How to use the AusSMC

For media

How to use the Australian Science Media Centre

The primary focus of the AusSMC is to provide journalists with scientific experts and accurate, evidence-based information within the required timeframe.

Due to limited resources, priority is given to Australian journalists working in news and current affairs.

Register

If you are a journalist and would like to receive AusSMC’s rapid roundups, alerts and details of AusSMC events please fill in our journalist registration form.

Finding an expert

When covering a science story for news or current affairs, journalists can call (08) 8207 7415 or email us and we will use our database and contacts to put you in touch with the right person. This is a free service available to any Australian journalist.

Our database is populated with experts who are highly credible within their field, have excellent communication skills and who have agreed to respond to reporters at short notice. Most of the experts are Australian though we also have access to some key overseas experts on international issues.

Rapid Roundup of scientific opinion

One of the most useful services we provide is a Roundup of scientists’ reactions to breaking news – a series of quotes from experts around the country. This can be invaluable as a:

Source of quotes
Gauge of what the scientific community thinks about a new development
List of potential interviewees for print or broadcast

Media briefings

We also look at big picture, controversial issues and one of the advantages of the Centre’s independence is our ability to bring scientists from different scientific institutions onto the same platform to talk to journalists. These media briefings:

Help journalists get background information on stories they will be covering in the coming months
Enable scientists to be more pro-active about issues likely to arouse public concern

Since 2007 we have been offering Online Media Briefings - for more information about how to access these events, click here.

Hours of Operation

The AusSMC is operated by a small team and we aim to open between 9am and 6pm CST. If you need to talk to us urgently outside these hours please call 0413 043 399 (temporary number).

	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

This page was last modified on June 29, 2009
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