Outreach

The Burns lab is very aware of the need to communicate their science to the general public and have adopted and participated in a range of forums over the years to facilitate this. This has included:

• Biography and research of the Burns group being included in the school science curriculum textbook (NSW Biology, Macmillan) for Preliminary and HSC students

• Promoting STEM in general as a career through visits to primary and high schools, with one of the focuses on supporting women in science and those from diverse socio-economic backgrounds

• Engaging in the wider community by acting as a part of a remote scientific team for a project undertaken in collaboration with NASA and a major 3D IMAX movie production, ‘Aliens of the Deep’, produced by James Cameron

• Dr Burns being a panel member for Science in the Pub: Biodiversity an event hosted by Cosmos magazine editor Wilson da Silva debating biodiversity and ethical issues

• Invitation by Starlight Children's Foundation to participate in National Science Week talking with children with a serious illness or chronic condition about science

• Contributing to an essay linking microbial communities to human societies ‘Forest City’

• Dr Burns being interviewed by the BBC (UK) on release of Stephen Hawking’s latest essays in 2018

• Graduate students Fraser MacLeod and Gareth Kindler participating in National Science Week at the Australia Museum, engaging parents and children to promote science to the community.