Inspiring Australia: a national strategy for engagement with the sciences Presentation to the Mid West Science Summit in Geraldton, WA. Geoff Crane, Questacon November 2010

1. Inspiring Australia:
A national strategy for engagement in
the sciences
Geoff Crane
Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre

2. “We have to get serious about science
communication”
Innovation Minister Kim Carr, 8 February 2010

3. PART ONE: A bit of history

4. What’s Questacon?
We’re also known as The National Science
and Technology Centre
Questacon is a big hands-on science centre
next to Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra
We also send our exhibitions around
Australia and the Asia-Pacific region
And we have a suite of outreach programs
that tour the length and breadth of
Australia.

5. In fact…
I was here in Geraldton for the last week of
August in 1991 with the Shell Questacon
Science Circus
We performed science shows in schools
from Dongara to Northampton and opened
our public science exhibition in the hall at
Geraldton Senior College
And just last week the Science Circus
celebrated its 25th anniversary!

6. Questacon

7. Questacon

8. Questacon

9. Questacon

10. Questacon

11. A new brief
Given responsibility for the existing Science
Connections Program in July 2009
Released Inspiring Australia in February
2010 after national consultations
Dual roles: to be a science centre with
travelling exhibitions and outreach
programs as well as developing policy and
providing leadership

12. “Science communication matters because
so many of the decisions we make these
days are based on science.
Decisions about who gets what, when,
where and how. Decisions that influence
people’s chances in life. Decisions that
may well determine the fate of the planet.”
Innovation Minister Kim Carr, 8 February 2010

13. PART TWO: The strategy

14. Developing Inspiring Australia
Steering committee with representatives
from Questacon, ABC & CSIRO, the Chief
Scientist for Australia and chaired by DIISR
Consultative meetings and submissions
from 200 individuals and organisations
Report released 8 February 2010
Funding announced 8 September 2010
Initiative to start 1 July 2011

15. Inspiring Australia
The strategy aims to build a scientifically
engaged Australia with
• an innovative society
• a technologically skilled workforce
• a scientifically literate community
• scientifically well informed decision makers
Highlights that the social sciences and
humanities are critical to the interface
between science and society

16. Needed more than ever
Building a healthy relationship between
science and society
Sharing the excitement of discovery
Facilitating dialogue and consensus
Countering misinformation, doubt and
pseudoscience

17. Inspiring Australia recommendations
1. A new initiative
2. Vision & priority setting
3. Leadership
4. Coherent action
5. Pride in Australian achievement
6. International recognition
7. Science & society
8. Engaging Australian communities
9. Building partnerships – using networks
10. Strengthening the media’s role
11. A focus on youth and the future
12. Unlocking Australia’s full potential
13. National framework – local action
14. Utilising new media
15. Developing an evidence base
(so there’s a lot to be getting on with)

18. Reactions to the report
“A new national approach to communicating science will
unite the sector and strengthen Australia’s prized and
highly regarded scientists and scientific heritage”
Dr Cathy Foley, President of FASTS

19. Reactions to the report
“Australian Science Communicators (ASC) welcomes
Inspiring Australia, a report which sets the agenda for
science communication for the nation”
Dr Jessie Shore, President, Australian Science Communicators

20. Reactions to the report
“The report recognises the contribution of the humanities,
arts and social science disciplines in problem-solving, and
notes the social sciences and humanities are critical to
the interface between science and society."
Prof Linda Rosenman, President of CHASS

21. Reactions to the report
“The review has done a service by gathering the first
compendium of projects and activities that have sprung
up spasmodically throughout the nation from people who
are motivated to engage the broad community with
science.”
Dr Peter Pockley, Australasian Science

22. “Inspiring Australia calls for a clear vision,
strong leadership and coherent action”
Innovation Minister Kim Carr, 8 February 2010

23. PART THREE: What we’ll be doing

24. First steps
This is a transitional year moving from
Science Connections to Inspiring Australia
Official start date is 1 July 2011, but we’re
working on it now
Communicating with stakeholders (you!)

25. Funding
$21 million announced for 3 years from 1
July 2011
Leveraging value: co-contributions to
projects and not duplicating effort
The initiative will only work if lots of other
organisations - including yours - join in

26. Four elements
Recognising achievement
National Science Week
Unlocking Australia’s potential
Connecting with mainstream media and new
media
(2010 election commitment)

27. Recognising achievement
The Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science
recognising excellence in
• research
• primary and secondary teaching
Sponsor of Eureka Awards
• science journalism
• promoting understanding of science
• people’s choice

28. Recognising achievement

29. Recognising achievement

30. Recognising achievement

31. Recognising achievement

32. National Science Week
A collaborative effort: 1000 events Australia
wide
Success depends on the efforts of volunteer
coordinating committees in each state
and territory to bring together the great
events held by science organisations
Will continue over next three years, including
grants to support events

33. National Science Week

34. National Science Week

35. National Science Week

36. National Science Week

37. Unlocking Australia’s full potential
Co-funded Inspiring Australia officers or
seed funding in states & territories –
providing for year round events
($44 000 for events in WA during 2010)
Programs for youth, regions and remote
communities
Science and Engineering Challenge
Integrating science into events like writers’
weeks and music festivals

38. Unlocking Australia’s full potential
International Year of Biodiversity 2010
- through the Council of Australasian
Museum Directors, esp. Western Australian
Museum & Australian Museum
International Year of Chemistry 2011
- through the Royal Australian Chemical
Institute

39. Unlocking Australia’s full potential

40. Unlocking Australia’s full potential

41. Unlocking Australia’s full potential

42. Unlocking Australia’s full potential

43. Connecting with mainstream and new
media
An expert working group on science in the
media, led by the Australian Science
Media Centre (AusSMC), will report soon
Fresh Science media training for scientists
Now trialling scicommunity, a web site for
science communicators to share stories
about public engagement
Planning to support cadetships for science
journalists

44. Connecting with mainstream and new
media

45. Connecting with mainstream and new
media

46. Connecting with mainstream and new
media

47. Connecting with mainstream and new
media

48. Connecting with mainstream and new
media

49. “We need to strengthen public
engagement with science and research, to
build support, understanding and
consensus of scientific evidence and the
role it plays in shaping our future”
Innovation Minister Kim Carr, 20 September 2010

50. PART FOUR: The future

51. We’ve already started work on
Expert working groups on media and
evaluation
Science communication conference in
partnership with the Royal Institution of
Australia
Developing an Inspiring Australia brand
Establishing an officers working group and
intergovernmental framework of
principles

52. Over the next 3 years we’ll
Support science journalism cadetships
Provide training for scientists in science
communication
Consider more expert working groups
Provide support to CHASS and FASTS
Work with science-related agencies and
businesses like yours to build Inspiring
Australia as a coherent and trusted brand
Hold a science & society forum
Evaluate what we’re achieving

53. How can you join in?
Actively support the Inspiring Australia
initiative:
• identify a contact officer to facilitate
information flow
• consider aligning some current science
communication activities with Inspiring
Australia principles
• contribute to forums, expert working
groups
• engage with new audiences

54. “Some scientists will know the satisfaction
of a major breakthrough. Some will find
one thousand ways that don’t work.
But all scientists take forward the same
great mission: to interpret the world – and
to help us change it.”
Innovation Minister Kim Carr, 12 October 2010

55. Geoff Crane
gcrane@questacon.edu.au
This presentation is online at:
http://www.slideshare.net/geoffcrane
Bookmarks for web sites mentioned
in this presentation are online at:
http://www.delicious.com/tag/midwestsciencesummit