Request for information – Inspiring Australia and science prizes

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Dear ASC list readers,

In the recent edition of Scope, the ASC e-newsletter, I included an article requesting information about Australian science prizes and I want to be sure you all saw my request. Some of you may not have received the Scope email or don’t read through the various topics it contains.

Laura Miles, Scope editor, emailed the most recent issue of Scope last Thursday. If you haven’t received it, first double check you inbox for a message with the subject heading “s c o p e – Australian Science Communicators (28 October 2010)”. If not there check your junk mail or other security filtering device. If no luck please contact Kali Madden, office@asc.asn.au, as there may be a glitch which needs to be resolved.

Another way to ensure you receive what gets posted to the website is to subscribe to an RSS feed. See the right hand column of the website and click the ‘subscribe to RSS feed’ button to make this happen.

Now to the article and my request for information:

Inspiring Australia and science prizes

I’m seeking information and comments about science award programs in Australia which recognise science communication in selecting the award winners. I’ll provide some context before I fully phrase my request.

The ASC executive is pleased to note that several of our members have participated in initial actions to implement aspects of the Inspiring Australia report. Two expert working groups have convened, one on Science and the Media and the other for Developing an Evidence Base for Science Engagement in Australia.

This work has commenced over the past few months despite the absence of specific federal funding. As money was promised during the election campaign for some recommendations of Inspiring Australia the pace of activity will gradually ramp up. I expect there soon will be a group to review the science prizes funded by the government (related to recommendation 5 of Inspiring Australia).

An email from Questacon (acting for DIISR) says that, “…Questacon will be identifying how award programs can be further enhanced to engage the wider community in science and to profile Australia’s capability overseas.” Questacon welcomes comments on this.

Here’s my request: to prepare for Questacon’s invitation for comments, and the possible expert panel, I ask that you email me information and comments about science award programs at federal, state and local levels that recognise science communication or use it as a criterion in selecting the award winner.

And further context:

Toss Gascoigne reported to the e-list in August that “The Government has now provided $21 million to implement some recommendations from the report, in an election policy announced on 10 September.

Among other things, it will fund:

* the PM’s Prize for Science

* the Eureka Prizes

* National Science Week

* Science events and activities around Australia

* Promotion of science through the media

The three-page policy is at: http://www.alp.org.au/agenda/more—policies/science-for-australia-s-future/ . The money is coming from cuts to other activities, such as the CRC program. There is no new money.”

It is good to see continued federal funding for a selection of the Eureka Prizes, especially as two prizes, the Eureka Prize for Science Journalism and the Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science, are strongly related to science communication.

Another interesting award program is the Young Tall Poppy Science Awards. To be considered for these prizes early career research scientist applicants need to have been very active in communicating their scientific research to lay audiences. This awards program operates in several states and territories and is seeking to expand nationally.

Rob Morrison has previously posted an article on the ASC website about how to assign value to an academic’s or research scientist’s science communication activities. The link to his paper is http://www.asc.asn.au/2010/08/what-counts/.

It would be good for ASC members to contribute to Rob’s thoughts and in turn to the anticipated expert panel. I look forward to hearing from you via jesse@prismaticsciences.com or add your comment below this article.

Jesse Shore

National president

Cheers, Jesse

Jesse Shore

President, Australian Science Communicators, 2010

http://www.asc.asn.au/ http://www.asc.asn.au/

Jesse Shore PhD Science Communicator Prismatic Sciences P: (02) 9810 2328 M: 0415 841 276 E: jesse@prismaticsciences.com W: http://www.prismaticsciences.com/ www.prismaticsciences.com

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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.

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