Speaker Details
Biography:
Graham’s passion is science communication and informal science learning, in particular science shows. He is one of two people in the world to be awarded a PhD focusing on show performance. Graham’s research investigates the emotional and motivational aspects of science shows and their potential as tools for social change – from inspiring science careers in youth to dealing with climate change. He completed his PhD, BSc and Graduate Diploma in Science Communication at the Australian National University.
He regularly puts his research into practice conducting science shows, training and teacher workshops around the world, including Abu Dhabi, Southern and East Africa, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Brunei, China and Singapore. In Australia, he performs at schools and major public events across the country, has a regular TV segment and works with the Starlight Foundation charity, taking science to kids in Australian hospitals.
Graham believes science education can make the world a better place, especially in the developing world. In 2008 he was set the challenge of collaboratively developing a show on HIV AIDS for South African students, which is now part of a science centre based AIDS intervention. His PhD showed the positive impact of the program. Graham knows science and its communication can change people’s lives for the better.
Graham works at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science at the Australian National University, where he teachers the Masters of Science Communication Outreach (Questacon Science Circus) program. He also manages two large scale outreach, training and capacity building projects, Science Circus Africa and Science Circus Pacific. These projects aim to spread the science centre model into developing nations and, through research, better understand how partnerships, capacity building and culture can assist.
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