Past projects
Covid 19 Vaccine talks with Public Health Officer Dr Susan Jack. Thanks to our partners Southern DHB and Deaf Aotearoa.
Signs of Science pilot episodes Biodiversity and Wiggy wig. Be inspired by Jenna Holland as she describes some of Aotearoa’s unique creatures. Many thanks to Lisl Agnew for her fabulous graphic design and Rachel Berry for incomparable editing!
Click to watch Biodiversity, Wiggy wig. With thanks to our sponsors Dunedin City Council.
Current Projects
Interview Training
Thanks to our sponsors NFD and Otago Participatory Science Platform we have been training 5 people across NZ to undertake science communication interviews in NZSL.
We have had the wonderful Monica Leach sharing her experience and guidance with our future interviewers and the inspiring Alana Best as a guest presenter. Through the training we have discussed how to develop resources that suit a visual learner, how to address misinformation and how to critically ask questions to run effective and informative interviews.
NZSIF talks
This July at NANO-fest NZISF, New Zealand International Science Fest welcomes the Dunedin Deaf Community to 4 open lectures and several self-directed science activities at their hub. Drones, Disasters, Bugs and Stars will all feature. Keep an eye out for updates.
NZSL at Nano Fest
NZSL interpreted talks
Disaster Resilience and Preparedness
NZ has seen many disasters; how do we prepare and recover in the future?
How does drone technology help us to heal nature?
Why the Little Things are Worth Looking at: a conversation with Giselle Clarkson.
Do you like native plants and animals? This author talk is for you!
He Kōrero Whetū-Let’s Talk Stars
Learn about our night sky with Kai Tahu astronomer Victoria Campbell.
Lasers, clouds, ballons. Super cool science before your eyes!
Presented by STEM Communication Trust and NZISF thanks to DSS for funding the cost of an NZSL interpreter for these talks.
Want to see these interpreted talks? Recordings will be coming.
Curious Minds
With thanks to the University of Canterbury, MBIE Curious Minds 2024, and Galactic Polymath STEM Communication Trust will be supporting the development of two engineering kits with NZSL materials.
check out these chemistry and engineering glossaries developed and presented by Alana Best. The terms and definitions are designed for the Galactic Polymath units they are attached to, but many are apply in other contexts.
Pacific H2O https://youtu.be/ET4AjimNQEQ Topic: the chemistry of water treatment in the Pacific. Full lesson here: https://www.galacticpolymath.com/lessons/en-NZ/13
Powerful Solutions https://youtu.be/-A5XAb45nlw Topic: energy and electricity use in Aotearoa. Full lesson here: https://www.galacticpolymath.com/lessons/en-NZ/15
Deaf in STEM NZ
We ran a training/focus group to prepare our future interviewers for this project. Thank you to everyone involved in this phase your insights and effort are hugely appreciated.
Interviewing Deaf and HoH people in NZ about the science, technology, engineering and math they have studied or work with. These interviews and accompanying glossaries will be shared online to grow the reach of STEM in NZSL and in the NZ Deaf community.
If you are interested in being interviewed, please email STEMCommuincationTrust@gmail.com
We are currently seeking funding for this project.
2025 what would you like to see?
2025 has just begun and science and information literacy have never been more important! What STEM would you like to share or learn about?
Email us at STEMCommunicationtrust@gmail.com to make a time to talk or to share an idea.
STEM Communication Trust 