AusSMC: About us

About us

The Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC) is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation devoted to providing evidence-based science to the public through the mainstream media.

It is first and foremost an independent service for news reporters when major science news stories hit the headlines. The overall goal is public debate and awareness on scientific issues that is based on the most up-to-date information available. The Centre is based on the UK’s acclaimed Science Media Centre (SMC), an initiative of Baroness Susan Greenfield, Director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. The AusSMC was inspired by the Baroness during her period as an Adelaide Thinker in Residence.

The Centre was incorporated on 1 March 2005, officially launched by the Premier, the Hon Mike Rann and Baroness Greenfield on 2 August 2005 and opened for business on 28 November 2005. Baroness Greenfield is the Patron of the AusSMC.

The establishment of the AusSMC was guided by a National Consultation Report conducted in April-May 2005. The idea was to gain a clear understanding of the Australian context, the cultures of the science and media communities and how the AusSMC could be of value within the Australian science media. The report was based on interviews around Australia with a cross section of key stakeholders such as news editors, science and medical journalists, scientists, communication officers, and science communicators.

"The Australian Science Media Centre is a very exciting initiative that continues the work that was started by the Science Media Centre at The Royal Institution (Ri) in London. As such, I am delighted to endorse a similar facility in Australia, which will enable the media to gain fast access to informed and articulate scientists. Over the last three years we have proven that such a forum is vital for democratising science in the 21st Century."

Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield
Director, Royal Institution of Great Britain

Annual Reports

	July 2007-June 2008 (pdf - 4Mb)
	Our first 18 months: Dec 05 - June 07 (pdf)

	Latest releases \| Archive

	FOSSIL DISCOVERY PUTS AUSTRALIA BACK ON DINOSAUR MAP (PLoS ONE) RAPID ROUNDUP: New research published in PLoS ONE describes the first large Australian dinosaurs to be discovered since 1981. Fri 3 Jul 09 HUMANS TO BLAME FOR EXTINCTION OF GIANT KANGAROO (PNAS) RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts comment on new Australian research suggesting human hunting is to blame for the extinction of the largest kangaroo ever to evolve. Tue 23 Jun 09 GLOBAL REPORT ON WHALES RAPID ROUNDUP: The Australian Govt has just released the global Cetacean Summary Report in advance of the International Whaling Comission meeting. An expert comments. Fri 19 Jun 09 COPENHAGEN CLIMATE SYNTHESIS REPORT RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts respond to a new report compling research presented at the 'Climate Change: Global Risks Challenges & Descisions' congress in Copenhagen in March. Thu 18 Jun 09 SWINE FLU ALERT LEVEL MOVES TO PROTECT RAPID ROUNDUP: The Australian Govt has created a new response phase to manage the 'swine flu' outbreak. Experts comment. Wed 17 Jun 09 LINK BETWEEN CO2 AND TEMPERATURE RAPID ROUNDUP: Climate scientists respond to Senator Stephen Fielding's question: Why have CO2 concentrations over the last decade been going up but temperatures have not? Mon 15 Jun 09 CARBON NANOTUBES SUPPRESS IMMUNE FUNCTION RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts respond to new research which shows the inhalation of carbon nanotubes could suppress the immune function. Mon 15 Jun 09 DEATH OF QLD MAN STUNNED WITH TASER RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts respond to the use of a Taser on a Queensland man who died on 12 June. Fri 12 Jun 09 (updated) ANTARCTIC ICE IN CLIMATE CHANGE ONLINE MEDIA BRIEFING: Hear from experts about two reports released from the ACE CRC that help clarify what we know about sea ice, ice sheets and climate change. Fri 12 Jun 09 at 10.30am AEST WHO SWINE FLU PANDEMIC DECLARATION RAPID ROUNDUP: The WHO has raised the global alert level for influenza A(H1N1) to Phase 6, the pandemic phase. Experts comment. Fri 12 Jun 09 DEFORESTATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE ONLINE BACKGROUND BRIEFING: A mechanism to reduce deforestation in developing nations was left out of the Kyoto Protocol. Hear from two Australian experts at climate talks in Bonn on the latest negotiations. Wed 10 Jun 09 at 3pm AEST WORLD'S SCIENCE ACADEMIES WARNING ON OCEAN ACIDIFICATION RAPID ROUNDUP: The world’s science academies, including the Australian Academy of Science, have warned that ocean acidification may be left off the agenda at the UN Copenhagen conference. Mon 1 Jun 09 HUMAN SWINE FLU: WHY ALL THE HYPE? SCIENCE BLOG: Professor Robert Booy discusses the issue of hype in the reporting of swine flu. Mon 1 Jun 09 STEM CELLS RESTORE SIGHT TO SUFFERERS OF CORNEAL DISEASE RAPID ROUNDUP: Experts react to news that researchers at the UNSW have used patients' own stem cells, to restore sight to sufferers of blinding corneal disease. Wed 27 May 09

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