Early career newSletters

Issue 5
November 2010

EDITORIAL

SCIENCE AND THE WIDER WORLD: AN EARLY CAREER RESEARCHER PERSPECTIVE

by James Tickner
OCE Science Leader and Team Leader in the CSIRO Minerals Down Under Flagship

Communicating our research to a non-specialist audience is critical if science is to be seen as anything other than an obsession of a privileged coterie. As an early career researcher, however, the prospect of facing a microphone or camera, arguing your case with a politician or worst of all, fronting an audience of school children, can seem daunting and a job best left to the professionals. However, to do so is to miss out on one of the most rewarding aspects of being a scientist.

Knowing where to start can be the biggest hurdle to overcome. An experienced mentor can be a great help. Most universities and research institutions also have a media or communications group and this is the best place to begin. As well as helping you to identify and prepare interesting stories and provide you with contacts, they can also guide you through your organisation’s policies on media engagement (really important to be aware of in advance) and help you avoid any pitfalls. Many will also be able to provide access to media training or public writing courses.

Although having your story make the nightly news or appear in a major newspaper is unlikely without a major campaign, the same is not true for local media. Cold-calling, particularly when selling yourself is an anathema to most scientists, but local radio and regional newspapers are always looking out for interesting stories, particularly when they are of direct relevance to local people.

As with any communication, work out your message clearly. A topical aspect is always useful – for example, a paper that you have just published or a science prize that you have won – as is a local interest angle. Don’t expect a 7.30 Report style grilling, but be prepared for the odd difficult question – being asked to explain the dangers or drawbacks of your research often comes up.

If you are asked to do a radio interview, work out a concise explanation of your work in advance and test it out on a non-scientist who you trust to give you an honest opinion. Emailing a short summary of your key points to the station in advance is a great way of prompting the interviewer to ask helpful questions and steer the discussion in the right direction. Remember that you are trading on your reputation as a scientist and the reputation of your institution to give authority to what you stay, so stick to your area of professional expertise and don’t be afraid to answer ‘I don’t know’ to an off-topic question.

Recording a segment for a TV science show such as the ABC’s Catalyst or channel Ten’s children’s science show Scope is a fascinating experience. These shows are often themed around a particular topic and contacting your organisation’s media communications group is the best way to find out if a story on your research might fit into an upcoming show. The segment might be scripted or have an interview format, although once you’ve done the inevitable ten takes for every line, even an interview can feel very rehearsed. You will normally be asked to provide input into the script and interview questions, which help you keep control of the segment. The hardest part is learning to walk, talk and look in the right place simultaneously; actors deserve a lot of respect for managing this.

You also might like to volunteer a story idea for one of Australia’s popular science magazines such as Australasian Science or Cosmos. Well targeted opinion pieces are also often sought by larger newspaper, particularly if they are topical. Learning the skills of writing for a general audience is surprisingly rewarding and can be help with the tricky job of grant writing too. 

Another way to get your message across is to make contact with the MP in the electorate where you work or live. Try to develop a feel for their interests and the issues relevant to their electorate before the meeting: read their maiden speech to Parliament and visit their blog, Facebook or Twitter sites. Tailor your key messages carefully. For example, if you are advocating increased investment in health, identify the most important issues for the electorate, which might be hospital funding, an aging population or young families. Ideally, find someone well versed in science advocacy to provide advice. Take a one-page summary of your messages (dot points are fine) so that after the meeting they have something to refer back to. Most importantly, remember that politicians are human too and are often more intimidated by a scientist than we are of them!

At the other end of the age spectrum, school children are a fascinating (and hopefully fascinated) audience for talks about science. Primary age children have boundless interest in the world that makes them natural scientists. Senior school pupils can be tougher audience, but can usually be won over with a carefully targeted presentation. Expect interjections and always be ready to answer back – even a facetious comment can be used to start an interesting discussion and answering a question seriously usually silences even the most determined heckler.

Never underestimate the abilities of a school audience, provided that you steer clear of scientific jargon or equations. With minor modifications in tone, the same well thought-out presentation can be used for audiences of senior school pupils, adults and even scientists from other disciplines. Children seem interested in finding out just what scientists do each day and it’s worth giving a flavour of your daily routine and what’s involved in becoming a researcher. Becoming involved with schools in your local area is easy: the Scientists in Schools website (see BOX 4) run by the CSIRO provides a great starting point.

For the majority of us working in universities and other government-run laboratories, the Australian public pays for our salaries and research. However, the papers and reports that we write are rarely accessible to them. Communicating our science to the widest possible audience is an obligation but one that can deliver great satisfaction and career benefits to all young scientists.

ECR Policy Internship

The Australian Academy of Science is excited to announce the establishment of a new, paid ECR Policy Internship.  A PhD graduate is sought to fill this fixed-term 1 year position within the Academy’s science policy department. 

The successful applicant will be responsible for organising and administering the Academy’s existing ECR initiatives; including workshops, symposia and events.  The ECR Policy Intern will also be responsible for the development of new programs and policy initiatives in support of ECRs. Details of the position, including the selection criteria are available at www.science.org.au/jobs.

Applications, addressing the selection criteria, need to be submitted to hr@science.org.au by close of business on 3 December 2010.  Further information on the position is available from Dr Martin Callinan, Science Policy Manager, via phone (02) 6201 9458 or email martin.callinan@science.org.au.

Position title:	Early Career Researcher (ECR) Policy Internship
Department:	Science Policy
Responsible to:	Science Policy Manager
Responsible for:	(no direct subordinates)
Hours:	Full time (or equivalent flexible arrangement)
Tenure:	Fixed term, one year
Location	Canberra
Classification:	6 (1)
Current Salary (including 17% Superannuation contribution)	$70, 927 p.a.

Government and Research

On Wednesday 3 November the Australian Research Council (ARC) released a consultation paper on its Discovery Program (www.arc.gov.au/ncgp/dp/dp_consultation.htm).  The consultation paper outlines a number of changes to the program which are aimed at improving support for ECRs, decreasing overlap between fellowships and the Discovery Program and overall streamlining the - scheme. 

It is interesting to note similar initiatives to support ECRs are being established in Europe and the USA (see blog at www.genomeweb.com/blog/erc-supports-more-400-young-scientists).

The Academy strongly encourages you to provide comment on the consultation paper to the ARC directly before the 1 December 2010 deadline (see above website for details on how to comment).  By responding to this consultation paper you are providing the ARC and the Government with the information they critically need in order to establish how best to support ECRs.

The Interview

by Colleen Elso
Peter Doherty Postdoctoral Fellow

Have you ever had to come up with an answer over a beer to: 'So what do you do for a living?' (- answering, 'I'm a scientist' and hoping they change the subject doesn't count…).  Have you ever tried to explain your thesis to your Mum, grandfather or 3 year old daughter? ('Mummy, are the mice better yet?') Have you ever had to write an abstract in plain English for a grant or ethics application? If so, you have thought about how to communicate science to the public. Colleen Elso, Research Fellow at St Vincent's Institute, Melbourne has interviewed Fellow of the Australian Academy, David Vaux, and Early Career Researcher, Rachel Burt to hear their views on communicating Science to the public.

Current Position:
David Vaux MBBS PhD FAA (DV)
NHMRC Australia Fellow, Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe University, Melbourne

Rachel Burt PhD (RB)
Senior Research Officer, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne

What opportunities have you had to communicate science to the public?

DV: I communicate regularly with the public as a member of ANZAAS, e.g. giving some of their monthly talks; to children during National Science Week, and at the occasional dinner. A few years back I wrote a few stories for The Age, after I was asked by James Button, who used to work there. For a while I did a Q & A session with ABC local radio in Queensland. I've presented an Ockham's Razor on ABC radio with Robyn Williams. I give occasional talks to groups and associations, e.g. Lyceum Club, Probis clubs, Rotary, Skeptics.  

RB: I frequently communicate with the public about science through the Scientists in Schools program and through my role as a Director of the Australian Society of Medical Research. In both capacities I visit schools to talk about my career and about science in general. I have also been interviewed several times on the RRR radio show “Einstein a go-go”.

Why is it important for the public to understand science in general and your science in particular?

DV: The most important thing is not to understand my research, or to know a lot of scientific facts, but to be willing to question, to consider evidence, and to use reason. It is important because the public make decisions that influence their own wellbeing, as well as elect governments that affect the rest of us. If these decisions have a rational informed basis, then we will all be better off. 

RB: I find it interesting that our community often pigeon-holes ‘Science’ as something that is done in a remote lab and think that it has little to do with ordinary people living their lives. Yet, we encounter and use the products of scientific endeavour all day every day. Every time we use phones, computers, the fridge, packaged food, pop a panadol, have a flu vaccination et cetera we are actively participating in and interacting with science and technology. I think it is increasingly important to raise the scientific literacy of our community so that we can engage in informed debate about safety of particular technologies and discuss the ways we as individuals and as a society want to harness and use science and technology. I also believe that it is important for the public to understand the process of R&D so that we can build a consensus around the need for taxpayers to support this process through government funding schemes. By talking directly to school children about my career and my particular interests in medical research, I hope that I am giving them a personal connection with the work and challenging them to think about ‘Science’ in a different light.

Which group(s) in the public do you think it is important to communicate with and why?

DV: Everyone (OK, maybe not babies.) 

RB: I think it is important to communicate with all members of the community. The more we as a society understand Science as an endeavour and as an integral part of the way we live, the better. This is particularly important given that the majority of the research conducted in Australia is supported with our tax dollars.

What have been the most and least rewarding aspects of your interactions with the public?

DV: I haven't had any negative interactions with the public, but I have with the media. In 1995 The Age ran a story about vaccination research published in the late 1940's and 1950s when the polio and whooping cough vaccines were being introduced to Australia. Because some of the results referred to monitoring effectiveness of vaccines given in a babies' home, The Age implied researchers were ‘experimenting on orphans’. 

RB: I have found my interactions with school children to be extremely rewarding. I have found them to be enthusiastic and engaged. It is always great to be able to answer lots of their questions, many of which make me think too!

Is communicating with the public an important skill for ECRs to have and why?

DV: Yes, but it has to be done properly, without exaggeration or sensationalism. Research results should be communicated to the public only after they have been peer reviewed. In communicating science to the public, it should not just be new findings; many people are interested in hearing about older, well established science as well.

RB: I think that the skill of delivering a simple, clear explanation of our research is paramount. It is something we are required to do constantly for grant applications, discussions with peers outside our field of expertise and also with the general public.

What are your top tips for how to successfully communicate science to the public?

DV:

• Give it a try; with experience it becomes easier and you get better at it.
• Talk about mechanisms and background, not just the newest and latest.
• Give a historical context.
• Use visual aids & illustrations.
• Encourage questions and discussion  

RB:

• Be open and honest, and willing to answer questions.
• Use simple language and try not to use too much jargon, but don’t ‘dumb it down’ too much. Most people (especially the kids) are quite savvy and can appreciate more than you might expect (everyone has watched CSI)!
• Try to make the research accessible by carefully explaining why it is important and what the potential outcomes might be.

 

Any other comments?

DV: Use the Web.

Upcoming media training opportunities

Science in Public has again offering media training courses in several cities over the next couple of months. Their course is designed for scientists and anyone who needs to communicate complex and technical ideas via the media. It will help you improve your chances of being accurately reported, and you will learn what to expect when the media covers a story. Three working journalists will come in over the course of the day and you will conduct practice interviews for TV, radio and newspaper. The workshop structure is licensed from our friends at Econnect Communication.

The courses run from at 9.30am to 5pm, and cost $650 + GST per person which includes coffee, morning tea and lunch.

Upcoming dates are:

• Friday 19 November 2010 (Australian Academy of Science, Canberra)
• Tuesday 30 November 2010 (The Clare Café, Carlton, Melbourne)
• Tuesday 18 January 2011 (The Big Dig Archaeology Education Centre, The Rocks, Sydney)

There are more details available at www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/training

Recent Academy event for ECRS

The Academy’s biennial Frontiers of Science meeting had two unique features in 2010.  Firstly, it was jointly hosted with the Royal Society of London as part of their year long 350th Anniversary celebrations.  Secondly, in a first for both countries, the Frontiers of Science meeting had a theme – marine science.  From 9 - 13 October 35 early and mid career marine scientists from each country gathered in Perth to discuss topics as diverse as Ocean acidification, mitigating climate using carbon sequestration through to the importance of small eddies on global climate.  

The event enabled physical and biological scientists from across the various marine sciences to come together in a way that is not possible at specialist discipline conferences.  Feedback indicates that not only did participants enjoy the meeting but already many are taking the opportunity to exchange ideas, data and even looking for funding to establish new collaborations.  The 16 member Organising Committee (including 8 young Australian marine scientists) can be exceptionally proud of this exciting and positive meeting.

One of the major goals of the Academy’s early and mid career researcher events each year is to promote career development and cross-disciplinary networking.  If you have an idea for the theme of a future Think Tank (www.science.org.au/events/thinktank/) or Frontiers of Science meeting (www.science.org.au/events/frontiers/), please send it to Dr Fiona Leves (fiona.leves@science.org.au).