Queensland Science Communicators Network event - 28 May 2024

Agenda

• Welcome
• Networking - talk with someone you don't know
• Presentation and Q&A with Anthony Brown and Michael Franks, Innovation Ecosystem Communications Advisor, Innovation, Department of Environment, Science and Innovation
  
• Presentation and Q&A with Prof Andrew White, Director, Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS), The University of Queensland
  
• QSCN - Member update - online and in the room
  
• Close
  
• For those attending in-person - 30min tour of Quantum Technology Lab

Anthony Brown – former Senior Media Manager, Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport. Anthony has worked in science and innovation communications for the Queensland Government since 2005, including establishing the Queensland Science Communicators Network. He has also lectured in journalism at Griffith University, including news writing and ethics, feature writing, international journalism, and media law. Anthony began his career at The Gympie Times, was editor of Wildlife Australia magazine, worked as a freelance journalist in Ireland and as a senior media officer at the University of Queensland and Legal Aid Queensland. He is also a novelist – The Boys from Ballymore, Penguin Australia, 2001.

Michael Franks - Michael has worked in senior media and communications roles across the government, media and not-for-profit sectors for more than two decades. Michael began his career as a newspaper journalist in Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley, before joining Queensland’s emergency services as a public affairs officer. He has extensive experience in media liaison, issues management and crisis communications, and previously led the media training program at the Queensland Ambulance Service. Michael has an MBA from the QUT Graduate School of Business and specialises in communication strategy and stakeholder engagement.

Prof Andrew White's research interests are in the field of quantum information, quantum optics, and all aspects of quantum weirdness. Andrew was raised in a Queensland dairy town, before heading south to the big smoke of Brisbane to study chemistry, maths, physics and, during the World Expo, the effects of alcohol on uni students from around the world. Deciding he wanted to know what the cold felt like, he first moved to Canberra, then Germany—completing his PhD in quantum physics—before moving on to Los Alamos National Labs in New Mexico where he quickly discovered that there is more than enough snow to hide a cactus, but not nearly enough to prevent amusing your friends when you sit down.