Apply for Fresh Science

Are you an early career researcher with some interesting research results? Have you made a discovery or invention and are curious about how to get publicity for it? Consider nominating for Fresh Science – a national competition that helps early career researchers find the key, compelling ‘story’ in their research and then puts them in the spotlight.

Fresh Science is your chance to develop the skills you need to showcase your research to the public and the media.

Why nominate?

Get some media training. Find your voice. Learn how to tell your research in a compelling way be it to a journalist, politician or philanthropist. Practice being interview by journalists and be a part of the media landscape.

Have some fun at the pub. Take the spotlight and practice your new communication skills in front of a small audience.

Get your profile online with other Fresh Scientists.

Perhaps get into the media with one story per state written up as a press release and sent out to the media. Fresh Science offers one researcher per state the potential for substantial media exposure. In previous years our Fresh Scientists have attracted national and international interest resulting in hundreds of media stories in Australia and overseas.

Inspire the next generation of scientists by getting your story out and, in some states, talking directly with school students.

What does Fresh Science involve?

Nominations are made via an online form and close at midnight on Tuesday 24 April.

AS part of this process, you must explain your research briefly and provide evidence of peer review. If selected, you will take part in:

  • a one-day media and communication training course with practice interviews
  • an evening event where you get to practice presenting your results in an understandable and fun way

Some states hold a schools forum where you will present for five minutes and take questions.

As part of Fresh Science, the organisers – Science in Public – will write and publish a short, media-ready profile on you. See previous stories.

One story per state will be selected to be written up as a press release and sent out to the media. See previous stories in the news.

Eligibility

  • Early-career researchers. Age is not a criterion, but you must have completed your PhD (if you have one) no more than five years ago. If you’re earlier in your career, that’s fine.
  • Researchers currently working in Australia and preferably for work done in Australia.
  • Research which has produced peer-reviewed results i.e. you have a discovery, invention, patent etc.
  • Research which is currently being undertaken, or has been published/concluded since January 2016.
  • Research that is newsworthy but has not had significant media coverage.
  • Researchers who can demonstrate, through the nomination form, some ability to present your research to a lay audience in a clear, interesting and informative way.

Your research must be cleared for public and media presentation. You may need to consult with your collaborators and commercial partners before nominating.

You may represent a research team if you have played a substantial role in the research and can act and be named as spokesperson. Only one member of any particular research team will be invited to participate in Fresh Science.

Nominations for Fresh Science close at midnight on Tuesday 24 April. Find out more at the Fresh Science website.