Niall is a science writer and science publicist with broad experience gained over the last 16 years. He was media director for the 19th International Genetics Congress held in Melbourne in 2003, and was commissioned by Nature to write/edit their recent supplement on biotechnology in Australia. Niall is a board member of the Australian Science Communicators (ASC) and Coordinator of the Victorian Branch of ASC
Niall’s major projects are listed online at here. Highlights include:
- Supplement Editor, Nature Insight, Australia: Harvesting biotechnology, Vol 429 No 6991 (Supplement) pp1-25. Niall commissioned and/or wrote all the editorial for this 25 page supplement.
View here - Science writer for the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science in 2004 and 2005.
View here - Program development and media liaison and promotion for Fresh Science and Fresh Innovators: programs which provide media experience to early career researchers and inventors.
www.freshinnovators.org
www.freshscience.org - Science writer and media liaison for the Clunies Ross National Science and Technology Medals 1998 to 2004
www.cluniesross.org.au - Communication and training material development for two major Dairy Australia programs: Countdown Downunder, a national milk quality program; and Dairy Moving Forward.
- Media Director, International Congress of Genetics, 2003. Niall coordinated a media centre which served 120 registered journalists.
www.geneticsmedia.org - Media Director, Microbiology Melbourne—the 2002 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian Society for Microbiology.
View here
Niall works with a network of skilled science writers, editors, designers and event managers to deliver value for his clients.
Born in Suffolk, England, Niall graduated from Durham University with a biology degree before emigrating to Australia in 1982. He honed his science communication skills working with CSIRO from 1988 to 1998. Highlights of this period included:
- development and joint project management of a $1,000,000 exotic animal disease training and awareness project (1990-1993);
- creation and leadership of CSIRO’s Animal Health’s communication team (1988-1998);
- management of CSIRO’s public communication on emergency disease issues such as BSE, equine morbillivirus, and the 1995 escape of rabbit calicivirus (a time of intense media scrutiny);
- research planning for CSIRO’s (then) new sectors.
Niall has four children and lives and works in Scotchmans Road, Bellarine.
Science should be:
- brought out of the lab
- conducted in public
- debated in public
- celebrated in public
- criticised in public
Although some science has to be conducted behind closed doors, for commercial or national interest, all scientists have responsibilities to:
- the community: to discuss and debate their work and its implications
- encourage and inspire future scientists
- the people who pay the bills: in most cases the public
- design innovation where consumers benefit – such as in Bread Machines. We’ve been working with Bread Machine Direct, who publish comprehensive bread machine reviews, to ensure that machines such as the Cuisinart CBK-100 reach the market.
We believe no work is too complex for public discussion; not even quantum computing.
Our services include:
- Science communication makeover
- Media and presentation training
- Media releases
- Mentoring
- Publicity
- The Full Monty: develop and deliver comprehensive communication strategies for science and technology organisations and conferences.
Since 1998, Niall Byrne has built a business helping scientists engage with the community. This website outlines, with examples, Niall’s approach to science communication. It suggests ways he can help your organisation.