I'm officially one of the next #SuperstarsOfSTEM !!!

I have been chosen by Science & Technology Australia as one of 60 STEM professionals to take part in the Superstars program for 2025-2026.

I'm excited to learn lots, meet my fellow Superstars, and inspire the next generation of scientists 🌟

HEALTH ALERT

Today’s thunderstorm asthma warning in Victoria has been updated to HIGH RISK for North Central and West & South Gippsland.

If you live or work in these regions, please be cautious and stay safe.

If you start wheezing or have difficulty breathing, call emergency services.

Victoria could be at risk of thunderstorm #asthma today.

What does that mean and how can you stay safe?

Did you know #pollen can burst?!

Grass pollen can absorb water & burst, releasing hundreds of microscopic particles.

Normally, pollen gets stuck in your nose. However, these particles are smaller and travel deep into your lungs, causing more severe symptoms like wheezing or difficulty breathing.

Did you know that the chance of experiencing thunderstorm asthma depends on where you live?

#Australia is the world's thunderstorm #asthma capital & has recorded 42% of known worldwide events.

These took place in just 3 states: Victoria, NSW, and ACT. So if you live there, you might be at risk.

Did you know that in Australia, all thunderstorm asthma events (so far) were during Spring?

It just so happens that grass release all their #pollen during spring too.

Grass pollen peaks during thunderstorm asthma events and #allergy to grass pollen is a major risk factor for thunderstorm asthma.

Can honey cure your hay fever?

Discover the answer in my latest article with @australia.theguardian.com via the link below

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Why is thunderstorm asthma suddenly so common in Australia?

The answer is not what you’d expect…

It’s been exactly 8 years since Melbourne experienced the world’s most catastrophic thunderstorm asthma event and there is growing concern of it happening again.

So is thunderstorm #asthma becoming more common?

Read all about it in my latest article: theconversation.com/is-thunderst...

Do you have #asthma?

1 in 9 Australians have asthma, but only 6% of them know how to use their asthma inhalers correctly.

Untreated asthma increases your risk of thunderstorm asthma and could put you in hospital.

Speak with your doctor to make sure you are using your asthma inhaler correctly.

Are you at risk of thunderstorm asthma?

Australia is the thunderstorm asthma capital of the world so if you live here, it's important to know if you may be affected.

You are at risk of thunderstorm asthma if:

🤧 You have hay fever

😮‍💨 You have #asthma

💊 You have untreated or mismanaged asthma

When we count over 100 grass pollen at once, it means that that day has an "extreme" #pollen level.

If you’re #allergic to grass pollen, these are the days you dread the most. So far, Melbourne has had 5 this season!

If you want to check pollen forecasts in #Melbourne, click the link in my bio.

Ever wanted to know how a #scientist collects #pollen?

Well here’s how I do it for my research at Deakin University.

If you like this video, you can follow me on TikTok @KiraETSA for similar content 🤗

Fun Fact: I keep #nail polish in my lab and use it every day!

Turns out nail polish is the perfect tool for sealing slides: it’s cheap, fast-drying, and easy to apply.

Not only does every #pollen #scientist across Victoria use nail polish, we each have a "signature colour". How cool is that?

I look at #pollen almost every day under the microscope. They're usually yellow or grey, which makes them very hard to spot.

To make my job earlier, I stain my samples bright pink! This makes pollen so much easier to spot.

Isn't it cool to see how a bit of #pink can be integral to science?

How do scientists collect #pollen?

With a Pollen Trap!

This fancy green vacuum collects samples that we analyse every morning during the pollen season in #Australia.

Monitoring grass pollen every day helps us create pollen forecasts and predict the potential risk of a thunderstorm asthma event.

Hi all! 👋

I'm a Graduate Researcher at Deakin University specialising in thunderstorm asthma and developing better ways to monitor #pollen.

I also help create pollen forecasts and thunderstorm asthma warnings for hay fever sufferers in #Melbourne.

Follow to learn about #allergy & #asthma 🤗