Fergus McAuliffe
Science Communicator/ Researcher/ Scientist
Science Communication
The Science Squad
For the past two years I have worked on The Science Squad programme on RTE 1 television. Here I cover a wide variety of science topics in short, snappy segments.
TEDx Dublin
In September 2013 I had the privilege of speaking at TEDx Dublin 2013 at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin. Here I shared my '"Idea Worth Spreading" - how scientists can overcome the barrier of communicating their research to the public through storytelling. My talk was called "Sharing Science Through Story".
FameLab International
In 2013 I won FameLab International, the world's largest science communication competition. In this competition, the speaker must communicate any scientific topic or idea in three minutes or less. Having won the Irish stage, I attended the international finals at the Cheltenham Science Festival where I competed against the winners from twenty other countries.
In the final I spoke about the bizarre life cycle of the wood frog, and how it challenges our understanding of the difference between life and death. My talk won the judges award, live audience award and shared the FameLab alumni audience award.
Smart Futures Ireland
I am an ambassador for Smart Futures Ireland. Smart Futures is a collaborative government-industry programme promoting science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers to second-level students in Ireland, highlighting opportunities in sectors such as pharma chemical, medical devices, information and communications technology (ICT) and energy.
More information available on the Smart Futures website.
Popular Science Writing
In 2013 I was shortlisted for the Guardian/Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize, for an article entitled "Blurring the line between life and death". The prize recognises popular science articles written by scientists, and aimed at the public.
Read the full article here.
FameLab Masterclass training
In February 2015 I deliered the Belfast FameLab Masterclass training in science communication with lead trainer Malcolm Love. The Belfast heat is being run as part of the inaugural Northern Ireland Science Festival. Read more about the event here.
Newstalk Futureproof
Listen back to the podcast of Newstalk's Futureproof show where I discussed the week's science news with host Jonathan McCrea.