Anu Centre For The Public Awareness Of Science Cpas

The Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) at ANU was the first science communication centre in Australia and is now the most diverse of its kind in the world. Artwork E Gates-Stuart.

CPAS is currently training a new generation of highly qualified scientists to become skilled communicators who can engage people with the science, technology, or medical information that is most relevant to them. Postgraduate students at CPAS are currently researching new ways to excite the imagination of the public about science and to encourage informed decisions about scientific issues that will concern us in the 21st century.

The Centre is unique in its orientation to both applied and theoretical studies of the communication of science. Students receive a theoretical grounding in communicating with the public, training in research methods and practical guidance in effective professional science communication.

CPAS is also part of a growing network of science communicators. It has links with communication programs in universities across Australia, Europe and the Americas and with science centres in Europe, America and Asia. In March 2000 CPAS became an accredited Centre for the Australian National Commission for UNESCO, tasked with collaborating in Australia and the Pacific to raise science awareness throughout this diverse region.

Graduates of CPAS are eagerly sought after, making their mark around the world in all areas of science and science communication. CPAS courses provide public speaking, presentation and media skills, exhibition design and communication research, team work and strategic communication skills to communicate science and technology with all manner of people from kindergarten to adulthood, as well as to culturally disparate and geographically isolated communities. Research conducted in CPAS has also led students to diverse careers in scientific organisations, science awareness bodies and the media.

CPAS and its staff have received many awards for teaching, collaboration and outreach. Our Master of Science Communication (Outreach), the "Shell-Questacon-ANU Science Circus", has been the recipient of a number of awards including the 1999 Business /Higher Education Round Table Award, and The 2006 Prime Minister's Special Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships.

Other examples of note are the Centre's 2005 Vice-Chancellor's Award for Outreach, the 2007 Australia–Sri Lanka Association National Student Award for contributions to Australia-Sri Lanka relations, presented to PhD candidate Sean Perera, and the induction of the Director, Associate Professor Sue Stocklmayer, as a member of the Order of Australia in 2004 for services to science communication.