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Yearly Archives: 2011
Improve your writing skills
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:
- How to identify the most important and interesting thing in the story, the essential idea that will interest the journalist
- Structure an effective media release
- Design clear media messages – that make both journalists and scientists happy!
Write, and rewrite effective media release - Manage scientists: what they think is important is not necessarily going to interest the media!
- Get timely approvals from the talent, your managers and collaborators
- Distribute and follow up your releases
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
Member Profile: Sally Miles
Sally Miles has always had a strong interest in Science Communication. Upon completing a Bachelor of Science at Melbourne University in 1997, she sought ways to communicate environmental issues and practical solutions to the public. Sally has worked in communications roles with Clean Up Australia, The Wilderness Society, Planet Ark and Conservation Volunteers Australia. In 2008, Sally moved into the corporate sector through Big Switch Projects and more recently, the Carbon Reduction Institute (CRI), working with businesses on developing and communicating their sustainability and climate change programs.
Sally has researched, written and spoken on many environmental issues including climate change, energy efficiency, biodiversity, water management and waste issues such as plastic bags, container deposits and e-waste. She has developed a diverse range of environmental programs from indigenous education kits to corporate staff engagement events.
Sally lives in Sydney and currently works as an independent writer and consultant in Sustainability Communications. She reads and writes on all things Science and is planning to complete her Masters in Media Practice at Sydney University next year. She also looks after her two young children: Jack (2.5yrs) and Lily (6months). In the few spare moments between nappy changes she enjoys blogging, yoga, meditation and running (& may or may not survive her first half marathon coming up in September).
Connect with Sally on Linkedin.
Where Worlds Collide
Thanks to Kiran Shettigara from The Science Exchange, RiAus for providing this information:
Where Worlds Collide- Saturday 20 August 2011
Event review by Freya Dougan-Whaite
RiAus teamed up with Adelaide’s Friendly Street Poets to share a selection of poetry informed by scientific concepts and inspired by the wonders of science in everyday life. The event, aptly named Where Worlds Collide, is part of the Great Big Science Read which occurs annually during National Science Week. The aim was to reach a new audience by exploring the juncture where arts and science meet. Winners of the RiAus Sci-Ku competition (science Haiku) were also announced, and entrants from New South Wales and the Northern Territory were excited to be flown into Adelaide for the ceremony.
The speakers varied in age and gender, and the event was entertaining and fast-paced. Chemistry and Physics, became metaphor for human emotion and lifelong relationships with the beauty of nature were shared.
The public were invited to be involved through an open-mic session in the week before the event, where anyone could share three minutes of their poetry. Several talented speakers from the open-mic were booked to reappear for Where Worlds Collide.
The combination of professional poets/writers, competition winners and open-mic talent, contributed to an event that truly engaged an audience that may not otherwise attend a science event.
Member Profile: Silvia Piviali
Silvia Piviali
It didn’t take Silvia very long to settle into the way of life in Perth, Western Australia after she immigrated from Italy, at age 6. Its hard to believe that this is her 25th year of living in Perth, where she is happily settled with her 2 young children and husband of 6 years. From a young age, Silvia always asked lots of questions, and it was this inquisitive and curious nature, that led to an interest then career in Science, specializing in the Medical Sciences. For many years after qualifying, she worked on the laboratory bench, but then her outgoing personality craved contact with people (not specimens!) and she embarked on many interesting career roles such as Sales, Marketing, Recruitment, Writing, Consulting and now as Co-Editor of SCOPE, using the field of Science as her basis. Silvia enjoys keeping fit & healthy through the Swimming & Tennis clubs she is a member of, looking after her rental property, playing with her Golden Retriever dog and taking holidays with her family. Interestingly, Silvia was offered this role whilst still in hospital, after her second child, Chiara, now aged 5 weeks old, came along!!
The 2nd Annual National Science Communication Officers’ Forum 2011
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
South Australian Science Excellence Awards
Thanks to Lisa Bailey, RiAus for providing this information:
Calling members of the South Australian science and research community …
Do you know a recent PhD graduate with outstanding early-career achievement or a researcher with no more than five years workforce experience? Or maybe a school or tertiary teacher who is making an outstanding contribution to student education and inspiring students to study further in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)?
In 2011, the South Australian Science Excellence Awards will be recognising outstanding achievement in the following categories:
- South Australian Scientist of the Year
- PhD Research Excellence
– Health and Medical Sciences
– Life or Environmental Sciences
– Physical Sciences/Mathematics/Engineering
- Early Career STEM Professional
– Natural and Physical Sciences/Engineering/Mathematics
– Health and Life Sciences
- Early Career STEM Educator of the Year
– School Teaching
– Tertiary Teaching
The SA Scientist of the Year Award receives prize money of $20,000 with the remaining awards each receiving $5,000.
For further information, please visit www.scienceawards.sa.gov.au
Nanotechnology regulations and the general public
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
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
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