President’s update

Thank you to Joan Leach for the President’s Update

Happy End, 2016!

2016 winds its wicked way to the end. Dickens to comes to mind: “it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” The ‘best of times’ included the recent SCANZ conference in Dunedin.  Despite an earthquake (!), the conference went ahead with stimulating papers and enormous generosity from our NZ colleagues—we got breaking science news on the earthquake and got some wonderful opportunities to catch up with NZ science communicators. This year, Kali Madden has treated ASC with a weekly opportunity for us to get to know each other by featuring a member each week, and the opportunity to listen in afterward. This has resulted in an amazing resource for ASC and when people ask me about potential roles in science communication—I can point to the 48 on the ASC website. Buoyed by our conference earlier this year in Brisbane (yes, really—that was in 2016), we’re forging ahead to a larger conference in Adelaide in February—a dedicated volunteer committee is reviewing and organising panels—that should be just about done by Christmas. So, get those early flights and the earlybird rates for the conference.

For ASC, there is a lot to draw our gaze forward. Our conference is going to give us an opportunity to discuss what science communication is like in a post-truth world. Enjoy a safe and happy end of year break. See you in 2017 in Adelaide!

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