includes 5 minutes to move between rooms and 5 minutes for chair introductions. Any extra time will be assigned to facilitate Q&A with the speakers. IAN WARK THEATRE AI and pictures Session chair: Kate Bongiovanni 2:50 PM – Artificial intelligence at Double Helix magazine (20 min) Mrs Jasmine Fellows Artificial intelligence is a hot topic. So how might it impact us as science communicators? Check out this case study from CSIRO’s Double Helix magazine, exploring the creation of their AI-themed December issue. You’ll find out how the humans teamed up with AIs to create excellent content. 3:10 PM – Picturing Deep Time Research (15 min) Dr Emma Rehn Graphics are a powerful tool for SciComm, especially when representing processes that happen over thousands of years. I’ll present examples of my graphics work and discuss challenges of visualising research spanning deep time and vast space. DOROTHY HILL ROOM Continuing to engage with business Session chair: Michelle Neil 2:50 PM – Speaking science and cents (20 min) Ms Preeti Castle How do we bridge the communication gap between the languages of science and business? Understand what investors want, get practical tips to get the pitch right, establish sustainable partnerships. 3:10 PM – When the going gets tough: Tips to outsourcing (15 min) Ms Claire Harris This talk will offer practical tips for working well with independent consultants or freelancers. |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 3:30 PM – Using machine learning to understand misinformation (20 min) Dr John Cook Find out how we used machine learning to detect different categories of misinformation, and whether Elon Musk’s shake up of Twitter has made a difference … any guesses? |
| JAEGER ROOM 3:50 PM – Coffee break Coffee and afternoon tea available |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 4:15 PM – Cultural sensitivities in communication (30 min) Prof C Jagadish in discussion with Dr Tom Carruthers. In this informal interview, Prof. C Jagadish, President of the Australian Academy of Science, will discuss some of his personal communications challenges and how they impacted his pathway to a senior leadership role within the Australian science sector. |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 4:45 PM – Breaking the networking ice (55 min) Networking workshop: Dr Phil Dooley All conference attendees are highly encouraged to attend this facilitated session during which Phil will encourage us to reach out and reconnect with each other. |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 5:40 PM – Day 1 wrap, and day 2 signpost Jirana Boontanjai |
Wednesday Evening
| CAHOOTS EVENTS LOUNGE, QT CANBERRA 5:45 PM – Casual networking event After the facilitated networking workshop, you are all invited to join your colleagues for informal drinks at the Cahoots Events Lounge at QT Canberra. There will be a bar tab and food for conference attendees and any guests who have purchased a social event ticket. |
Thursday, 16 Feb
Thursday lets us look back with hindsight. We review the initial intention for the Inspiring Australia program and consider opportunities for our future. We touch on key strategic prioritisation for the ASC, and close with a celebration gala dinner at the National Gallery of Australia.
Thursday Morning
| FOYER & JAEGER ROOM 8:15 AM – Check-in and coffee Coffee & fresh fruit available |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 8:45 AM – Day 2 Housekeeping Jirana Boontanjai |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 9:00 AM – What inspired Inspiring Australia (20 min) Keynote: Prof the Hon Kim Carr The national Inspiring Australia strategy was launched at the Melbourne ASC Conference 13 years ago. Hear directly from the Minister who launched the strategy, Kim Carr, on the initial inspiration for the program. |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 9:20 AM – Inspiring Australia, reflections and dreams (55 min) Panel: Prof. the Hon Kim Carr, Prof. Graham Durant, Alison Kershaw, Tilly Boleyn. Facilitator: Niall Byrne. Following the address from Prof Carr, this panel will look back at the program at the national, state and local level, and discuss the challenges or potential for the program into the future and how the ASC could be involved. |
| JAEGER ROOM 10:15 AM – Coffee break Coffee and morning tea available |
Thursday Midday
| 10:45 AM – Case studies and talks session 3 Times are estimates only. Each session includes 5 minutes to move between rooms and 5 minutes for chair introductions. Any extra time will be assigned to facilitate Q&A with the speakers. IAN WARK THEATRE Why include science communication in research centres Session chair: Michelle Neil 10:50 AM – SciComm in ARC centres and benefits to their PhDs (15 min) Miss Abigail Goff co-authors: Errol Hunt, Jason Major. Postgrad students benefit from SciComm training and ARC centres allow for extra opportunities to both learn and practice. 11:05 AM – A science communicator embedded in a research team (15 min) Miss Rachael Vorwerk A $72M Centre of Excellence and a small army of SciComm-literate researchers later, this presentation will explore the results and reflections of having a science communicator embedded within a small research university team. 11:20 AM – Challenges faced by young science professionals (10 min) Kate Bongiovanni What do you need to do to be taken seriously as a young science professional? Kate Bongiovanni discusses the ups and downs of early career professionals navigating the climate communication space. DOROTHY HILL ROOM Reaching the ‘public’ Session chair: Ruby Stoios 10:50 AM – Science communication in contested territory (20 min) Mr Niall Byrne How do you present science-driven policy in contested territory? Learn insights from Science in Public and their campaign to launch the new Australian alcohol guidelines. 11:10 AM – The science+art of blurred boundaries & inclusion (20 min) Ms Tilly Boleyn This talk will take you behind the curtain into the inclusive curatorial practice that connects with young people, scientists, artists and beyond to spark new ideas through the collision of science and art. |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 11:35 AM – The forward looking strategy (25 min) Jirana Boontanjai & Dr Tom Carruthers Join us as we give an update on the strategy work from the past year. This is an opportunity to understand the direction we’re headed, and to inform any feedback you may have. |
| JAEGER ROOM 12:00 PM – Lunch Lunch and coffee available TENTATIVE: Shine Dome tour, led by the Academy of Science archivist. View some of the Academy’s unique scientific archive including the Fenner Collection. NOTE that this tour will ONLY go ahead if there were too many at Wednesday’s tour. Meet in the FOYER at 12:10 PM. |
Thursday Afternoon
| IAN WARK THEATRE 1:00 PM – Workshop outline Jirana Boontanjai |
| 1:10 PM – Parallel workshop session Workshops are either 90, 60 or 30 minutes. Times will be adhered to as closely as possible to facilitate aligning workshop start times. BECKER ROOM (AND FOYER) 1:10 PM – Workshop: Video storytelling for science (90 min) Facilitator: Daniela Benavides Reiss, Sarah Klistorner, Georgia McKeon Walk away from this practical workshop with a draft video brief for your science story, tips for structuring your narrative, and hands-on experience interviewing, speaking to camera and capturing footage. Note that this session is limited to the first 25 people who sign up. This is a 90 minute skills-development workshop and will take the whole workshop session. IAN WARK THEATRE 1:10 PM – Workshop: Are photons mysterious? (60 min) Facilitator: Prof Hans Bachor, Patrick Helean Are photons mysterious? Join Hans and Patrick for this interactive session where you may be amazed or surprised, and may even contribute to the development of a new optics show. This is a 60 minute presentation and interactive feedback session. DOROTHY HILL ROOM 1:10 PM – Workshop: Advancing gender equity: the role of scicomm (60 min) Ms Claire Harris, Dr Susan McGinty Join Claire Harris and Dr Susan McGinty in this interactive discussion and mini-workshop. Contribute your examples and ideas for taking tangible science communication actions to positively impact gender equity. This is a 60 minute chat and mini-workshop. FENNER ROOM 1:10 PM – Workshop: Cross-linking research, practice and policy (60 min) Facilitator: Ms Janine Kuehlich A roundtable on opportunities to better engage across the areas of the membership. Are there events or activities we should facilitate? This is a 60 minute interactive session. IAN WARK THEATRE 2:10 PM – Workshop: Serving science to thirsty minds (30 min) Jin-oh Choi Calling all science lovers! Join us in taking Pint of Science Australia to the next level. Help us attract top speakers, diversify our audience, and enhance the festival experience. Share your ideas and be a part of this unique opportunity. This is a 30 minute presentation and interactive brainstorming session. DOROTHY HILL ROOM 2:10 PM – Workshop: Third-order sci-comm: the messiness is the point (30 min) Dr Lisa Bailey, Dr Heather Bray What is third order science communication, and how does one do it successfully? This is a 30 minute interactive workshop. FENNER ROOM 2:10 PM – Workshop: Professional Development for mid- and advanced careers (30 min) Facilitator: Ms Janine Kuehlich What professional development is needed or desired by those with mid- to advanced careers. Let’s chat about ideas of sessions or other things the ASC could facilitate. This is a 30 minute interactive session. |
| JAEGER ROOM 2:40 PM – Coffee break Coffee and afternoon tea available |
| 3:00 PM – Case studies and talks session 4 Times are estimates only. Each session includes 5 minutes to move between rooms and 5 minutes for chair introductions. Any extra time will be assigned to facilitate Q&A with the speakers. IAN WARK THEATRE The media landscape, both full of abuse and opportunity Session chair: Abigail Goff 3:05 PM – Eat a bat and die! The online abuse of scientists (25 min) Ms Lyndal Byford Online abuse of scientists is becoming more common, and it is shutting down crucial debates. How can we help the people who communicate science feel more resilient? 3:30 PM – DishBrain – inside a global science news story (25 min) Mr Niall Byrne DishBrain learns to play Pong – find out how ‘old media’ helped Cortical Labs reach a global audience. DOROTHY HILL ROOM A tool and a mechanism Session chair: Ruby Stoios 3:05 PM – A communication strategy and plan toolkit (25 min) Ms Jo Savill The ARDC’s Jo Savill shares a communication strategy and plan toolkit for research infrastructure projects … and it’s CC BY!. 3:30 PM – Rapid, reliable, relevant: science advice innovation (25 min) Lauren Sullivan, Dr Hayley Teasdale Rapid scientific input is required for decision makers to respond to complex challenges. How can we deliver science advice that is independent, accurate, relevant and timely? |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 4:00 PM – Signposting and instructions and pre-dinner break Jirana Boontanjai All conference attendees and dinner guests are invited to take a short break, get dressed up (if that’s what you do) and make your way over to the National Gallery of Australia for the Gala Dinner. |
Thursday Evening
| THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA from 4:00 PM – Self-guided gallery visit The National Gallery of Australia has a number of free-admission galleries. You are welcome to walk through the galleries at your own pace. Note that you will need to physically leave the gallery at 5:00 PM with other visitors. This would be a great time to visit the outdoor sculpture garden prior to re-entering via the main foyer at 5:30 PM. |
| UPSTAIRS FOYER, THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA 5:30 PM – Reception drinks Welcome drinks in the Gallery. Enter the main entrance and follow staff directions up the escalator. Note: the gallery has made specific effort to keep the Aboriginal art gallery open for us after hours – please assist the gallery staff by not attempting to take drinks into the exhibition space. |
| GANDEL HALL, THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA 6:30 PM – Dinner 3-course sit down dinner, entertainment, and the announcement of the Unsung Hero award for 2022. Semi-formal dress code. Event concludes by 11:30 PM. |
Friday, 17 Feb
Friday’s sessions bring us to the now, allowing us to develop insight into what is needed with our current practice. We begin with an address from Tom Calma, before a panel considering the future vision and a discussion around research infrastructure.
Friday Morning
| FOYER & JAEGER ROOM 8:15 AM – Check-in and coffee Coffee & fresh fruit available |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 8:45 AM – Day 3 Housekeeping Jirana Boontanjai |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 9:00 AM – Tackling Indigenous Smoking; a cross-community campaign (25 min) Keynote: Prof Tom Calma Abstract TBC. |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 9:25 AM – A future vision for science and sci comm (50 min) Panel: Prof. Tom Calma, Dr Sarah Tynan, Dr Melanie Bagg, Dr Chris Hatherly. Facilitator: Kylie Walker. Following the address from Tom Calma, this panel will look forward to a future vision for science and communication in Australia. What is our place in that vision, and how can bodies like the ASC support? |
| JAEGER ROOM 10:15 AM – Coffee break Coffee and morning tea available Three ASC members walked into Parliament Ms Claire Harris, Mr Adam Selinger, Dr Phil Dooley Bring your cuppa and join ASC members Claire, Adam, and Phil who are representing the ASC as delegates at this year’s Science Meets Parliament. This is an opportunity to candidly chat about the opportunity, and for the membership to offer thoughts on what they consider important. Meet in the Dorothy Hill room with a cuppa from 10:20 AM. |
Friday Midday
| IAN WARK THEATRE 10:45 AM – Communicating science during the COVID-19 pandemic (55 min) Online panel: Prof Brendan Crabb, Colin Kinner, Prof Deborah Lupton. Facilitator: Natalia Bateman. This is a unique opportunity to ask four experts about their experiences, challenges and strategies to communicate with the public about the virus. |
| 11:40 AM – Case studies and talks session 5 Times are estimates only. Each session has 5 minutes included to account for moving between rooms and 5 minutes for chair introductions. Any extra time will be assigned to facilitate Q&A with the speakers. IAN WARK THEATRE Citizen science Session chair: Abigail Goff 11:45 AM – The Ladder of Power (and citizen science) (25 min) Mr Toss Gascoigne Is all citizen science participatory … or are citizens mearly tools in the hands of dominant researchers? 12:10 PM – Putting a stamp on it – Citizen science stamps (15 min) Ms Michelle Neil How do you get the word out about citizen science in Australia? What about a postage stamp partnership with AusPost? Find out how. DOROTHY HILL ROOM Communicating through video and space Session chair: Kate Bongiovanni 11:45 AM – 20 years of research in a documentary film (15 min) Ms Sarah Klistorner How do you summarise 20 years of research in one documentary? The Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project was one of the world’s most complex eradications. We’ll chat to filmmaker Stuart Cohen about what it takes to make a science documentary and strategies to support scientists to capture the footage in the field. 12:00 PM – The evolution of online video (15 min) Mr Luke Buckle This talk will take you behind the scenes and behind the screens at the Australian Academy of Science, where the communication team use the latest video to tell stories. 12:15 PM – Space junk in the Snowies (10 min) Dr Brad Tucker Join Brad as he discusses one of the most impactful incidents of space junk that was almost missed, and insights into the way the space community interacts with the public, showing there is a long way to go. |
| JAEGER ROOM 12:30 PM – Lunch Lunch and coffee available The PCST2027 Bid Please join us for an informal brainstorm and discussion about the PCST2027 bid currently underway by the ASC to host the 2027 conference in Australia. Ideas and feedback are welcome, and we welcome members to join the organising committee. Meet in the DOROTHY HILL ROOM with your lunch at 12:40 PM. |
Friday Afternoon
| IAN WARK THEATRE 1:25 PM – Communicating research infrastructure in Australia (60 min) Panel: Ms Jo Savill, Dr Marina Trigueros, Natalia Bateman, Dr Christina Hall, Belinda Cay, Emma Joughin. Facilitator: Dr Phil Dooley. Join a panel of scicomm experts from Australia’s national research infrastructure for insights on communicating cutting edge national research infrastructure to researchers, industry and government. |
| 2:25 PM – Case studies and talks session 6 Times are estimates only. Each session has 5 minutes included to account for moving between rooms and 5 minutes for chair introductions. Any extra time will be assigned to facilitate Q&A with the speakers. IAN WARK THEATRE Taking time to measure and evaluate Session chair: Michelle Neil 2:30 PM – Measuring STEM learning ecosystems (30 min) Mr Sam Needham, Jenny Booth In 2019, Questacon embarked on an ambitious project – to build a new National Presence strategy to guide their work. The strategy represented a shift of approach, from delivering spark engagement to a model of sustained, collaborative, place-based interaction. Find out how they developed and tested that model. 3:00 PM – Mapping a scicomm ecosystem – where to from here? (20 min) Ms Alison Kershaw Why map the South Australian science communication and engagement ecosystem? Join Alison Kershaw to find out about the impact the map has had so far. DOROTHY HILL ROOM Being heard, and sharing success Session chair: Ruby Stoios 2:30 PM – Discussion of communication methods relevant to Pacific island countries (15 min) Ms Clare Mullen co-authors: Olivia Warrick, Simon McGree La Niña gives long-term floods to Australia, Fiji and Vanuatu; but drought to Tuvalu and Kiribati. ‘Triple dip’ La Niña (ie three years in a row) can mean triple the impacts. How best to communicate this information early to help save lives and livelihoods? 2:45 PM – Launching a podcast: the Science Bytes experience (20 min) Mr Christian Javier Gómez Carrasco Hear from the NCI News comms team on the launch of their Science Bytes podcast, and what they learned about making this show stand out in the sea of audio offerings. 3:05 PM – Introducing SWIPE SciComm Magazine (15 min) Dr Tullio Rossi Other fields and industries have their reference magazine. The Animate Science crew noticed that there was no magazine about the practice of scicomm, so they created one! |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 3:25 PM – Presidents’ address (25 min) Jirana Boontanjai & Dr Tom Carruthers Co-presidents Jirana and Tom will close the conference with their reactions and views on the past few days, along with their vision for the future. |
| IAN WARK THEATRE 3:50 PM – Close and farewell Jirana Boontanjai |
Friday Evening
| The Jetty CBR 4:30 PM – Post-conference social mixer Hosted by the local ACT Branch, all conference attendees are invited to join this informal social event. |
Saturday, 18 Feb
On Saturday, the ASC is hosting a special intensive training program for early and mid-career researchers in the Canberra region to access the insight of several science communication educators and practitioners who happen to be in Canberra for the conference.
| The Research School of Physics, ANU 8:30 AM – Intensive training day Join us for a rare opportunity to access training in science communication from thought and education leaders from across the country, collaborating together for this intensive training day. This intensive workshop aims to inspire researchers to better communicate their field of research. More detail on the webpage. |
| Badger and Co., Kambri, ANU 6:00 PM – Public engagement event Separately booked event. All welcome to this free event – RSVPs requested. |
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