Welcome to the science site for British Council Australia. You can use this site as a resource, to find information about science in the UK and about the funding schemes that currently exist to support travel and collaborative research between Australia and the UK. We have also set up collections of useful science links, and more general information about the British Council's services.

If you are visiting this site for the first time, the page summaries on the home page will give you an idea of what to expect in each section. Alternatively, you might like to check the site map for a full overview of the contents, or look at the events page to see what science events are coming up in the next few months. Regular visitors will find the 'What's New' box on the front page useful for seeing which parts of the site have been most recently updated.  

The British Council's science activities are based on two key themes:

• excellence in international science (the UK's collaborative work with scientists from countries around the globe)
• understanding science in society (engaging the public in discussion and understanding of science)

In Australia, we concentrate on communicating UK scientific creativity and innovation as well as promoting UK-style public forums such as Cafe Scientific. Our aim is public engagement with contemporary UK science such as biotechnology, nanotechnology and climate research.

We carry out our work by promoting UK science through public events, supporting lecture tours by UK scientists and science communicators, and by developing projects (both physical and internet-based) which facilitate the exchange of ideas between Australia and the UK. We develop mutually beneficial partnerships with Australian and UK science organisations. Current partners include the Australian Science Festival, ScienceNOW, the Australian Museum, Australian Science Communicators, the Royal Institution of Great Britain and the British Council's UK-based science team.

New in 2003 is Cafe Scientific, based on the UK's Cafe Scientifique, a forum for the discussion and debate of current issues in science. Informal and accessible, Cafe Scientific will engage everyone in the discussions through dialogue, role-play and hypothetical. Supported by ABC Science and New Scientist Magazine.

Science Projects from the British Council UK

DNA50 - web portal of contemporary biotechnology as we celebrate 50 years since the discovery of the structure of DNA by scientists Watson and Crick (with the essesntial assistance of Wilkins and Franklin) in Cambridge, UK. http://dna50.britishcouncil.org/

CultureLab UK - the latest in design, digital media, fashion, film and music. http://www.culturelab-uk.com/

Innovation UK- an exhibition showcasing science, wealth creation and social well-being in Britain. The exhibition features examples of successful technology transfer collaborations between the HE sector and UK business. A colour brochure is available to accompany the exhibition.

Cartoon posters on UK science- The British Council has launched a poster campaign aimed at raising public awareness of British science around the world. The posters have been designed by Andrzej Krauze, a regular cartoonist for the Guardian, New Statesman, New York Times and Washington Post. Each poster depicts a recent scientific breakthrough by British scientists, or an area of science in which Britain excels.

Go for it!- UK Office of Science & Technology posters on young women in science and engineering - a set of colourful, contemporary and visually striking posters, produced by the OST, featuring six young women role-models talking about their lives as engineers and scientists.
http://www.britishcouncil.org/science/women/contemp.htm