Opening for Neil deGrasse Tyson
Alan Duffy
An amazing chance to open for Neil deGrasse Tyson in front of 5000 people, speaking about dark matter and generally hanging out with him backstage (and yes he's a top dude).
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The Power of Simple Questions at TEDx Sydney
Alan Duffy
Modern life can seem overwhelmingly complex. By showing the astounding insights into the world we live in from asking three brief questions, I told the Sydney Opera House that sometimes the best way to understand something complex is to ask a simple question.
Read MoreAustralia to host dark matter detector
Alan Duffy
With the excitement of our funding secured to build the world's first dark matter detector in the Southern Hemisphere in Stawell, Victoria we hosted VIPs and a film crew from 7's Sunrise Weekend. It was 30+ degrees and 100% humidity a km underground but that's where you need to go to search for dark matter!
Read MoreAboriginal Astronomy at the Karijini Experience
Alan Duffy
Just an amazing experience heading up to the beautiful Pilbara region of West Australia to speak about aboriginal astronomy. I was part of an amazing lineup of speakers and events for the Karijini Experience, featuring everything from indigenous basket weaving techniques to Opera in the Gorge by the incomparable Deborah Cheetham
Read MoreDr Duffy goes to Parliament (and meets the PM!)
Alan Duffy
I managed to corner the Prime Minister for a chat about my research during Science Meets Parliament when 200 scientists descended on Canberra to learn how to talk science to the funding bodies and politicians.
Read MoreInspire Science Career Carousel
Alan Duffy
I was honoured to be given the chance to tell the school my life and what lessons I've learnt from working in science and how they might be able to follow. And of course I mention the SKA!
Read MorePilbara Schools Tour
Alan Duffy
The Pilbara is big, isolated and gorgeous. It's also a beautiful place to view the stars from and is filled with curious school kids who attend my talks on indigenous astronomy and dark matter. I also got to explain just what it is I do as an astronomer and how they could get into science too.
Read MoreScience of Doctor Who with the Splendid Chaps
Alan Duffy
I got to indulge my geek side with the rest of the awesome panel on the Splendid Chaps' podcast discussing the Science of Doctor Who. Little did I know this would lead to a BBC supported national tour with the RiAus' Science of Doctor Who Live.
Read MoreHabitable Worlds at Science at the Edge
Alan Duffy
I spoke at Fed Square for The Age's Science at the Edge event discussing the search for habitable worlds as part of the search for life with three other scientists.
Read MoreMt Burnett Observatory Science Day
Alan Duffy
I spent a fun day in the gorgeous Dandenong ranges East of Melbourne chatting to the schools there as part of the Mt Burnett Observatory Science Day. Hundreds of pupils attended a day-long series of talks at the Observatory (where I got to show off the helioscope to view the Sun in H-alpha) and then I headed to Emerald High School to speak there about Australian astronomy.
Read MoreVictorian Fresh Science - Finals
Alan Duffy
It was an honour to make it all the way to the State Finals for the national Fresh Science competition to find great science in the country and learn how to present it to the general public.
Read MoreTelescopes in Schools
Alan Duffy
I was part of an amazing initiative by Jacinta Lee Den Besten to get astronomy as part of schools curriculum across the State. Known as Telescopes in Schools a dozen quality telescopes have been housed in schools that then run regular evening night sky tours. I swung round a few schools to chat about what you can see (and what you can't like Dark Matter).
Read MoreScience Impro at Adelaide Fringe
Alan Duffy
Can science be taught through comedy? I headed to the Adelaide Fringe to test the theory out. I will never do stand up again but yes particle physics lessons were remembered by the audience later that evening which was cool
Read MoreDark the movie
Alan Duffy
A planetarium show using the latest simulations of dark matter created at the same time as the science. Together with legend director Peter Morse and data visualisation guru Professor Paul Bourke, Dark has been (as of August 2015) shown by 148 planetariums in 25 countries around the world and dubbed into 6 languages.
Read MoreDark Launch
Alan Duffy
I gave a few words on the opening night of my planetarium show Dark at the SciTech planetarium in Perth, WA. In particular I pointed out that the simulations shown on the big screen were used in my research papers at the same time that this outreach effort was undertaken.
Read MoreStellar Innovation at TEDxNorthbridge
Alan Duffy
My first TEDx talk at Northbridge to talk about the amazing discoveries in astronomy and the technological innovation that made them possible (as well as the lucrative spin off tech that came from these).
Read MoreWheatbelt Speaking Tour
Alan Duffy
A great experience touring the gorgeous Wheatbelt of Western Australia visiting schools and government environment agencies in Narrogin with my favourite Chief Science Prof Lyn Beazley. I spoke about astronomy to everyone I could find but I was also given tours by expert park rangers into the outback and learn about the vast arrays of species in this tough but stunning landscape.
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