Concurrent Session 5D Faraday’s Candle

re-science creates inspiring science experiences for all Victorians. It is supported by the federal government, the Victorian state government Department of Business and Innovation and CSIRO. Re-science focuses on attracting all adult audiences to engage with science with a further aim of opening a dialogue in the community to foster on-going discussions and debate. Science is promoted to disengaged and disinterested audiences through novel and accessible activities. ‘Faraday’s Candle’ has been designed to attract and engage these science disinterested audiences through theatre.

Pre-conference materials

http://www.youtube.com/user/reScienceVic?feature=mhee#p/u/3/u4jqZKe7sq4

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/bright-idea-set-to-light-up-cathedral-20110919-1khug.html

http://www.re-science.org.au

http://re-science.org.au/about-us

Chris Krishna-Pillay (session producer and speaker), Victorian Manager, CSIRO Education     

Bernard Caleo (performer), Writer and performer

 

Concurrent Session 5C The Sausage Factory

You’re in this lift with Bill Gates and he’s got $1 billion to give away, and you have a great idea just bursting to get out.  The question is – can you get it out in three minutes?  It will test the ability of speakers to pick the most interesting and important aspects of their research, and to leave all the detail back in the lab.  Hint: start with the problem you’re trying to solve.  Late entries may be accepted.  Audience members need to be prepared to ask questions.

Toss Gascoigne (session producer, chair, judge and jury), Director, Toss Gascoigne and Associates

Concurrent Session 5B Research and Papers (PhDs plus)

Australia is rapidly becoming a notable player in the world of science communication research and scholarship. The ASC 2012 national conference features 5, hour-long sessions in which some of our best and brightest share their research stories. Presentations are brief as the opportunity to interact with presenters and other delegates is something we feel is of great value in the conference space.

Dance of the sockpuppets: blog comments can interfere with communication of scientific information

Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Western Australia

How is the word “science” used on twitter?

Brenda Moon,  Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Science book clubs: a way to communicate science?

George Aranda, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

Australia state of the environment 2011: Reporting science in a public policy context to communicate nationally significant environmental issues

Janet Salisbury (presenting author), Biotext, Canberra, Australia

Richard Stanford (presenting author), Biotext, Canberra, Australia

Kylie Evans (co-author), Biotext, Canberra, Australia

Mobile phones don’t eat babies (but you won’t hear that on television)

Maia Sauren, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

What we’ve learnt from two years of evaluation at a new centre for science communication

Cobi  Smith (presenting author), Royal Institution of Australia, Adelaide, Australia

Lisa Bailey (co-author), Royal Institution of Australia, Adelaide, Australia

Amanda Tyndall (co-author),  Edinburgh International Science Festival, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Concurrent Session 5A Professional Development; “And yet it moves”: on the usefulness and practicality of video engagement

We traffic in press releases and photographs while at the same time idealising the multi-million dollar Attenborough documentaries as the pinnacle of science communication.

But there’s a lot of territory between the two. Surely we can fill the gap with something effective and exciting. We may not have the budgets but we have the technology. After all many of us carry HD camera with internet connection with us 24/7 and have the software to edit the resulting footage installed on our laptops.

James Hutson (session producer & facilitator), Digital Production and Design Manager, Bridge8

Derek Muller (panellist), Creator of the science video blog Veritasium

Bobby Cerini (panellist), Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Plenary 7 New Media: The NBN and what it means for science communicators

On its completion the NBN will provide high speed internet to 93% of the Australian population and in doing so deliver new broadband technologies across the whole of the country.  In addition to the already established entertainment and retail sectors, the NBN promises all Australians a suite of new products, services and innovations including telehealth, remote education and even skills-based training programs.

So what do these developments mean for the field of Science Communication?  And what future opportunities will this provide for the science communicators of Australia?  Join RiAus Director, Paul Willis and an expert panel as they examine how the NBN might assist in engaging new audiences with science.

Steve Kern (session producer), Digital Content Manager, RiAus

Dr Paul Willis (host), Director, RiAus

Sabiene Heindl (panellist), Senior Advisor – Stakeholder Relations, NBNco

David Lowe (panellist), Director, Centre for Real-Time Information Networks, LabShare, University of Technology Sydney

Robert Bunzli (panelist), Production Manager, Centre for Digital Communication, Questacon-The National Science and Technology Centre

Plenary 6 Sophisticated Social Media Use & Science

Facebook is almost eight years old. Twitter six. Yet because uptake has been gradual, our discussion of social media often remains stuck at a beginner’s “how to” stage. Not only is this dull and repetitive, it prevents us discussing the established and effective uses and users of social media in science communication and directions for the future. Let’s change that.

Kristin Alford (session producer & facilitator), Managing Director, Bridge8 Pty Ltd (@kristinalford)

Will Grant (panellist), Graduate Studies Convener, Australian National Centre for the  Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University (@willozap)

Kate Carruthers (panellist), Digital and Community Manager, Genea (@kcarruthers)

Ben Harris-Roxas (panellist), Managing Director, Harris-Roxas Health (@ben_hr, @hiablog)

With pre-recorded interview excerpts from:

  • Michele Banks, Artist (USA) (@artologica)
  • Alice Bell, Lecturer and researcher, Imperial College and UCL (UK) (@alicebell)
  • Shane McCracken, Director Gallomanor Communications and Producer of I’m a Scientist, Get me Out of Here! (UK) (@ShaneMc)
  • Andrew Maynard, Director, Risk Science Centre, University of Michigan (USA) (@2020science)

Plenary 5 Deviant Standards

A performance provides the same sensory stimuli for the whole audience, but each individual’s perception is unique and become the seed for conversation. Deviant Standards see no reason why entertainment should preclude thought. They do not necessarily seek to impart specific facts or knowledge to the audience, but to rather to create an entertainment setting that fosters and rewards thought.

With a touch of illusion, a dash of circus and a nod to academia, Deviant Standards harks back to an era of curiosity and curiosities, to a time when experimentation, discovery and entertainment shared the same wonderful, vibrant space.

Chris Krishna-Pillay (session producer and speaker), Victorian Manager, CSIRO Education     

Marty Lubran (speaker), ARIA-award winning guitarist as well as a composer, producer and DJ

Concurrent Session 4D Are computer games and apps the new frontiers for communicating science?

Computer games and apps are particularly rapidly developing and immensely popular media. They have expanded from entertainment and leisure pursuits to business training to school educational uses and as online means of involving the public in environmental and other matters. These media offer new approaches to framing your science content. Find out how these media may serve your communication needs and make a game out of engaging the public in science.

Jesse Shore (session producer), Science Communicator, Prismatic Sciences & ASC President

Ian Allen (chair), Executive Producer, Content, ABC

Sam Doust  (panellist), Creative Director, StratDev, ABC Innovation

Alan Murray (panellist), Lecturer in Games Programming, Qantm College

Cathie Howe (panellist),   Game Design Project Leader, Macquarie ICT Innovations Centre

Paul Gray (panellist), Director of Community & Customer Experience, Bubble Gum interactive

 

 

Concurrent Session 4B Research and Papers (PhDs plus)

Australia is rapidly becoming a notable player in the world of science communication research and scholarship. The ASC 2012 national conference features 5, hour-long sessions in which some of our best and brightest share their research stories. Presentations are brief as the opportunity to interact with presenters and other delegates is something we feel is of great value in the conference space.

The representation of science and scientists on postage stamps

Christopher Yardley, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Understandings of nature and the anti-whaling campaign

Simon Copland, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

A ‘kronic’ case study – responsible science communication and its impact

Sarah Lau, ChemCentre, Western Australia

Gateways for engagement

Jason Boudville, ScienceNetwork WA, Perth, Australia

A vital divide  – the future of alternative medicine in a scientific society

Mike McRae, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

A qualitative pilot study exploring Australian women’s attitudes to genetically-modified foods

Heather Bray (presenting author), School of History and Politics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

Rachel A. Ankeny (co-author), School of History and Politics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

Concurrent Session 4A The Consultancy Game

How does one go about setting up a business in science communication consultancy?  Where do the clients come from?  What services do they want?  How much should they be charged?  What are the first steps to take?  How do you begin to ‘think business’?  What are the advantages of working from home, and working from an office?  Should you buy-in skills like book-keeping, graphic design, web site design and IT, or do them in-house?  Anyone contemplating consultancy work (or even looking to hire consultants) will be interested in this explanation of what it takes to establish and maintain a science communication consultancy.

Toss Gascoigne (session producer), Director, Toss Gascoigne and Associates

Cobi Smith (chair), PhD researcher at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science and Science in Society and Facilitator at the Royal Institution of Australia.

Jenni Metcalfe (speaker), Director, Econnect Communication

Kristin Alford (speaker), Managing Director, Bridge8

Niall Byrne (speaker), Creative Director, Science in Public