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Bernie
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Science Writer/Broadcaster
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What does your job involve?
Science talkback on ABC radio, writing funny science stories for ABC Science Online, the odd TV appearance and compering Science in the Pub and other public events.
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What do you like most about your job?
Working in such a creative and ethical environment with such great people - I'm just a girl from Sandgate!
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What are the perks of your job?
Travel (to Edinburgh for the Science Festival, an outback tour, to Alice Springs & surrounds for Science in the Pub, to Korea for a Youth Science Festival - and lots more!), money, meeting people who are passionate about their work, scoring free passes to events (from Film Festivals to Bird Shows). I'm kidding about the money…
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What is the most unusual or fun thing you’ve done in your job?
Traveling through the outback with a group of 15 scientists/journos doing Science in the Pub everywhere from Birdsville to Broken Hill. It was the hardest I've ever worked, but they were such a great bunch of people - and the old planes we traveled in are a hoot! It's all in my online diary: Paul & Bernie's Outback Adventure at http://www.abc.net.au/science/outback/
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What inspired you to choose a career in this area?
I didn't really choose one - I've always done things I've felt passionate about and always moved on from things when I started hating them. I started as a science teacher (and left that as soon as I'd paid off my car loan!), then went back to uni to become a medical researcher and then heard about a job going at the ABC for loudmouths with no training and a science degree. Voila! This is the longest I've stayed in a job - but it's changed a lot so I'm still interested.
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Who or what has been an inspiration to you?
Kurt Vonnegut - he uses science and science fiction to write about humans in all our weirdness. Ian Lowe - brain the size of a planet and ego the size of a fingernail; passionate about the environment and about people and life.
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What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
There's no point in regretting anything - you always do what's right for you at the time. (Princess Grace) She knows who she is and what she wants. (Meryl Streep, speaking about why she admired Cher)
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What training/qualifications do you have/need?
Bachelor of Applied Science with First Class Honours (Biochemistry, Microbiology) Diploma Teaching (Science Maths) Trainee science reporters had to have a 'good' science degree - we all had at least honours. But you really need to be good at communicating, and experience counts for a lot. Try to do voluntary work to get that experience.
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What subjects did you study at school?
English, Biology, Chemistry, Art and Home Ec (I still make a mean shepherd's pie, and nobody sews a French seam like I can…).
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What are your career goals/plans for the future?
I'm not one for planning - I'll stick with this while I love it and move on when it gets tedious. (Or, you know, when they poke me with a big stick). I'd like to finish the book I stopped work on four years ago, and really want to keep up the live stuff. I'd also really like to get the message out to kids at high schools that you really can do what you want - even without the head start that lots of well connected kids have.
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What career opportunities are there for people in your field?
More and more people are getting into it, and scientists and their organisations are much more aware of the need to communicate science to the public (who generally fund their work), so it's pretty good!
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What is the average starting salary for a graduate?
$35-45K
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