Interesting article in terms of using social media to reach a demographic and how to reach that elusive age group.
http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/258803/20111130/facebook-apps-bring-millions-new-young-readers.htm
Thanks to Rebecca Rose for sending in this event review…
The Joy of Chocolate event held on the 16th of November was a great night. We had a good turn out. Galit gave an interesting overview of the chocolate life cycle and patiently answered the avalanche of questions that ensued. We learnt how the beans were fermented, dried and pounded to a paste. What the difference was between cocoa powder, cocoa butter and cocoa solids (though technically I think by this stage they are termed ‘cacao’) and all about the tempering and refining process that makes silky smooth chocolate. Galit had an array of show and tell items and we were all tempted with samples of cocoa beans and chocolate buttons from different single source locations. The highlight of the evening for me however, was her amazing gananche samples. The lime and basil white ganache and the leatherwood honey milk chocolate ganache had people sneaking back for seconds and thirds… it was just too good!
| 9 December 2011 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 11:30 pm |
Hi folks,
You’re all invited to a night of food, fun and friends at the ASC NSW Christmas Party.
This is a great chance to meet fellow ASC members and discover the people behind the emails.
And we’re offering free drinks (well, two) to all members, nibblies and a great Trivia quiz.
Cost: Members are free, non-members $5 (partners and other potential ASC’ers welcome)
When: From 6.30 pm till late, Friday 9 December
Where: The Star Bar, 600 George St, Sydney (just down from Town Hall station, opposite Events Cinemas)
We have a room on the ground floor, at the back (the ‘Amber Bar’…. there will be a welcome sign).
What to wear: A dash of Christmas! (Something we can see: not your special Xmas undies…. Hat, earrings, tie, reindeer-antlers etc.)
RSVP: Would love to know if you can make it so please send us an email by Wednesday 30 November (it will help us know how much food to order) or visit the ASC Facebook page
Email: ascnsw@gmail.com
Best wishes and a very Merry Christmas from the ASC NSW Committee
| 16 November 2011 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 7:30 pm |
Come on a journey to learn about all things chocolate (and, yes, taste the stuff!).
Your guide will be Galit Segev, a qualified chef with a master’s degree in Food Science and Biochemistry and 10 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
You’ll discover:
* how chocolate gets from the cacao tree to your table, through fermentation, drying and conching
* how dark, milk and white chocolate differ
* the art of tempering chocolate, and why it’s done.
See firsthand the difference between cacao beans and cacao nibs, and taste chocolate from different origins.
Galit’s session was a hit at the Ultimo Science Festival. This is an event no chocoholic should miss!
When: Wednesday 16 November: 6:30-7.30 pm
Where: Clarendon Hotel, 156 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, NSW (upstairs). Meals will be available from the bar.
Cost: ASC Members $10; Non-members $20
Bookings Essential
Call Rebecca: 0410 635 083, reply via this email: ascnsw@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161008257328549
The media scene has changed, and so has the role of the media release. But what is the new role, and how can science make the best use of them?
ASC QLD’s first writing workshop for 2011 will teach you how to:
This will be a practical workshop and participants should bring laptops, and draft or past media releases to work on. Comprehensive notes will be provided to students.
What:
ASC Writing Workshop
When:
Tuesday 27th September, 2011 6pm-9pm
Where:
The Queens Arms Hotel, 64 James Street, New Farm.
Presenters:
Jenni Metcalfe and Toss Gascoigne, who have been training scientists and others for more than 18 years in communication skills
Entry:
$99 for ASC members; $165 for non-ASC members. This includes food and supper.
Participants:
Maximum 15
RSVP:
Please RSVP robbie[at]econnect.com.au ASAP to secure your spot
Thanks to Karine Bruron from Liquid Learning Group for providing this information:
Liquid Learning is delighted to present The 2nd Annual National Science Communication Officers’ Forum 2011 – the premier event for communication professionals to exchange and acquire knowledge, tools and skills for true performance excellence.
The National Science Communication Officers’ Forum 2011 will be held on 22 & 23 November 2011 at Citigate Central, Sydney
Essential Tools and Approaches for Developing Communication Strategies within Scientific and Technical Research Environments
View the brochure here: http://bit.ly/pxt0bc
ASC Members receive a 10% discount off the standard registration fee.
Visit Liquid Learning’s website at: www.liquidlearning.com.au
Email: marketing@liquidlearning.com.au
Phone: (02) 9437 1311
Author: Kali Madden
ASC is supporting Liquid Learning’s second annual National Science Communication Officers’ Forum
It has been rescheduled to 22-24 November 2011 in Sydney, Citigate Central. Read more…
The event in brief:
Essential Tools and Approaches for Developing Communication Strategies within Scientific and Technical Research Environments
Explore:
• Applying Innovative Strategies for Dealing with the Media
• Negotiating the Science Communication Spectrum for Better Results
• Maintaining Scientific Integrity
• Communicating Complex Information with Creativity
Click here to view the brochure: http://bit.ly/iqt4B.
ASC members receive a 10% discount off the standard registration fee. For more information, visit Liquid Learning’s website at: www.liquidlearning.com.au or email: marketing@liquidlearning.com.au or telephone: (02) 9437 1311
An action-provoking keynote address by well-known visionary and science communications specialist Julian Cribb headlines the 44th annual Australian Institute of Food Science & Technology convention, to be held 10 – 13 July 2011 in Sydney.
In keeping with the convention’s theme ‘Tackling Tomorrow Today’, Cribb will speak about the major risks to global food security over the coming half century, the implications for food, science, technology and society, and of the effects of a 30 year lack of local investment in agricultural and food science and technology.
Cribb believes the world faces the probability of extreme regional food insecurity by the mid-century unless we take action now on land, water, nutrients, energy, fish, technology and climate instability. One of the challenges he will put to the industry is to help reinvent our cities and food systems so they recycle water, energy and nutrients, to help head off the ‘coming famine’.
He returns to the stage later to present a proposal for a national nutrient plan’, prompting the design of systems that recapture the current phenomenal waste of nutrients by agriculture, processing, retail, foodservice and consumers. He will also speak on the need to totally redesign the Australian diet.
Other speakers at the Food Production Security session include David Barling (City University, London, UK) addressing ‘impact of food policy on food security’, and Alison Bowman (Industry & Investment NSW, Wagga Wagga, NSW) on ‘The value of investing in R&D to secure the food supply’.
The AIFST Convention is co-located with FoodPro at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW Australia.
It opens on Sunday 10 July and concludes Tuesday 12 July, with additional workshops Wednesday 13 July 2011.
For registration details visit www.aifst.com.au. Bookings made before 3 June attract an earlybird rate.
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAIL:
Julian Cribb is the principal of Julian Cribb & Associates, specialists in science communication. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
From 1996-2002 he was Director, National Awareness, for Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO where he oversaw a 150 per cent growth in the organisation’s media profile.
A journalist since 1969, he was editor of the “National Farmer” and “Sunday Independent” newspapers, editor-in-chief of the Australian Rural Times, and chief of the Australian Agricultural News Bureau. For ten years he was agriculture correspondent, science and technology correspondent and scientific editor for The Australian and still writes a regular column for the national daily. He edits Australian R&D Review and ScienceAlert.com.au, the nation’s leading scientific news site.
He has received 32 awards for journalism including the Order of Australia Association Media Prize, the inaugural Eureka Prize for environmental journalism, the inaugural AUSTRADE award for international business journalism, the Dalgety Award for rural journalism, two MBF Awards for medical journalism and five Michael Daley Awards for science journalism.
He was national foundation president of the Australian Science Communicators (ASC), president of the National Rural and Resources Press Club, a member of CSIRO advisory committees for agriculture, fisheries and entomology. He has served as a Director of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Crawford Fund, the Secretariat for International Landcare, CSIRO Publishing, the Australian Minerals and Energy Environment Foundation, the National Science and Technology Centre (Questacon) and the Council of the Academy of technological Sciences & Engineering.
His published work includes more than 8,000 print articles, 1000 broadcasts, 3000 media releases and 400 speeches as well as “The Forgotten Country”, six editions of “Australian Agriculture”, “The White Death”, “Dry Times” and “Open Science”. His most recent book is “The Coming Famine: the global food crisis and what we can do to avoid it”, which explores the issues around food security and the actions by nations and individuals necessary to assure it.
Do you have a love for science, and a talent for writing? Do you enjoy interviewing researchers about their work, and then reporting on it in an engaging, clear style?
If so, then Kids Research Institute has an outstanding internship opportunity for you!
The internship program has been developed in an effort to further identify the key areas in which an intern, carrying out, or having recently completed, tertiary education, can learn from the various aspects of the Kids Research Institute (KRI) at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
The current length of an internship within the KRI is for 3 months minimum, at least 2 days per week (9am – 5pm). This program endeavours to outline the basis for the internship program providing interns with an understanding of the key areas they will be exposed to during the course of their internship and also the way in which their tasks will develop with their experience.
Each Intern will be co-supervised by the Research Office at KRI and the Public Relations Department at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Proactive writers willing to dig for stories are strongly encouraged to apply!
For more information on the program or to apply please email research [at] chw.edu.au
To view our website visit www.kidsresearch.org.au
Yesterday in Melbourne and Sydney, rallies were held to protest against the possible $400m (20%) reduction in the National Health and Medical Research budget. Thousands gathered outside Parliament house in Melbourne, scientists, students and professors stood alongside those who were the recipients of the medical research scientists had conducted.
From a student at the rally:
I am a student at La Trobe University studying double science. The budget cuts in medical research threaten my future job posibilities and those of my friends and colleagues…Australian medical research provides treatments and cures for millions of people around the world and govement funded research often funds research that big pharma companies would not fund as it does not have a high return, such as treatments and cures for third world diseases like malaria.
And from a neuroscience researcher at the rally:
I am an early career researcher whose salary is funded by the NHMRC. I will be conducting brain imaging research to investigate the neurobiological basis of psychosis and schizophrenia.
The changes will have a direct impact on the funding available to conduct medical research. This will have a direct effect on the ability for me to obtain competitive research grants (which are already very competitive with a success rate of about 15-20%) and ultimately to conduct research.
>What was the atmosphere like?
It was a static rally involving some speakers talking about the importance of medical research, a lot of chanting (no cuts to research! etc etc), a lot of cheering and clapping. Many people came down in their white lab coats which was great to see. There were a lot of people holding banners with various slogans (I didn’t have one unfortunately). There were students to Professors there, so it wasn’t just a ‘young’ rally. The atmosphere was alive, you could tell people there felt very passionate about the proposed cuts, not only because of their jobs being at stake but because people are passionate about their area of research and ultimately want to understand and provide better treatments for patients.
A rally is going to be held in Perth. So get out their and communicate about these expected budget changes!
George also blogs as PopSciGuy
