Announcements and Opportunities

Indigenous PhD position. Info and apply here

We welcome enquiries from prospective PhD candidates. Info and apply here.

Research Assistant position. Apply here.

Musicians x Scientists 1-day Workshop. Submit your EoI here.

Climate vocabularies workshop image


Date:  Tuesday 22 September 2026, 10am-5pm

Venue:  Music Auditorium, Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Monash University, 55 Scenic Boulevard, Clayton

One of the major challenges in tackling the climate crisis today is effectively communicating scientific knowledge. Climate Vocabularies proposes a radical shift to climate communication, positioning music in a driving role. By working with leading musicians and scientists, Climate Vocabularies explores how music can enhance science storytelling to create more compelling and emotionally resonant climate messaging, and how arts-science collaboration can lead to innovations in creative practice. This Australian Research Council Discovery Project will entangle music and science research processes and shape possibilities for musicians and scientists to work together to enhance the capacities of both fields for climate messaging towards action. As part of this project, the team will hold a workshop of hands-on sessions to bring scientists and musicians together for ideas exchange, sharing research insights, mutual learning activities, and collaborative project seeding.

Join us for this 1 day workshop hosted by the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music on Tuesday 22 September 2026. Places are limited. Expressions of Interest in attending will be assessed by the project team.

There is no fee to participate. Scientists and musicians at all career stages including PhD candidates are encouraged to apply.

PROJECT TEAM

Dr Louise Devenish: Percussionist, artistic researcher, Director of The Sound Collectors Lab

Dr Lucy Richardson: Audience messaging and impact researcher, Deputy Director of the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub

Prof Christian Jakob: Weather and climate researcher, Director ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century

Prof Cat Hope: Composer, artistic researcher

HOW TO APPLY

If you have questions about your application to attend, please contact louise.devenish@monash.edu

Complete the Expression of Interest form - click on THIS link by 1 July 2026. It should take less than 10 mins.

Expressions of Interest are encouraged from all career stages, including PhD candidates, academics, and industry scientists.

Successful applicants will be notified by 5pm Friday 17 July 2026.

‘I’m a physical oceanographer and climate scientist, long drawn to art and music but always felt that science lived in a separate space from art. I fell in love with Dark Oceanography from the get-go: watching scientists, musicians, and musical technologists collaborate as equals was a joy—and by the end, it was often the musicians explaining the science to the audience. This was my favourite project of the year, and beyond.’  Dr Navid Constantinou on his recent experience collaborating with musicians from The Sound Collectors Lab

FAQs

I’m a scientist. Do I need previous music experience?

No. Appreciation of music and creative arts, and openness to collaboration is all you need.

I am part of 21st Century Weather but not based in Melbourne. Can I apply?

Yes. Successful 21st Century Weather affiliated applicants are encouraged to apply and will have their travel costs to and from Melbourne funded by 21st Century Weather.

What do I need to prepare for the workshop?

Scientists need to be willing to talk about their research area to a general audience. Musicians need to be willing to talk about their artistic practice to a general audience. Successful applicants will be asked to give a brief intro to their research and/or artistic practice at the 1-day workshop.

No new materials need to be composed, rehearsed, or practiced prior to the workshop. If you are an instrumentalist, bring your instrument.

What is the time commitment?

This is a 1-day workshop, however a selection of participants may be offered further opportunities for collaboration.

What will happen after the workshop?

Following the workshop, a smaller group of participants will be offered an opportunity to participate in further music-science collaboration towards the presentation of new work in 2027.

I work in physics / biology / earth sciences / chemistry. Can I apply?

Scientists undertaking research in any discipline whose work is related to climate are encouraged to apply.

I work in a government organisation, private enterprise, or industry. Can I apply?

Applications are welcome from science researchers working in industry, government, and/or academia.

I work in classical / jazz / popular / improvised / experimental / sound art / electronic music. Can I apply?

Musicians working in any genre are encouraged to apply. However, you need to be willing to work in groups with musicians from any genre - this is not a solo project.

I’m a musician, but have no research experience. Can I apply?

Yes. While artistic research experience is welcomed, it is not a requirement to apply.

I don’t live in Melbourne. Can I apply?

Yes. Please note that travel to and from Melbourne will be the participant’s expense.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Climate Vocabularies project and related opportunities, visit The Sound Collectors Lab website.

Click on THIS link to access the website.

If you have questions about your application to attend, please contact louise.devenish@monash.edu