Johannes Debler, a molecular biologist representing Curtin University and the Centre for Crop and Disease Management, is the winner of the FameLab Australia 2024 science communication competition. The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute’s biomedical engineer Auriane Drack and the University of Technology Sydney’s reproductive biologist Claire Richards were named runners-up.
The twelve finalists - early career researchers and ambitious science communicators from universities and research institutions across Australia - were required to communicate their research in just three minutes, using simple, everyday language.
The finalists were judged on the content, clarity, and charisma of their presentation by a judging panel featuring Prof. Lyn Beazley, Prof. Daniel McAullay, Dr Denise McCorry and Dr Mark Harvey.
The capacity audience in WA Museum Boola Bardip’s Hackett Hall, as well as viewers watching the livestream from around the globe enjoyed a highly entertaining night learning about cutting-edge research from across Australia.
Johannes Debler won over the judges with his talk “Lentil soup: now with extra immune system” about his work investigating the interactions between fungal diseases of lentil with their host; Auriane Drack spoke about innovative therapies to mend broken hearts in her talk “Joining forces to repair broken hearts”; and Claire Richards explained her work on using mini placentas to study pregnancy and its complications in her presentation “Printing a cure for preeclampsia”.
Johannes will go on to represent Australia in the international FameLab Final, which will be held online on 29 November 2024, and wins a trip to the 2025 Cheltenham Science Festival.
Congratulations to all outstanding 2024 FameLab Finalists:
|
Finalist |
University/ Institution |
State |
|
Dr Sally Buck |
CSIRO |
ACT |
|
Johannes Debler |
Curtin University & Centre for Crop and Disease Management |
WA |
|
Auriane Drack |
Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute |
VIC |
|
Dr Penelope Galbraith |
CSIRO |
QLD |
|
Julia Haile |
University of Western Australia |
WA |
|
Bruno Hernandez |
Curtin University |
WA |
|
Kira Hughes |
Deakin University |
VIC |
|
Dr Graeme Mattison |
University of Queensland |
QLD |
|
Alice O'Keefe |
University of Wollongong |
NSW |
|
Dr Rohanti Ravikulan |
Flinders Medical Centre |
SA |
|
Claire Richards |
University of Technology Sydney |
NSW |
|
Georgia Welsh |
Murdoch University |
WA |
FameLab is the world’s leading public-facing science communication competition and training program, created by Cheltenham Festivals (UK). Since 2007, the competition has gone global in over 40 countries, with more than 40,000 scientists participating to date. FameLab is recognised as being a powerful means to identifying and nurturing new voices in science, with previous alumni embarking on high-profile careers in science communication and the media.
The Foundation for the WA Museum has been the producer and country host organisation of FameLab Australia since 2019. The focus of FameLab Australia is to promote excellence in science communication for early career STEM researchers in universities and industry. The competition is open to early career STEM researchers currently completing postgraduate studies or within five years of completing their postgraduate degrees.
The Foundation for the WA Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of all FameLab partners:
FameLab Australia 2024 winner Johannes Debler.
FameLab Australia 2024 finalists, judges and guests.
