Let's Talk SciComm

• 120. Listen to This If… You Need a Killer Headline

  Struggling to grab your audience’s attention? In this week’s episode, Jen and Michael break down exactly what makes a killer headline - one that cuts through the noise, hooks your reader instantly, and sets up your story for impact.In just five minutes, you’ll learn:Why your headline matters more than you thinkThe science of what makes people stop scrollingSimple, repeatable headline formulas you can use todayHow to avoid the common traps that make headlines fall flatWays to tailor your headline to different audiences without losing clarityWhether you’re writing a journal article title, a grant application, or a social media post, these tips will help you craft headlines that are bold, clear, and irresistible.You can find more great advice here:https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/08/readers-prefer-to-click-on-a-clear-simple-headline-like-this-one/https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00771-3https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/06/msu-research-what-makes-a-good-headlinehttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn2555

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• 119. Interview with medical entomologist Dr Véronique Paris

  This week we were thrilled to chat with Dr Véronique Paris who is a medical entomologist studying Australian vector mosquitoes in the Pest & Environmental Adaptation Research Group at Melbourne Uni. Originally from Berlin, Véronique completed her BSc and MSc in Biology, specialising in ecological immunology and exploring how insect immune systems respond to infections. Before pursuing a scientific career, she completed an apprenticeship at the Berlin Zoo, a time when she was unsure if going to university was the right path for her. Ultimately she discovered a passion for research and went on to pursue higher education. Véronique is also passionate about science communication, contributing to Pursuit, writing blog posts, and sharing her research widely on social media. Recently, the Let’s Talk SciComm team was over the moon to share the University of Melbourne School of BioSciences Excellence in Community Engagement with Véronique! You can follow Véronique and learn more about her work here: https://www.instagram.com/mozzienique/https://bsky.app/profile/mozzienique.bsky.socialhttps://www.tiktok.com/@vroniqueparis6https://www.linkedin.com/in/v%C3%A9ronique-paris-bb25a1255/https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/individuals/veronique-parishttps://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/23/mosquito-borne-disease-fight-researcher-bare-armTranscript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/an62

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• 118. Listen To This If… You’ve Just Received Negative Feedback

  If you’ve just been hit with negative feedback, you’re probably feeling a bit winded, and that’s completely normal. Whether it came from a colleague, a supervisor, an examiner, or even a friend, criticism can sting.Take five minutes to hear Jen and Michael share practical, compassionate advice on how to regain your confidence and transform tough feedback into something constructive and empowering.You can find more great advice here:https://theconversation.com/negative-feedback-is-part-of-academia-and-life-these-6-strategies-can-help-you-cope-190069https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-handle-negative-feedback-recover-like-pro-may-busch/https://wwmr.us/support/NegativeFeedback.pdfSubscribe to our podcast newsletter, The ChitChat: https://letstalkscicomm.my.canva.siteTranscript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/6ba2

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• 117. Interview with science writer and performer Dr Phil Dooley

  Welcome to Season 16 of Let’s Talk SciComm. We are thrilled to be launching our next season and have a great selection of episodes in store for you to enjoy during the rest of 2025.We can’t think of any better way to launch the season than a conversation with Dr Phil Dooley. Phil is an extremely talented science communicator who wears many hats: he’s a science writer, presenter, comedian, performer, musician, video-maker and trainer. He's worked on YouTube videos that got hundreds of thousands of hits, tweets that saw millions of impressions, press releases that went international, school workshops for thousands of students and science pub nights that had crowds cheering for more.Phil has a PhD in laser physics and is National President of Australian Science Communicators. Phil Up On Science partners and clients have included Australian Institute of Physics, Academy of Science, Australian Society for Medical Research, Inspiring Australia, National Science Week, Cosmos Magazine, Nature Publishing Group, Geosciences Australia, ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society, University of Adelaide, Flinders University, UniSA, Sustainable Stand Up and more.You’re going to love hearing about Phil’s creative and dynamic approach to sharing science with a whole heap of different audiences. You can follow Phil and learn more about his work here: https://philuponscience.com.au/ https://www.youtube.com/philuponsciencehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-dooley-0963366/ https://bsky.app/profile/philuponscience.bsky.social https://physics.anu.edu.au/news_events/news.php Subscribe to our podcast newsletter, The ChitChat: https://letstalkscicomm.my.canva.siteTranscript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/z6a2

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• 116. Listen To This If…You’re trying to choose a PhD topic

  Have you decided a PhD is the right thing for you? Congratulations! Now it’s time to make decisions about what you’re going to spend the next three of four years learning, thinking, reading and writing about.Take a break for 5 minutes and listen to Jen and Michael’s thoughts about what you need to take into account when deciding what you’re going to do your PhD on. You can find more great advice here:https://study.uq.edu.au/stories/how-to-decide-phd-topichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIk5cshQfKghttps://thesiswhisperer.com/2010/10/13/5-ways-to-know-you-have-the-right-thesis-topic/ Subscribe to our podcast newsletter, The ChitChat: https://letstalkscicomm.my.canva.site

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