ABC RN’s Top Five program turns scientists into broadcasters

The ABC’s Top 5 Media Residency Program is expanding this year to give a voice to early career researchers.

Scientists and researchers have incredibly bright minds, but are not necessarily the best when it comes to communicating their breakthroughs.

The ABC has been trying to help Australia’s best scientists reach a wider audience — launching its Top 5 program, which brings scientists to work as broadcasters at Radio National.

Applications for 2018 are now open and, in its fourth year, the scheme has expanded to include some of the country’s best researchers in the humanities and social sciences.

Providing an in-house ideas incubator based at ABC RN, the program is designed to nurture the communication skills and media awareness of emerging scholars to help them share their knowledge and expertise with audiences seeking expert information and debate.

The ‘researchers in residence’ will spend two weeks at the ABC working alongside some of the country’s best journalists and broadcasters to train in the craft of radio and TV interviews and develop content across ABC platforms.

The Science program is for early career university researchers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medical research (STEMM). Five winners will undertake a two-week media residency at the ABC in July, ahead of National Science Week.

The Humanities program is for early career university researchers in humanities, arts and social sciences (HASS). Offered for the first time this year, five winners will undertake a two-week media residency at the ABC in September.

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