Associate Professor Merryn McKinnon
Content navigation
About
Dr Merryn McKinnon's original degree was in marine science where, after the novelty of moving intertidal snails with a paint scraper wore off, she discovered that talking about her research to other people brought her far closer to her conservation goals than her actual project ever could.
This led her to the field of science communication where she has stayed ever since, working in a range of roles and countries. Merryn enjoys the diverse issues science communication allows her to explore, and the creativity and problem solving it requires.
Merryn has worked and conducted qualitative and quantitative research nationally and internationally, in both non-academic and academic roles. She worked as a science communicator for a decade before entering academia, and uses her professional knowledge combined with her theoretical expertise to inform her own teaching and practice in the media and in developing and delivering communication workshops to researchers and policy makers.
Merryn's research contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between science, media and publics. She also explores the influence of equity, inclusion and intersectionality in STEM, especially STEM communication.
Affiliations
Research interests
- The relationship between science, publics and the media;
- Public engagement in science inlcuding influences on beliefs and perceptions of science;
- Factors affecting interpretation and understanding of communication messages;
- The impact of science communication training and activities with a particular focus on gender;
- intersectionality, diversity and inclusion in STEM disciplines
Projects
- Influences on the science teaching self-efficacy beliefs of Australian primary school teachers, Principal investigator
- 3D Images and Models in Chemistry, Supervisor
- Can hype be a force for good?, Supervisor
- Communicating biosecurity information to Australian-registered veterinary practitioners, Supervisor
- Impacts of citizen science on volunteers, Supervisor
- Impacts of women in information technology mentoring programs, Supervisor
- Improving the implementation of participatory research approaches for ocean sustainability: the role and importance of gender, equity and inclusion, Supervisor
- Mapping and tracking engagement in controversial scientific discourses, Supervisor
- Navigating nutrition: web content analysis to inform development of the Shared Decision Making model, Supervisor
- Parental values, preferences and issues with sex education in Australian schools, Supervisor
- Reshaping the arena: Engagement as a threshold concept for science education and science communication, Supervisor
- Science for sailors: science communication for a targeted audience, Supervisor
- Science writing: An examination into science writer writing behaviours, motivations, and source preferences, Supervisor
- Scientific communication of the contribution of dietary overconsumption to planetary destabilisation, Supervisor
- Sex on campus: Investigating sexual health promotion in universities, Supervisor
- STEM Skills in Australian High Schools, Supervisor
- Teaching STEM in contemporary Australia, Supervisor
- The role of culture and identity in communication to young Australian adults, Supervisor
- Vaccination: Perceptions, Attitudes and Behaviour, Supervisor
- What is inclusive science communication?, Supervisor
- Zoo design: connecting zoo visitors with conservation messages, Supervisor
- Gender equity in STEM, Researcher
Teaching information
Merryn is the lecturer for Science in the Media (SCOM2016/6016), Health Promotion and Protection (POPH6115), and Health Promotion Principles and Practice (SCOM3033). A core focus of her teaching is providing students with opportunity to practice the skills 'in the real world' through working with partners both within and external to the ANU.
She convenes the Honours program and is also a regular presenter of some of CPAS's short courses.
Location
Peter Baume Building 42a