© Pint of Science, 2026. All rights reserved.
The biggest challenges we face — from disease to education to climate change — aren’t just scientific problems. They’re human ones.
This event explores how science can help us make better decisions about prevention, access, and long‑term planning. From using population DNA screening to reduce the risk of chronic disease, to re‑thinking how knowledge is shared through open textbooks and podcasting, to planning for climate change in river systems where people’s values shift as resources become scarce, these talks reveal how evidence, behaviour, and policy intersect. Join us at Molly Rose Brewer…
This event explores how science can help us make better decisions about prevention, access, and long‑term planning. From using population DNA screening to reduce the risk of chronic disease, to re‑thinking how knowledge is shared through open textbooks and podcasting, to planning for climate change in river systems where people’s values shift as resources become scarce, these talks reveal how evidence, behaviour, and policy intersect. Join us at Molly Rose Brewer…
The Animal Queendom and its same-sex sexual behaviour that slays
Catriona Vi Nguyen-Robertson
(Dr Cat is a singing scientist: she sings in the lab & contemplates science in the shower. She is an award-winning educator, who you can catch yapping on radio, singing & dancing around Museums Victoria, or teaching at The University of Melbourne.)
Queerness is seen throughout the animal kingdom. Or should I say, queendom? Same-sex sexual behaviour isn’t just a human thing. It has been observed in over 1,500 animal species…and counting. Go on a wild ride through some of the animal kingdom’s queerest species, and explore how societal views have shaped this area of research. At the beginning of last century, same-sex sexual behaviour was observed among different birds (including penguins), but was dismissed or swept under the carpet.
Podcasting as open science: Exploring the impact of open textbooks on teaching and learning
Lauren Halcomb-Smith
(Lauren Halcomb-Smith is a third space academic, a co-founder of a disruptive grassroots open-access journal, and a big fan of unconventional research methodologies. She is a Lecturer of Open Education in the Deakin University Library and is currently researching the impact of open textbooks through podcasting. Lauren believes that education is a public good and libraries are awesome.)
What do textbooks, podcasts, and open data all have in common? They are all key components of Lauren Halcomb-Smith's current research project, where she is exploring the impact of open textbooks on learning and teaching… through podcasting. In this presentation, Lauren will share how this research-by-podcast project came to be, the why and how of podcasting as a research method, early findings, and reflections on how podcasting supports open data, participant reciprocity, and translating research into real-world formats.
People and Rivers: How to plan for climate change
Madeline Grupper
(Maddy is a former US wildlife biologist. After years of crawling in dirt, looking for frogs, she realised people are a vital part of the ecosystems she loves. She’s now finishing her PhD studying connections between humans and freshwater systems.)
Australia’s largest river is governed with biased community input. It’s based on current values. But those can change. So, how do we include people in climate change plans?
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.