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Science Meets Parliament has celebrated its 25th anniversary of fostering meaningful conversations and connections between researchers and policymakers. Australia’s Economic Accelerator sponsored 3 researchers from the Trailblazers Universities Program to attend this year’s event.
Attending the two-day SMP25 event in Canberra on 12 and 13 February were Trailblazer researchers Dr Tristan Shelley from iLaUNCH, Dr Heather Shewan from FaBA and Dr Amol Patil from REACH, each of whom found the experience to be very positive, as they were able to share their research with peers and parliamentarians.
AEA was also represented by AEA Board members Professor Mark Hutchinson and Dr Angeline Achariya, and by AEA Assistant Secretary Drew Menzies-McVey, who participated in a panel session on the work of government departments in deploying STEM.
This year marked the 25th anniversary of Science Meets Parliament, an event designed to strengthen relationships between federal parliamentarians and professionals in science and technology.
The event provides a platform for researchers to communicate their findings, advocate for their research areas, and understand the role of government and policy in scientific advancement.
Dr Tristan Shelley
Dr Shelley, a mechanical and aerospace engineer and early career researcher at the University of Southern Queensland, said he was looking forward to attending future SMP events.
‘SMP 2025 was a very insightful event as it gave a different perspective on the effective communication of science and technology to a political audience, whether that be politicians, advisors or others with the ability to influence policy making,’ Dr Shelley said.
‘The range of speakers and panellists provided a great cross-section of the political sphere of influence, and the various techniques and methods that can be used to get your message across was really useful,’ he said.
‘I will be recommending that some of my colleagues attend in 2026, and I look forward to attending again in the coming years as well.’
Dr Heather Shewan
Dr Shewan, a senior research fellow at the University of Queensland, described the event as excellent.
‘The 25th year of Science Meets Parliament was an exciting and action-packed two-day event focused on the importance of effective science communication,’ Dr Shewan said.
‘The Hon. Bill Shorten kicked things off by encouraging scientists and engineers to speak up about their innovations to benefit Australian society, education, and the economy,’ she said.
‘A key theme from all speakers was the importance of focusing on people.
‘Building relationships with politicians and the wider community at every stage of our work, and including them in the co-design of research, is crucial.
‘To put my learning into practice, I had the opportunity to speak with the Hon. Melissa Price about Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator and how our work can impact communities and businesses within her electorate and across Australia.’
Dr Amol Patil
Attending SMP2025 was an enriching and eye-opening experience for Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials Research Engineer Dr Amol Patil.
‘I am deeply grateful to the Australian Government Trailblazer Universities Program and Deakin University’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub (REACH) for nominating me for this opportunity,’ Dr Patil said.
‘As a textile professional dedicated to research and development and product innovation, it was invaluable to connect with policymakers and explore how we can collaborate to bridge the gap between industry and materials science.
‘Together, we can generate solutions to pressing challenges across industries such as energy, transport and manufacturing.
‘As a first-time attendee, I was fascinated by the enthusiasm of seasoned participants who return year after year, reaffirming the event’s significance in the STEM community.
‘A standout moment for me was participating in the Meet with a Parliamentarian session, where I had the privilege of engaging with Libby Coker MP.
‘Science Meets Parliament has sparked a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper appreciation of the role we as STEM professionals play in shaping Australia’s future.’
Assistant Secretary Drew Menzies-McVey
Drew joined Department of Industry, Science and Resources Secretary Meghan Quinn, Jas Chambers from Science Technology Australia (STA) and Professor Robyn Langham in a panel session which explored how government departments collaborate to leverage STEM research for policy development, tackle complex challenges, and support ministers in decision-making.
‘My thanks to STA for inviting me to join the panel at SMP2025 and talk about how science meets policy,’ Drew said.
‘I really enjoyed the rich discussion we had on how policy comes together, and how science and data underpin policy development and program delivery,’ she said.
“It was also an excellent opportunity to talk to researchers about how science features in AEA in every aspect of the program and its management.’
Dr Angeline Achariya
Dr Achariya said SMP25 facilitated opportunities for learning, networking and advocacy across government, academia/research and industry.
‘For researchers and academics, it was of immense value to learn about how to communicate and share their research, how to advocate for their research areas, how to ask for investment,’ Dr Achariya said.
‘Giving everyone an opportunity to meet with a parliamentarian on Day 2 of the event was a great way to put into practice the learnings from Day 1,” she said.
‘Opportunities to attend the National Press Club lunch and hear Minister Husic talk about the strategic R&D review paper was a highlight for me and many others.
‘We had a great session on First Nations history from John Paul Janke. This was absolutely fascinating for me to learn but more importantly to reflect on the role First Nations can play in not just our regions but right across our priority areas.’
Professor Mark Hutchinson
Professor Hutchinson has attended many SMP events over the past 15 years. He described this year’s SMP as ‘one of the best’. He said the event was full of learning, networking and a clear sense of the opportunity to drive real change in how we communicate science. Here are some of his takeaways from the event:
It is clearer than ever that the true value lies in the impact of our research, not merely the research itself – in today’s fast-moving media landscape, we must ensure that the news, key findings and success stories are broadcast consistently and repeatedly across multiple platforms.
We need to change the mindset that universities aren’t the place to commercialise technology.
SMP’s audience is not only engaged but is also ready for change – continued engagement is important.
The involvement of elected officials in sharing the good news on research collaborations is vital.
Regular engagement at events like SMP helps to promote an ecosystem that appreciates the full potential of translating research into impact.
The narrative on research translation is evolving, with SMP participants agreeing that both fundamental and applied research must work hand in hand for tangible impact.
The sessions featured strong calls for integrating Indigenous Knowledge and Knowledge Systems into research.
In conversations with senior knowledge holders, it was clear they appreciate responsible, co-created, indigenous-led projects, but only if the pace respects their own timelines and traditions.
SMP25 highlighted the importance of collaboration between science and policy and reinforced AEA's commitment to fostering innovation and scientific excellence.
We look forward to continuing our support for such initiatives and driving positive change in the scientific community.