Rae Johnston
A multi-award-winning STEM journalist, broadcaster and Editor
Rae Johnston is a multi-award-winning STEM journalist, Wiradjuri woman, mother, broadcaster, and MC.
The first Science & Technology Editor for NITV at SBS, her work appears across television, radio, and online. Rae is also the producer and host of top-rated podcasts Queens of the Drone Age, STEAM with Rae Johnston, Hear+Beyond, Look At Me and Harmful. Previously, Rae was the first female editor of Gizmodo Australia and the first Indigenous editor of Junkee.
A leading commentator on all things technology, science and pop culture, Rae has worked with every major television and radio network in Australia at some stage of her decade-long career. Today, she makes regular appearances across SBS, ABC and Network Ten.
Rae’s work has seen her awarded the Lighting The Way prize for advocacy and support of the Australian games industry at the Australian Game Developer Awards. The Australian Games Awards named her Journalist of the Year and The Gamechanger – awarded for challenging negative misconceptions about video games.
Rae is a warm and highly professional MC and has worked with the likes of the Sydney Opera House, The Powerhouse Museum, Oz Comic Con, The Australian Federal Government, The Australian Academy of Science and The Museum of Contemporary Art. Rae’s events and stage management background ensure that any event she hosts – virtual, live, pre-recorded or stage – runs smoothly.
Rae is also an engaging keynote speaker. She gives talks on wide-ranging topics like diversity in STEM and burnout to corporate audiences and for public events like the Australian Women’s Leadership Symposium and TEDx. In the last five years, Rae has moderated over 80 panels discussing science, technology and pop culture.
An experienced actor for stage and screen, Rae specialises in voice acting. She is currently voicing “Janali Banks” in ABC & Nine Network’s animated children’s series, Space Nova. She can also be heard voicing on-screen promos for SBS and in various Australian Government Announcements over the last 20 years.
Rae is a founding mentor with The Working Lunch program, supporting underrepresented entry-level people in games. She is also an External Assessor with Film Victoria, helping to fund independent games.
Indigenous Science is a passion point of Rae’s – a topic she promotes as a member of the STREAMS Network and explores hosting NITV’s children’s series 'Rewired'. With almost a decade of experience appearing on every national television and radio news program in Australia, Rae is a leading commentator on all things science, technology, video games and geek culture.
Rae is a proud Wiradjuri woman born and raised on Dharug and Gundungurra country in Western Sydney. Becoming a single teenage Mum fuelled her to follow her passions and show her son how to achieve your dreams. He’s now 20 and well on his way to ranking Radiant in Valorant while studying cybersecurity.Rae is an enthusiastic, professional and passionate MC, hosting conferences and festivals all over the country.
Rae is a part of the prestigious “brains trust” Leonardos group for The Science Gallery Melbourne, a Mentor with The Working Lunch program supporting entry-level women in STEM and an ambassador for both St Vincent De Paul and the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge.