Join us in congratulating ecologist Professor Lesley Hughes, announced as a finalist in the 2014 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes category ‘Promoting Understanding of Australian Science Research’.
Her nomination follows over two decades of pioneering research and advocacy around the impacts of climate change on Australian species and ecosystems.
While still using her own research as a basis for her scientific credibility and expertise, in the last decade Lesley has moved beyond communicating only about her own work to translating the science of climate change in all its breadth and complexity, to the wider public.
“I’d really like to see more scientists get their messages out to the public about what they do,” says Lesley.
”It’s easy to get completely caught up in our daily work, and with communicating only to our peer group via journal articles and conferences. Communicating beyond this circle does take more effort but I have found it extremely satisfying and enjoyable, even in an area as politically contentious as climate change.”
Lesley has done this through:
- Accepting a role in the Climate Commission and subsequent Climate Council of Australia, and contributing to over 30 public forums as well as their website, blog, eNewsletter and YouTube channel
- Engaging with the media in nearly 4,000 media mentions in relation to climate change, and contributing to outlets such as The Conversation
- Bringing science to policy, through authoring IPCC reports and roles in groups such as the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists
- Developing and presenting a free short online course on climate change, through Open Universities Australia.
This breadth of activities makes Lesley a strong contender for the award, which is intended to recognise and promote the efforts of scientists who communicate their research to a broad range of audiences in understandable, diverse and engaging ways.
“I feel honoured to be nominated. The competition for Eurekas is really fierce in all categories,” Lesley says.
The winners of the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes 2014 will be announced at a gala dinner on Wednesday 10 September.