Let's Talk SciComm

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 think

• The science of what makes people stop scrolling

• Simple, repeatable headline formulas you can use today

• How to avoid the c...

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 appre...

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...

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 traine...

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/...

This week we have the great pleasure of speaking with Dr Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston, a neuroscientist based in Melbourne, Australia, and the author of The Future Loves You: How and Why We Should Abolish Death. 

Ariel is currently a Research Fellow at Monash University - working with the Monash Neuroscience of Consciousness laboratory - where he investigates novel methods for characterising the nature of conscious experiences to aid i...

Feeling like you’ve lost your love of science? Wondering if you should be doing something different? Wishing you felt the same passion you used to feel for your study or work? 

Settle in for 5 minutes and listen to Jen and Michael’s top advice about how to rediscover your curiosity and feel motivated and excited about science again. 

You can find more great advice here:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPdg7hGaDJI

• https://...

This week we had a fascinating chat with Troy Beer whose diverse experiences have led him from digital content creation to communication lead roles across multiple sectors: from environmental charities and health NGOs to government, universities, research centres and even retail. Each role has required him to work closely with stakeholders and subject-matter experts – interpreting complex information into compelling content for div...

Still thinking about a talk you gave that didn’t go as well as you’d hoped? Maybe you’re dreading your next talk as a result? In this episode we tackle the all-too-familiar challenge of bouncing back after giving a talk that didn’t go to plan. 

Take 5 minutes to hear our advice on being kind to yourself, treating mistakes with curiosity, and turning reflection into a concrete plan for next time. 

You can find more great advice here:

This week we loved chatting with Dr Kira Hughes, an aerobiologist and award-winning science communicator who is passionate about helping other researchers learn how to effectively communicate their science and advocating for underrepresented groups in STEM.

Kira has over five years of experience in science communication. She's presented at several public events, ranging from international conferences to comedy shows, and has bee...

So the time has come to really nail your 3MT talk? Perhaps you’ve progressed from your local final to a Grand Final? Congratulations!

Take five minutes to tune into Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to craft a winning Three Minute Thesis Talk!

You can find more great advice here:

• https://www.adelaide.edu.au/3mt/ua/media/745/3mt-tips-for-success-handout.pdf

• https://www.animateyour.science/post/how-to-write-a-winning-3mt-script

• https:...

Welcome to Season 15 of Let’s Talk SciComm. We’re so thrilled to be back with another season after a bit of a break.

To get the season off to a wonderful start, we’re VERY excited to chat with the incredible Melissa Cristina Márquez. Melissa, (AKA Mother of Sharks) is a bilingual Latina marine scientist, science communicator, and award-winning author currently pursuing her PhD. Melissa’s scientific research focuses on the ecology, c...

Are you working on a piece of writing and feel like everyone else has already written about the same thing? Are you looking for a way to make the topic fresh? 

Stop for 5 minutes and tune into Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to find a new approach to writing about a popular topic.

You can find more great advice on writing here:

• https://www.theopennotebook.com/2018/11/27/finding-the-science-in-any-story/ 

• https://www.fromthelabben...

Have you got a group project coming up? Maybe you’ve had some bad experiences of working in a team before and you’re wondering how to make it better this time? Drop everything for 5 minutes and tune in. 

In this week’s episode, Jen and Michael share their top tips on how to work harmoniously and productively in a group. 

You can find more great advice here:

• https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/resources/communicating-in...

Have you lost your motivation? Do you need to get lots of things done, but you’re finding it hard to get started? Wondering how to get your mojo back?

Stop for five minutes and tune into this week’s episode of ‘Listen To This If….’ for Jen and Michael’s advice on how to rediscover your motivation. 

You can find more great advice here:

• https://jamesclear.com/motivation 

• https://www.ifocusandwrite.com/post/how-to-get-your-motivation-...

Are you graduating soon, or have you recently graduated? Are you looking for ways to get ahead in your career? 

Take a five-minute break to listen to Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to kickstart your career.

You can find more great advice here:

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

• https://conductscience.com/10-networking-tips-to-kickstart-your-graduate-career/

• https://...

Is your writing too formal? Too boring? Or too hard to read? Have you been given the feedback that you need to make your writing more conversational?

Take five minutes to tune into Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to make your writing easier to read. 

You can find more great advice here:

• https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-conversationally

• https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/developing-people-and-skills/mrc/the-secrets-o...

It's that time of year when many of us are feeling overwhelmed by our to-do lists. If you have a big task on your list that you’re struggling to make headway with, it’s time for your 5-minute Friday pep talk. 

Join Jen and Michael for their top tips on how to manage a sense of overwhelm and get stuff done! 

You can find more great advice here:

• https://www.calm.com/blog/what-to-do-when-you-feel-overwhelmed

• https://www.nytimes.com/20...

Got a talk coming up? Worried your powerpoint slides are boring? Think your audience might get distracted or even doze off while you’re talking? 

Stop for 5 minutes and tune into Jen and Michael’s top tips on how to improve your Powerpoint slides. 

You can find more great advice here:

• https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-to-avoid-death-by-powerpoint

• https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/design-tips

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I...