Fresh Science is a national competition offering ten ‘rising stars of science’ in each state with crucial training in presenting their work to the media and the public at large.

Fresh Science 2017 is now seeking early-career researchers with a story to tell.

Early-career researchers are eligible to be nominated if:

• they are Honours students or if they obtained their PhD no more than five years ago
• they have a peer-reviewed discovery that has had little or no media coverage
• they have some ability to present their ideas in everyday English

How to nominate

Staff are encouraged to look up the selection criteria, read ahead and see what questions will be asked, then go online and nominate via the short, easy online application form.

Nominations close midnight on Thursday 31 August.

What’s involved?

Fresh Science will select the top ten applicants in each state.

Those selected will get:

• A day of media training where they will hear from working journalists about what makes science news for them; receive help finding the story in their research with guidance from two experienced science communicators; and have the opportunity to practice being interviewed in front of camera and on radio
• A short profile about their work written in a media-friendly way, published online and via social media
• The chance to step on stage and present their science to a friendly audience down at the pub.

One story per state will be written up as a press release and issued to the media.

The training will be held from late October to early December 2017.

Now in its 20th year, Fresh Science has trained more than 500 scientists to share their science, and generated hundreds of news stories via TV, print, radio and online.

Last year, Flinders researchers Stephanie Shepheard and Mona Awadalla took up the Fresh Science challenge. Read their story here.

More information is available at freshscience.org.au.