Science week state patron calls for return of Tassie science minister

There have been calls for Tasmania to once again have a dedicated science minister, during the launch of the Beaker Street festival. Here’s why + A list of what’s on.

Beaker Street event's at Hobart's IMAS campus. Picture: Rhys Marks

Tasmania’s Science Week patron has called for the reinstatement of the science minister portfolio at Friday’s combined launch of National Science Week and the Beaker Street festival at Hobart’s waterfront.

Patron Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas said there was much more we could do to emphasise the importance of STEM in Tasmania.

“I know, for instance, that we no longer have a Tasmanian minister for science,” she said.

“We’ve never had a Tasmanian chief scientist.

The Future of Beer event at Manky Sally's on Thursday. Picture: Oi Studios

“There’s much that we can do to better recognise the importance of Indigenous knowledge and science in lutruwita, Tasmania, and I’ve made the point before that I think we really do need rapid and drastic change in terms of the way that we support and reward our STEM educators in the state.”

Dr Melbourne-Thomas was in Hobart to mark the start of National Science Week from Saturday and to celebrate the eighth year of Tasmanian science festival, Beaker Street.

Festival founder Dr Margo Adler said she hadn’t envisioned the event growing as big as it has today.

“We’re expecting 10,000 people through the festival this year,” she said.

“We’ve got a ton of interesting and overseas visitors this year, so it’s really going great.

“It’s really amazing eight years in to find ourselves in this position where we have so much support behind us.”

The Hobartica Sauna tents on Hobart's waterfront are featured as part of the Beaker Street festival. Picture: Dearna Bond

The eight-day festival began on Tuesday and wraps up on August 13.

Friday’s events included a Turn on The Stars stargazing event in the CBD, a futuristic feast at Hobart restaurants like Westside Laundry and a late-night Festival Club at Hobart’s City Hall.

At Wednesday night’s Dark Sky Dinner at Frogmore Creek winery, patrons got up close and personal with Australia’s first female astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg.

Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg is a part of various events at the 2024 Beaker Street festival. Picture: Trent Sugg

Ms Bennell-Pegg said her visit to Tasmania had been focused on encouraging younger generations to become the future of STEM in Australia.

“When I was growing up with the childhood astronaut dream I really cherished getting the chance to meet other Australians that have been to space and getting into the Science Festival was really crucial to be able to imagine what that future might be like,” she said.

Ms Bennell-Pegg said she hoped to address the “diversity challenge” in STEM in Australia by encouraging more women to take up study in the field and show what a career can look like.

There are four more days in the Beaker Street Festival, with a full event schedule available at www.beakerstreet.com.au

Professor Alan Duffy, Dr Kirsten Banks, and Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg at Thursday night's Dark Sky Dinner at Frogmore Creek winery. Picture Oi Studios

Events over the weekend

Adam Spencer: Numb and Number, Hobart City Hall, Saturday, August 10,

Doors: 12pm; Show: 12.30pm – 1.40pm, tickets for GA $17 –

“Numb and Number” – Australia’s favourite maths nerd and breakfast radio host Adam Spencer is here to blow your mind with a few of his favourite numerical nerdities as well as a few laughs.

Floe: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Saturday, August 10 & 13, 5.30pm, free.

A mesmerising soundtrack from audio artist Philip Samartzis will add an immersive element to the Antarctic projections.

Antarctic Stories: Mawson’s Hut, August 11, 11am – 12pm, free.

Join the Antarctic Women’s Network to hear stories of Antarctic expeditions, daily life on the frozen continent, and the unexpected encounters that make for lifelong memories.

Adrift Lab: The old Mercury building, August 10 & 11, Sat: 11am-6pm, Sun: 1pm-4pm, free.

Scientists from Adrift Lab travel to Lord Howe Island where they have been researching the ongoing impacts of plastic pollution on the shearwater bird population. View the photographic story of their work and talk to the scientists who conducted it.