Monthly Archives: May 2015

Event review: National Science Week Event Holders’ Meeting

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Thanks to Bonnie Murthy and Anneliese Gillard for the event review.

National Science Week is Australia’s biggest science festival. During the National Science Week Event Holders’ Meeting, the Victorian committee provided background about the event from previous years, including key successful events, and provided an overview of 2015’s plans.

Nine Victorian groups have received grant support for their events in 2015, and the meeting aimed to help cross-pollinate information and ideas between event holders. A few of the grant-holders spoke about the events they will be hosting during the National Science Week in Victoria-

  • Representative from IEEE Women in Engineering announced that they will be running Energized Fashion Show– a wearable technology fashion runway and hands on workshops exploring various applications of wearable technology in fashion, healthcare, occupational safety and many other fields.
  • Ricketts Point in Brighton will be hold nine days of marine science activities engaging community members of all age groups. Marine Education and Science Centre at Ricketts Point will be a multi-use, environmentally friendly facility, redeveloped at Beaumaris Yacht Club just in time for National Science Week.
  • Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), whose many and varied activities for National Science Week coincide with WEHI’s Centenary 2015, celebrating its 100 year anniversary. One key event that is part of Centenary 2015 is a free Art of Science exhibition that is open to the public in The Atrium at Federation Square. Other information about Centenary 2015 can be found here.
  • Representative from University of Melbourne announced an Astronomy and Light Festival for National Science Week with an aim to bring science to the western suburbs of Melbourne. The event will showcase current research in the field, host talks by local leading researchers, hands-on demonstrations, telescope observing, planetarium and light room shows, and more.

The committee was firm in reiterating that inspiring Australia is particularly keen for this festival. There is a strong focus on engaging people who don’t consider themselves the usual consumers of science.

National Science Week website provides a tool kit for those interested in holding events throughout the festival and can be found here. There is encouragement and support provided from the National Science Week committee.

Australian Science Communicators encourages everyone to get out there and take part in #NatSciWk and encourage your friends and family to do so too. ASC will also help promote your events on ASC’s social channels.

You can stay up-to-date with National Science Week through following channels:
Website: http://www.scienceweek.net.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalscienceweek
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aus_ScienceWeek or #NatSciWk

 

President’s Update

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Thank you to Joan Leach for the update.

Looking Forward…

Exciting news in the science communication world—the World Science Festival is coming to the Queensland Museum in Brisbane next year in March. The timing is very good to plan the 2016 ASC conference in tandem with this event and we’re looking into that now. In other news, ASC member Andrew Stephenson has been touring The Science Nation: The Storytelling of Science. I spent a very enjoyable afternoon at the Qld State Library telling stories and listening to others with an audience of over 100 people of all ages. ASC members have also been acting as judges and EMCEEs for the British Council’s FameLab program. It’s inspiring to see young scientists get the science communication message—and in some cases, come to the realisation that it’s all more difficult than it looks!

But, getting out of Queensland is on the calendar. I’m looking forward to a June 4 ASC NSW meeting in Sydney to host the “Unsung Hero of Science Communication” award night and check in with NSW ASC members. Check out Facebook and the list for more details which will be forthcoming. If you’re in or near Sydney, put a ‘save the date’ in your diary.

Vic Event – Sublime – Songs of Science, Metaphysics and Ecology

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Charlie Marshall and Victorian ASC Member is having a great music/science event in June.

He has kindly offered 4 FREE TICKETS to ASC Members. Please email Vic President at vic_president[at]asc.asn.au. First 4 members in get the tickets!!

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Saturday 6th June
The Spotted Mallard
314 Sydney Road, Brunswick Dinner/Doors 6pm
Presale tickets $15 + bf at http://www.spottedmallard.com/events

For more information go to : http://www.charliemarshall.com.au/ http://www.facebook.com/charliemarshallmusic

Melbourne singer, songwriter, science teacher and enthusiast Charlie Marshall presents a unique personal vision, ‘Sublime – Songs of Science, Metaphysics and Ecology’ on Saturday 6th June at The Spotted Mallard.

A musical, visual and spoken word exploration of the extraordinary world of Science and The Sublime. From the breadth of the universe and the eternity of deep time to the infinitesimal world of the atom. From the superorganism of the Gaia Hypothesis to the symbiosis within our cells. From Chaos theory to the challenge of climate change and a new understanding of science and society.

Charlie has always been one of Australia’s most inventive songwriters – first with much loved cult band Harem Scarem alongside brother Chris, Melbourne musical god Chris Wilson and Barry Palmer (Hunters and Collectors), followed by Charlie Marshall & The Body Electric which featured members of such legendary outfits as The Dirty Three, Beasts Of Bourbon and The Avalanches.

Now with his new works which integrate science, philosophy and politics he may have created a new musical genre – poetic, scientific, political rock. For this special event Charlie takes on the role of science communicator in the tradition of his heroes Brian Cox, Carl Sagan and David Attenborough. As well as performing songs with his band The Curious Minds (Clare Moore – Drums, Bryan Colechin – Bass, Tim Deane – Keyboards and Troy Rogan – Cello) he will elucidate the concepts behind the songs and inspire the audience with his passion for science.

Digital artists Thomas Ingram and Maize Wallin will connect the live performance to interactive music visualisers to produce graphics based on the themes of the songs. Each instrument, playing a larger part in the organic machine that is science will control parts of iconic scientific concepts. The guitarist creates rain in a biome, while the bass player carves mountains. Particles are thrown into the Hadron Collider at each drum beat. The band as a whole will bestow life and movement to the programmed visuals.

Accompanying Charlie and crew on this sublime journey will be acclaimed Melbourne poet Sean M. Whelan reading some of his mesmerising, science themed pieces, physicist and 3CR science presenter Chris Lassig providing expert input and physical demonstrations and a special guest appearance by brother Chris Mar- shall. A full colour 20 page Progam booklet with song lyrics, poetic science concepts and images will be on sale on the night. Entry includes a free download of the new single ‘Curious Minds’

Be sure to catch Charlie Marshall as he performs this very rare and intimate performance of ‘Sublime – songs of Science, Metaphysics and Ecology’ on Saturday 6th June at The Spotted Mallard.

VIC Event: Science + Media Speed Dating

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Are you a scientist? Get tips on how to sell your science, then practice your one-minute pitch on speed dates with journalists and science writers.

Are you a journalist? Get all your new science stories in one night.  In half an hour you’ll hear 10 new science stories and meet a bunch of new talent.

Join us from 6:30pm on Tuesday 2 June at the Belgian Beer Cafe Southbank to share science stories over a few beers.

You never know who you’ll meet, or the stories you’ll hear science/media speed dating!

It’s more networking than dating, but you never know your luck.

Here’s how the night will go:

  • 6:30pm: Short mentoring session for the scientists over a drink or two to get warmed up
  • 7pm: Ten 2-minute speed dates
  • 7:30pm: Networking in the main bar

Numbers are limited to 30 people (15 scientists and 15 journos, so get in quick).

The event cost is $5 – just to secure your place, and this will get you one drink on arrival and some nibbles.

Register via Eventbrite to confirm your spot: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/sciencemedia-speed-dating-tickets-16826610846

Please feel free to share the invitation with any scientists or journos you think might like to come along.

Event details
Date: Tuesday 2 June
Time: 6.30 pm start
Place: Belgian Beer Cafe Southbank

VIC Forum for Practitioners: International approaches to social inclusion, outreach and science communication by universities‏

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The Victorian chapter of Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia is delighted to welcome higher education practitioners to a forum with international guest speaker Tricia Jenkins MBE (UK). ASC Victoria is supporting this great event.

The Forum will appeal to those practitioners involved in equity and access, science communication, outreach, community engagement and associated research as well as school staff involved in activities with universities.

There is a global movement of Children’s University activities where traditional producers of knowledge such as universities engage with young people for the purposes of outreach, empowerment or science communication. Australia has a track record of success with rich data sources and innovative approaches.

The Forum is an opportunity to build upon this success and participate in the next wave of Children’s University development, namely:

1. The involvement and empowerment of young people in the co-creation of equity and science communication activities and

2. The identification of the overlaps in the STEM and social inclusion agendas.

The forum will be hosted by the Victorian tertiary Equity Practitioners’ network and Tricia Jenkins MBE, from the International Centre for Excellence in Educational Opportunities at the University of Liverpool, UK and Principal Investigator of the four-year European Union-funded SiS Catalyst Project which completed in December 2014.

Further Information about SiS Catalyst can be found at http://www.siscatalyst.eu/. A copy of the free e-book “Children as Change Agents for the Future of Science and Society” can be downloaded at www.siscatalyst.eu/book. Page 51 includes a link to a short video about children’s university type activities.

The event is free of charge. To reserve your place or obtain further information, please contact Stephanie McCloskey at involvestephanie@gmail.com or 0415 189169. Please feel free to pass this invitation on to interested colleagues.

Details:

9.00 am to 4.00 pm on Friday 8 May 2015
Level 2, Swinburne CBD Campus, Next to St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne