The pub test for research
DO you want to know the science behind motorbike clothing, how a fly can frame you for murder or how a circular economy works?
Find out at the Pint of Science festival, where researchers step out from the laboratory to share their discoveries with punters at pubs all around Australia and the world.
Returning next week to Geelong’s Little Creatures Furphy Hall after two years online, Pint of Science is organised by a grassroots community of scientists in more than 400 cities worldwide.
In Australia, the festival aims to “serve science to thirsty minds”, by breaking down stereotypes, building science appreciation and highlighting the “amazing science brewing in our own back yards”.
“Since most research is publicly funded, we aim to build the public’s understanding of the research and science happening in their communities by taking the research to them in a way that’s easily accessible,” Pint of Science Australia chief of staff and Deakin University PhD researcher in environmental psychology Isabella Bower said.
Ms Bower said this year’s Pint of Science festival was a hybrid event, with the program featuring national online activities, including a live blog, podcasts and radio interviews, and live events in pubs in 11 cities across Australia.
Deakin researchers are among those sharing scientific discoveries across the festival’s three nights in Geelong from next Monday to Wednesday.
Topics range from why we haven’t been able to solve the problem of malaria, to poo transplants, connecting with nature for mental health and the possibility of 3D printing spare body parts.
Researchers from Barwon Water are also taking part.
Pint of Science festival city co-ordinator for Geelong and a diabetes researcher at Deakin Dr Kathryn Aston-Mourney said the Geelong region had “an amazing amount of research” taking place.
“Obviously, there’s Deakin, but Barwon Health is also a big contributor to research in Geelong, along with CSIRO and
Barwon Water, where there is some fantastic sustainability research happening,” Dr Aston-Mourney said.
“Our region has so many talented scientists doing incredible work and Pint of Science is an opportunity for the Geelong public to hear about that work in a format that’s more accessible than a paper in an academic journal. It’s a fun and engaging night and completely different to a university lecture.
“You don’t need to know anything about science beforehand, just come along and find out some really cool things.”
Ms Bower said taking research out of laboratories to the public benefited scientists and their audience.
“I’ve always found as a researcher that audiences at these events ask brilliant questions that offer a completely different take on my work and the impact it might have,” she said.
“I come away with a completely different perspective. It really is the pub test for research.”
The Pint of Science festival is also on at venues across Melbourne.
Catch Deakin’s Professor Emma Kowal at the First Scientists event at the Plough Hotel on May 9 and Dr Elodie Camprasse at the Royal Melbourne Hotel’s Cute Critters session on May 10.