CPAS Welcomes Biggest New Cohort of HDRs in its History
In these socially, technologically and environmentally turbulent times, the importance of science communication has only continued to increase across the world. More than ever, every science communicator has an important role to play.
This is why CPAS is proud and excited to welcome the most Higher Degree Research (HDR) students in its history. Our 2025 cohort will be studying a whole gamut of things – from internet communities to conversations around conservation, from parasites in comics to genetics in classrooms.
These HDRs commenced with CPAS, right as CPAS became part of the ANU College of Systems and Society (formerly the ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics). Coming as they do from a diversity of backgrounds, the 2025 cohort will fit right into the College's vision – of combining breakthroughs in science, engineering and technology alongside improving our understanding of humanity and society.
They are now part of the many academics that make up CPAS, who exemplify the many different disciplines that are united under the umbrella of science communication.
From Left to Right: Adam Suckling, Vanessa Barett, Geraint Stirling, Shao-Jie Zhou, SJ Barnes, Lynne El Hassan, and Jamie Piroe
After originally studying Korean for several years before completing a BS in Oceanography at the University of Washington, SJ came to ANU in 2023 through the Master of Science Communication program.
SJ is currently researching how internet fan communities discuss and interpret science content they encounter in online videos and podcasts. This PhD research is letting her ask even bigger questions about how our conversations around science create the worlds we live in. While we all want to share more and better science communication with our audiences, they wants to challenge our field to consider how those audiences consume and create meaning from the information we give them. By looking through the lens of science fandom, they hope to put the audience's knowledge first and let their communication around their science speak for itself.
Vanessa is a wildlife carer. Sometimes referred to as “the bat lady”, she specialises in flying foxes. Her background is in zoology, education and communications.
Vanessa followed her supervisor Fabien Medvecky across the ditch from Otago University, where she looked at attitudes to wildlife rescue during the Black Summer bushfires. She is hoping her PhD at CPAS will bring all of that together - exploring the gap between science and action.
Although Lynne love science, she loves talking and communicating about it even more.
Lynne knows that genomics is sometimes seen as complicated and inaccessible, particularly for young people, and also has a difficult history for many First Nations communities. Working with Indigenous communities and the ANU National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, she wants to explore how we can codesign engaging and culturally relevant genomics resources and experiences for Indigenous youth around Australia. She is excited to make all this a reality during her time at CPAS, and learn all about the other wonderful and exciting things that CPAS explores.
Aphrika is a biosecurity officer with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. She will be joining CPAS in the second semester of 2025. She will be part of a newly established training centre aiming to tackle the world’s biggest biosecurity challenges, the Australian Research Council Training Centre in Plant Biosecurity.
Her PhD project aims to understand how to build and maintain connections between decision makers, stakeholders and the public during a biosecurity outbreak.
Shao-Jie is the newest addition to the POPSICULE. He studies how sci-fi creatures—like parasites and robots—are portrayed and contextualized in films, TV, manga, and games. This is because our understanding of parasites and how they are portrayed reveal how pop culture serves not only as entertainment, but also as an express train for science communication.
Shanii identifies as a pracademic, jointly positioned in the worlds of science communication research and practice, and is embarking on a PhD to explore opportunities for enabling inclusive science communication practices within informal science learning (ISL) organisations, such as museums and science centres.
Combining her ever-inquisitive nature with her passion to always want to stand up for the underdog, she hopes to use her time at CPAS to find realistic and practical actions that ISL organisations can implement to ensure they truly do represent "science for all", instead of "science for those who already think science is for them."
Jamie Piroe is a PhD researcher at the ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development. Her research sheds light on the knowledge and understanding of gene editing technologies and synthetic biology among different stakeholders, including the general public.
During one of her main studies, she will co-produce future scenarios with diverse stakeholders about the use of these technologies for future crops development, within the context of food system transformation.
After teaching all about animals and conservation at Melbourne Zoo while completing a Master of Science Communication, Geraint found that people loved hearing about animal minds and intelligence. Could this be used to connect people to animals and nature to drive positive environmental attitudes and behaviours?
With CPAS now, Geraint's PhD research is attempting to answer this question through studying social science, conservation, values and attitudes, and fun facts about all kinds of animals.
Adam is a career food technologist whose research bridges responsible innovation and circular economy principles within food manufacturing systems.
Adam was drawn to CPAS via the Responsible Innovation Lab. He is interested in developing sustainable frameworks that best use food resources while minimising impact to all stakeholders. He looks forward to bringing his industry experience and interest in systems thinking methodologies to foster innovation that addresses complex challenges at the intersection of food technology, sustainability, and production practices.
CPAS's 2025 HDR Cohort alongside HDRs from other cohorts