Let's Talk SciComm

Being invited to speak with a journalist is both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. In this episode, Jen and Michael chat about how to approach media interviews with confidence while staying in control of your message.
They emphasise the importance of knowing your key points before you begin, while also being prepared for conversations to take unexpected turns. Michael shares a “walking the dog” analogy to capture this balance: having a clear direction, but knowing how to guide things back when needed.
The episode also explores how interviews are often edited into short grabs, making clarity essential, and highlights the importance of setting boundaries when questions stray beyond your expertise.
If you’re preparing for a media interview, this episode offers practical advice to help you stay focused, flexible, and confident.
You can find more great advice here:
https://sciencemediasavvy.org/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2666869625000016

https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/wp-content/upload/2014/04/SMC-Desk-Guide-for-Scientists.pdf

Welcome to Season 18 of Let’s Talk SciComm! 
We’re excited to be launching our new season with a fantastic conversation with scicomm guru Emma Donnelly. Emma is a science communication specialist, leadership trainer and coach with more than 25 years’ experience helping researchers and technical experts translate expertise into influence.
She is Manager of Inspiring Victoria at the Royal Society of Victoria, works with the Association for Tertiary Education Management, and runs her consultancy, Comm-it: Training and Communication Solutions. Emma has worked across the higher education sector nationally, including with the University of Melbourne, Monash University, UNSW, the University of Sydney, Curtin University, UWA and RMIT. She’s coached Prime Minister Science Prize winners and been the national FameLab consultant and trainer for several years.
Her work in citizen science, research translation and engagement has been recognised through national and state awards, including the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes and the WA Premier’s Science Awards. Earlier in her career, she brought food science into mainstream media through work connected with My Kitchen Rules, and developed Eat Drink Think, a cookbook and program translating the science of food and flavour for public audiences.
Today, Emma works with founders, scientists, researchers and university leaders to elevate pitching, storytelling, stakeholder engagement and leadership presence. Her warm, inclusive and evidence-based approach has supported thousands of professionals to build confidence, build trust and amplify their impact. Emma believes that great ideas only travel as far as your communication allows them to.
You can follow Emma and find out more about her work here: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmadonnelly1  

https://www.linkedin.com/company/comm-it-aus/ 

https://www.youtube.com/@comm-it 

https://x.com/commitAUS https://www.facebook.com/commitaust/ 

www.comm-it.com.au

Everyone tells you networking is essential for your career. But what if the idea of walking into a room full of strangers and “working the room” makes you want to hide?
In this short episode, Jen and Michael unpack why networking can feel uncomfortable and how reframing what networking actually is can make it much easier.
Our key message: networking isn’t about collecting contacts or performing in crowded rooms. It’s about building genuine relationships over time.
In this episode, we explore:
Why it helps to rethink what “networking” really means

A simple approach to conversations at conferences and events

Why a short, practiced response to “What do you do?” can make things easier

How to spot others in the room who might feel just as overwhelmed

Why humour and honesty can break the ice (“Networking is a bit awkward, isn’t it?”)

The often-overlooked importance of networking with your own colleagues

Networking doesn’t have to mean working every corner of the room. Sometimes it’s as simple as introducing yourself, asking a thoughtful question, and following up later for a coffee or a conversation.
And remember: most people in the room are probably feeling just as awkward as you are.
You can find more great advice here: 
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/21-networking-tips-i-just-gave-my-future-bosses-shane-o-leary-7fzwe/

https://www.comm-it.com.au/training/7-tips-for-easy-and-effective-networking/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/networking-tips-early-career-scientists-lessons-from-science-tpfke/

Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/cph2

This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Clancy Lester aka "Bee Man" - a nature lover and founder of Bees and Blossoms.
Through growing up on Yorta Yorta Country in regional Victoria, Clancy developed an early fascination with the natural world that later evolved into community-focused biodiversity education through social media and hands-on workshops.
His work empowers young people and communities to engage with local biodiversity, and learn about indigenous knowledge, especially through watching his '7Seasons' documentary.
You can follow Clancy and find out more about his work here:
Clancy's website: https://beesandblossoms.org/
Clancy's bee hotel website: https://nativebeehotels.com/
Clancy's pursuit article: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/fighting-to-save-our-aussie-bees-one-bee-hotel-at-a-time
Clancy's ABC news article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-09/bee-hunter-saving-native-species-one-hotel-at-a-time/104881770
Bees and Blossoms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beesandblossoms.aus/
Bees and Blossoms LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beesandblossoms/
Clancy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-clancy-lester/
7Seasons documentary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7seasonsdocumentary/
Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/wph2

Everyone keeps telling you to “tell a story” about your research… but what if you genuinely can’t see one?
In this short episode, Jen and Michael tackle one of the most common (and quietly stressful) challenges in science communication: finding the story in your own work.
Their reassurance? If you’re looking for a story, you’re already on the right track.
In this episode, we explore:
Why story = a problem–solution dynamic

How to identify the real problem your research is addressing

A simple sentence starter: “This matters because…”

The powerful question: “What has changed because of my work?”

Why your personal motivation might be part of the story

How brainstorming, sticky notes, conversations (and even AI tools) can help uncover new angles

Why audience and purpose determine which story you should tell

One research project can contain dozens of possible stories. The trick isn’t finding the story — it’s choosing the right one for the people you’re speaking to.
And most importantly: there is always a story. It might just take a little curiosity and creativity to uncover it.
You can find more great advice here:
https://reshub.uts.edu.au/whats-on/news/how-nail-your-research-story

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/find-hero-energy-story-your-research

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2018/05/21/writing-a-page-turner-how-to-tell-a-story-in-your-scientific-paper/

Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/yrs2