Fresh Science

The program empowers future leaders of science to engage with the community, media, government and industry.

The program delivers:

• A cohort of sixty media and presentation-savvy early career scientists.
• Up to sixty profiles of scientists and their research results and discoveries, published online, shared on social media and available for re-use/publication.
• Profile photos of each scientist and event photos to share with organisations.
• An event in each state where the public can hear about new science and the scientists can put their research to the “pub test”.

Finessed over 22 years, we have now trained more than 500 early-career scientists in how to present their science in a way that’s accessible to a general audience.

Collaborating with almost all universities, research institutes, museums, Chief Scientists, and state governments, we ensure all stakeholders share in the process and support the researchers as they build their profile and amplify their research findings.

The program includes a day of media training with two experienced science communicators to guide the scientists to reveal the story in their science, as well as practice interviews with journalists from television, print and radio.

What government and industry need from researchers is the theme of the second day’s panel discussion with guests such as ministerial advisors and commercialisation experts. This is followed by a pitching session with feedback from these guests.

Building your profile online starts with a short well-written piece and a professional photograph.

We work with the scientists to write and edit a profile of their work. If it is newsworthy enough for a media release, we will guide them through that process, together with their in-house media team. A professional photographer will take a headshot that they can use.

Then it’s off to the pub for the “Bright Sparks” challenge of explaining their work in the time it takes for a birthday sparkler to burn out. While standing in front of a crowd of friendly, albeit noisy, audience of family, friends, colleagues and general public the scientists will take the ultimate pub test.