Listen to: Gold, Galahs and the Milky Way: unlocking the universe, on ABC Big Ideas

Additional menu

Science In Public

Science writers, communicators, media, training, and public relations

Operations

Thought-controlled wheelchair to help severely disabled

“Think of a Rubik’s cube to turn right, close your eyes to stop”

A working prototype of a wheelchair steered by thoughts, rather than hands, will be demonstrated live to the public in Sydney next week.

About 700,000 Australians live with severe disability—many entirely dependent on someone else to move.

They may soon be more mobile thanks to the Thought-controlled Intelligent Machine (TIM), developed at the University of Technology Sydney.  [Read more…] about Thought-controlled wheelchair to help severely disabled

Fresh Science 2012 – state finals on the way

This year, we are able to open Fresh Science to a wider number of participants and audiences by introducing state-based finals in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.

As a part of each state final, we’ll be holding science-in-the-pub events which are open to the public.

This year there will be state finals in:

  • Queensland on 27 August
  • Victoria on 5 September
  • New South Wales on 10 September and;
  • South Australia on 12 September
The national final will be in Melbourne from 15-18 October, shortly after the Victorian school holidays.
If you’d like us to keep in touch about the Fresh Science program and pub events, email aj@scienceinpublic.com.au.

The Australian Synchrotron helps its big brother in Geneva

The synchrotron’s intense electron beam contributes to the enhancement of the Large Hadron Collider and the design of future accelerators.

The discovery of a Higgs boson-like particle will see the international research effort shift focus to study its unique characteristics – and it is here that Australia’s Synchrotron is playing a collaborative role with CERN. [Read more…] about The Australian Synchrotron helps its big brother in Geneva

On the Mongol Rally to boost the fight against liver disease

One large steppe for liver research

Driving along the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan at 4000 m above sea level or through the Mongolian desert is a far cry from working on the genetics of hepatitis C in a laboratory in central Sydney.

But that’s the transition Wil d’Avigdor, a PhD student from the Liver Injury and Cancer Laboratory at the Centenary Institute is about to make in the next few weeks. [Read more…] about On the Mongol Rally to boost the fight against liver disease

Inspiring Australia grant overviews

A total of $5 million has been awarded across three levels of grant categories, small, medium and large, for projects to be delivered in 2012 and/or 2013 and/or 2014.

The prime objective of the program is to increase the engagement of Australians in science and it has prioritised projects that engage people who may not have had previous access to or interest in science-communication activities. Inspiring Australia is an initiative of the Australian Government.

Below is the full list of grants received in each state. [Read more…] about Inspiring Australia grant overviews

Can Australian researchers help maintain the technological superiority of the US Air Force?

And what are the benefits for Australian research?

Today in Washington DC, the Australian Ambassador Kim Beazley will open a four day workshop with more than 60 US defence researchers and 33 Australian nanotechnology scientists.

The meeting, organised by the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF), will explore opportunities for collaboration in nanotechnology and nano-manufacturing.

[Read more…] about Can Australian researchers help maintain the technological superiority of the US Air Force?