Yearly Archives: 2012

ASC supports sciencerewired – Adelaide, 11 October 2012

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The ASC is now a supporter of the sciencerewired event. This full day event, on 11 October 2012 at the RiAus in Adelaide, offers a great program with a focus on digital media, http://sciencerewired.org/adelaideprogramme/. It sounds perfect for gaining professional development in this rapidly evolving area. sciencerewired is organised by media140 and their inaugural event in Brisbane last year was very well received.

Member’s discount
Early bird registration expires 31 August and after that sciencerewired is offering ASC members a healthy 20% discount off the full registration price of $295 including GST. The ASC member’s price will be $236 incl GST.

Contact office@asc.asn.au for the promotion code to get the 20% discount when registering. This discount is for financial ASC members only.

FREE tickets (2)
We also have FREE tickets to offer to two lucky ASC members. To apply for a freebie, describe in no more than 50 words your current role or project which would benefit from social media enhancement, and send to office@asc.asn.au by Monday 17 September.

I’ll select two of the entries for free admission. Winners will be required to write a short article for the ASC web site within a month of the event briefly describing their current role or project, what it aims to accomplish, and how sciencerewired contributed to their social media skills, knowledge and/or intentions for future. Good luck!

Scholarship opportunity (2)
sciencerewired is happy to offer two scholarships to ASC student members who are currently enrolled in tertiary science communication courses. sciencerewired is offering a whopping 50% off the full registration bringing the cost to $147.50 incl GST.

To apply for the scholarship describe in no more than 50 words how you anticipate to benefit by attending sciencerewired, include a brief endorsement from your lecturer, and send to office@asc.asn.au by Monday 17 September.

The ASC Executive will select the scholarship winners. After the event the students will write comments for the ASC website about their standout sciencerewired experiences or outcomes.

Jesse Shore
National President

ASC2014 will be at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

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We have selected one of the best convention centres in the world as the venue for our next national conference. The Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre’s new wing on Grey Street has a 400 seat auditorium, breakout rooms, a large foyer for displays, meals and networking, and easy access to the cultural precinct of Brisbane’s South Bank.

Overall the BCEC is an amazing venue. It’s huge in scale yet welcoming, with superb design and the latest in conference facilities. It has excellent catering facilities and is centrally located. The new wing of the centre will suit the scale of our conference perfectly.

We are starting to get ideas for the program and will be inviting your contribution soon.

Book in the dates 3-5 February 2014 for ASC2014. See you in Brisbane.

Jesse Shore
ASC President

ASC 2012 AGM – 27 November in Brisbane

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ASC’s SE-Queensland branch will host this year’s AGM. This is fitting as our next national conference will be in Brisbane in 2014.

The AGM will be at the Ship Inn from 6.00-7.15pm. After the business is over David Ellyard will present his highly entertaining and always fiercely competitive science trivia quiz. There will be prizes. The Ship Inn is at the corner of Stanley & Sidon Streets, Southbank Parklands, Brisbane.

The AGM is for financial members only and the quiz will be open to all.

More information about the AGM will come as the time approaches.

Jesse Shore
ASC President

Agreement forged between ASC and Inspiring Australia for 2012-14

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We have great news for ASC members! The Inspiring Australia Strategy and the Australian Science Communicators have reached an agreement which brings diverse benefits to members and the association.

The ASC will communicate IA activities and outcomes to ASC members and encourage discussion about the Strategy. The IA Strategy is closely aligned to the interests of the ASC and several ASC officials and members have been actively engaging with IA. The aim of this agreement is to further raise members’ awareness of and engagement with the Strategy.

The agreement provides funds for the ASC to upgrade its website, manage the project, and to pay writers fees to prepare the messages.

The ASC will post IA articles, stories and announcements to our main media channels including the ASC website, Facebook and LinkedIn pages, and Twitter feed. We’ll also post content to our Flickr, YouTube and Vimeo sites as appropriate. The first IA message was posted 31 July.

The agreement runs from mid-2012 to mid-2014. This allows time to
•             refine the message posting system,
•             develop the relationship between IA and ASC,
•             increase members’ involvement with IA and
•             increase members’ involvement with this project.

How things will work:
The ASC Communications team, which works to improve how ASC communicates across a range of media channels, has the task to deliver our side of the agreement.
Currently on the team are
•             Jesse Shore, president and chair of the team
•             James Hutson, webmaster
•             Sally Miles, Scope editor
•             Kali Madden, executive officer.

Inspiring Australia sends each message to the liaison person on the ASC Communications team, currently Jesse Shore, who will assign one of its members to republish it in the voice of the ASC. This involves writing introductory text, summaries and end pieces for each message as needed and then posting it. For the moment Sally Miles and Jesse will deal with the flow of information from IA.

The ASC Executive has approved a modest fee scale for various tasks and is monitoring progress during a three month trial period. In a couple of months we will invite ASC members for expressions of interest to join the Communications team and take part in the program to report IA news.

Editorial control of messages will be held by the ASC with the understanding the intent of the project is to portray the Inspiring Australia Strategy in a positive light.

We’re thrilled to have this new alliance and welcome your comments about how to get the most out of this project.

Jesse Shore
ASC national president

Café Scientifique launches with “The Science of Cocktails”

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18 August 2012
7:00 pmto9:00 pm

A networking evening for scientists, science communicators and science enthusiasts.

Join Dr Geoff Garret,Queensland’s Chief Scientist and Dr Ian Galloway, CEO of Queensland Museum for an evening of cocktails and canapés, discussions and networking, live music and photography.

WHAT: The closing ceremony of National Science Week coincides with the launch ofQueensland’s first Café Scientifique, a space for scientists and science enthusiasts to meet and share ideas

WHERE: Collectors Café, Queensland Museum, South Bank

WHEN: Saturday 18th August 7 – 9pm

Scientist, mixologist and bartender Andrew Cameron will talk about the science of smell and taste, demonstrate how scientific methods and liquid nitrogen can improve some of the all-time classic Martinis and provide samples of his work as tasters.

The Martinis are translated into edible cocktail-canapés while live music and an award-winning science photography exhibition will set the scene for this event.

Tickets $35 adults, $25 students (use promo code ‘student’)
Includes three sampler cocktails and canapés

For information and booking head to cafescientifiqueaustralia.eventbrite.com.au

This is an 18+ event

Science Week after-party

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21 August 2012
6:30 pmto11:00 pm

Science Week After-party
Come along and celebrate the end of Science Week after-party, a networking evening for Melbourne science communicators.
When: August 21, 2012, 6:30 pm
Where: Three Degrees, QV Square
First drink and nibbles are on us!
ASC members (& guest): Free
Science Week organisers: Free
Non-members: $15
(Discounted memberships on the night)
To book: http://sciencecentric_2012.eventbrite.com

Workshop: Make a science film with your iPhone

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11 August 2012
11:00 amto2:30 pm

Want to learn how to make a short science film?

Got an iPhone (or iPod Touch)?

Then this workshop is for you!

The Australian Museum, Australian Science Communicators and the Apple Store, Sydney, are offering up to 16 lucky people the chance to get some guidance on science filmmaking. This workshop is open to anyone aged eight and up. It is part of the Australian Museum Science Festival, and booking for the workshop gives you access to the other Festival activities.

When:
Saturday 11 August, 11:00 am to 2:30 pm

Where:
At the Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, then at the Apple Store, 367 George Street, Sydney.

What:
First up, science filmmaker Daniel Keogh will talk about how to make science films and show examples of his work. Then you’ll be let loose in the Australian Museum to get footage on your iPhone (or iPod Touch). After that, you’ll head over to the Apple Store (as a group): here staff will help you download the footage and help you edit it in iMovie. And at the end you’ll have a finished 5-minute science film to take away.

How to book a place:
First, book online for Festival events at http://australianmuseum.net.au/event/Australian-Museum-Science-Festival. Then, turn up early to claim a place in the workshop. There are eight (8) computers for editing: two people can share a computer if they wish.

Cost (includes Museum entry and other activities during the day):
$22.19 adults, $16.89 students, $11.59 for children aged 5-15.

What to bring:
• Your iPhone or iPod Touch
• A flash drive (to take your film home)
By the time you come to the Apple Store, you should have about 30 min. of raw footage on your phone that you’ll edit into a movie. You can bring footage you’ve shot before the day of the workshop, or you can shoot it all at the Museum.

The competition:
Leave a copy of your film with us and judges from the Australian Science Communicators will pick the best. If it’s yours, you’ll win a Looxcie Bluetooth headset — a head-mounted camera that connects with your smartphone.

Enquiries:
Australian Museum Science Communication unit: 02 9320 6389.

Daniel Keogh

Daniel Keogh is a science presenter and film-maker. His work has appeared on ABC TV’s Hungry Beast and Catalyst, Radio National’s Science Show, Health Report and Download This Show and online as part of National Science Week. He specialises in taking science research out of the library and into the real world through self-experimentation, animation and creative storytelling.

Next ASC national conference – February 2014

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The ASC Executive has agreed that the next ASC national conference will be held in early February 2014. I’ll keep you on tenterhooks by saying that we’ll announce the city and venue soon.

The feedback from ASC2012 delegates have helped guide our planning and we’ll use their input to make ASC2014 even better than the terrific outcome Rod Lamberts and his team achieved this year.

We have started to consider the structure of the conference committee and will invite members to participate. The good amount of lead time should allow us to explore new ideas and get more supporting partners for our big biannual event.

That’s all the snippets of conference news for now but be ready for lots more substantial information to come.

Jesse Shore
National President

National Science Week 2012

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I hope you are paying attention to the increasing flow of announcements and promotion about National Science Week, which officially runs from 11-19 August 2012. Several related science festivals and events occur before and after the official dates to make nearly a full month of national science engagement activity.

Many ASC members are involved in organising and running events. Perhaps those of you who aren’t tied to delivering an event will have time to see a variety of what’s on offer. Let us know about any activities which cover new ground or are particular successful for whatever combination of reasons.

Here’s wishing everyone to have a successful and well attended National Science Week.

Jesse Shore
National President

Recommended TED talks

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Science related TED talks are often good examples how to engage an audience and communicate your message. The audience for TED talks has diverse interests so it’s great to see when they really appreciate a novel or solid presentation.

Here’s one example of each. The first is by virtual magician and Techno-illusionist Marco Tempest and is about Nicolas Tesla and is a must-see (and only 6 minutes long), http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/marco_tempest_the_electric_rise_and_fall_of_nikola_tesla.html. (If you have time check out Marco Tempest’s video of Making of “Nikola Tesla in Sound and Light”, http://vimeo.com/43684443.)

The second is a talk by a scientist about a new kind of battery (the missing link to renewable energy), http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/donald_sadoway_the_missing_link_to_renewable_energy.html. He gives a good clear explanation although he likes using the occasional big word in his narrative.

Jesse Shore
National President