The popular broadcaster was emcee on day two of the event.

As Dr Karl broke into song on the York stage of the Seymour Centre, audience members realised they were in for a presentation with a difference. 

The beloved scientist and broadcaster was the keynote speaker and emcee on day two of our District’s Innovation and Research Symposium. 

Dr Karl’s address, delivered to an audience of clinicians, researchers and District staff, focused on the importance of critical thinking and understanding that we don’t know half as much as we think we do. 

In 45 minutes, he took us through history, around the globe and through his own career highs and lows as he argued in favour of reason and research-driven thinking. 

Knowing what you know and what you don’t know is crucial, he said; illustrating his point with an example of an early-career TV appearance when he embarrassed himself by failing to prepare for the conversation. 

“Who would do that?!” he exclaimed, as the audience giggled along. 

This cognitive bias, whereby those with less expertise or experience of something tend to overestimate their knowledge and ability, is known as the Dunning-Kruger effect and should be avoided at all costs, Dr Karl implored. 

Using a clip of a TV news pundit discrediting wind turbines, he also highlighted how quickly and easily facts can be distorted or dismissed, and how hard it is to correct them. 

Known as the Bulldust Asymmetry Factor, this theory helps to explain the phenomenon of fake news and is something to be wary of in the search for scientific truth, he said. 

“Science is a way to not get fooled,” Dr Karl told the audience, before concluding his address with some key messages of hope – backed by evidence. 

These were that climate change is not yet irreversible, that humanity is living through the most peaceful time in its history and that each new generation is proving to be more intelligent than the last. 

His final message of hope was especially appropriate for our Symposium; that it is possible to eradicate COVID-19 through vaccination. 

The presentation was a lively and informative start to the day, which saw dozens of speakers share their research, ideas and stories of innovation in health and healthcare with the hundreds of people who attended the Seymour Centre at the University of Sydney. 

Dr Karl also facilitated conversations throughout the day’s program, including a session on LifeLab Sydney, our District’s school student science initiative, and a panel discussion on the evolution of pelvic exenteration surgery at RPA Hospital. 

To learn more about our Symposium, held as part of Sydney Innovation Week 2023, visit the website: https://slhd.health.nsw.gov.au/innovation-week