Charlotte Birkmanis
Charlotte is an award-winning science communicator bringing science out of the lab and into your lounge room using a variety of mediums to get you interested in the natural world. Charlotte started writing at a young age, her first publication was an award-winning haiku poem at the age of 10! Times have changed and she has now written over 20 publications across science and popular literature including articles, interviews and books. Her most recent publication is the children’s book ‘Little Shark Lulu is Sleeping’. This fun-filled factual tale is all about what goes on in the ocean when the sun goes down – through the eyes of a little shark called Lulu.
As a dynamic marine science educator and communicator who’s become a role model for many in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Charlotte has been recognised as an Australian ‘STEM Ambassador’ and a ‘Superstar of STEM’ who combined a fascination with predators and a love of the ocean to become a marine biologist who studies sharks. Bridging the gap between science and the public, she is regularly featured on TV and radio as a ‘public relations manager’ for sharks and other predators. Charlotte has been invited to speak on a variety of stages, including TEDx, a public Q&A shark panel for the WA Museum, Fringe World Festival and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
 |
 |
She regularly delivers a variety of engaging, interactive and informative presentations both in-person and online for audiences ranging from Q&A sessions with school and community groups to keynote speeches and expert panels. She is also in demand as an MC, panel and webinar host and facilitator. Charlotte uses her training with the BBC’s Naked Scientists to show you how to produce audio to tickle your ears, and her shark show received five-figure downloads in the first week.
Passionate about making science available to everyone and encouraging all to be ‘citizen scientists’, Charlotte presents in English and Mandarin Chinese (in 40+ countries and counting), publishes in the scientific literature, writes for The Conversation, co-hosts a radio show, presents and produces an international podcast and writes fun fact-filled books about the ocean.
All talks and durations are tailored to suit the age group and audience and linked to the Australian Curriculum v9.0.
Examples of previous talks include:
Podcasting 101
Topics:
- So you have a great idea for a podcast, now what?
- Writing your podcast
- Presenting skills
- Getting it out there
Sharks and where to find them
Topics:
- Different types of sharks and how we study them
- A day in the life of a shark scientist
- Scientific storytelling – starting the conservation conversation
- How you can help sharks
Where a science career can take you (above and below the water)
Topics:
- What is science and why should you care?
- You can be a scientist (from someone with underwhelming maths marks)
- Where can you go with science (anywhere!)
- Scientific storytelling How to get started?
Peeking behind the blue curtain – tricks and tips for budding marine biologists
Topics:
- So you want to be a marine biologist
- A day in the life of a marine biologist – starting the conservation conversation
- Scientific storytelling
- How you can help our oceans
What do marine biologists do all day?
Topics:
- Thinking like a scientist
- Science in everyday life
- Scientific storytelling
- Getting started
Motivational talk for budding scientists
Dr Charlotte shares her career as a marine science educator, woman in STEM, scientist, communicator and author. She shares her career path, what it’s actually like working with sharks (and scientists) and how she manages to combine scientific rigour with storytelling to create stories with impact. Audiences of all ages leave invigorated and ready to tell their story.
Testimonials
I would like to recommend Dr Charlotte Birkmanis to you as a presenter and tutor for Study tour groups. She is a highly regarded PhD qualified wildlife scientist and marine biologist with amazing communication credentials and natural ability. I have had the pleasure of working with her and know that her strengths are exactly what you need for your study tour students to improve their English language skills. Charlotte has lived in China for four years and is fluent in spoken and written mandarin, her area of expertise is marine science and her speciality is shark biology.
University of Western Australia – 2022Charlotte was a wonderful facilitator for a recent session of our ‘Shape Your Future’ series for high school students nationwide. She helped the speakers feel relaxed and really helped the Q and A section move smoothly.
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering – 2022When Charlotte took the stage and started speaking, you could have heard a pin drop. She seamlessly took the audience along with her on a journey through the ocean featuring whales, coral reefs – and sharks of course. Her boundless enthusiasm and obvious passion kept our attention with a mixture of science and humour. She is an incredible and engaging presenter who easily captivates an audience when she speaks, I could listen to her talk all day!
TEDx – 2022Charlotte presented to my nine-year old students in New Jersey, USA, via videoconference. Her presentation was well-organized, presented in terms the children could understand, and included shark jaws, which the children were in absolute awe over. Charlotte made sure she was prepared by having the students share questions ahead of time based on their curiosity and her website, which peeked the children's interest.
From my experience with Charlotte, I would recommend her. I found her to be organized, intelligent, dedicated, passionate, and a positive activist for the preservation of marine life and our oceans. Her messages provided sound reasons for the importance of balance and harmony between land and sea, humans and marine life.
We look forward to meeting with Charlotte virtually again and thank her for sharing what she clearly loves doing.
Park Avenue Elementary School – 2021Our class had the pleasure of chatting with Charlotte Birkmanis and it was a highlight for the year for all involved. Charlotte was absolutely charming, full of amazing information, and incredibly captivating. She took what we had learned in class about the Great Barrier Reef and sharks and was able to take it to a whole new level. I have been enamoured with sharks for as long as I can remember and I cannot fully express how WONDERFUL this experience was and how ridiculously thankful that I am that we were able to experience something so wonderful in the midst of such trying times. If you have an opportunity to connect with Charlotte Birkmanis, do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you Charlotte!!!
Fremantle College – 2021
Little Shark Lulu is Sleeping
Queensland
Speaker type
- Author
- Storyteller / Performer
- Non-fiction
- Educational consultant
- Motivational
Audience
- Prep - Year 2
- Year 3-6
- Year 7-9
- Year 10-12
- Adult