CPAS Visiting Fellow Dr Suzette Searle manages communications at the Wattle Day Association to celebrate National Wattle Day on 1 September each year. 

Her passion for Australia's wattles began during her work as a CSIRO scientist into their use for forestry, but grew with a love for their symbolism and cultural history. 

This year Dr Searle was involved in many Canberra-based activities from Friday's ceremonial planting of a Golden Wattle at the Arboretum by the Governor-General, wattle stalls, wattle walks, a Wattle Day dinner, and citizenship ceremonies at Albert Hall where sprigs of wattle were gifts to 200 new citizens plus their families and friends.

"It was a very successful but intense week," said Dr Searle.

"There has been good public engagement around Australia — more than ever before."

(If you're a student, the Association is open to hosting science communication interns! Email us for more details.)