• 31 minutes 45 seconds
    151. Interview with native bee researcher and performer Dr Kit Prendergast

    This week we were absolutely delighted (and, we'll admit, a little starstruck) to sit down with Dr Kit Prendergast: native bee researcher, taxonomist, conservation biologist, science communicator and performing artist, better known to many as Bee Babette. Kit came to science through a blend of the arts and the sciences, and that mix of creativity and rigour has come to define her career. She fell for native bees back in 2016, drawn in by macro photography and bee hotels, and went on to complete her PhD at Curtin University as a Forrest Research Scholar studying native bee biodiversity, urban pollination networks, and the genuinely contentious question of how introduced European honeybees affect our native species. Since then she's been remarkably prolific: more than 80 peer-reviewed papers, two brand-new bee species described (one named after her beloved dog, Zephyr), an award-winning science circus comedy show called The Birds & the Bees, a book, a swag of outreach awards, and a real knack for throwing out the rulebook on how scientists engage the public.

    Join us for a fabulous conversation about falling in love with native bees, the trouble with "bee washing", why species names matter far more than you'd think, combining acrobatics with science on stage, and Kit's advice to be unapologetically your true self.

    You can follow Kit and find out more about her work here: 

    3 September 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 6 minutes 16 seconds
    150. Listen To This If… You’re Struggling With Perfectionism

    Perfectionism isn't all bad — it usually means you care deeply about your work. The trouble starts when it tips into paralysis and nothing ever makes it out into the world. In this short episode, Jen and Michael share how they've learned to hit publish anyway: separating high standards from a fear of being judged, asking what you'd tell a friend in the same boat, gathering people who'll remind you your work is good enough, and using deadlines to get comfortable with "that'll do." 

    Their verdict? Done is better than perfect (and salted caramel ice cream might just be the exception that proves nothing else can be perfect).

    You can find more great advice here: 

    28 August 2026, 6:00 am
  • 30 minutes 56 seconds
    149. Interview with marine biologist and science comedian Forrest Shaw

    We're kicking off Season 20 with a guest whose career path we found completely fascinating. Forrest Shaw is a stand-up comedian and writer whose comedy career began after a decade working as a marine and environmental biologist in his hometown of Miami, Florida - a career that saw him study everything from manatees and sea turtles to seagrass meadows, coral reefs and water quality. So it's safe to say he knows his way around the ocean. Then he made the kind of career pivot a lot of scientists quietly daydream about: he moved into stand-up, and has absolutely thrived, performing at some of the biggest comedy festivals in the world: Netflix Is A Joke Fest, Just For Laughs in Montreal, Moontower, Clusterfest and Bridgetown among them, and releasing his debut special, Poor Decisions, on Amazon. Most recently he brought his science-based comedy show The Ocean Hates You! (all about pollution, overfishing, climate change, sharks, and why talking about the ocean doesn't have to feel like going to a funeral), to the Adelaide Fringe.

    Join us for a joyful conversation about ten years in marine science, the leap into stand-up, and why making people laugh might be one of the most powerful ways to make them care.

    You can learn more about Forrest’s work here:

    Forrest's website: forrestshaw.net

    Instagram: @forrestshaw and @theoceanhatesyou

    Facebook: @forrestshawcomedian and @theoceanhatesyou

    20 August 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 6 minutes 13 seconds
    148. Listen To This If… You’re Facing A Big Deadline

    Staring down a big deadline and suddenly overcome by the urge to tidy your desk, reorganise your bookshelf, or look up random facts? You're in good company. In this short episode, Jen and Michael (both fresh from some very big deadlines of their own) share how they get unstuck: treating procrastination as an emotional issue rather than a time-management one, being kind to yourself when you've (once again) left it late, holding onto the basics like sleep and good food, and remembering that progress always beats perfection.

    You can find more great advice here: 

    Procrastination is an emotional problem, Fast Company - why the fix is managing your feelings, not your calendar.

    Why we procrastinate and what to do about it, APA's Speaking of Psychology podcast - a researcher on the surprising role of self-compassion.

    Emotion regulation and procrastination, Solving Procrastination - practical, evidence-based strategies for getting started.

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/nu8h

    6 August 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 31 minutes 18 seconds
    147. Interview with science communicator and Miscible founder Molly Patton

    This week we were thrilled to be joined by the wonderful Molly Patton - founder, sci-comm lead and producer at Miscible, a Melbourne-based science communication studio that has quickly made a name for itself for the way it turns complex research into visually striking, deeply engaging stories. Molly's path here is a fascinating one: a former biomaterials postgrad, she walked away from academia after watching the same three problems crop up again and again: no time, no funding, and no shared language to explain why the work actually mattered. With a dual background in science and the arts (photography in particular), she's spent the last nine years leading creative teams to help researchers communicate work that is, in her words, "easy to understand and impossible to ignore" - translation work that has supported nearly $200 million in research funding in just the past four years.

    Join us for a fabulous conversation about why science and the arts were never meant to be separate, science communication as a profession in its own right, the art of a great grant application, and Molly's lovely reminder to be human first and scientist second.

    You can follow Molly and learn more about her work here: 

    Molly on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mollypatton

    Miscible on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/miscible-co

    Molly's Substack: mollykpatton.substack.com

    And, since he got a mention, Molly's very photogenic dog Kodak: @kodak_the_bluemerle

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/z58h

    30 July 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 6 minutes 58 seconds
    146. Listen To This If… You’re Preparing for a Radio Interview

    Been invited to talk about your research on the radio? Congratulations, and welcome to the world of "wild listeners." In this short episode, Jen and Michael explain why radio is unlike almost any other communication opportunity you'll get: your audience hasn't tuned in specifically for you, and they're very likely driving, cooking, or wrangling a toddler while you talk. Michael shares his practical tips for cutting through - short soundbites, signposting ("this matters for three reasons"), and a bit of repetition to help distracted listeners follow you. Jen, who has been talking about science on the radio for twenty years, makes the case that radio is fundamentally about human connection, not perfection: bring your whole self, be willing to stumble, smile while you speak, and prepare by talking out loud about your work rather than clinging to a script.

    You can find more great advice here: 

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/q58h

    23 July 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 33 minutes 41 seconds
    145. Interview with anthropologist, neuroscientist and board game inventor Dr Paul Mason

    This week we were thrilled to chat with the wonderfully interdisciplinary Dr Paul Mason: anthropologist, neuroscientist, medical researcher, and inventor of a dung beetle board game. Paul cheerfully describes his own CV as looking "like a pizza with the lot" (with, somehow, even the pineapple on there). Paul is also a musician, dancer and capoeira practitioner who began his studies wanting to get into brain research, before realising he was far more interested in understanding the brain in context. That curiosity took him from laboratory internships at the Howard Florey Institute (and beyond) into a PhD in anthropology, and out into the world doing fieldwork with arts communities in Indonesia and Brazil, infectious disease patients in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, and conservation education at Taronga Zoo.

    In our wide-ranging conversation, Paul shares why he believes good science communication actually makes for good science, and how creative formats can carry serious ideas to the people who need them most. We talk about his award-winning children's book about tuberculosis (translated into thirty languages and distributed free in four countries) his dung beetle board game Hexcrement, and the surprising social magic of gathering people around a table to play. Paul also offers his best advice for researchers who want real-world impact: put in the work to ask good, well-structured questions, and always make it easy for people to help you - because kindness begets kindness, and communities of shared practice are where change begins.

    You can follow Paul and learn more about his work here: 

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/k58h

    16 July 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 6 minutes 37 seconds
    144. Listen To This If… You Want To Explain Your Science Without "Dumbing It Down"

    "I'm happy to talk to different audiences, but I don't want to dumb down my research."

    It's a phrase Jen and Michael both quietly dread and in this short episode, they dig into why it rubs them the wrong way. The problem isn't wanting to stay accurate; it's the assumption baked into "dumbing down" that your audience isn't intelligent. Jen and Michael reframe the whole challenge: it's not about simplifying your ideas, it's about simplifying your language while keeping every bit of nuance intact. Along the way they share why getting your audience to care comes first, how "clarifying" beats "simplifying," and why explaining your work simply is one of the best ways to understand it more deeply yourself.

    You can find more great advice here: 

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/j7ah

    9 July 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 33 minutes 6 seconds
    143. Interview with astrometallurgist Dr Matt Shaw

    Have you ever met an astrometallurgist? Neither had we, until we had the great pleasure of chatting with Dr Matt Shaw on this week's episode!

    Matt's career genuinely sounds like it was pulled straight from the pages of a sci-fi novel, but it's very much grounded in real, cutting-edge science. He began as a metallurgist in the mining industry - extracting metals like gold from rocks, or as he describes it, "basically Minecraft, but in real life" - working everywhere from the Australian desert to the Canadian Arctic. Having mastered some of the most extreme environments on Earth, Matt decided to tackle the ultimate hostile environment: space. He completed a PhD in astrometallurgy at Swinburne University, exploring how we might one day extract and process materials on the Moon, and worked with CSIRO's space in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) team developing technologies to produce water, oxygen and metals beyond Earth.

    These days, Matt continues his space research while working predominantly with the Green Steel and Critical Minerals teams at CSIRO Clayton, investigating innovative ways to reduce emissions and tackle one of the biggest challenges facing our planet: how to make green steel.

    But what makes Matt especially exciting to talk with isn't just the very cool science. It's his passion for communication and collaboration. Whether he's talking with school students, appearing in the media or engaging with the public, Matt has a real knack for making complex ideas feel both exciting and accessible - and he's got the track record to prove it:

    You can follow Matt and learn more about his work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-shaw-001/

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/r7ah

    2 July 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 6 minutes 27 seconds
    142. Listen To This If… You feel like an imposter

    Ever feel like you don't quite belong, or that everyone around you knows what they're doing while you're just hoping no one finds out that you don’t? In this season’s first Listen To This Episode, Jen and Michael talk honestly about the imposter experience at work: why feeling like a bit of a fraud is more normal (and more useful) than you might think, and how to keep showing up anyway.

    Sharing how you feel with friends, colleagues, family, or supervisors helps you realise how normal the imposter experience really is, and that it's a sign you're challenging yourself in all the right ways.


    You can find more great advice here: 

    https://www.nyas.org/ideas-insights/blog/confronting-imposter-syndrome-in-stem/

    https://jobs.sciencecareers.org/article/how-to-banish-impostor-syndrome

    https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02408-z

    https://www.une.edu.au/current-students/support/student-support/une-wellness-centre/mental-health-resources/imposter-syndrome

    ⁠In this TEDx talk, Mike Cannon-Brookes offers a funny and reassuring take on how impostor syndrome can sometimes be used as fuel rather than treated only as a flaw.⁠ https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_cannon_brookes_how_you_can_use_impostor_syndrome_to_your_benefit⁠

    ⁠This short Science careers piece offers practical advice for researchers who feel like frauds, starting from the useful reminder that “you are not a fraud.” https://www.science.org/content/article/how-banish-impostor-syndrome⁠

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/x7ah

    25 June 2026, 6:00 pm
  • 36 minutes 39 seconds
    141. Interview with The Weekend Birder host and creator Kirsty Costa

    Welcome to a new season of Let’s Talk Scicomm - we’re thrilled to be back with you for Season 19! 

    We can’t imagine a better way to launch the season than a chat with the brilliant Kirsty Costa, host and creator of the Weekend Birder Podcast. 

    Weekend Birder is one of Australia’s most-loved science and nature podcasts, opening birdwatching up to anyone who’s curious. Kirsty works at the intersection of conservation, storytelling and community engagement, helping people notice birds, understand ecology and feel more connected to the living world around them. Through conversations and bird walks, Kirsty translates everyday encounters with nature into stories and ideas that inspire curiosity and care. She appears regularly in national media as a trusted voice on birds, wildlife and everyday science.

    We hope you love listening to this conversation as much as we loved having it. 

    You can learn more about Weekend Birder here: 

    Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/67ah

    18 June 2026, 6:00 pm
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