How do we build trust in science in the age of social media?

Millions of people now turn to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to understand the world around them. As social media increasingly shapes how we learn about science, who we trust has become just as important as what we know.

Join astrophysicist, Wiradjuri woman and science communicator Dr Kirsten Banks for an engaging keynote exploring how digital platforms are transforming science communication. Drawing on her own experience reaching global audiences online, Kirsten examines how complex ideas can be made accessible without sacrificing accuracy, and what this means for trust, misinformation and public understanding in an increasingly connected world.

Presented as the 2026 Japanangka errol West Lecture, this event honours the legacy of the late Japanangka errol West by celebrating Indigenous ways of knowing, knowledge sharing and intellectual generosity. Through conversation with Professor Sadie Heckenberg following the keynote, the event will explore how different knowledge systems, storytelling traditions and contemporary science communication can deepen public understanding and strengthen trust.

Free event. Registration required.

What's on:

Events and points of interest around Hobart.

1 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2026
Hadley’s Art Prize
Presented by Hadley’s Orient Hotel, the Hadley’s Art Prize, Hobart is an annual, acquisitive Australian landscape prize, which offers $100,000 to the winning entry.
16 May 2026 - 9 Aug 2026
The Winter Collection – Art Exhibition at Balfour House
A dynamic group exhibition has opened in Cygnet stretching across the Winter months featuring artists of the Huon Valley. Balfour House presents - The Winter
1 Aug 2026 - 8 Aug 2026
Tasmanian Whisky Week
Tasmanian Whisky Week is back. From intimate distillery tastings and long-table dinners to the flagship Showcase at Princes Wharf No. 1, the festival brings the
1 Mar 2022 - 31 Aug 2027
Phoenix Creations Wooden Spoon Carving Workshops
Welcome to a day of creative mindfulness with David and Michelle of Phoenix Creations in their small Cygnet studio.
31 Jul 2026 - 26 Sep 2027
Becoming Modern: Mid-century Australian Art
This large-scale exhibition brings together paintings, sculpture and works on paper, highlighting figuration, abstraction, and foregrounding works by Tasmanian women artists.
31 Jul 2026 - 18 Oct 2026
EXPOSED LANDS: 100 Years of Tasmanian Landscape Photography
This exhibition is a survey of 100 years of photographic history depicting Tasmania's nature, sharing perspectives of the island.
31 Jul 2026 - 1 Mar 2027
The World of Seashells
This exhibition celebrates the natural beauty of seashells and the enduring sense of wonder they inspire.
24 Jul 2026 - 15 Aug 2026
David Stephenson | Sun Drawings
After the Earth brings together six Australian artists whose practices engage the land as something shaped, mediated, and transformed.
29 Jul 2026 - 15 Aug 2026
Aunty Lola Greeno | Celebrates 80 Years
This exhibition honours Aunty Lola Greeno and her extraordinary contribution to Tasmanian Aboriginal art and culture, celebrating a lifetime of creativity, cultural knowledge and leadership.
22 May 2026 - 18 Sep 2026
The Cavatelli Craft: Masterclass & Lunch
Step into the heart of the 196 year old heritage guest kitchen for an intimate afternoon of flour, flavour, and fine Tasmanian hospitality.
All events