SciComm Chat with Gretchen Stahlman: Research Data Stories, Science Communication and UFOs

Assistant Professor Gretchen Stahlman from Florida State University is visiting Brisbane for International Data Week, and would love to talk science communication and data with local academics and science communication professionals!

Hear about researchers’ data stories, Gretchen’s postgrad course on UFOs and information, and discuss the science communication opportunities in the emerging and controversial field of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).

This is an informal event hosted by the Australian Science Communicators QLD branch over a drink and a bite to eat at the Ship Inn. We hope to see you there! 

This is a co-located event with International Data Week 2025 (IDW2025). 

You'll also see Gretchen at IDW2025 co-hosting this session on 14 Oct: Emerging technologies in the global context: challenges and opportunities for the long-term environmental data management lifecycle. And Gretchen is helping to plan a co-located meeting on Friday: The long-term data workflow from creator to re-user.

About the speaker:

Gretchen Stahlman, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the School of Information at Florida State University, specialising in science communication, scholarly communication, and research data curation. Her research examines how scientific information is produced, organized, and shared across disciplines, with a particular emphasis on “long-tail” and legacy research data - datasets that may be small, dispersed, or at risk of loss but hold scientific value.

She has more than a decade of prior professional experience in librarianship and information management, including work on large-scale astronomy projects such as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), and as an academic researcher she has led and contributed to projects supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Gretchen recently organised two workshops, funded by NSF and DOD, surrounding a controversial science communication topic, Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), exploring ways to support more systematic study in this emerging field while leveraging opportunities for science communication, outreach, and promoting science literacy.

In addition to her research, Gretchen recently taught a graduate level course, “UFOs and Information,” which used this unconventional case study to engage students in critical conversations about evidence, uncertainty, and how scientific knowledge is constructed. Through this work, Gretchen aims to build bridges between researchers, institutions, and wider communities, highlighting the role of information and communication as foundations of open, collaborative, and trustworthy science.

About the Australian Science Communicators (ASC)

The Australian Science Communicators is the peak body for science communicators and science journalists in Australia. Established in 1994, the Australian Science Communicators has grown to a national network of more than 1650 subscribers and 450 financial members working in science and technology communication, including science journalists and writers, public information officers for academic and research organisations, scientists, museum professionals, science educators, science film-makers, and many other diverse professions united by the common theme of making science accessible. We are a not-for-profit organisation.

Learn more and register to become a member: https://www.asc.asn.au/join/

The South East Queensland ASC branch aims to create a social and thought-provoking experience by organising get-togethers, professional development workshops, and fun and interesting science and communication events for local ASC members.

We invite knowledgeable and relevant professionals to speak on current issues relating to science communication at our get-togethers and events.

About International Data Week (IDW2025)

International Data Week 2025 (IDW 2025) is a global event bringing together researchers, data professionals, policy makers and more to celebrate and advance the role of data in science and society. 

The event will showcase how data can be used to address global challenges, foster collaboration and inclusion, and improve research quality and impact.

IDW 2025 will combine the biennial Plenary Meeting of the Research Data Alliance (RDA), an international organisation working to develop and support global infrastructure facilitating data sharing and reuse, and SciDataCon 2025, the scientific conference addressing the frontiers of data in research organised by the International Science Council’s Committee on Data (CODATA) and World Data System (WDS).

This year’s theme of ‘Data for Positive Change’ highlights our commitment to the role of data in instituting change by empowering communities and advancing research. Learn more and register: https://idw2025.org/