Lindy Orthia

Dr Lindy Orthia is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the School of Sociology at the Australian National University (ANU), part of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences. She previously held a Senior Lecturer position in the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) within ANU’s College of Science until 2021. Her research focuses on the politics of knowledge, intersections of science with sociopolitical categories (race, gender, disability), science in popular fiction, and the history of science communication. She holds a PhD in science communication from ANU, alongside a Graduate Certificate in History and prior degrees in Biological Sciences.

Education: BSc (La Trobe University), Honours in Plant Systematics (ANU), PhD in Science Communication (ANU), GCertHist (ANU).

Research Interests: Decolonial science communication, queer representation in sci-fi, history of science dissemination, and ethical science outreach. She advocates for inclusive practices that challenge Western-centric paradigms in the field.

• Awards: 2020 College of Science Dean’s Commendation (Team), 2014 Senior Fellow (Higher Education Academy), 2013 Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award, and multiple ANU teaching recognitions.
• Grants/Initiatives: Founded the ANU Science Communication Endowment with $4000, matched by the Colleges of Science, funding undergraduate prizes. Co-authored influential reports on aging, LGBTQ+ seniors, and voluntary assisted dying.
• Labs/Teams: Previously affiliated with CPAS, leading projects on science communication pedagogy and public engagement.

Her work bridges academia and activism, emphasizing global historical perspectives and marginalized voices in science communication.