Friday 19 August 2022
Highlights from day seven of National Science Week
Researchers, experts, and other interesting people available for interview around the country.
- NSW: Fighting superbugs, big bad tech, cultural burning, and turning human waste into a valuable resource – Sydney Science Festival’s Friday highlights
- TAS: Beer quenches scientists’ thirst for knowledge – online and Hobart
- ACT: Flying drones, engineering defence, art-robots, and biology balloons: meet Canberra’s women of science and art
- SA: Alzheimer’s takes centre stage in acclaimed play – Adelaide, SA
- SA: Smaller, lighter, faster X-rays
- TAS: Plant-powered cars, Jurassic poop, the science of piracy, and more at Festival of Bright Ideas 2022
- TAS: Bugs, bats, brains, and space junk: young scientists tour Tasmania
Read on for more on these, including event contact details.
Also today:
- VIC: 12 women step up on the soap box and share their science at the State Library
- VIC: Ask astronomers how the new space telescope is unlocking the secrets of the Universe
- QLD: The history and future of Queensland’s coral reefs
National Science Week 2022 runs from 13 to 21 August. Media kit at www.scienceinpublic.com.au. Or visit the National Science Week website for more events and activities: www.scienceweek.net.au.
For general Science Week media enquiries:
Tanya Ha: tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au or 0404 083 863
Jane Watkins: jane@scienceinpublic.com.au or 0425 803 204
More about the event highlights
Fighting superbugs, big bad tech, cultural burning, and turning human waste into a valuable resource – Sydney Science Festival’s Friday highlights
- Former Google engineer turned design ethicist James Williams discusses how big tech companies manipulate and persuade us in the attention economy.
- Hear how First Nations cultural burning practices can reshape Australia’s response to climate change: Victor Steffensen in conversation with Nate Byrne.
- Logan City Council is transforming human waste into biochar, a process which sequesters carbon, destroys microplastics and saves the community resources. Johanna Johnson explains.
- Superbugs: By 2050, antibiotic resistant infections are projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide resulting in approximately 10 million deaths annually. Learn how Jon Iredell’s phage therapy research is fighting this threat.
Hear from compelling speakers on science’s hot topics. Sydney Science Festival is back with events in multiple locations around Sydney and online.
Friday 12 – Saturday 20 August. Multiple events and locations.
Media enquiries: Siân Davies, sian@articulatepr.com.au, 0402 728 462; or Sasha Haughan, sasha@articulatepr.com.au, 0405 006 035
Most speakers are available for media interviews.
Beer quenches scientists’ thirst for knowledge – online and Hobart, TAS
Four brewers from around Australia will put on lab coats to craft experimental beers in a live-streamed event, hosted by scientists Kelsey Picard and Matthew Fielding.
The four brewers will represent Victoria’s Black Arts Brewers and Blenders, South Australia’s Shapeshifter Brewing Co, New South Wales’s Mountain Culture Beer Co and Tasmania’s Shambles Brewery.
Drinkers watching online can order a 4-pack so they can taste the beers for themselves during the event as Kelsey and Matthew delve into the science of brewing.
Friday 19 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/exbeerimental-science-2
Media enquiries: Matthew Fielding, matthew.fielding@utas.edu.au or 0417 167 618
Kelsey and Matthew are available for media interviews.
Fermenting food and eating your way to better gut health – Clarkson, WA
From sourdough bread to yogurt, fermented foods can help maintain a balance of bacteria in the gut. Meet your microbiome and find out about diet and digestion from Dr Jo Rees, from Edith Cowan University.
Friday 19 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/fermented-food-with-dr-jo-rees/clarkson
Media enquiries: Clarkson Library, 08 9405 5940
Flying drones, engineering defence, art-robots, and biology balloons: meet the women of science and art – Canberra, ACT
- Katie Vidal from She Maps has taught hundreds of children how to fly drones.
- Molecular biologist and balloon artist Dr Chloe Lim created a balloon show to introduce the concept of genetics to children.
- Entrepreneur Claire Harris sparked the start of a Canberra tribe of art-robots.
- Naomi Duckworth from the Department of Defence is a systems engineer and is working on Australia’s future Navy ships.
They provide interesting perspectives on art and science in a series of events hosted by science writer and performer Dr Phil Dooley.
Friday 19 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/canberra-women-of-science-and-art/phillip/
Sunday 21 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/canberra-women-of-science-and-art/acton
Media enquiries: Claire Harris, claire@innovatecommunicate.com
Speakers are available for media interviews.
Alzheimer’s takes centre stage in acclaimed play – Adelaide, SA
The real-life stories of a care worker and residents of a local memory unit have inspired this award-winning play about Alzheimer’s.
Care worker Matthew Barker stars in ‘The Fish Bowl’, which won the Best Theatre and Physical Theatre Award and Holden Street Theatre’s Adelaide Fringe Award.
An audience discussion will follow the play, led by neurobiologist Dr Tim Sargeant who works with Alzheimer’s and the other dementias.
Currently more than 436,000 Australians live with Dementia. ‘The Fish Bowl’ speaks straight to the heart of how we can all better value and connect with some of the most vulnerable people within our society through telling their version of their story.
Friday 19 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/inside-the-fish-bowl/adelaide
Media enquiries: Pete McDonald, 0402 293 078 or Pete.McDonald@sahmri.com
Matthew Barker and Dr Tim Sargeant available for media interviews.
Smaller, lighter, faster X-rays – Tonsley, SA
How does X-ray imaging work? How is it different to photography? And how will it change in the future? Find out about X-rays and see the high-tech equipment involved, without breaking an arm or leg.
This series of events will give people the opportunity to see inside Adelaide’s Micro-X factory, which develops and produces new generation X-ray imaging equipment incorporating innovative design and carbon nanotube technology. There will also be a family day with science-based workshops, high-voltage demonstrations, an augmented reailty treasure hunt, and walking tours of the surrounding Tonsley Innovation Precinct.
Friday 19 August (schools) and Saturday 20 August . Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/seeing-things-differently-2/tonsley
Media enquiries: Rebecca Puddy, rpuddy@micro-x.com
Plant-powered cars, Jurassic poop, the science of piracy, and more at Festival of Bright Ideas 2022 – Hobart, TAS
- Cars of the future could be fuelled by plants, according to Dr Graham Walker. He’ll be exploring the future of energy, including solar power and storing carbon dioxide.
- The singing palaeontologist Professor Flint explores the science of dinosaur droppings and the origin of faeces.
- Find out about the science of piracy in Piratechniques 101, with ABC’s Lish Fejer (Pirate Captain ScungeBucket).
- Plus, the science of circus trapeze, robot building, drug designing, bunny cuddling, forest secrets, volcano and lava science, and underwater creatures: more than different 40 science sessions, all under one roof.
These are just some of the speakers, activities and displays at the Festival of Bright Ideas, Tasmania’s largest public STEM event, at Princes Wharf 1 on Hobart’s waterfront.
Friday 19 August: Schools Day.
Saturday 20 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/festival-of-bright-ideas-2022/hobart
Media enquiries: Sarah Bayne, sarah@luminousevents.com.au or 0419 472 539
Bugs, bats, brains, and space junk: young scientists tour Tasmania
Meet Mars the computer scientist tracking space junk, Alyce the bat-woman working in caves, Dipon the cheesy microbiologist, Alex the ecologist turned tabby cat tracker, Ash the brain researcher seeking a stroke of genuis, and Shasta the entomologist who can tell you all about bugs and why we should eat them.
These are just a few of the Young Tassie Scientists team — passionate early career researchers bringing science presentations and activities to schools and public events state-wide during August.
Multiple dates and locations.
And at Festival of Bright Ideas: Friday 19 – Saturday 20 August. Event details: www.scienceweek.net.au/event/young-tassie-scientists-at-festival-of-bright-ideas/hobart
Media enquiries: Emily Attrill (she/her), emily.attrill@utas.edu.au or 0448 336 552
All of the Young Tassie Scientists are available for media interviews.