Our Story

Coordination

Science in Public has run Fresh Science for 22 years. We are a specialist science communication and public relations agency. We’re a small business but we run the program at cost as our investment in the next generation of young researchers.

We strongly believe in the power of science to change the world. Encouraging, empowering and supporting scientists to talk about their work leads to evidence-based decision-making and makes the world a better place.

Who’s in charge?

It all began when the then-Australasian editor of New Scientist magazine, Ian Anderson, was frustrated that the work of PhD students he saw at conferences wasn’t being presented to the Australian media.

He met with Mike Pickford from ASN, Niall Byrne and Tim Thwaites, a science writer, and planned a vision, in which early-career researchers would be encouraged to speak about their work in a simple, engaging and accessible way. Sharing their results with enthusiasm.

Today this program has matured into Fresh Science run by Niall Byrne and his wife Sarah Brooker, co-founders of Science in Public.

Together with a team of six, the science communication and PR agency, based in Melbourne, works with scientists and research organisations around Australia to showcase their science in the public space.