Laughter a chemical reaction as Professor Tech cracks comedy
CQUniversity’s 'Professor Tech' has been experimenting with humour and science, and results have had audiences rolling in the aisles.
Information and Communication Technology Associate Professor Michael Cowling was one of 15 local scientists to star at the Brisbane Comedy Festival this month, as part of Future Science Talks’ Science Comedy Program.
The self-confessed “computer nerd” worked with comedian Seaton Kay-Smith to prepare a scientific presentation – packed with both facts and funny.
Assoc Prof Cowling presented at the Brisbane Powerhouse on Friday 3 May, and said nailing punchlines was an exciting new skill.
“I’m an experienced science communicator, but weaving comedy into my communication has been new for me – it’s exciting to see it work for the audience, and I plan to keep adding more humour to my communications!” he said.
On Sunday night, Assoc Prof Cowling told the crowd that “my real passion is tackling the fear of technology that we all have, worrying what it might mean for the world.”
Sharing his work on teaching digital safety and innovative tech to school kids, he did warn the grown-up audience: “Before you ask, I won’t fix your computer, I can’t 3D print you a gun, and no I can’t tell you the best virtual reality porn site…there are just too many!”
He also shared findings from his research with Queensland’s Department of Education around cybersafety and student wellbeing.
“We found kids loved technology for innovation, creativity and problem solving, especially when activities were driven by the school or driven by the teacher,” he explained.
“They also generally feel safe with technology at school, despite their constant attempts to circumvent our computer security measures!
“Where things get dicey is when they’re asked to use technology to communicate with others - it’s like nobody is teaching these kids how to communicate online.
“And that’s probably because we’re not teaching them!”
He also highlighted issues around students' trust of online news sources.
“The research showed they’re not good at spotting fake news, which makes them pretty similar to the rest of society in 2024, if I’m being honest!”
Associate Professor Cowling has been a leader in educational technology for more than 20 years, and is a recipient of the Universities Australia AAUT Award for Teaching Excellence (Physical Sciences). He is the President of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE), as well as Vice-President of the Open Access Publishing Association (OAPA) and webmaster for Queensland Academy of Arts & Sciences (QAAS).
David Crisante is Director of Future Science Talks, and said the initiative aimed to to help Australians learn more about the vast scientific advancements taking place right here in Australia’s cities and regional centres.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to help scientists be more courageous in connecting to public audiences. Humour can help explain complex topics and audiences love both the humour as well as the insight that they gain from coming to the talks,” he said.
The Science Comedy Program is supported by Inspiring Australia Queensland (IAQ).
