Johanna Howes

Dr Johanna Howes is an award-winning science communicator currently working in the informal education sector at Science Space, Wollongong.

After dipping her toes in the world of Academia and Analytical Chemistry, completing a PhD titled "The Biochemical Energy Balance of the Coral Symbiosis", she decided to focus on communicating science. She, like Kate, spent a year as a presenter with the Shell Questacon Science Circus travelling around Australia and performing science shows for children in primary and high schools. Joh graduated with a Master of Science Communication (Outreach) with Commendation from the Australian National University in 2016.

In 2017, she entered and subsequently won the Alda Center's Flame Challenge for communicating science to eleven year olds. Joh was flown to New York City to meet the well known communicator and actor, Mr Alan Alda. For a year, she worked as a Freelance Science Writer, submitting stories for popular YouTube channels SciShow and Veritasium. Combined, her scripts have over 8.5 million views!

She currently works at Science Space in Wollongong - home of NSW's only Planetarium. She is in the process of re-designing engaging science shows and presenter-led experiences in the Planetarium itself and she is passionate about encouraging women and girls in STEMM.

When she's not setting things on fire or shooting marshmallows out of a vacuum cleaner for science, she enjoys adventuring, writing, reading, singing and anything even remotely science fiction-related. Dungeons and Doctorates is Joh's first foray into the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons and RPGs.