The wonder of science with palaeontologist Dr Kaylene Cooper
Welcome to the Science Write Now podcast! This week we chat with palaeontologist and award-winning STEM educator Dr Kaylene Cooper about her passion for science communication and the work she does with the team at Wonder of Science. Plus, we dig into the fascinating world of fossils and "Fangaroos", aka prehistoric kangaroos!
In this episode, Kaylene shares what sparked her passion and curiosity for science, and in particular, palaeontology - the study of prehistoric life forms (fossils) preserved in rocks and ancient sediments, and the evolution of life on Earth. So, what led Kaylene as a PhD student to study Riversleigh, a region west of Mount Isa in North Queensland, and what exactly is a "Fangaroo"? You'll have to listen to find out!
Kaylene also speaks about transitioning from being a scientist in the field to a STEM educator and the leader of The University of Queensland's Wonder of Science program. She gives an insight into how STEM educators collaborate with scientists, schools and science-based organisations, including the innovative "Flying Scientists" program.
2024 was a momentous year for Wonder of Science - not only were they awarded Australian Museum's Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion, but Kaylene was also invited to speak at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin.
Outside of her work, Kaylene has a very niche, very cool creative outlet involving fossils and 3-D modelling. She speaks to the artistic merits of the design process, the scientific method and how art and science can mesh together to create some truly awe-inspiring and practical solutions when it comes to palaeontology.
Kaylene gives her best tips for those navigating a career between science and the arts (why not both?) and what she's most excited about in the wonderous world of science at the moment.
Now, it’s over to Kaylene, in-conversation with Bianca Millroy (SWN). Enjoy this week’s episode!
Links and resources are available in the Show Notes (below).
Show Notes
Dr Kaylene Cooper developed her passion for STEM education while volunteering as a Young Science Ambassador during her PhD. Kaylene received a Bachelor of Science majoring in Zoology (First Class Honours) in 2013 and a PhD in 2018 from The University of Queensland (UQ). Her PhD research focused on extinct kangaroos from the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in northwestern Queensland, Australia. During this time Kaylene also described a new genus and two new species of ancient kangaroo from Riversleigh, the Balbaroo fangaroo and Cookeroo hortusensis, (pictured below). She then went on to work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Queensland University of Technology before beginning her role with Wonder of Science in 2018. Kaylene now leads this amazing initiative, based at UQ. She and her team have achieved numerous accolades and have engaged with schools, universities and communities across the state with a strong focus on remote and regional Queensland. Awarded a Eureka Prize and invited to speak at the 2024 Falling Walls Science Summit in Germany, Kaylene has extensive experience as a science communicator having worked with schools, social media, news, and TV programs such as Totally Wild. For further information, please visit the Wonder of Science website.
Further links and resources:
Connect and engage with Wonder of Science on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. Visit their website or simply search ‘Wonder of Science’.
Selected articles and media:
Articles and media on Kaylene's PhD research:
'Fanged kangaroo research could shed light on extinction' in UQ News
'Newly discovered non-hopping ancient kangaroo might be long-lost cousin of the modern roo' in ABC News
'Tiny kangaroos that couldn't hop outlived their fanged cousins' in PhysOrg (also published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology).
'Two new species of the genus Gumardee (Marsupialia, Macropodiformes) reveal the repeated evolution of bilophodonty in kangaroos' in Alcheringa: Australasian Journal of Palaeontology
Related episodes,
SWN special: Meet Queensland's Chief Scientist, Professor Kerrie Wilson
Writing De/Extinction with James Bradley, Donna Mazza & Chris Flynn
