Adriana Verges finalista de Eureka Prizes 2021


(Post sólo disponible en inglés)

Our member, Associate Professor Adriana Verges (UNSW), is a finalist for the prestigious Eureka Prizes 2021 in the category «Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science«.

Adriana says:

As an ecologist, I feel that science communication and engaging with the general public has never been more important. Although our scientific understanding of the world is increasing at a very fast rate, there is a growing mistrust of experts and a growing disconnect between what we know and how we act. Marine restoration projects like Operation Crayweed and Operation Posidonia are collaborations with artists and local communities, where we are using science and storytelling to re-establish important lost underwater ecosystems and raise awareness of the challenges they face.

 

Such inter-disciplinary projects could never work without the engagement of many passionate members of the community. We hope projects like these can inspire more of us to see that when we lend nature a helping hand, its ability to heal and flourish is both extraordinary and essential.

The 2021 Eureka Prize winners will be announced during a live broadcast event on Thursday 7 October.

Regardless the final outcome these are great news. Congratulations Adriana!


Angel.Lopez-Sanchez

Acerca de Angel.Lopez-Sanchez

Dr Ángel R. López-Sánchez is an astrophysicist and science communicator working at the Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO) and the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the Macquarie University (MQ) in Sydney (NSW, Australia). His research is focused in the analysis of star formation phenomena in galaxies of the Local Universe, especially in dwarf starbursts and spiral galaxies, using multi-wavelength (UV, optical, IR, radio) data. He presented his PhD Thesis at University of La Laguna and the Instituto Astrofisica de Canarias (Spain) in 2006. In 2007 he joined CSIRO Astronomy & Space Science (Sydney) with a postdoctoral position. He then joined the AAO (formerly the Australian Astronomical Observatory) and MQ in 2011. In July 2018 he was appointed as Senior Lecturer at AAO-MQ. He has been providing instrument and observing support at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT, Siding Spring Observatory, NSW) since 2011, being the instrument scientist of several instruments: the multi-fiber spectrograph 2dF+AAOmega and the near-infrared imager and spectrograph IRIS2. He also has large experience with integral-field spectroscopy (IFS), being a very active member of the SAMI collaboration at the AAT and part of the HECTOR Science Team. He currently is the Instrument Scientist of KOALA+AAOmega at the AAT, and leads the international astronomy survey "HI KOALA IFS Dwarf and irregular galaxy Survey" (Hi-KIDS), that is getting unique, high-quality IFS data of a sample of 100 nearby dwarf and irregular galaxies for which 21cm H I interferometric data is available He has large experience teaching undergraduate and PhD students and giving lectures and classes about Astronomy. Dr. López-Sánchez is passionate science communicator who continuously gives talks and public lectures, writes popular science articles and organizes science communication events and stargazing activities. He is very active in social media, his Twitter feed is @El_Lobo_Rayado.