Don Alcock is a Brisbane-based science and environmental communication specialist. Initially trained as a journalist, Don gained a degree in education (science), then worked for 18 years managing communication programs for several Australian natural resource management organisations.

Don has established and directed communication and marketing programs for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, CRC Reef Research Centre and the Coastal Cooperative Research Centre. He is a member of Australian Science Communicators, Society of Business Communicators and IUCN's Commission for Education and Communication.

Consulting and project management work includes:

• Up a Dry Gully School Education Program
• International Riversymposium media publicity
• Science in Queensland parliamentary briefings
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park consultation programs
• Cooperative Research Centres marketing strategies
• Pacific Asia Travel Association's ecotourism course
• Central Queensland's Healthy Waterways campaign
• Growcom's launch of Knowledge Plant and CropSentry 
• Media skills training for scientists and executives

Recent projects

Hinze Dam Alliance: School Education Project

Developed and implemented a three-year water education project and competition for Gold Coast school students. The project, called Up a Dry Gully, involved sponsorship by Sinclair Knight Merz, Thiess Services, Gold Coast City Council, URS and the Jetstar Titans football club. Lesson plans, student activities, posters, brochures, prizes, DVDs, publicity, school visits and websites were developed for the competition.

Outcomes: 370 students participated and 70 team entered the 2008 competition. Significant increases in public awareness about Hinze Dam Stage 3 and water supply issues. SEQ Water has expanded the project to other regions of south-east Queensland.

CS Energy: Operation Double Jeopardy

Developed a media program to test CS Energy’s response to a ‘simulated’ emergency at Swanbank power station near Brisbane. Scenarios were developed for staff to deal with aggressive journalists, company relatives, ministerial advisors, union representatives and community groups under pressure.

Outcomes: Practical experience in handling difficult media situations, a revised media procedure, and new guidelines were developed by CS Energy for crisis management.

International Riversymposium: Media Publicity

Provided public relations and media services for the International Riversymposium, an annual event held in Brisbane to promote the ecological and social value of rivers. The symposium showcased ‘best practice’ river and catchment management, and awards the prestigious National and International Thiess Riverprizes. Keytext developed a publicity strategy, produced media kits, held daily media briefings, negotiated newspaper sponsorship, ran a press office, and managed a team of volunteers.

Outcomes: Extensive publicity in national and international press, radio, TV and websites; high profile cover of river prizes; media training of presenters; launch of new water conservation products; wide public debate on water policy issues; feature articles in trade journals; attendance by Australian and overseas journalists.

Cooperative Research Centres' Association: Media Skills

Organised media skills training for postgraduate students and senior scientists attending the CRC Association national conference, 2006-2008. Sessions involved understanding the media; how to work with journalists; analysing needs of TV, radio and newspaper; on-camera interviews; handling difficult situations; and writing media releases.

Outcomes: Increased skills in dealing with the media, publicity on several CRC projects, improved presentation skills, and increased awareness of Australia’s CRC Program.

Growcom: Launch of CropSentry

Launched an automated pest monitoring system called CropSentry to monitor insect pest numbers in central Queensland. The product launch, for Queensland’s peak horticultural organisation Growcom, involved information brochures, media publicity, direct mail-outs to farmers and a demonstration event for farmers in Bundaberg.

Outcomes: Uptake of CropSentry by growers in the Bundaberg region, local news media coverage, and increased awareness of pest monitoring technology by central Queensland farmers and government agency staff.

Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge: Communication Strategy

Designed a communication strategy for a water planning project in northern Australia. The project was part of TRaCK, an Australian Government initiative to sustainably manage tropical rivers and catchments from Cape York to Broome. The strategy involved workshops and team meetings with CSIRO and Griffith University researchers to set objectives, clarify messages, identify target groups and plan communication activities. Promotional brochures, a website and information packages were also produced.

Outcomes: The strategy assisted social researchers to engage communities, industry and the public in northern Australia for improved collaborative approaches in water management.

Plant Biosecurity: Industry Feature Stories

Researched and wrote a series of features stories and media releases for Australia’s Plant Biosecurity CRC. Each article highlighted how cooperative research is helping to protect Australia’s valuable grain, grain and fruit market from pest and disease threats. Articles were published in a range of rural industry magazines, newsletters and websites.

Outcomes: Increased industry awareness about the Plant Biosecurity CRC’s role to control emerging plant pest and disease threats in Australia.

Australian Water Association: Climate Change Publicity

Provided media publicity for Steve Posselt’s long-distance, AWA-sponsored kayak trip from Brisbane to Adelaide. The epic five-month journey aimed to raise public awareness about climate change and river management issues, especially in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Outcomes: Significant publicity in national and regional news media, current affairs programs, and in international environment magazines.

Brisbane City Council: Healthy Waterways Publications

Reviewed and wrote a series of technical reports on sustainable water sensitive urban design for local governments, water consultants and community groups. The summaries were packaged into newsletters, media releases, websites and brochures as part of the Healthy Waterways campaign in south-east Queensland.

Outcomes: A range of clear, simple, journalistic-style publications and guides to improve community understanding of new urban water design plans.