Events

Bushfires are becoming a regular feature of Australian summers. Fire seasons are becoming longer and starting earlier, and high severity fires are occurring more frequently and often in unexpected places. However, with all the recent rain and floods in Australia, do we need to be worried about the upcoming bushfire season?

Bushfire scientists try to understand how, where and why fire risk is changing, and what can be done to reduce the likelihood and impacts of future fires. So how exactly do bushfire scientists measure risk? And how can that information be used to help protect the things we care about? Join Dr Kate Parkins as she explains the role of science in understanding bushfire risk and how climate change is transforming the playing field. Dr Parkins will give audiences a rare demonstration of how exciting new technologies (including drones, thermal imaging cameras, scanners, fire tables and simulation models) are being used to answer complex and urgent questions about how we can best protect ourselves from another fire season like Black Summer.

The Science Festival Mid-Afternoon Masterclasses run online every day at 2pm, Monday to Friday during National Science Week. Each masterclass showcases a University of Melbourne scientist and their groundbreaking discoveries, with live demonstrations, virtual lab tours, and lots of fun! 

Get your questions ready as our scientists would love to hear from you during the live Q&A.

Guess what’s back?

Visit our Parkville and Southbank campuses this Open Day. With an exciting program of more than 300 in-person experiences, you’ll have the opportunity to meet our community, explore labs and learning spaces, tour student accommodation and discover student life at Melbourne.

Register now to jump into the Open Day event portal and start adding sessions to your schedule to make the most of your day.