Why the world needs ecologists: a call to fight the extinction crisis

Following the United Nations Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services report, Professor Brendan Wintle discussed and celebrated the crucial role that ecologists can play (and are playing) in co-designing and implementing solutions to the extinction crisis, in partnership with private land conservation organisations, Indigenous land managers, developers, and governments.

Let’s Torque – 2021 Competition Now Open

Welcome to Let’s Torque, a SciComm organisation for undergraduates, where you can participate in trivia events against other universities, attend state-of-the-art immersive workshops, and see SciComm like never before! Check out our newly opened Public Speaking competition (where you can compete for prize money and other winnings!), which has kickstarted the careers of many past competitors.

Resilient Forests: ensuring the Australian bush survives a changing climate

Professor Patrick Baker, Professor of Silviculture and Forest Ecology at the University of Melbourne, explains how tree rings can tell us about a landscapes climate history, and prove a worrying trend towards more extreme weather events and bushfires as a result of climate change. His studies have shown that bushfires are becoming more widespread and hotter than ever before, not just scarring trees – but killing them.

Championing Translation & Commercialisation of Australian Medical Research

Australia has a vibrant medical technology and pharmaceutical (MTP) sector, recognised globally for its excellence and innovation. With nearly 1,300 companies and an exceptionally skilled workforce of 68,000 across industry and research, the MTP sector is a major contributor to the Australian economy. Dr Rebecca Tunstall from MTPConnect leads collaborative teams to drive connectivity, innovation and productivity in the sector.

The Phoenix Schools Program: resurrecting lab equipment for the next generation of scientists

During Andrew Gray’s efforts in setting up BioQuisitive, he realised a large amount of old but otherwise high-quality scientific equipment was being consigned to landfill from professional laboratories. Joining forces with Samuel Wines, the Phoenix School Program was born.