From the President, February 2011: Big year ahead

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I sense a growing awareness of the importance of science communication. The Inspiring Australia report has played a part in this and I note that others are talking up the cause. Chemists involved in organising the International Year of Chemistry 2011 see this as an opportunity to get their messages across to the public. They know that to do so they need to communicate more effectively and will need skills to make it happen.

Since the election the Inspiring Australia has worked to get election promises of funding into the reality of the 2011 budget. This won’t be easy in the face of cut-backs to government programs to reallocate funds to rebuild flood and cyclone damaged infrastructure.

Still it should be a big year ahead for science communication and the ASC. What follows is only the briefest of reports but it has a few nuggets.

Inspiring Australia conference 2011: The Inspiring Australia team has raced to set in train a national conference called ‘Inspiring Science, Inspiring Australia: Telling Australia’s Brilliant Stories’. It’s on 28-29 March 2011 at the Arrow on Swanston, Melbourne. More information and registrations at http://iaconference.com.au/. It sounds like an important start to the IA program of activities for this year.

2012 National conference planning committee: Rod Lamberts, of ANU’s CPAS in Canberra, has agreed to chair the planning committee for our 2012 National conference. He returns from overseas soon and will convene the committee to start its planning task. Rod will report directly to the Executive committee about progress.

Science communication training programs: Last November I posted a message that the ASC has received a few requests to provide training in science communication related skills. I asked you to nominate Science communication training programs that either ASC members offered or knew of in Australia. I now have a list of courses which I can refer on to relevant enquirers.

Eureka Awards open for nominations: I note that the Eureka Awards are now accepting nominations of their various prize categories. Nominations close 6 May 2011.

Jesse Shore

National President

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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.

3 thoughts on “From the President, February 2011: Big year ahead”

  1. I think we all know that behavioural change is not achieved through events. This forum is generally used for networking and/or leading to awareness. If you're looking for behavioural change then its a whole different communication strategy. Behavioural change is a theory that should be utilised by all good communicators and should be a part of any training methodology. Does APEN offer science communication training?

  2. I am interested in the overlap between ASC and the Australasian Pacific Extension Network. My simplest view on this is that communication is the means to an end, and extension is the process in which all the change methododologies are used to achieve a desired state.
    It has been a mantra in extension and change management for some time that 'awareness does not equal changed behaviour'. So the approach of having more 'communication events' may have no impact at all. Rather, ask the question "What is the desired change in behaviour?" and then find out what the barriers and benefits to adopting those changes are for that audience. And then design the activities that are likely to get new behaviours adopted.

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