For those in Melbourne, next Wednesday Julian Cribb is talking on global food security at Melbourne University 5.30-6.30pm.

More details below:

If you cannot view this email please try the web version

[Click here to register now]

In coming decades the world faces the risk of major regional food crises leading to conflicts and mass refugee movements. This is driven primarily by emerging scarcities of all the primary resources – land, water, oil, fertilizer and R&D – required to produce food, at a time of changing climate. The paper outlines key factors in emerging global food insecurity and proposes some solutions.

Date:

Wednesday 28 April, 2010

Time:

5.30 – 6.30pm

Venue:

Elisabeth Murdoch Theatre (Building 134), grid reference F20, Parkville Campus.

Register Now

[Julian Cribb]Julian Cribb

BA FTSE Principal, Julian Cribb & Associatess

Julian Cribb is an author, journalist, editor and science communicator and principal of Julian Cribb & Associates who provide specialist consultancy in the communication of science, agriculture, mining, energy and the environment. His career includes appointments as newspaper editor, scientific editor for The Australian, public affairs director for CSIRO, member of numerous boards and advisory panels, and president of national professional bodies for agricultural journalism and science communication. His published work includes over 8000 articles, 2500 media releases and eight books. He has received 32 awards for journalism.

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*EDITORIAL ASSISTANT* *COSMOS magazine*

Luna Media, publishers of the award-winning COSMOS magazine and Cosmos Online, are seeking an enthusiastic person to join their editorial team.

In this role you will be required to provide timely and efficient editorial and administrative support to your editorial & publishing colleagues. Tasks you will be expected to undertake include proofreading, managing contributors, fielding online and call enquiries, editing promotional material and assisting the Editor-in-Chief in various administrative duties.

We are a small team so you need to be flexible and adaptable and be willing to assist wherever the need arises. This role will offer you the opportunity to develop and extend your publishing experience,

To succeed in this role, you will require strong communication and technology skills, and the ability to work under minimal supervision and to tight deadlines. You will have proven ability to prioritise a busy workload while remaining cheerful and efficient.

• Excellent communication skills • Confident and polite phone manner • Organised, patient and works well in a team • Efficient and diligent worker • Good time management skills • Knowledge & interest in science & environment • Practical thinker who can problem solve • Proficient in MS Excel and MS Word

The ideal candidate will have strong administrative skills, and may have experience in the publishing or science communication industry.

To apply for this role please send a resume plus a cover letter detailing why you think you would be perfect for the role, by 5th May 2010 to:

Kylie Ahern, CEO Luna Media PO BOX 302 Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012

or via email to jobs_AT_cosmosmagazine.com

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Dear all,

A reminder that entries for the 2010 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes close midnight AEST Friday 7 May.

Of the 19 prizes on offer there are a number that could be of interest to our ASC colleagues, including but not limited to the following Eureka Prizes for:

* Advancement of Climate Change Knowledge – awarded to an individual, group or organisation for work that demonstrates achievements in deepening the broader community’s understanding of climate change, its impacts and the need for action.

* Environmental Journalism – awarded to a journalist(s) or communicator(s) whose work is assessed as having most effectively communicated environmental issues to the public.

* Promoting Understanding of Science – awarded to an individual or group of up to four people for an outstanding and innovative program of science outreach delivered within the past 2 years.

* Science Journalism – awarded to a journalist(s) or communicator(s) whose work is assessed as having most effectively communicated scientific and/or technological issues to the public.

* Science Photography – awarded to an Australian/s over the age of 18 for a single photograph taken in the past 2 years that most effectively communicates an aspect of science.

For further information and a full listing of prizes please go to http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/enter or contact us at eureka@austmus.gov.au or on 02 9320 6483.

Good luck!

Ruth

Ruth Carr

Coordinator, Australian Museum Eureka Prizes

Australian Museum

6 College Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia

t 61 2 9320 6230 f 61 2 9320 6074

www.australianmuseum.net.au http://www.australianmuseum.net.au

www.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka http://www.australianmuseum.net.au

Inspiring the exploration of nature and cultures

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Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009 +My Photo Studio – BYO camera to learn tips and tricks for perfect pics Exhibition until 26 April 2010

The Australian Museum.

The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files.

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I’m writing to brief you on an intriguing ABC project that will be launched at the end of April and will run through May until early June.

You may be contacted by media or members who are curious about the project. And there may be opportunities for your organisation to use the project to engage a young and technologically savvy audience with the science and ethics of climate and geoengineering that underpins the project.

Blowing sulphur particles or reflective materials into the atmosphere, releasing iron into the ocean, burying carbon deep in rock-how practical, effective, dangerous or realistic is geoengineering? Will it save or destroy the world? Should we try? Who decides?

That’s exactly what the ABC is about to explore in a new form of interactive storytelling using online, social media and an alternate reality story-and we thought you would like to know about it. While the whole experience, entitled Bluebird, is fictional, it is founded on real science. And the science issues will be explored by Robyn Williams on the Science Show.

Bluebird AR (alternate reality) is about Kyle Vandercamp, a brilliant, young, Australian researcher employed on a top-secret, privately-financed project to study geoengineering solutions to climate change. He becomes deeply concerned about the project’s true objectives and finally decides to blow the whistle.

The story may be fiction, but the background is not. The science foundations of the project were developed with the help of Stanford climate scientist, Ken Caldiera and Californian futurologist Jamais Cascio. And, according to Bluebird AR’s creators, during the year it has taken to write and produce the materials, several of its scenarios have come true.

The project should generate intense interest among thinking young Australians-and worldwide. And it will provide plenty of opportunities for discussion and interaction in all sorts of forms.

Not only is Bluebird AR an interesting experiment in how to tell a story involving science, but it may well involve people in your organisation being approached to provide background, answer questions, comment or make suggestions. If you want to take the opportunity, you can steer the process. Your organisation can become involved, providing people and information to add to the debate, and at the same time promoting itself and the field in which it is working.

So, if there are people in your organisation who could contribute, or who would like to be briefed as the project develops we would be pleased to hear from them.

Further details will be revealed over the next two weeks.

For more information, please contact

* Niall Byrne at Science in Public on 0417 131 977 or niall@scienceinpublic.com.au

* Carolyn MacDonald, Head Marketing, ABC Innovation on 03 9626 1982 or Macdonald.Carolyn@abc.net.au

And to explore the world of Bluebird AR please visit http://abc.net.au/bluebird.

Kind regards,

Niall

________

Niall Byrne

Science in Public 26 Railway Street South, Altona Vic 3018

ph +61 (3) 9398 1416 or 0417 131 977 niall@scienceinpublic.com.au

Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com.au

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Dear ASCers,

Last month Universities Australia held a climate change forum at Parliament House.

Sixteen scientists, social scientists and public servants from universities, research institutes and government agencies revealed a snapshot of climate change in Australia.

Speakers at the forum backed the detailed measurements of climate change presented earlier in the week by the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology-temperature increases, changes in rainfall, increasing acidification of the ocean, sea level rises. But they went further. They linked those measures directly to consequences for Australians now and in the near future. An article, audio, slides and other resources from the forum are now available online. We hope that this material will serve as a resource for others discussing climate change and its impact on Australia.

The above material is available at www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au

Universities Australia will be holding two more national policy forums this year and we will keep you posted on these matters.

Kind regards,

Niall Byrne, Science in Public

On behalf of Peter Coaldrake, Chair, Universities Australia

________

Niall Byrne

Science in Public 26 Railway Street South, Altona Vic 3018

ph +61 (3) 9398 1416 or 0417 131 977 niall@scienceinpublic.com.au

Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com.au

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Dear ASCers,

We write for the general public, we talk to the general public. But who exactly are the general public? Join us for a discussion on public surveys, polls and focus groups at 7pm on Tuesday 20 April at the Clare Café in Carlton. This ASC session will be preceded by the AGM for the Victorian Branch of the Australian Science Communicators. If you’re interested in being involved, here’s your chance.

Polls and surveys: what works? Finding out what the public really think: Tuesday 20 April

ASC Victorian Branch AGM: Tuesday 20 April

Kind regards, Niall

ASC Victoria President

and Creative Director, Science in Public

Polls and surveys: what works? Finding out what the public really think: Tuesday 20 April

6.45pm for 7pm

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 members 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 a poster of this session here for your workplace lunchroom or office noticeboard.

ASC Victorian Branch AGM: Tuesday 20 April

6pm for 6.15pm Free drink for all members attending

It’s time for a bit of democracy – it’s time for AGM of the Victorian branch of the Australian Science Communicators.

Please come along and help to shape the ASC. We welcome your ideas, your nominations and your votes for the new committee. If you’re passionate about science communication please consider nominating for one of the following positions.

· President

· Secretary

· Treasurer

· Committee members – we currently have five.

The committee’s main function is organising networking, professional development and public events.

Often we invite speakers on current issues relating to science communication and it is an opportunity to share our thoughts and experiences in an informal atmosphere.

Previous speakers and sessions have included:

· Apollo astronaut Harrison Schmidt

· Fred Mendelsohn, Director of the Howard Florey Institute talking about the biochemistry of depression

· Peter McGauran, the Federal Science Minister at the time

· Lawrence Krauss on The Physics of Star Trek

· Scott Sampson on The Dinosaurs of West America

· A designer, a publisher and a typographer discussing Brochures, banners and budgets. Oh my!

· Our networking evening Science Centric at the three degrees bar and brewery

· science comedians, science artists, museum exhibitors and more.

More information on the ASC on the ASC website: www.asc.asn.au

Current committee positions and office bearers are: – President: Niall Byrne – Secretary & Treasurer: Jason Major – ASC national committee representative: Meg Rive (not seeking re-election) – General committee members: L.E. Ohman, Ian Muchamore, James Hutson, Maia Sauren, and Laura Miles

Kind regards,

Niall

ASC Victorian Branch President

__________

Niall Byrne

Creative Director Science in Public

ph +61 3 9398 1416 mobile +61 417 131 977 skype niall_byrne

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au www.scienceinpublic.com

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

We write for the general public, we talk to the general public. But who exactly are the general public? Join us for a discussion on public surveys, polls and focus groups at 7pm on Tuesday 20 April at the Clare Café in Carlton. This ASC session will be preceded by the AGM for the Victorian Branch of the Australian Science Communicators. If you’re interested in being involved, here’s your chance.

In this bulletin:

Polls and surveys: what works? Finding out what the public really think: Tuesday 20 April

ASC Victorian Branch AGM: Tuesday 20 April

Reporting back on the ASC National Conference 2010

Kind regards, Niall

ASC Victoria President

And Creative Director, Science in Public

Polls and surveys: what works? Finding out what the public really think: Tuesday 20 April

6.45pm for 7pm

· 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 a poster of this session here for your workplace lunchroom or office noticeboard.

ASC Victorian Branch AGM: Tuesday 20 April

6pm for 6.15pm Free drink for all members attending

It’s time for a bit of democracy – it’s time for AGM of the Victorian branch of the Australian Science Communicators.

Please come along and help to shape the ASC. We welcome your ideas, your nominations and your votes for the new committee. If you’re passionate about science communication please consider nominating for one of the following positions.

· President

· Secretary

· Treasurer

· Committee members – we currently have five.

The committee’s main function is organising networking, professional development and public events.

Often we invite speakers on current issues relating to science communication and it is an opportunity to share our thoughts and experiences in an informal atmosphere.

Previous speakers and sessions have included:

· Apollo astronaut Harrison Schmidt

· Fred Mendelsohn, Director of the Howard Florey Institute talking about the biochemistry of depression

· Peter McGauran, the Federal Science Minister at the time

· Lawrence Krauss on The Physics of Star Trek

· Scott Sampson on The Dinosaurs of West America

· A designer, a publisher and a typographer discussing Brochures, banners and budgets. Oh my!

· Our networking evening Science Centric at the three degrees bar and brewery

· science comedians, science artists, museum exhibitors and more.

More information on the ASC on the ASC website: www.asc.asn.au

Current committee positions and office bearers are: – President: Niall Byrne – Secretary & Treasurer: Jason Major – ASC national committee representative: Meg Rive (not seeking re-election) – General committee members: L.E. Ohman, Ian Muchamore, James Hutson, Maia Sauren, and Laura Miles

Reporting back on the ASC National Conference 2010

· Over 230 delegates attended the ASC National Conference in Canberra from 7 to 10 February.

· Senator the Hon Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research opened the conference and launched ‘Inspiring Australia’, a report which calls for all scientific organisations to promote the ideals of “clear vision, strong leadership and coherent action”.

· Current ASC’s President Congratulations http://www.asc.asn.au/2010/02/from-the-president2/

· The Conference Ning (with a still growing list of conference resources: bios, session summaries, powerpoint slides etc): http://ascconference2010.ning.com/ (currently invite only: please email Kali Madden, office@asc.asn.au if you require access)

· Inspiring Australia Report: http://www.innovation.gov.au/General/Corp-MC/Pages/InspiringAustralia.aspx

Kind regards,

Niall

__________

Niall Byrne

ASC Victorian Branch President and

Creative Director Science in Public

ph +61 3 9398 1416 mobile +61 417 131 977 skype niall_byrne

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au www.scienceinpublic.com

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Hi Jesse & ASC

I asked the ASC-list a similar question in 2008 and had an enthusiastic flood of responses ­ including (now that I look back at them) one from you. I¹m going to send you the replies I received off-list (I found them quite interesting), and I can make these available to anyone else who¹d like to see them.

Below is the summary I posted to the list at the time…

Dear ASC   I had many more responses to my request for a definition of science than I expected. As quite a few of them were off-list, I’ve put together a summary.   Many of the definitions mentioned the things that scientists should conduct or value: – tests – objectivity – reproducibility – experiments – observations – a systematic process   the outcomes of scientific study included: – increased understanding – discoveries – falsifiable theories. – knowledge – the ability to make predictions – facts   and the subject matter that scientists study can be  – stuff – things – processes – the universe and its contents – the physical world   >> Other responses (particularly from philosophers of science) pointed out that >> that these are aspirations or intentions of science, but that science is “a >> heterogeneous blob”. Some branches of the blob regard things to be >> scientific even if they only include some of the aspects or outcomes listed >> above and this is particularly the case when very big or small objects or >> very complex systems are being studied.   >> I think that this is not a futile exercise (as many people suggested) because >> I’m sure that there are things that chemists, microbiologists, zoologists, >> astrophysicists and climatologists do that make them all scientists   >> I’ve put this together in a way that (I hope) avoids the idea that science >> generates absolute truth or reality, is useful for students and simple enough >> to go into a curriculum document. I think it will be valid for most >> scientists…that work on this universe.   >> “Science aims to systematically investigate, improve understanding and make >> predictions about our universe and the things and processes in it”.

I welcome your comments, and I’d like to thank all the people who replied to my first email.      

Regards

Mick.

  Mick Moylan Chemistry Outreach Fellow Victorian Institute for Chemical Sciences School of Chemistry University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010 Australia p +61 (0)3 83446465 f +61 (0)3 93475180 e mmoylan@unimelb.edu.au  

WORLD-WIDE DAY IN SCIENCE is fast approaching … 21 April 2010. 10 minutes from a scientist or science-based professional you know The high point of their 21 April. Plus what got them interested in science in the first place. www.dayinscience.unsw.edu.au

WHY BOTHER? Consider the audience, the reach into high schools, the esteemed company. Thousands of website hits each month. Multiple hits from the Australian Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, workshops with high school teachers by the NSW Department of Education and Training, and inquiries from Africa, the Middle East, Japan, …

PARTICIPANTS & INSTITUTIONS Barry Marshall, Peter Doherty, Fiona Wood, Brian Gaenssler, Terence Tao Staff from – Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, LPNHE-Paris, Fermilab, Snowy Hydro, The Weather Channel, Department of Agriculture – Falkland Islands, Ecole Polytechnic, Cambridge Enterprise Pty Ltd, Gene Technology Information Service, SymbioticA Pty Ltd, iThemba LABS, Sydney Water Board, Picnic Point High School, Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Department of Juvenile Justice – NSW Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Pfizer, Friends of the Earth, Bahrain Petroleum Company, United Arab Emirates University, Ceylon Tobacco Company, Civil Aviation Authority – Arabian Gulf Taronga Zoo, Australian Science Media Centre, Leukemia Foundation – Brisbane, National Youth Science Forum, CSIRO, British High Commission, Discovery Channel, Luna Media, Edinburgh University, U of the Republic of Uruguay, U of Queensland, Deakin University, U of New England, Pompeu Fabra U, TV Catalonia, U of Barcelona, and – of course – UNSW.

Will

William D. Rifkin, PhD Director, Science Communication Program Faculty of Science, BSB-BABS UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052 AUSTRALIA

willrifkin@unsw.edu.au +61 2 9385 2748 +61 2 9385 1530 fax

www.scom.unsw.edu.au www.onset.unsw.edu.au www.dayinscience.unsw.edu.au

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