Monthly Archives: May 2014

QLD – Cafe Scientifique: Draw Me A Discovery

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drawdiscovery

This one-night Café Scientifique will dazzle audiences with an array of art and science collaborations at Bleeding Heart. For the price of a glass of wine, anyone can come by and explore exquisite combinations of art and science through inspiring talks and exhibitions. It will entice, inspire and beguile you!

This event will be hosted by a group of UQ Science Communication Students as part of their science communication studies.

Supported by the University of Queensland, Inspiring Australia (QLD) & Australian Science Communicators

BOOK TICKETS – $10 (Includes complimentary drink)

Event Details

Date: Thursday 19 June, 2014
When: 6:30 – 8:30pm
Where: Bleeding Heart Café, 166 Ann Street, Brisbane City

Who: With presentations by Dr Amelia Barikin, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, Gary Cranitch, Award winning photographer at the Queensland Museum, Svenja Kratz, Contemporary artist and Allison Holland, Lecturer in Art History at the University of Queensland. Special exhibitions by Renata Busiak, Photographic artist, Luke Hammond, Neuroscience Microscopy Facility Manager at Queensland Brain Institute and Dr Margaret Wegener, Researcher at the University of Queensland.

What: The gallery doors are open and you are invited to explore beautiful, inspiring and emotive collections of artistic science, hear from expert speakers as they take you on a journey through the history and contemporary field of the blend of art and science. Wander from biomedical imagery to biochromes, and physics inspired silversmithing to underwater photography, the realm of imagination is endless. This is a ticketed event but places are limited. Book now so you don’t miss out!

Post any questions to ‘Draw me a Discovery’ on Facebook before the event for your chance to reveal the answer by experts on the night.

Additional Information

‘Draw me a Discovery’ will begin at 6:30pm at the Bleeding Heart Café with awe inspiring exhibitions and scientific music. The Café will be open for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, with a free drink on arrival. The expert presenters will dazzle you from 7:00pm onwards in the Café, with time to ask your burning questions. Amelia will talk about the historical background of art and science collaboration, Allison will share her work in representing science through artistic expression, then Gary will discuss the role of photography in provoking intellectual and emotional responses, and Svenja will explore biotechnological influences on contemporary art. After the discussion there will be drinks to purchase as you mingle with the experts, explore the exhibitions and engage with incredible expressions of science through art. You might not find this much scientific artistic talent in the same room again.

SPEAKERS

Amelia Barikin – Research Fellow
Amelia is a writer and independent curator. Her curatorial projects often incorporate improvised technology with multi-sensory aesthetics, such as the Sound Playground in which experimental sonic sculptures were installed for public interaction. Her publications include Making Worlds: Art and Science Fiction and “Mega Screens for Mega Cities” in Journal Theory Culture and Society. Amelia’s professional interests include contemporary art, science fiction, time and technology, and her current research at UQ is on the intersection of art and science fiction. Amelia will provide an introduction to art:science history and culture.

Gary Cranitch – Nature Photographer
An award-winning nature and environment photographer, Gary’s work has been published in Australian Geographic, Popular Science (USA), New Scientist, and National Geographic online. He was heavily involved in the CReefs project, a systematic study of coral reef biodiversity that helped identify more than a thousand new species and will be used in future reef management decision-making. The CReefs project produced the beautiful book The Great Barrier Reef Discovery Guide (available for purchase at Queensland Museum), for which Gary was the Principal Photographer. Gary will discuss the role of his photography in provoking both intellectual and emotional responses and facilitating the collection and dissemination of scientific information.

Svenja Kratz – Artist
With a PhD in Contemporary Art and Biotechnology, Svenja is a true scientific artist. She has worked in cell and tissue culture at QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, with whom she has developed several projects that blur, or even eliminate, the line between science and art. In addition to being aesthetically engaging, Svenja’s works demonstrate biotechnological knowledge and practices while also exploring questions of life, death, immortality, ethics, body taboos, and the human drive for understanding and control. Much of her work incorporates biological material, often living, and occasionally even contributes to scientific discovery during the process of its creation. Her latest project, Intersections: The Real and the Imaginary, will be exhibited at Spiro Grace Art Rooms 22nd May – 7 June. Svenja will use her own work to demonstrate transdisciplinary intersections of art and science.

Dr Allison Holland – Lecturer in Art History at University of Queensland.
Allison is an arts academic and curator with a background in paper conservation. Her research focus is on the use of technology in contemporary art, and cross media art. Among her publications is “Innovation, art practice and Japan-Australia cultural exchange during the 1970s and 1980s” in Asia Pacific Journal of Arts and Cultural Management. Allison’s role at UQ includes organising the university’s artists in residence and forming collaborations between artists and scientists. She will talk about the importance of these collaborations, with reference to examples from her experience.

EXHIBITORS

Renata Buziak – Artist
It’s not enough to say that Renata Buziak’s artwork focuses on natural forms and processes. You really have to see it for yourself to understand.

Take, for instance, her project, “Biochromes”. “Biochromes” actively employs the biological process of decomposition to create beautiful and haunting organic photographs.

The artist herself notes that, “Nature’s vegetation offers an endless supply of organic matter for use in my artworks. I create unique images by forming alliances between a variety of plants and photographic emulsions.

“I call these images ‘Biochromes’ because the natural occurrence of de-composition on the photographic materials results in an array of colourful pigmentation arranged in complex and detailed compositions, aided by natures own creative skill.

“While my practice builds on the traditions of botanical illustrations and experimental photographic techniques (achieved by photography pioneers such a W. H. Fox Talbot), my ‘fertilisation’ of photographic materials, using vegetation, directly focuses on the significance of time and change through decomposition, and presents a new and unique perspective into the use of the photographic medium.“

As an artist and PhD candidate, Renata is a fascinating person. Be sure to pop by the Draw me a Discovery event to view some of her work. She will even be on hand to discuss her work.

Margaret Wegener – Physicist & Artist
As a lecturer and First-Year Teaching Director in Physics at the University of Queensland, Dr Margaret Wegener teaches both aspiring physicists and physics service courses; she is interested in the educational problems of contextualising physics, and the transition between school and university.

Her PhD was awarded for laser diagnostics of a Superorbital Expansion Tube, by multiple holographic recordings. As well as holography showing the rupture process of a light diaphragm in an expansion tube, this included holographic interferometry of high-speed gas flows around models, and analysis of the resulting images to yield quantitative information about the gas flow structures.

Margaret says that, “Sometimes physics fascinates just because of aesthetics. It would be the artistic appeal of an experimental image, a beautiful object used in doing physics, a pleasing curve that relates parameters.. Margaret worked with a fellow artist to create original artworks that can be worn as jewellery, or sculpture, by re-purposing physical artefacts.

Luke Hammond – Neuroscience Microscopy Facility Manager at Queensland Brain Institute and Independent Artist/ Designer.
Between his research in biomedical imaging and neuroscience and his works of art incorporating natural forms, Luke is the epitome of the artistic scientist. At the Queensland Brain Institute he employs state-of- the-art technology to develop innovative new imaging techniques. He uses his techniques to contribute to research on the brain function, including sleep, consciousness and neuron activity. It also assists in the study of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and Schizophrenia. In 2011 Luke won first and second place in QBI’s Art in Neuroscience Competition, and he has also won an Australian RAW Designer Award for his personal artwork. His jewellery and sculpture translate nature and science into objects of wearable art; his latest collection is directly inspired by his experience in neuroscience. Luke will share his images and techniques to demonstrate the use of art in contributing to, as well as communicating about, scientific discoveries.

Gary Cranitch and Svenja Kratz will also have their artwork on display.

ACT: Careers and Networking night – May 22

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Careers in science communication: what are your options and how do you get started?

Our next ACT branch event brings science communication professionals and students together for a careers-focussed networking night on Thursday May 22 at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS).

Students can meet practitioners and hear about pathways into the industry while professionals can share their experience with aspiring science communicators.

If you are a science communication professional offering internships or mentoring opportunities, our careers night is the perfect platform for connecting with interested students.

The night will begin with a series of short talks highlighting different pathways and careers in science communication. Guest speakers include:

Following the talks there will be an opportunity for students and professionals to network over food and drinks.

Interested? Please register here

  • When: May 22, 5:15 pm – 6:30 pm
  • Where: Green Couch Room, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS)
  • Physics Link Building 38A, ANU
  • Cost:  Free. Finger food and drinks provided.

Stories from the Interview Booth—A disease of poverty

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Stories from the Interview Booth showcases some of the most interesting tales presented at the #ASC14 Conference Interview Booth. Thank you to Michelle Wheeler for sharing these stories!

Since being diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease at the age of seven, Carlisa Willika has had four major heart operations.

The 13-year-old has a mechanical heart valve, takes daily blood-thinning medication, requires penicillin injections every 28 days and can’t play contact sport.

Sadly, rheumatic heart disease is preventable.

“It’s a disease of poverty so in most developed countries it doesn’t exist any more,” RHD Australia communications officer Emmanuelle Clarke said.

“In Australia rheumatic heart disease is most common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and unfortunately most of the cases occur in children between five and 14 years old.”

RDH3084

Pic credit: An RHD Australia doctor supporting rheumatic heart disease control programs – Emmanuelle Clarke.

Ms Clarke faces a tough job communicating information about a disease that affects almost no one in big cities and developed areas.

Doctors and nurses coming from urban areas can misdiagnose rheumatic heart disease and the fact that most sufferers live in remote communities presents a unique set of challenges.

Acute rheumatic fever is caused by the streptococcus bacteria and enters the body through skin sores or the throat.

Ms Clarke said people usually suffer from aches and swollen joints and the disease causes permanent damage to the valves of the heart.

“Once someone has had an episode of acute rheumatic fever, they usually get it again and again unless they receive penicillin injections every 28 days,” she said.

“With each episode it causes more damage to the valves of the heart, which ends up being rheumatic heart disease.”

Ms Clarke said the condition is linked to poor hygiene and overcrowding in houses.

She said rheumatic heart disease can halve a person’s life expectancy and those dying were often young people in their most productive years.

“I’ve heard a story of a young man playing football in a remote community and dying in the middle of the football game due to a heart attack as a result of rheumatic heart disease,” Ms Clarke said.

According to an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, 98 per cent of cases of acute rheumatic fever in the Northern Territory are in people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and 58 per cent occur in children between five and 14 years old.

 

Navigating the Animation Process (Part 1 of 5 – Initial Briefing)

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Navigating Animation 1

From concept to screen, getting the best results.

by Adrian King (Animation/visual–fx producer, designer & artist)

I presented this material at a workshop at the ASC Conference 2014 in Brisbane. Some positive feedback has prompted me to write a condensed summary for ASC members who couldn’t attend. I hope you find it useful.

Creative processes can be described as the series of decisions required to turn something imagined into something tangible. This might sound like magic, and to some it is, but how do we learn to get the best results from the process? Every decision starts with a question, so the best way to get the best results from any process is to have a firm grasp of the language of the process. Fortunately we can break the process down into a bite size chunks that de-mystify or decode it. This is what we need, and exactly what I‘ll be doing with this series of articles on Navigating the Animation Process.

I like to break down the entire process into 5 stages, each of which has a number of key processes and assets. In this first article we’ll take a quick overview and then look closely at stage 1. Stay tuned for stages 2–5 in subsequent articles.

The Stages

  1. Initial Briefing
  2. Concept & Script Development
  3. Design
  4. Production
  5. Delivery

Stages 1–3 are your planning stages. Stage 4 is where most of the costs are incurred. It’s essential to get stages 1–3 right in order to avoid hidden costs or wasted time and energy down the track. Just like building a house.

KEY TAKE HOME POINTS

  • Make the primary goal of the first 3 stages to ensure that only minor creative decisions remain to be made during stage 4.
  • The more major creative decisions remain once you enter stage 4, the higher the risk of disappointment!

Let’s have a deeper look at each of the 5 stages…

1. Initial Briefing

It all starts with an idea, a little spark of imagination, some neural activity forging new pathways in the brain. But how do we get this out of our heads and onto the screen? First step – put it on paper. You need to go on a quest! Ask yourself questions (the challenges) and speak, write, draw, or act out the answers. Go on – have fun with it!

The first thing I ask when someone enquires about producing some animation is how well defined is the brief? Most producers, including myself, will spend some time facilitating an enquiry process with a client to define these (free of charge) until we get to a point where we can provide an estimation or quotation of costs of the next three stages. We need the brief to be well defined in order to provide accurate costs. We love clients who come armed with well defined briefs!

The goal of this phase is to turn those sparks of imagination into a well-defined written brief consisting of as much of the following essential and preferred information as possible. A good animation producer will be able to help you achieve this if you don’t have it already.

Essential

  • Title (or working title)
  • 1 sentence description
  • 1 paragraph summary
  • 1 page synopsis
  • Audience/demographics
  • Purpose/intention
  • Date required by
  • Duration
  • Media platform(s) where it will be shown

Preferred (and sometimes essential)

  • List of core messages
  • A list of all stakeholders/agencies involved, and their interest in the outcome
  • Sequence/timing requirements (if available)
  • List of characters (if required)
  • Voice over and dialogue requirements (if required)
  • Related or associated campaigns
  • Any creative material (sketches, designs or writing) already developed for work (if available)

In most cases, armed with a well-defined written brief, we can then provide an accurate cost for the entire project (Stages 2, 3 & 4). However sometimes we need to complete stages 2 or 3 in order to provide an accurate quote for the stage 4 (Production). In that case we would provide an accurate quotation for stages 2 & 3 (Concept/script development & Design) and a close estimation for stage 4. After stage 2–3 that estimation can then be firmed up to provide an accurate quotation.

If the client provides a budget constraint, the results of stages 2 & 3 can be tailored to ensure the production costs match the budget, which can help speed up the process.

KEY TAKE HOME POINTS

  • Write down all the essential information for the initial brief.
  • Include as much as possible of the preferred information.
  • Expect a good animation producer to help you during this stage by asking questions that will help you define the brief.

KEY ASSETS OF STAGE 1

  • The written brief (aka the scope of work)

Next month we’ll continue the journey with stage 2 (Concept/Script Development).

Till then…

Adrian King (Animation/visual–fx producer, designer & artist)
www.redboat.com.au
@adrian_redboat

(PS: You can send any questions you’d like answered about the animation process by logging in and leaving a comment below, or contact me directly at www.redboat.com.au)

Stories from the Interview Booth at #ASC14—They had to run, run, run…

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Stories from the Interview Booth showcases some of the most interesting tales presented at the #ASC14 Conference Interview Booth. Thank you to Michelle Wheeler for sharing these stories!

If you were at the ASC14 conference dinner, you’ll know Scottish palaeontologist Professor Flint as a man of brilliant lyrics and tunes you can’t get out of your head.

You’ll know he’s a little eccentric, passionate about the Australian story and has the kind of energy that gets hundreds of science communicators on their feet doing dinosaur actions.

But you might not realise Professor Flint’s creator Michael Mills has been on real fossil digs, spent time hanging out with one of the inspirations for Jurassic Park’s Alan Grant character and calls some of Australia’s leading palaeontologists friends.

Oh, and he’s not actually Scottish.

Mills, who is the creative director of Heaps Good Productions, said the character of Professor Flint came about after he read Tim Flannery’s book The Future Eaters.

He was Australian right up until the final dress rehearsal when Mills walked past a puppet wearing a Tam o’ Shanter and realised that if Professor Flint was Scottish the song “rocks and bones” became “rrrocks ‘n’ boones”.

“All of sudden it became funnier,” Mills said.

“It also allowed Flint to be an outsider saying how cool this stuff is because at times in Australia we’ve got this cultural cringe where we’re a bit shy about raving about some of our stuff.”

If making Professor Flint Scottish was genius, what happened next was just brilliant good luck.

The SA Museum decided to host a palaeontology week, bringing Australia’s best palaeontologists to Mills’ home town of Adelaide just as he had created the character.

Professor Flint became an important part of the event and Mills got to hang out with some of the leading palaeontologists from Australia and around the world.

“For me, part of the buzz was the privilege that you have of sitting in a room at dinner at night with guys like (Jurassic Park inspiration) Phil Currie, (Flinders University Professor) Rod Wells and (Queensland Museum curator) Scott Hocknull and all of the Australian palaeos that have discovered all the stuff because in the end it’s their stories that I’m telling,” he said.

“And they impressed upon me the importance of getting the content right.”

Mills has since gone on fossil digs at Emu Bay, been shown museum collections closed to the public and sends his lyrics to palaeontologists to check he has them scientifically correct.

In the process he has amassed a depth of knowledge that leads many to mistake his alter ego for a real person.

“We constantly have people seeing Flint as real and that’s because I’ve learnt enough about the palaeo to be able to talk the stuff,” Mills said.

They had to run, run, run, they had to hit top speed,

They had to run, run, there was a dinosaur stampede.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rules of order and the art of chairing

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…with some words from recent ASC2014 conference session chairs…

Chairperson

(Modifed and re-used under Creative Commons License)

In the recent national conference for all those who make science accessible our session chairs had a lot on their plate.

As well as ensuring that more than five hundred delegates could move between over seventy individual sessions in a somewhat orderly fashion without stealing time from other sessions or from networking, they were also responsible for conducting each session in a way that delivered the greatest value to the gathered audience interested in the topic being discussed.

The role of a Chairperson can be traced back to the early development of procedure in parliament.

According to Robert’s Rules of Order,

“The distinguishing feature of the early parliaments was the fact that the barons of the Council were invited not only to express their opinions individually on matters laid before them by the king, but to discuss, with each other, the overall “state of the realm” —the business of “king and kingdom” rather than only “the king’s business”.
(see Introduction, xxxii)

The latter part of the sixteenth century through the seventeenth century “was a period of prolonged internal conflict over the Prerogatives of parliament—as opposed to those of the king—which stimulated an increased interest in procedure…” (see Introduction, xxxiii)

These early efforts to learn to rule democratically led to the development of a number of rules of order still in use by chairs today.

Points of order such as: ‘one subject at a time’, ‘alternation between opposite points of view’ and ‘refinement of the debate to the merits of the pending question’, help us to explore the “state of the realm” collectively with a view to discovering or creating new knowledge for the benefit of all.

Although our national conference is not exactly parliament, session chairs have a similar set of challenges.

We thought we’d ask three session chairs highly commended in recent conference feedback for a few pointers on how they do such a good job.

Will Grant:

“The only two things I’d say is

  • be religious on time (stop on time is *the* most important thing, start on time if at all possible. Reward those who came on time not those who turned up late), and
  • be human.”

Leonie Rennie:

“I think Will put his finger on the key issue: Timing. You need to agree with presenters before the session how long each will speak, in what order, when there will be questions and who will field them. Give signals (eg five fingers for five minutes left) to warn speakers when to stop.

Start on time, otherwise speakers are disenfranchised, and those who arrived on time are forced to wait.

Being human is a good idea, although it isn’t something I consciously think about. I will try harder.”

Sarah Lau:

“I would say one of my main things is to prioritise content. I know I will always have a few things more than I can get through so I like to know in advance what I can chop when I start to run short on time.

I agree with Leonie’s strategy and if I can, discuss time limitations and signals with speakers beforehand.

Will’s recommendation is also important – stopping on time, although I find the ‘organic’ conversations may carry on. I normally try to signal the end of proceedings, formally wrap up and then let people continue to chat if they so desire.”

 

A big THANK YOU to all our ASC2014 Conference Chairs and Facilitators for volunteering their time and expertise to facilitate the growth of new knowledge fairly and collectively.

See: Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th edition (By Henry M. III Robert, Daniel H. Honemann, Thomas J. Balch).

President’s update

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Thank you to our President A/Prof. Joan Leach for the March/April update.
Not that there was any doubt, but the variety of evaluations coming in on ASC14 shows that the conference was definitely seen as a success by our members. Interestingly, 61% of colleagues we met in Brisbane were at their first ASC conference. The top three words used to describe the conference were “interesting,”  “fun,” and “engaging.” Finally, the nominations for ‘most useful session’ went on for 3 pages and name-checked just about everyone! Of course, we’ve learned some things, too. Our members want more professional development sessions, more time for networking (we are communicators, after all), are predictably savvy receivers of communication advice and don’t like to be told how to do it without evidence for why it works, and need fruit and not just cupcakes to function at conferences. So, the conference team and Executive are working through this data to help plan future conferences and events…and professional development sessions.
This month, I’m trying to get across the range of activities that are going on nationally and work with our volunteers to find ways we can support more of the activities our members want. I do want to send out a general ‘save the date’ invitation for 2 October for an “International Roundtable on Science Communication” to be held at Customs House in Brisbane in conjunction with the International Communication Association. I’ll send more about this out via SCOPE in due course, but this event is an attempt to highlight science communication activity in the Asia-Pacific region and Australia’s leading place in it.
Finally, I’ve had more than a few conversations in the last several weeks to bring me down from the conference (sugar) high. As the next Federal budget approaches some science communicators find themselves and their work not only under scrutiny but under pressure and threat. I’ve heard a range of interpretations of ‘what might happen’ (and what has happened) but I’m keen that, as a community, ASC supports our members and affirms the value of what we do. As ever, I’m keen to hear from members about how ASC might respond to our changing context and clearly assert our value.