Wissenschaft im Dialog

In the series „Nachgefragt“ ("Asking Questions"), we introduce, in no particular order, people working in science communication. With 17 questions - and 17 answers, sometimes serious, sometimes humorous.

In our twenty-sixth episode we are speaking with Will Grant, senior lecturer and researcher at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) and co-host of the pub podcast The Wholesome Show.

A good communicator needs…?

To shower regularly! And empathy, that’s really good too.

What motivated you to work in the field of science communication?

I’m fascinated by how knowledge works, but I also want to work in a field that makes a difference to the world. Science communicators really do.

Describe your daily work in three words.

Coffee, conversation, email.

What is the best experience you have had as a communicator?

Answering these questions! 

What was your biggest communication disaster?

Going in to a high school event inadequately prepared...

Which of your traits bothers you the most in your daily work?

I... have a very short attention span.

Which (historical) person would you like to have dinner with?

Heston Blumenthal – he’d be fascinating, and the dinner would be awesome!

What is your favourite research discipline?

I can’t play favourites! They’re all my special babies.

Which research topic would you least like to communicate?

Deep complex cell biology. That stuff does my head in.

If time and money were no object: Which science communication project would you like to do?

If time and money were no object and my kids were all grown up and my wife could come too I’d like to go to a different conference every day for a whole year and report on what I’d found.

If you didn’t work in science communication, what field would you like to be in?

Look I’d like to be an Avenger but it’s unlikely they’d take me. Is the field of “internationally feted avant garde artist” available?

Science communication in 2030 will be…

Shiny.

What do you consider the greatest achievement in the history of science?

Killing god. (Not an endorsement, please don’t @ me)

How did you imagine the future as a child?

More vertically.

How do you keep your head clear when you are stressed?

Ride my bike!

I like to help colleagues with?

Odd bits of physical labour in an office situation. Hammering things and so on.  

Who would you like to send this questionnaire to and what question would you like to ask them? 

How about Christine O'Connell from Stony Brook University?

Will Grant

Will Grant is a science communicator, senior lecturer and researcher at the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) at the Australian National University (ANU). His current research focuses on the relationship between science and public policy. Will Grant has papers published in the International Journal for Science Communication. He also writes articles for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Brisbane Times and gives talks at embassies and TEDx. Along with his colleague Rod Lamberts, Will Grant hosts the monthly podcast Wholesome Show. Sitting in a pub over a beer, they ask experts in science, research and policy "questions you never thought to ask".

In order to read all the posts of this series please follow this link. 

 

---