I am pleased to report that Peter Pockley, a long standing member of ASC, today has been awarded the Australian Academy of Science Academy Medal for 2010.

The Academy announced his award was for ‘outstanding contributions to science by means other than the conduct of scientific research’, where his efforts ‘significantly advanced the cause of science and technology in Australia’. This medal is normally awarded no more than once in three years.

The links to the Australian Academy of Science about this award are

http://www.science.org.au/news/feature.html

http://www.science.org.au/awards/awardees/academy-medal-awards.html#2010

Peter has been a pioneer and leader of science communication in various media over many years. It is wonderful news that he has been recognised in this way for his many contributions to engaging audiences with science.

Jesse Shore

President, Australian Science Communicators, 2010

http://www.asc.asn.au/

Jesse Shore PhD Science Communicator P: (02) 9810 2328 M: 0415 841 276 E: jesse@prismaticsciences.com W: http://www.prismaticsciences.com/ www.prismaticsciences.com

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Free Astronomy Public Lecture Series (VIC) The Cosmic Dark Ages

The Cosmic Dark Ages Presenter: Dr Emma Ryan-Weber, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing Swinburne University of Technology

The details surrounding the end of the dark ages are among the final unknowns in modern astronomy. We have yet to discover when the starlight from the first galaxies lit up the Universe, ionizing the surround neutral hydrogen gas. As part of my research we have discovered some of the oldest and most distant carbon in the Universe, but there’s not enough to support the standard theories of how the Universe lit up. This will be a talk about how the elements came into existence, and how we can use them to count the number of stars in the early Universe. It’s also a tale about astronomical research, and an example of how scientific results sometimes present more questions than answers. I will discuss possible solutions this current puzzle including ongoing observations using some of the world’s largest telescopes.

Venue: Swinburne University, Hawthorn Campus, EN building Room: EN313 Date: Friday 16 April Time: 6.20 pm for a 6.30 pm start Duration: 1 hour including questions

Places are limited so please RSVP to Liz Thackray via email ethackray@swin.edu.au by Wednesday 14 April

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

Dear ASC colleagues,

I’m writing to seek your help in identifying candidates for the 2010 L’Oréal Australia For Women In Science Fellowships.

Applications open today and close on Monday 3 May.

The three $20,000 Fellowships are intended to help early-career women scientists to consolidate their careers and rise to leadership positions in science.

The Fellowships are awarded to women who have shown scientific excellence in their career to date and who have an appropriate research plan that will be assisted by the one-year Fellowship.

The 2009 Fellows were:

· Tamara Davis from the University of Queensland/University of Copenhagen. Tamara is searching for supernovae and dark energy.

· Marnie Blewitt from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. Marnie is investigating how our genes get turned on and off.

· Zenobia Jacobs from the University of Wollongong. Zenobia is dating the emergence of human society using the clock inside every grain of sand.

We are looking for women who have completed their PhD in the last five years (allowance is made for maternity leave).

The L’Oréal Australia For Women In Science Fellowships are now in their fourth year. They are supported by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian National Commission for UNESCO.

The Fellowships are highly competitive and we encourage potential nominees to read the brief profiles of past recipients before applying.

Full criteria for eligibility, application instructions and profiles of past Fellows are online at http://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/loreal.

Read about past Fellows at http://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/loreal/fellows.

Applications close at midnight on Monday 3 May 2010 and will only be accepted via the online form.

Please circulate this email to any early-career scientists you think may be eligible for this award.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Niall Byrne

For Megan Ryan, Corporate Communications Manager, L’Oréal Australia

Science in Public ph 03 9398 1416 niall@scienceinpublic.com.au www.scienceinpublic.com.au/loreal

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Early-bird registration to the 5th National Forum on Performance in Cultural Institutions to be held in Sydney on the 22nd April in Sydney has been extended until Friday 9th April.

For more details visit:

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/bookings/imtap.php http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/bookings/imtap.php

For those who have been following the Simon Singh case, … among many other links:

A victory for free speech: Science writer Simon Singh wins libel appeal over ‘bogus chiropractic treatments’ article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1262735/Simon-Singh-wins-libel-appeal-bogus-treatments-article.html

Full text of the judgement can be found on the British Chiropractic website:

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2010/350.html

Cheers, Charlesw

Also

Science writer wins ‘fair comment’ appeal

… for those who don’t like being arbitrarily forced to upgrade their browsers video player to see it on the BBC / Guardian websites.

Background on Singh …

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Singh

“Creativity and innovation are measured not by what is done, but by what could have been done … but wasn’t”

Disclaimer: http://www.eng.unsw.edu.au/emaildis.htm

For ASC members in Adelaide: RiAus Film Society, purchase your membership online or at the door- $10 to see 3 films

Film club: lights, camera, science – Soylent green Wednesday 7 April, 6.00-8.00pm, The Science Exchange Grab some popcorn as Brendan Somerville from Fern Avenue Community Garden introduces the 1973 dystopian classic Soylent Green, a disturbing vision of a future plagued by overcrowding, food shortages and mass poverty, and the terrible extremes people will go to for survial. Membership of the RiAus Film Society required. Cost: $10 for 3 films, Free for RiAus members

Book at http://www.riaus.org.au/events/2010/april/film_club_lights_camera_science_soylent_green.jsp

Ri Australia PO Box 3652 RUNDLE MALL SA 5000 Ph: (08) 7120 8604 | Fax: (08) 8221 6563 | skern@riaus.org.au| www.riaus.org.au The Royal Institution of Australia Inc is a Charitable Institution and is a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) ABN: 98638459658

Think B4U Print 1 ream of paper = 6% of a tree and 5.4kg CO2 in the atmosphere 3 sheets of A4 paper = 1 litre of water

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

Dear ASC colleagues,

I’m writing to seek your help in identifying candidates for the 2010 L’Oréal Australia For Women In Science Fellowships.

Applications open today and close on Monday 3 May.

The three $20,000 Fellowships are intended to help early-career women scientists to consolidate their careers and rise to leadership positions in science.

The Fellowships are awarded to women who have shown scientific excellence in their career to date and who have an appropriate research plan that will be assisted by the one-year Fellowship.

The 2009 Fellows were:

· Tamara Davis from the University of Queensland/University of Copenhagen. Tamara is searching for supernovae and dark energy.

· Marnie Blewitt from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. Marnie is investigating how our genes get turned on and off.

· Zenobia Jacobs from the University of Wollongong. Zenobia is dating the emergence of human society using the clock inside every grain of sand.

We are looking for women who have completed their PhD in the last five years (allowance is made for maternity leave).

The L’Oréal Australia For Women In Science Fellowships are now in their fourth year. They are supported by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian National Commission for UNESCO.

The Fellowships are highly competitive and we encourage potential nominees to read the brief profiles of past recipients before applying.

Full criteria for eligibility, application instructions and profiles of past Fellows are online at http://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/loreal.

Read about past Fellows at http://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/loreal/fellows.

Applications close at midnight on Monday 3 May 2010 and will only be accepted via the online form.

Please circulate this email to any early-career scientists you think may be eligible for this award.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Niall Byrne

For Megan Ryan, Corporate Communications Manager, L’Oréal Australia

_______________

Science in Public

ph +61 (3) 9398 1416 or 0417 131 977

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au

www.scienceinpublic.com/loreal http://www.scienceinpublic.com/loreal

_______________________________________________ ASC-list mailing list list@asc.asn.au http://www.asc.asn.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=115

Dear ASCers,

Arising from the ASC National Conference in February, I posted a note to the ASC List on 8 March drawing attention to commentaries in the Walkley Magazine by Robyn Williams and Wilson da Silva on the state of science journalism.

I concluded with: “My own not-so-sanguine assessment of the “national strategy” will appear in the public prints later on. (I happen to have been the sole reporter present for questioning Science Minister Kim Carr at his “media conference” after he launched the “strategy”, which was not a convincing demonstration to national politics of the importance of our field of work, as expressed ultimately by budget planners.)”

This piece has now appeared in the April issue of Australasian Science which has just been published.

Cheers all!

Polls and surveys: what works?

Finding out what the public really think

We write for the general public, we talk to the general public. But who exactly are the general public? And how do we know what they think? Or even whether they are interested in science in the first place?

Join us for a discussion on public surveys, polls and focus groups.

How easy is it to conduct a survey? What can surveys reveal? And how can we use them to better direct our communication efforts.

Our panel includes a representative of polling company Roy Morgan, who will explain what’s involved in creating and running a poll; and two users – one from state government, one from federal government – who will talk about their experiences in conducting large public surveys, what worked, what didn’t and what people really think about science.

The speakers are:

* Craig Cormick, Manager of Public Awareness for the federal government’s National Enabling Technologies Strategy * Wendy Williams, Manager of Science and Community for the Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development * Bruce Packard, National Customised Research Director for Roy Morgan Research

Where:

The Clare, 421 Rathdowne Street, Carlton

When:

Tuesday 20 April

Time:

7pm to 8pm, followed by dinner. Please note the AGM for the Victorian branch will be held before the session from 6.15pm. Free drink on arrival for all attending the AGM.

RSVP:

Sarah Brooker sarah@scienceinpublic.com.au 0413 332 489

Cost:

Free for members, $10 for non-members $5 for students. Meals and drinks at bar prices.

Download http://www.asc.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ASCVICapr2010_AGM+publ ic.pdf> a poster of this session here for your workplace lunchroom or office noticeboard.

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