Nominations sought for Fresh Science Program
Published on 29 June, 2005
GeneBalls, microwaving wood, measuring pain, plankton poo and trigger plants that catapult pollen onto their insect visitors – these are the topics of just some of the tales told to the world by Australia’s Fresh Scientists during National Science Week last year.
The organisation is again seeking the assistance of scientists and science organisations in Australia in identifying the best under-publicised science of the past year or so for the national Fresh Science program.
Fresh Science, now in its eighth year, is sponsored by the Federal and Victorian Governments, New Scientist and the British Council.
It is a national event which brings together scientists, the media, and the public, and is designed to: enhance reporting of Australian science; highlight and encourage debate on the role of science in Australian society; and provide role models for the next generation of Australian scientists.
Last year, the Fresh Scientists’ stories were presented to the public in Australia by ABC and commercial TV News, by national and regional newspapers – from The Age, The Australian, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times, to Queensland Country Life and the Preston Post Times.
Their stories were retold around the world by Radio Australia and international science writers. In all, over 160 reports have been picked up to date by our monitoring, including 40 international stories.
Fresh Science will select 13 of Australia’s brightest and best young scientists nominated by universities, research institutes, professional organisations, CSIRO, and private companies. During National Science Week, the Fresh Scientists are flown to Melbourne for a day of media training, then asked to talk about their research in non-scientific terms before the national and international media and the general public.
Each Fresh Scientist makes at least two short, punchy presentations to school students and the general public audience; and writes a press release with the assistance of a science communicator which will then be distributed to science writers and general media in the weeks following the event.
For more information and for the nomination form go to: www.freshscience.org or contact Tim Thwaites on (03) 9383 4600 / tim@freshscience.org or Sarah Brooker on 0413 332 489 / sarah@freshscience.org.