Time: 32 minutes
“A really important part of inclusion is understanding your audience, understanding their needs, but also understanding their assets… What knowledge do they already have? …Science capital is about recognising what people already bring to the table.”
– Shanii Phillips
Episode hosts: Avantika Menon and Ximena Shaw Williams
Episode Guest: Shanii Phillips, Audience Research Manager at SciTech and PhD student at the Australian National University’s Centre for the Public Awareness of Science
Episode Credits:
Hosts: Avantika Menon, Ximena Shaw Williams
Guest: Shanii Phillips
Producer: Emma Gill
Editor: Hannah Archer
Audio Engineer: Matt Gill
Research: Avantika Menon, Ximena Shaw Williams
Show notes: Hannah Archer
Audiogram created using: Adobe Podcast
Keywords:
Science communication, inclusive science communication, science centres, The SciComm Collective, informal science learning, science capital, SciTech
Welcome back to Season 3 of The SciComm Collective! In this season we’re talking about how science stories get into public spaces like news, magazines, theatre, parks, museums, science centres, and youth groups.
In our third episode, Avantika and Ximena dive into the exhilarating world of science centres with Shanii Phillips, PhD student at the Australian National University’s Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, and Audience Research Manager at SciTech. They explore what inclusion in science centres really looks like, how it can be understood through the idea of science capital, and why engagement through informal science learning is more like a springboard than a pipeline. Shanii also shares her own learning journey – from the experience that first sparked her love of science communication, to her current goal as a doctoral researcher on a National Industry PhD scholarship. Tune in now to find out more!
“It’s not just those one-off events, it’s everything throughout your life. I like to think of it as a science engagement ecosystem. So as a science communication community, I think it’s really important that we work together… It’s about how all of those little experiences over the course of your life can all work together to give you a sense of science identity, or seeing the relevance of science in your everyday.”
– Shanii Phillips
Episode Links:
Learn more about Shanii’s research here – https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/shanii-phillips/
Read this paper by Shanii Phillips, Tarryn Basden, and Dr Heather Bray:
Visit SciTech’s website here – https://www.scitech.org.au/
Professor Louise Archer and the STEM Participation & Social Justice Research Group – https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/education-practice-and-society/research/stem-participation-and-social-justice-research-group
Researching the social impact of SciTech – https://www.scitech.org.au/2025/03/pilot-study-measures-the-social-impact-of-scitech/
Life Science Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne – https://www.life.org.uk/
Dr Karina Judd – what is inclusive sci comm? https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/publications/what-is-inclusive-science-communication/
We love hearing everyone’s stories of how they got into science communication. What about you? What brought you here? Feel free to share in the comments!
All opinions on this website are representative of individuals and are not representative of The University of Western Australia. The University of Western Australia is not liable for content herein.
