Consider nominating for Fresh Science Victoria

We’re looking for the best and brightest early-career researchers who have made a peer-reviewed discovery and received little or no media attention.

Successful applicants will participate in Fresh Science Victoria: First, a day of media and communication training, learning how to find the key, compelling ‘story’ in their research, and how to tell that story. Then, in the following pub night, the challenge of explaining their research in the time it takes a party sparkler to burn out.

Applicants can be researching in any field of science – from medicine to mathematics, from environmental science to computer science.

Nominations are now open and close 25 June. Fresh Science Victoria will be held at Melbourne Museum on 28 July, with a schools forum 29 July, and a pub event that night.

We’re looking for:

·         early-career researchers (from honours students to no more than five years post-PhD)

·         a peer-reviewed discovery that has had little or no media coverage

·         some ability to present ideas in everyday English.

Fresh Science helps young researchers develop expertise in presenting their ideas clearly to a general audience and to the media. And we demonstrate to the media that science in Australia is exciting, vibrant and successful.

Please circulate this information to anyone who you think would fit the criteria. Below is further information on how and why to nominate, and you can read more at freshscience.org.au. If you’d like a short blurb and image for websites or newsletter, let us know and we’ll send you what you need. If you tweet about Fresh Science, we’re using the hashtag #FreshSci.

How to nominate
Read the full selection criteria, then see what questions will be asked in the nomination form.  We recommend applicants write their project summary and project description in Word or similar, and collect all the other information they need, then cut and paste their answers into the online application form.

About the Fresh Science program
The Fresh Science judging panel will select ten applicants for each state event. These Fresh Scientists are invited to a day of media training in their home state followed by a public event (two public events, in some states).
During the media-training day (28 July), the Fresh Scientists learn how to communicate their discovery with a lay audience and will hear what makes science news. They also learn how to pitch their discovery to print, radio and TV and participate in mock interviews. We prepare a press release for the best story from each state event.
The following day (29 July) the Museum will host two schools forums where the Fresh Scientists will help inspire Australia’s next generation of scientists and engineers.
And that night at a city pub the Fresh Scientists take on the challenge of explaining their research in the time it takes a party sparkler to burn out.

About Fresh Science
Now in its 18th year, Fresh Science Victoria is supported in 2015 by BioMedical Research Victoria and Melbourne Museum.
Fresh Science has generated hundreds of news stories via TV, print, radio and online. You can read past Fresh Scientists’ stories online at http://freshscience.org.au/fresh-science-alumni

For further information about Fresh Science visit www.freshscience.org.au or contact Errol Hunt on (03) 9078 5398 or email errol@scienceinpublic.com.au.