Yearly Archives: 2011

Call for Applications to Attend or Sponsor Attendees to Youth ANZAAS 2011

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10 July 2011to15 July 2011

Anyone with links into high schools or direct to senior science students may be interested in promoting this, and if there are bodies out there keen to throw a small amount of dollars toward student scholarships or event funding please let us know.

Applications for Youth ANZAAS 2011: Brisbane are open to science students in grades 10-12 across Australia, and close very shortly (Fri 27rd May), although applications received after the closing date will be accepted until all places are filled. More information is available at www.anzaas.org.au/youth and full information/application packages are available upon request.

Youth ANZAAS is a week-long residential conference for approximately sixty science students in Years 10, 11 and 12 from Australia and New Zealand. The event is organised by the Australian & New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS), one of Australia’s oldest scientific associations. YA 2011 will be held in Brisbane from Sunday 10th July to Friday 15th July. The programme is based around advanced-level lectures and activities that will challenge attendees and expand their knowledge of the applications of science in the real world. Students will have the opportunity to visit world-class facilities where research is taking place and to engage with leading scientists, experiences which are usually unavailable to the general public. The conference also allows students to meet and create a network of like-minded peers who share their passion for science.

A registration fee (recently reduced to $400 with the aid of some sponsorship) covers all expenses through the week including travel to Brisbane from students’ local capital city. It is understood the cost may inhibit some students’ decision to apply, however some sponsorship of places may be available upon application and funding is also still being sought to further reduce the cost or provide sponsorship for individual places. Special consideration (students from regional and remote areas and with indigenous or ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to apply) is available for candidates upon request.

If there are people or groups interested in offering sponsorship to students please feel free to contact us with your offer.

Cheers,
Felicity

If you have any queries about the program, the application process or anything else regarding Youth ANZAAS 2011 please contact us via anzaas.qld@gmail.com or 0408 797 837. Further information may be available at www.anzaas.org.au/youth.

Promoting prizes related to communication of science

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Recently I asked the ASC-list, “How can we work with science prize schemes to get added value for those of us who communicate science? Ideally we want a means which will also be beneficial to the prize schemes by attracting more attention, more nominations or some other desirable outcome.”

Several of you responded in a burst of discussion. I haven’t had time to digest all the views but I some useful things are likely to occur.

There are a number of worthy prize programs. In my post I hadn’t mentioned another major scheme, the Young Tall Poppy Awards, as I hadn’t seen an announcement about nominations. The ASC is looking forward to working closer with the various science prize schemes and there is lots of opportunity for interaction at the branch as well as national level.

Jesse Shore
National President

Science communication and social media now a national conversation

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Last month ASC members were offered a 10% discount on the entry fee to a niche event on science communication in social media. Many of the speakers on the program were ASC members from around the nation. In conjunction with Media140, the ASC made several student scholarships possible for local science communication students at the University of Queensland.

The Science Communication Program Convenor at the University of Queensland Dr Joan Leach had this to say about the event:

“Media140 catalysed a number of conversations that are going on nationally.  There is great research and engagement work going on at Australian Universities on the power and perils of digital media.  Being able to apply this research in the context of science communication—and talk to colleagues and people making great strides in using and understanding these technologies was super-stimulating.  And, the conference practiced what it preached with a fabulously talented contingent of journalism and science communication students from UQ blogging, tweeting, and networking their way through the event!   ASC supported science communication students from UQ who engaged with colleagues in China during the event and have used their insights into digital media to inform their upcoming citizen science event in Brisbane.  This was a rare event where research, practice, and discussion of pedagogy was all possible and relevant.”

You can find out more about tertiary qualifications in Science Communication in Australia here.

ASC readers who couldn’t make the event this time can look forward to several articles from attending students soon. Initial feedback on the experience follows.

“The Media 140 event was so inspiring for me as a newbie. It really enlightened me on using new media as a channel to transmit the scientific information.” – Basil Liu [Basil blogs in both Chinese and English, see his related event posting here, or on facebook here.]

“I thought the media140 event was an excellent opportunity to find out about the variety of applications new media can offer in science communication. In particular I was impressed by the enthusiasm attendees showed at the potential these forms of media hold in communicating their message.” – Sally Grosvenor

“Funnily enough, overall I think the best thing that I got out of the day was just the exposure to that environment – as a student you rarely get the opportunity to attend conferences, and see how working professionals and academics work and think. It gave me a bit of a taste of the ‘real world’, listening to everyone talk about their work. It definitely makes me happy and excited to be entering into this field.” – Emily Christoffels

“Media140 was an absolute blast. I don’t think I’ve ever had so many interesting, new thoughts or ideas to agree with in one day before.” – Nicholas Aslin

Why is science communication important?

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During Anna Salleh’s interview for her ABC Science on-line article, “Australia’s science budget ‘uninspiring’”, (see http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/05/11/3213833.htm) she asked me to give her a one-liner about why science communication is important.

I’m not usually short of a word but I stumbled over this. I started to regret that I gave up trying to craft a killer quote the night before the interview. Anna deflected my first answer that ‘science communicators make science accessible to various audiences’. That’s what we do, in broad terms, but not why we do it.

I then struggled through a clunky response which she reported as “If the government wants an informed public, an engaged public in science and technology issues that affect us all then we need a mechanism for the public to be informed and one of those mechanisms is effective science communication.”

Hours later I came up with a different take accompanied by a reality check in a second paragraph.

“Effective communication of science gives people accurate information upon which to base decisions. By making science accessible, science communicators help counter the misinformation and misconceptions which clutter public debate.”

“But few people base their decision making on just being presented with good science. The communicator’s message must have meaning, be useful and acknowledge the needs, aspirations and concerns of each intended audience.”

I put the question to you. Can you state in a short and memorable way ‘why science communication is important’?

Jesse Shore
National President

ASC national conference 2012 – plans are progressing

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Rod Lamberts, the chair of our national conference organising committee, has been working feverishly to get the nuts and bolts in place before the fun planning begins in earnest. He has received quotes from professional conference organisers and we will make a selection soon on who we’ll appoint. Then after the PCO’s tasks are spelled out the organising committee will map out what we expect will be an exciting and innovative program.

Rod has already discussed a range of roles with the members of his committee and they seem eager to get underway. Rod and/or I will keep you informed of progress.

Jesse Shore
National President

Call for curators for International Association for Public Participation conference

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The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) promotes the values and leading practices associated with involving the public in decisions that impact their lives. Some of IAP2’s values and themes are compatible with those of the ASC. Last year ASC and IAP2 collaborated with the Sydney Environmental Educators Network to deliver three professional development workshops in Sydney.

IAP2 has an upcoming conference in October 2011 in Sydney. They have put out a call for organisations and individuals to help develop their conference program. Interested volunteer session curators should focus on the conference themes, skills building or practice reflections – they are not simply looking for case studies.

If you are interested in getting involved see http://www.iap2.org.au/sitebuilder/conference/knowledge/asset/files/41/calloutforcurators-approved.pdf and email them your proposal by 30 June.

More information on the conference and early bird registration details can be found at http://www.iap2.org.au/practicedevelopment/conferences/2011-iap2-australasia-conference

Jesse Shore
National President

National Science Communication Officers’ Forum – Liquid Learning’s second annual event

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ASC is supporting Liquid Learning’s second annual National Science Communication Officers’ Forum postponed from 23-24 August 2011 in Sydney, Citigate Central to 22-24 November 2011 (note that these are tentative dates).

This is a well structured professional development event with networking opportunities and has an impressive range of speakers including several ASC members.

A selection of the key topics covered: Social media, Inspiring Australia, Partnerships, Bridging the gap between high-level science and communicating to a broader public, Evaluating.

Liquid Learning offers a 10% discount off standard registration fee to all current ASC members.

Jesse Shore
National President

Commonwealth budget and funding for Inspiring Australia

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I was pleased to see that the Inspiring Australia program was funded to the full amount promised in Labor’s policy announcement before the election. Minister Carr’s media release, http://minister.innovation.gov.au/Carr/MediaReleases/Pages/INSPIRINGAUSTRALIATOLEADTHEWORLDINSCIENCE.aspx, mentions three aspects to the program: National Science Week and other high profile events; science prizes; and a new national hub for science and technology communications.

The first two programs are essentially continuations of the previous Science Connections Program (SCOPE) which now will be branded as part of IA. The science week and events funding was increased slightly from previous years and I hope this will enable additional events throughout the year.

The third aspect, the new national hub, is specific to IA. Some of its funding will enable the state and territory IA project officers to be employed past their original short-term appointments. They will be involved in implementing the national framework-local action concept. It is still sketchy what this will entail but they would make a contribution by communicating with all science event presenters in their region to coordinate delivery of services. We need coordination, greater networking and more partnerships rather than duplication of activities.

I’ll keep you informed of news from my chats with the IA team as the program develops.

Anna Salleh in her ABC Science on-line article, “Australia’s science budget ‘uninspiring’”, quoted some of my comments about the IA funding (see http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/05/11/3213833.htm). I reflected later on how I answered her question about why is science communication important. See my thoughts in a separate Scope note.

Jesse Shore

National President

Tall Poppies South Australia – May Newsletter

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Please follow this link to read the first issue of “Eleusis” – the monthly newsletter of the Tall Poppy Campaign in South Australia.  Enjoy!

Eleusis 1

Sydney workshop: Community Engagement Tips, Tools and Techniques

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20 May 2011
8:30 amto5:00 pm

Science communicators and especially scienctists who communicate controversial subjects may benefit from skills in community engagement.

IAP2 NSW is running an impressive looking one day workshop on Community Engagement Tips, Tools and Techniques.

This one day workshop is suitable for emerging engagement specialists who are keen to learn from leading practitioners in NSW, or for more experienced specialists looking for a fresh burst of ideas and inspiration.

Read more at http://www.iap2.org.au/events/event/tips-tools-techniques-workshop.

Jesse Shore, National president