Author Archives: Jesse Shore

About Jesse Shore

Jesse Shore is passionate about engaging the community with science and in looking for ways to weave together the arts and sciences. He has been developing science based exhibitions and events since 1984, and was President of the Australian Science Communicators from 2010-2012. His business, Prismatic Sciences, produced five travelling exhibitions for the Royal Australian Chemical Institute for the 2011 International Year of Chemistry and he manages the ongoing national tour. He previously worked at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney as an exhibition project leader and Senior Curator of sciences. While at the museum he was one of the founders of the Ultimo Science Festival, a major National Science Week activity. He is currently collaborating with an artist to create artworks which have a science slant.

The ASC 2012 Conference website is live!

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Australian Science Communicators National Conference
http://2012conf.asc.asn.au/
Getting Science Where It’s Needed
February 27 to 29, 2012
Sydney Masonic Centre, Sydney

RESEARCH PAPERS

If you would like to tell us about your sci-comm research, please submit an abstract BY FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER 2011 (EXTENDED!!!). If you wish to submit an abstract for review by the research committee, you must also intend to register for the Congress. On-line submission is the only method of receipt of abstracts.

Please visit the Conference website to submit your abstracts or click here to take you to the online abstract submission form directly. Note: First timers will have to create a new account and will be sent an email with their password for subsequent visits.

SESSION PRODUCERS

Interested in organising a session at the conference? Please go the Conference website for the details and send a single page (bullet points good) to ASC2012@wsm.com.au for review by the program committee.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION COMING SOON!!!

Please visit the Conference website for further information and regular updates; www.2012conf.asc.asn.au

Should you have any further queries, please contact the Conference Secretariat;

ASC 2012 Conference Secretariat:
WALDRONSMITH Management
Suite 49, Level 3
89 – 97 Jones Street
Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
T + 61 2 9518 7722
F  +61 2 9518 7222
Email: ASC2012@wsm.com.au
Website: www.2012conf.asc.asn.au

Australian astronomer shares in 2011 Nobel Prize for Physics

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I’m pleased to add science communication plaudits to Australia’s latest Nobel Prize winner.

Dr Brian Schmidt, Laureate Fellow in the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Australian National University, shares in this year’s Nobel Prize for Physics. He is being recognised along with US scientists, Saul Perlmutter and Adam G. Riess, by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences “for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae.”

I have listened to one of Brian’s public lectures and I can say that as well as being a superb scientist, he is a wonderful science communicator. He presents with clarity and energy, bringing light to dark matter and dark energy.

Brian was born in the USA and has been in Australia since 1995, starting work at Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories (MSSSO) and appointed 1999 as a fellow at the ANU. I suspect the two counties will be quick to count Brian among their list of Nobel winners.

The press release of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is at http://www.kva.se/en/pressroom/Press-releases-2011/The-Nobel-Prize-in-Physics-2011/.

Jesse Shore
National President

Update: ASC conference 2012, 27-29 February, Sydney Masonic Centre

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There has been a lot of behind the scenes development work on the upcoming ASC conference. The call for session producers has just been issued and I’ve previously announced that Professor Ian Chubb, Australia’s Chief Scientist, has agreed to open the conference and be our keynote speaker.

We have received acceptances from several state Chief Scientists to join Professor Chubb in a plenary panel discussion about their takes on science communication and related matters. I anticipate the Chief Scientists will also be available to present separate discussion presentations with others from their state in parallel sessions.

Each day of the conference will have a different feel. The second day will likely feature a plenary with executives from major scientific research and funding agencies. They will be able to discuss how they adjust to changing science policies along with other matters that the session producer and program committee throw at them.

The conference team is thinking the third day will focus on edgier topics such as the rapidly changing world of communication media. It might cover the spread of computer gaming as a learning and communications media, and wherever and whatever the many threads of social media are at present.

The conference team is planning for an active exhibition area as a complement and contrast to the presentation sessions. They are aiming for a strong art-science presence and displays from the science communication industry.

The web site will go live very soon as we complete final details and testing. It will be easy to navigate and will continue to be improved as program updates and other information gets added.

The conference team is ably led by Rod Lamberts, as conference convenor, and Kali Madden, as conference director, with much involvement from several ASC members.

Being fun people the team is planning a busy social program to balance the other conference activities. So mark your diaries for the 27-29 February and keep the night before open too as the pre-opening evening should be thought provoking as well as entertaining.

Jesse Shore
National president

Visit to Adelaide for National Science Week 2011

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The ASC South Australia branch, had a busy National Science Week. I missed their contribution to the launch event, but arrived in Adelaide in time to see Science Alive, the huge local Science Week event. I met a number of ASC members who were involved in exhibit stands and talks at this enormous undertaking, which filled a large pavilion at the Adelaide showgrounds. The event attracted around 24,000 people over 3 days. I’ve heard Science Alive will be offered even more space for next year.

The day after Science Alive closed, ASC SA hosted the book launch of Dinosaurs in Australia, a CSIRO publication, and attracted a full house of 120 people to this fun evening.

They held this event in association with RiAus. I look forward to a continued close relationship between the branch and RiAus which is now being led by its new director, Paul Willis.

Jesse Shore

National President

ASC National Conference 2012

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The Sydney Masonic Centre has been selected as the venue for the ASC conference. It has impressive facilities and is well located. The dates for the conference are 27-29 February 2012. Very shortly Rod Lamberts will issue the call for papers for the research stream of the conference.

Rod has lined up a significant keynote speaker and I expect that we can build some important sessions around this dignitary. I’ll leave it to Rod to make the the relevant announcements soon.

I’m looking forward to a thought provoking three days. Be sure to mark it in your diaries and attend what I anticipate will be a terrific group of sessions.

Jesse Shore

National President

New look for ASC Website & Scope

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A big thanks to James Hutson for putting a lot of (volunteer) effort into reviving the ASC website – the new look is fresh and clear – we love it!

Also, our new Scope editors, Sally Miles and Silvia Piviali, have given our newsletter a new look. Sally, Silvia and I welcome suggestions from members for content and further ideas for making Scope more valuable.

I like the section listing Internet sites of interest. This is one area where members can surely contribute new or refreshed websites that they have come across, that address science communication and related areas.

Given the growing flood of information, it’s useful to have many eyes to help pick the plums from the orchard.

Jesse Shore

National President

Nanotechnology regulations and the general public

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The Department of Innovation Industry, Science and Resources (DIISR) has produced a brochure about nanotechnology and regulations aimed at the general public. They are looking for ways to make people aware of the brochure and to distribute it.

While the brochure is not a professional development resource about science communication, it is related to the broader area in which we work. The document is an interesting example of a government department communicating the reasons for regulating the technological arena of an emerging science. As such it both communicates science and government activity. Perhaps this is in response to public concerns, preliminary research studies and a realisation that the precautionary principle needs to be applied. The brochure contains a link to a website which is more science communication focused, http://technyou.edu.au/

In any of its possible purposes it is a means of informing the public about an important topic and is worthy of our awareness and our comment.

You can read the brochure (in pdf form) via this link, http://technyou.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Nanotech-Regulations.pdf.

Jesse Shore

National President

ASC National Conference 2012 Update

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The news from the head of our conference organising committee, Rod Lamberts, is that our professional conference organiser has produced a short-list of Sydney venues. The dates for the conference are 27-29 February 2012 with a preconference event likely on the evening of Sunday 26 February. We are now in the process of deciding which venue to choose. Rod has the conference committee started on a range of tasks and program ideas and soon will issue a call for papers for the research stream of the conference.

I note that several new topics are being proposed for the conference. This reflects the growing maturity of the field of science communication and that as professionals, our work is involving a wider range of activities, technologies and responsibilities.

A popular feature of the previous conference was that many sessions had a range of speakers presenting various aspects of a central topic. This encouraged greater discussion from the floor and interaction among the speakers. The upcoming conference will also emphasise interactive discussions, opportunities to network and professional development sessions.

Details will be coming soon. In the meantime I encourage you to mark the conference dates in your diaries, include it as part of your professional training plans, and put your hands up to be a session producer when the call is issued.

Jesse Shore

National President

New Scope editor

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The Executive Committee and I were ecstatic with the response to the recent advertisement for the position of Scope editor. But then we had the agony of deciding between excellent applications from several well qualified candidates. In the end, we went for an unexpected outcome.

I’m pleased to announce that not only do we have a new editor for Scope, but that we have two new editors in a job sharing arrangement. Sally Miles (no relation to Laura), from Sydney, and Silvia Piviali, from Perth, will team up to produce our newsletter.

The Executive is anticipating that this job-share will contribute to building up expertise and experience within the ASC and ease workloads during increasingly busy times.

I look forward to Sally and Silvia introducing themselves to you in their new role.

Jesse Shore

National President

ASC management committees – old and new heads

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Managing the ASC through the National Council and Executive requires the input of diverse voices and levels of experience. A few years ago the ASC wisely decided to add the position of Past-President to the management committees. This is a vital way to keep a person with key corporate knowledge involved in our decision making. Some other roles on the committees are filled by members have offered their services and insights over a number of years. They have worked well with those who have joined the committees more recently. The balance of experience brings benefits to our discussions.

In another article in this issue of Scope I mention that Phil Dooley has resigned from our national committees to take a posting overseas. He is taking with him several years of experience at the branch level and two years at national level.

I know that some other members will be making this their last year of long and distinguished service on national committees. The Executive will seek to fill current and expected upcoming vacancies and I encourage members to consider involvement at the national level. It is advisable that you have participated on a branch or national committee previously. You may have an opportunity to assist a member of the Executive to learn the ropes of their role before going solo.

I’ll send out more news about roles on national committees soon.

Jesse Shore

National President