Science Media Centre NZ

Free monthly talks with the SMC Join us for a monthly webinar where we cover topics like working with the media, communicating your research to the general public, and using social media to promote your research. Register below.…

Tomorrow at 10am: Join us for a free webinar about how researchers can make the most of social media. We'll cover tips on which platforms to use, how to build an audience, with time for audience questions at the end. Register here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/monthly-talk...

Free monthly talks with the SMC Join us for a monthly webinar where we cover topics like working with the media, communicating your research to the general public, and using social media to promote your research. Register below.…

Thursday! Social media tips for researchers with Prof Ekant Veer. We'll cover: choosing a platform, finding your audience, and how to do social media for social good. Register here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/monthly-talk...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

Last chance to apply for our media advisor role! Get your CV in by 5pm today.

www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

Do you enjoy distilling complex ideas into easy-to-understand points? What about connecting with talented people, learning new things every day, and finding big science news stories before anyone else? Apply for our media advisor role by 5pm tomorrow: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

We're looking for a new media advisor who's keen to help us provide essential plain-langauge context for reporters whenever science is in the headlines.

More info and apply here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

Only a few days left to send in your CV to work with us at the SMC!

Apply by 5pm Thursday: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

We're looking for a new media advisor to join our team connecting the worlds of science and journalism. **Apply by Thursday** - more info here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

Want to work with the SMC? We don’t expect perfection in our candidates – if you think you may have what it takes, but don’t meet every point referenced below, please still get in touch!

More info and apply here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

Want to join our team? This role would suit an experienced journalist with a keen interest in how science and research impact the world around us, or an exceptional science communicator with a solid understanding of news media.
More info and apply here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Work with us! Kaimanaaki Pāpāho | Media Advisor – Science Media Centre The Science Media Centre is looking for a media advisor to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in…

THE SMC IS HIRING!

We're looking for someone to join our dedicated team working to improve the reach, relevance and accuracy of news media reporting on science and related topics in Aotearoa New Zealand.

More info and apply here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/26/w...

Inevitable solar storms will be catastrophic for energy supply Exploding transformers and crippling worldwide power outages: NZ's disaster experts say the threat posed by solar storms is comparable to nuclear war

Fox won the Emerging Journalist award for “Inevitable solar storms will be catastrophic for energy supply.”
newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/10/i...

Room for the river: Is it time to re-think how we manage floods? Since the 1950s, the Ngaruroro River in Hawke’s Bay has been steadily and deliberately restricted to a channel half its former width. As the likelihood of extreme flooding increases, is it time to re-...

Kate won this year’s Established Professional category for her In Depth article, “Room for the river,” with designer Hingyi Khong.
www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/i...

Winners of 2025 Science Journalism Awards announced The winners of this year's Science Journalism Awards cover the dark side of solar storms and explore the long-term impacts of human changes to a Hawke's Bay river. Kate Newton of RNZ won this year's...

Congratulations to our winners - Kate Newton of RNZ, and @foxmeyer.bsky.social of @newsroom.co.nz!
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/06/19/w...

World building: The story of kōura Crayfish are the great creators and cleanup crew of their freshwater homes. They burrow into banks, unstick gummy sediment, and deal with anything that ends up dead in the water. Plus, they’re…

SCIENCE JOURNALISM AWARDS FINALIST: Crayfish are the “great creators and cleanup crew” of their freshwater homes, in this @nzgeo.bsky.social piece by Bill Morris which weaves together great photos, human stories, facts and mātauranga. www.nzgeo.com/stories/worl...

Eleven finalists emerge for 2025 Science Journalism Awards From over 60 submissions that included television and audio pieces, interactives, online news stories, and long-form features, we have eleven finalists for the 2025 Science Journalism Awards. Many tha...

Winners will be announced Weds 18th June. Check out the rest of the finalists here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/05/15/e...

Inevitable solar storms will be catastrophic for energy supply Exploding transformers and crippling worldwide power outages: NZ's disaster experts say the threat posed by solar storms is comparable to nuclear war

SCIENCE JOURNALISM AWARDS FINALIST: @foxmeyer.bsky.social's article for @newsroom.co.nz is “a great invitation to look beyond the stunning auroras” and focus on mitigating their disruption to electrical grids. newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/10/i...

Eleven finalists emerge for 2025 Science Journalism Awards From over 60 submissions that included television and audio pieces, interactives, online news stories, and long-form features, we have eleven finalists for the 2025 Science Journalism Awards. Many tha...

Winners will be announced Weds 18th June. Check out the rest of the finalists here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/05/15/e...

Why South Dunedin is so vulnerable to flooding - and why it could get worse The area faces yet another flooding crisis after the city recorded its wettest day in more than a century earlier this week.

SCIENCE JOURNALISM AWARDS FINALIST: James Ball digs into the history of Dunedin's wetlands and why they were drained in this @tvnz.bsky.social piece that attempts to make sense of the October 2024 floods. www.1news.co.nz/2024/10/06/w...

Eleven finalists emerge for 2025 Science Journalism Awards From over 60 submissions that included television and audio pieces, interactives, online news stories, and long-form features, we have eleven finalists for the 2025 Science Journalism Awards. Many tha...

Winners will be announced Weds 18th June. Check out the rest of the finalists here: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/05/15/e...

The end of the everywhere bird What would the beach be without red-billed gulls? We may be about to find out. Two huge colonies have already gone under and the next biggest, in Kaikōura, is failing fast.

Less than a week till we announce the Science Journalism Awards winners! One of the finalists is @kategevans.bsky.social‬ remarkable tale in @nzgeo.bsky.social‬ of the threats to the seemingly ubiquitous red-billed gull. www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-...

How scientists pulled off a rare kākāpō artificial insemination How scientists pulled off a rare kākāpō artificial insemination New Zealand's beloved kākāpō haven't made it easy for their population to bounce back from incredibly low numbers in the 1990s. One in…

This new study goes into excruciating detail about the... uh… 'squeezing', 'abdominal massage', and 'electric stimulation' techniques used to collect kākāpō sperm.

Excellent if depressing commentary on science funding from today's budget.
From Frédérique Vanholsbeeck:
"we are witnessing the slow destruction of the science sector, with a continued lack of investment effectively gutting it of people and infrastructure as researchers leave the country"

Comments from @nicgaston.bsky.social @lcsnz.bsky.social @newzealandecology.bsky.social and more

Budget 2025: Science system funding - Expert Reaction Amid this year's science sector reforms, the 2025 Budget includes money for the establishment of three new Public Research Organisations and a gene tech regulator. Science, Innovation and Technology M...

Budget 2025 continues the government's shift of the science sector towards more "growth-promoting investments".
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/05/22/b...

Eleven finalists emerge for 2025 Science Journalism Awards From over 60 submissions that included television and audio pieces, interactives, online news stories, and long-form features, we have eleven finalists for the 2025 Science Journalism Awards. Many tha...

We're thrilled to announce the eleven finalists for the 2025 Science Journalism Awards, covering solar storms, crafty kōura, dental dams, and more! Winners will be revealed on 18 June.

www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/05/15/e...

I can't recommend this course enough. If you are at all interested in disseminating your science through the media, then you should take this course.

Science Media SAVVY Our flagship media training increases confidence and skills to help researchers to engage more effectively with the wider public through broadcast, print and social media. Apply below. We create a uni...

Attention South Island-based experts looking for media training!

There are still a handful of spots in our 5-6 June Chch workshop (including at least one fees-free space).

We've extended the deadline to apply, and applications this week are likely to be accepted.

smc.nz/science-media-savvy/#apply

Celebrate your favourite science story of the year! Nominations are open for the second annual Science Journalism Awards. We want to hear about your favourite piece of NZ science reporting from the past 12 months. We created these awards to celebrate...

We're in the final days to nominate a piece of journalism for a golden tardigrade: www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/02/21/c...

I might have to change careers - this is one prize I would love to win! What a trophy. However, I think I might need to practice for 20+ years first. NZ has some pretty fab science reporters!

Covering Science Covering science can be tricky, but we've put together a number of resources to help out busy journalists that can be viewed as an ebook or downloaded as a PDF. These resources are also available onli...

Thanks Grant, fixed now! www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/coveringscie...