Janet Salisbury Email & Phone Number

After a number of postdoctoral years working in cancer research, I made a career change to science writing and editing in 1990 and later founded the company Biotext Pty Ltd in 1999, which has grown to be an Australian leader in science content development and publishing. I researched, wrote and edited proceedings, guidelines and reports for numerous government departments and agencies, nongovernment organisations and academic institutions. Many jobs involved high-profile publications of national significance, often working with expert committees. Along the way, I was lucky enough to work with Australia’s top experts in evidence-based practice and interpreted the findings of literature reviews for the development of clinical practice and population health guidelines, and assessment of new health technologies. In 2002, I was one of the first people in the world to advocate the application of evidence-based medicine methods to environmental management. In October 2016, I retired from day-today work in the company while remaining a member of the board of directors.Through my work in science communication I became very interested in dialogue, initially in relation to public discourse around new biotechnologies such as genetically modified organisms or embryonic stem cells, but later around public policy more generally. In 2006, I joined the Canberra group A Chorus of Women and became interested in the significant role that the arts play in connecting us to our common humanity. With A Chorus of Women, I initiated a series of public conversations in Canberra called Canberra Conversations to create a safe space for community conversations about issues of citizen concern. Many were about environmental issues and we often collaborated with Prof Will Steffen who was at the time Director of the ANU Climate Institute. A feature of these conversations was the wide diversity of participants and the integration of artistic expression (through story and song) to connect to the emotional aspects of the issues.Dismayed by the political roadblocks to effective action on climate change, even in the face of the catastrophic bushfires of the 2019-2020 Black Summer, I have recently founded a new initiative - the Women's Climate Congress to work for united, nonpartisan action on climate change.

Listed skills include Editing, Health, Writing, Publications, and 28 others.