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James has trained as a lawyer, animator, molecular biologist and computer programmer. So if you want to develop an animated documentary series about bioinformatics patent infringements, James is your man.

Should corporate ASC members have voting rights – no

Posted on 13 December 2010 by ASC Webmaster

And continuing another discussion.

There are several motions to change the ASC’s constitution at the AGM today.

I won’t be attending but I urge members attending to vote against the proposal to give votes to corporate members. I support the other changes but not this one. It’s a significant change that takes ASC further away from its roots, and that distances it from its international peers.

The ASC was founded when science journalists and science communicators came together and agreed to work together to advance science communication. In one sense they succeeded beyond their dreams. There is now a large community of science communicators and the term (invented by the ASC founders I think) is now a profession. In one sense they failed. Science journalism is a dying art and many of those in the science round are not members of the ASC.

One of the issues for science journalists has been that their representational organisations be free of corporate influence. In fact for many years our US and UK peers frowned down on the pr people and kept them at arm’s length. They still have some restrictions eg http://www.absw.org.uk/join

So my questions to the delegates at the AGM tonight are:

Do you want the ASC to stay closer to its roots and serve as a home for science journalists and science communicators – if so I urge you to vote against the motion to give corporate members voting rights

Do you want the ASC to continue its drift towards the world of public relations and disenfranchise journalists – if so then you can safely vote for the change.

I think there are other ways of creating a value proposition for corporate supporters. The ASC demonstrated this at the 2007 World Conference of Science Journalists when we raised a lot of sponsorship without compromising the editorial integrity of the conference content.

Kind regards,

Niall

________

Niall Byrne

Science in Public has moved to:

82 Hudsons Road, Spotswood Vic 3015 Our postal address is PO Box 2076 Spotswood VIC 3015 Our landline stays the same – 03 9398 1416.

Niall’s mobile: 0417 131 977 Sarah’s mobile: 0413 332 489

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog

From: asc-list-bounces@lists.asc.asn.au [mailto:asc-list-bounces@lists.asc.asn.au] On Behalf Of Sarah Lau Sent: Friday, 19 November 2010 7:49 PM To: asc-list@lists.asc.asn.au Subject: [ASC-list] Motions to change the ASC Constitution – for ASC AGM 2010

Dear ASC Members,

Further to the notice of the AGM on Monday 13 December 2010, please see below the proposed motions for changes to the ASC Constitution.

Motions to change the ASC Constitution – for ASC AGM 2010

1. Motion to change the Constitution – Motion made by Jesse Shore and seconded by Rob Morrison. We propose the constitution is amended as follows (proposed changes to wording in the current and revised clauses are underlined): Section 4 of the constitution – ‘MEMBERSHIP’ Current wording:

4.1.2.2

The membership fee for Corporate Members shall be at a rate of 800% of the standard Annual Membership Fee.

Proposed new wording

4.1.2.2

The membership fee for Corporate Members shall be at the rate as determined by the National Council but not less than 500% of the standard Annual Membership Fee. The rate may be changed once each year to come into effect at the annual membership renewal date or at the beginning of the ASC financial year.

Reason for proposed amendment: The ASC currently has only two corporate members. This low number may be because the membership fee is not sufficiently enticing and/or that representatives of corporate members have no voting rights unless they are members of the National Council. The proposed change in wording addresses the cost factor.

A few years ago, to make corporate membership more attractive, ASC officials changed the rate for corporate membership from 800% to 600% of the standard annual member’s fee although this is not in accord with the current wording of Clause 4.1.2.2.

I advocate that the National Council, as the policy making body of ASC, have the authority to set the rate with the constraint of the stated minimum 500%. The proposed wording will enable the National Council to make such adjustments without having to hold a special meeting and changes are limited to one per year.

This change does not affect Clause 5.2.4.2 which states that standard annual membership and joining fee is determined at each Annual General Meeting.

2. Motion to change the Constitution – Motion made by Jesse Shore and seconded by Rob Morrison. We propose the constitution is amended as follows (proposed changes to wording in the current and revised clauses are underlined): Section 4 of the constitution – ‘MEMBERSHIP’ Current wording:

4.2.2

Representatives of Corporate Members who are not members of the National Council may participate in debates on matters of business at any General Meeting, but shall not be entitled to vote.

Proposed new wording

4.2.2

Representatives of Corporate Members who are not members of the National Council may participate in debates on matters of business at any General Meeting and up to five (5) representatives nominated by the Corporate Member shall be entitled to vote. As some representatives may be members of National Council with full voting rights according to Clause 4.2.1, the maximum number of votes for each Corporate Member will be five (5).

Reason for proposed amendment: The ASC currently has no corporate members. This may be because representatives of corporate members have no voting rights unless they are on the National Council. The proposed amendment provides voting rights.

The existing Clause 4.1.2.2 of the constitution states that Corporate Members can have ten members for the cost of eight and a few years ago ASC officials decided the rate should be ten for the cost of six (please see the proposed amendment of clause 4.1.2.2 for more background). This proposed amendment is meant to acknowledge and encourage the active participation of Corporate Members in the organisation while limiting undue influence from force of numbers.

The wording for this amendment does not restrict the means the ASC management (the President and National Council) use to prevent the unlikely situation of more than 5 representatives of one Corporate Member joining the National Council.

3. Motion to change the Constitution to correct typographical errors – Motion made by Jesse Shore and seconded by Rob Morrison. We propose the constitution is amended as follows (proposed changes to wording in the current and revised clauses are underlined): Section 4 of the constitution – ‘MEMBERSHIP’ Current wording:

4.1.2.1

Corporate Members are entitled to nominate up to ten (10) representatives to enjoy the privileges of Ordinary Membership, including attendance at Meetings at the Ordinary Members’ rate of entrance fee according to Clause 5.2.1, but subject to the operation of Clause 4.2.2.

Proposed new wording

4.1.2.1

Reason for proposed amendment: This corrects a confusing typographical error in Clause 4.1.2.1. The stated Clause 5.2.1 refers to when the AGM is to be called. Clause 5.1.2 refers to fees to attend meetings as follows:

5.1.2

The National Council or Committee shall discriminate in favour of members when charging admission to cover meeting costs.

Section 5 of the constitution – ‘MEETINGS’ Current wording:

5.1

GENENERAL MEETINGS

Proposed new wording

5.1

GENERAL MEETINGS

Reason for proposed amendment: This corrects a typographical error.

Section 6 of the constitution – ‘MANAGEMENT’ Current wording: 6.1.7

Should a casual vacancy occur in the representational of any Branch, the Branch shall nominate a replacement, with such nomination being confirmed by the Branch at its next General Meeting.

Proposed new wording 6.1.7

Should a casual vacancy occur in the representation of any Branch, the Branch shall nominate a replacement, with such nomination being confirmed by the Branch at its next General Meeting.

Reason for proposed amendment: This corrects a typographical error.

Section 7 of the constitution – ‘DISCIPLINING OF MEMBERS’ Current wording:

7.1

Where the National Council is of the opinion that a member has persistently and wilfully acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Association or has s persistently refused or neglected to comply with a provision of this Constitution, the Committee may act to discipline the member.

Proposed new wording

7.1

Where the National Council is of the opinion that a member has persistently and wilfully acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Association or has persistently refused or neglected to comply with a provision of this Constitution, the Committee may act to discipline the member.

Reason for proposed amendment: This corrects a typographical error.

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

Science writer/publicist/social media guru wanted

Posted on 13 December 2010 by ASC Webmaster

We’re looking for two people to join the Science in Public team, working out of our office in Spotswood in Melbourne’s west.

One position is for an experienced operator with at least a decade of experience in a media or communication role relevant to Australian science.

The second position is for a young turk going places. In 2010 our work highlights included:

· managing publicity for the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science

· running L’Oréal Australia’s For Women in Science fellowship program

· coordinating media for a large UN conference on global health

· organising a climate forum in the Mural Hall at Parliament House for Universities Australia

· continuing communication support for the Australian Institute of Physics

· a book for the World Expo celebrating Australia/China collaboration

· Fresh Science

· dozens of other projects. We’re looking forward to many more exciting projects in 2011 and our team of five needs help. We’re looking for people who:

· Can capture the essence of a story in a headline and first paragraph and follow through with an exciting and accurate one page media release/story

· Have never willingly used the words world class or breakthrough and gets our style (www.scienceinpublic.com/blog)

· Have demonstrated both passion and results in getting science into the public space

· Are born networkers with a good working knowledge of Australia’s science community and how to work in it – and have the working contacts to prove it

· Have proven client liaison, project and event management skills

· Are savvy users of the web, blogs, twitter and related tools with a demonstrated ability in building and sustaining communities of interest both online and offline.

If you have four out of six of these key skills, we’d like to hear from you.

You do not need a science degree or a communication degree but you do need to have demonstrated a passion and skill in communicating and networking in the science world.

Both positions are full-time or near full-time.

Pay will be negotiated based on experience.

You can read more about us and our projects at: www.scienceinpublic.com/blog

If you are interested, please do not call.

Please send me a short email with a few paragraphs on yourself and links to samples of your work.

I will get back to you if I want more information.

________

Niall Byrne

Science in Public has moved to:

82 Hudsons Road, Spotswood Vic 3015 Our postal address is PO Box 2076 Spotswood VIC 3015 Our landline stays the same – 03 9398 1416.

Niall’s mobile: 0417 131 977 Sarah’s mobile: 0413 332 489

niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic Full contact details at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog

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

2010 Health Journalist of the Year goes to COSMOS editor

Posted on 9 December 2010 by ASC Webmaster

Media release

*2010 Health Journalist of the Year to COSMOS editor*

Emma Young, a contributing editor of COSMOS Magazine, has won the prestigious Health Journalist of the Year Award, for her feature article on manipulating memories.

Emma attended the annual Excellence in Health Journalism Awards, hosted by the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on Wednesday 8 December. She was named as one of four category winners, for Best News Feature, Article or Presentation, and as the overall winner for “the most outstanding entry among the winners of the previous four categories”.

Emma, who has been covering health for 16 years, wins a study tour to the United States with a focus on the health industry.

“I’m thrilled to win this prestigious award,” says Emma. “I still get excited at finding out about discoveries that have such an impact on people’s lives. Our memories are such a fundamental part of ourselves that it’s impossible not to be fascinated by work aimed at tinkering with them – and perhaps even deleting them.”

In the award-winning article, “Learning to forget”, published in October 2009, Young details investigations into how memories are stored, created and retrieved to understand why one third of people who experience a traumatic event, such as a physical attack or a nasty car accident, go on to develop post-traumatic disorder.

In her in-depth article, Emma looks at new research into memory manipulation that may be used to treat the disorder, which affects 6% of Australians.

The four category winners were:

• Best News Feature Article or Presentation, covering Health, Health Sciences or Innovation: Emma Young, COSMOS Magazine for “Learning To Forget”

• Best Documentary or Documentary Series, covering Health, Health Science or Innovation: Rebecca Le Tourneau and Rahni Sadler, Seven Network for “The Vanishing”

• Best Feature Article or Presentation, covering health policy, economics, business: Mary Gearin, 7.30 Report ABC TV for “e-health”

• Best News Feature Article or Presentation, directed to medical professionals: Stephen Pinnock – Australian Doctor for “Jumping Through Hoops”

This is the 42nd award COSMOS has picked up since it launched in 2005. In November 2010, the British Institute of Physics awarded Cosmos Online as the People’s Choice award for Best Online Magazine, calling the website a “real treasure trove of science news, opinion, reviews and more.”

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

ANUPoll Media release 7 December

Posted on 7 December 2010 by ASC Webmaster

TUESDAY 7 DECEMBER 2010

AUSSIES SAY SCIENCE KNOCKS SPORT FOR SIX

Australians are more interested in science than sport and feel that politicians are failing to listen to the advice of the nation’s scientists, according to the latest ANUpoll, released today.

The latest ANUpoll looked at public attitudes about science. It found that far from being a nation of sports obsessives, Australians would prefer to hear about health issues, medical discoveries and the environment in their news bulletins. However, the poll also found that the public felt poorly informed about science, are confused about climate science, and think politicians are too easily swayed by media reaction when they should be listening to scientists.

The report’s authors, Dr Will J Grant and Dr Rod Lamberts of the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science at ANU, said the findings knock for six the sport-loving stereotype.

“What’s remarkable is that we see Australians saying they are more interested in science, technology and medical issues than films, music and even that most sacred Aussie pastime – sport,” said Dr Lamberts.

“The results also show that the Australian public overwhelmingly think politicians should rely more on the advice of expert scientists, and that they are too easily swayed by media reactions to scientific issues. It’s heartening to know that people have faith in our experts, especially at such a critical point in our history,” added Dr Grant.

Other key findings from ANUpoll include:

· A large number of people feel poorly informed about science;

· Australians believe that scientists, doctors, engineers, teachers, police and the military make a significant contribution to society, but are less positive about priests, politicians and journalists;

· Australians are positive about the benefits of science, but believe that science is not solving the problems of poverty and hunger around the world;

· The Australian public remains divided and unsure about climate science, both in terms of what climate scientists think is happening with climate change, and its causes;

· Australians feel that politicians do not properly consider scientific advice;

· Almost three in ten Australians are dissatisfied with the way the country is heading, and a significant increase has been seen in the number of people seeing ‘better government’ as the key problem facing Australia.

This is the eighth ANUpoll. ANUpoll is a survey of Australian public opinion of matters of national importance. A copy of ANUpoll is attached, and the ANUpoll team are available for interview.

For interviews: Dr Will J Grant – 02 6125 0241 / 0450 105 489

Dr Rod Lamberts – 02 6125 0747 / 0412 630 016

For media assistance: Martyn Pearce, ANU Media – 02 6125 5575 / 0416 249 245

___________________________________________________ Dr RG Lamberts Deputy Director

Australian National Centre for Public Awareness of Science (CPAS) A Centre for the National Commission of UNESCO

Office G10 Physics Link Building (#38a) College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200

P: +61 2 6125 0747 F: +61 2 6125 8991

http://cpas.anu.edu.au Cricos Provider #00120C

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

Public Policy and evidence

Posted on 7 December 2010 by ASC Webmaster

Professor Denise Lievesley – 2010 AMSI Lecturer

Professor Lievesley is one of the UK’s leading social statisticians, who has campaigned for evidence to be used as the basis for the development of sound public policies within the UK and more widely.

Having enjoyed a distinguished career, which has included the posts of founding Chief Executive of the English Information Centre for Health and Social Care; Director of Statistics at UNESCO – where she established its new Institute for Statistics – and Director of the UK Data Archive (and simultaneously Professor of Research Methods in the Mathematics Department, University of Essex), most recently Professor Denise Lievesley was a special advisor at the African Centre for Statistics of the UN and was based in Addis Ababa.

Professor Lievesley is plenary speaker at the SSAI Australian Statistical Conference 2010 (6-10 December), after which she will embark on a lecture tour around AMSI member universities (13-20 December).

Forthcoming lectures are listed in the attached flyer; abstracts are available via our website: www.amsi.org.au/lievesley.php

Jan Thomas

Executive Officer: Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute & Australian Council of Heads of Mathematical Sciences jan.thomas@amsi.org.au 61-3-8344 1774 (office) 041 900 6205 (mobile) 61-3-9349-4106 (Fax)

Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute www.amsi.org.au

AMSI – winner of the 2008 Fast Thinking and Open Universities National Innovation Award for Science Innovation 111 Barry Street University of Melbourne Victoria 3010 AUSTRALIA

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

Air, fire, earth and water – understanding our planet in all its moods

Posted on 3 December 2010 by ASC Webmaster

Dear ASCers,

In 2011 Australia will hold one of the world’s largest meetings of earth scientists. They will explore all the physical aspects of our planet, from deep in the Earth’s core to our place in space.

Given recent natural disasters-such as the Pakistan floods, Black Saturday bushfires, Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, 2010 Chile earthquake, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano-the Earth seems ever more restless and destructive, and the impact on human life and infrastructure is increasingly heavy.

So it is important to understand how the Earth works-which means the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geophysics and Geodesy in Melbourne from 28 June to 7 July 2011 will be a focus of attention, not only for the 3,000 delegates expected to attend, but for many others besides.

We want to extend the conversation from the conference, bringing earth science to the wider community. We’d welcome your thoughts and support to achieve this.

We’re helping the conference team create a public and media outreach program to bring the ideas of the speakers to the widest possible audience and to engage the community in discussing the hot issues in earth science-from water security to climate change; from natural disaster warnings to tracking the best surf waves.

This email is intended to start that conversation. Over the next two months we want to identify:

· Groups interested in hosting public events in association with the conference;

· Opportunities to reach students and teachers;

· Potential supporters and sponsors of public and media outreach; and

· Any other ideas that will engage a wide audience in Australia and internationally.

To get you thinking, I’ve put some notes on speakers and topics online at http://www.scienceinpublic.com/blog/iugg

For further information on the Public and Media Outreach program, please contact me:

Niall Byrne (niall@scienceinpublic.com.au) +61 3 9398 1416

Or Simon Torok (Simon.Torok@csiro.au). Simon chairs the Media and Community Liaison committee.

For further information about sponsorship representation or participating in the IUGG 2011 industry exhibition, contact:

Nick Cadey (ncadey@arinex.com.au) or phone +61 2 9265 0812

Kind regards,

Niall Byrne,

Creative Director, Science in Public, for the organising committee of the 25th IUGG.

________

Science in Public

82 Hudsons Road (PO Box 2076), Spotswood VIC 3015

Office: 03 9398 1416 Mobile: 0417 131 977 niall@scienceinpublic.com.au Twitter scienceinpublic

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

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