Humans 2.0
Humans 2.0 is a student-led, peer-reviewed journal bringing together the diverse works of undergraduate students through the examination of scientific innovation and its place in society and culture.
A biannual publication, Humans 2.0 curates a series of works by undergraduate students at the University of Melbourne that explore the intersections between science and humanity. Works can be reflective or analytical and may be communicated through a variety of media including essays and contextualised art pieces.
Interdisciplinarity
The journal is founded on the principle of interdisciplinarity; the integration of perspectives from biomedicine, science, humanities, and the arts to produce novel takes on complex issues. We believe that interdisciplinarity can equip society with the ability to overcome the challenges of the future.
This exciting new opportunity helps undergraduate students at the University of Melbourne to workshop and discuss their ideas as part of a passionate community. You could be published in a real academic journal before you graduate!
Do you have a new idea that you want to tell the world about? Or maybe a new way of looking at a contentious problem? Perhaps you want to connect with other like-minded students and create a collaborative project?
Then Humans 2.0 is the community for you!
Max Billington (Editor in Chief)
G’day, I’m Max! I’m a fourth-year Arts student with an interest in all things historical, as well as security politics and the evolution of liberalism. When I’m not trying to finish four essays at once, you can find me playing video games or rereading Lord of the Rings for the tenth time. Occasionally I go outside and follow my chickens around.
What makes you human 2.0?
I combat the evolutionarily undesirable trait of bad eyesight by wearing two pieces of specially designed glass in front of my eyes. This works very well at fending off selection pressure, when I remember to put them on.
Thomas Danese (Financial Advisor)
Hi! I’m Thomas, I’m in my fourth year of biomed and my major is biomedical engineering. I love reading about science, philosophy and history, as well as science fiction, so I’m very excited to be a part of this team. I also enjoy stargazing because it makes me think about how small and fragile we are, and that helps to take my mind off the small stuff.
What makes you human 2.0?
What makes me human is my identity and everything that forms it: language, disability, complex and abstract thoughts, and my love of pasta.
Jacob Ellis (Art Director)
Hi! I’m Jacob, a second year Science student with an interest in the Neuroscience major, and I’ll be fulfilling the role of Art Director for Humans 2.0! As well as the sciences, I’m a big fan of art and writing, and I have a special appreciation for the iconic 60s sci-fi novel, Dune.
What makes you human 2.0?
I believe that the defining feature of humanity is our concept of identity. To be human is to believe we are greater than the sum of our parts. It is our endless search for the meaning hidden within ourselves and our world. And so, to me, being Human 2.0 is about projecting that inherent drive for understanding outwards, to build a brighter future for all.
Mark Gillam (Events Planner)
Hi, I’m Mark Gillam. I am currently completing the second year of my Art degree at the University of Melbourne with a focus on philosophy and ethics. I am an editorial board member for Humans 2.0 and currently hold the Events Planner role for the Journal. I am interested in a wide range of topics, from music and technology, to politics and ethics, this is what sparked my interest in interdisciplinary study and is one of the reasons I am so excited to be a part of the Humans 2.0 project.
What makes you human 2.0?
I believe I could be classified as Human 2.0 as my main mode of transport requires harnessing the force from a series of extremely well timed and contained explosions, and I (for better or worse), choose to sit atop this contraption and consider it normal.
Alexander Joshi (Issue Planner)
I am on a quest to figure out the world and how we have the people in it. This took me to science, which took me to physics and maths, but in an alternative timeline I could stomach chem pracs and ended up in biochemistry. Humans 2.0 is me getting back in touch with my roots. When I'm not studying, I like to play music and write stories.
What makes you human 2.0?
I can access an ocean of human knowledge from anywhere I need to go.
Annabella Lewis (Administrator)
Hello, I’m Annabella! I’m a second-year biomed student with special interests in developmental biology, perinatal, and neonatal medicine. I am passionate about creating an empathetic future through the unification of these scientific disciplines with ethics and the humanities; particularly through medical ethics and the philosophy of science. In my downtime, I love to read, write, bake, sing, and care for my growing family of pot plants!
What makes you human 2.0?
We are all intrinsically connected to our planet – evolutionarily and by our duty to care for it – and I like to embrace this broader sense of what it means to be human by filling my abode with plants and surrounding myself with nature wherever possible!
Tony Zhang (Outreach)
I am a University of Melbourne student currently studying second year Bachelor of Biomedicine. Aspiring to be an anaesthetist in the future, my life goal has always been to become successful in the field of medicine and help people to the best of my ability. Despite always having a vested interest in the sciences, music was also an integral part of my schooling life, achieving great honours in both piano and cello after many years of dedication.
What makes you human 2.0?
Well, since I come from a science background, I guess what makes me human is my heart, but what makes me human 2.0 is debatable.
If you have an idea for a contribution, we strongly encourage you to send the editors a brief (250 words) proposal for an art work, analytical or reflective essay (i.e. book review, interview or debate) in the scope of Humans 2.0. This will encourage a conversation between you as potential author(s) and the editorial board, improving the chance that your proposed piece fits with the focus of the journal. Your proposal should outline the type of contribution (art work, review of what book, etc.) and the focus of the potential submission.
You can read more on the different types of contributions in the module Getting Published.
Do you have an idea that fits the above description? We would love to hear it via the link below!
Criteria for review
All submitted pieces (art work, analytical or reflective essay) must meet the following criteria:
- It has as a primary focus the interdisciplinary intersection of science and society, with a particular emphasis on how biomedical interventions impact on society and its beliefs, philosophy and culture.
- Meets the formatting guidelines outlined below and in the module 'Getting published'.
- Is clearly written and accessible to a broad, interdisciplinary readership.
- Is not previously published, nor is it currently in submission with another journal.
Checklist for submission
- Essays may be between 1250 and 4000 words, including title, abstract, footnotes and keywords, but excluding the reference list.
- Book reviews may be between 750 and 1500 words.
- All submissions (excluding artwork) must be Microsoft Word documents, in order to allow anonymous peer review.
- All headings and separations between article sections must be clearly indicated.
- All references conform to the APA 7 style. See the University’s dedicated APA 7 referencing guide for instructions and examples.
- The inclusion of illustrations, figures, charts, tables and graphs is permitted.
Creative submissions
Creative submissions should include the following information:
- Student name, degree and year level.
- 200-word artist statement (briefly describing your artwork, its aims and intentions).
- 200-word statement outlining how your artwork connects to the concept of Humans2.0.
If you submit an image, or multiple images if your submission is comprised of related pieces, please submit files that:
- Are Jpeg.
- Are 300dpi.
- Have a max size of 2MB.
- Have a max width (long edge) 1920px.
All set? We look forward to reading/seeing/hearing your work via the link below!
Newsletter
Would you like to receive updates on interdisciplinary work, conferences and receive an update when a new issue of Humans 2.0 is published? Click on the button below and leave your details in the form.
Interactive modules
The editorial board and faculty staff have co-created interactive modules on Canvas to help students publish in an interdisciplinary journal. There are six modules, covering:
Interdisciplinarity: integrating an interdisciplinary approach in your work.- Getting published: preparing a manuscript for submission and getting published.
- Being an editorial board member: responsibilities of an editorial board member and the objectives of journal members.
- Being a peer reviewer: conducting a peer review.
- Academic integrity: what you need to know about publishing your research article.
- Resources: an overview of useful resources.
Access to the Canvas modules is available to all staff and students at the University of Melbourne. You can enroll in these modules via the button below.
Contact us
Do you want to get involved in our journal? For example organise an interdisciplinary symposium, market the journal and related activities, or become an editor for our journal? Please send an email to:
humans2-0@unimelb.edu.au