ASC2018 - 11-15 Nov, Sydney

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Including Scientists in SciComm

When: Tuesday 13th November, 9:15am – 11:15am
Where: Theatrette, Level 2 behind the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #T3

This session will explore the range of different ways Questacon engages and collaborates with scientists and STEM professionals. It will highlight how this collaboration can create richer and more genuine engagement opportunities for students and the general public, connecting them to relevant STEM ideas and challenges. It will also show how this collaboration can create a learning experience for the involved scientist/STEM professional.
Examples include:

  • Questacon’s Regional Invention Conventions using STEM professionals to pose design and innovation challenges to students, giving them a problem to solve with real world connection
  • Boutique Botanical Teacher PD, developed alongside the 2017 ACT Scientist of the Year to bring plant science into the classroom.
  • Mind in Residence program, using local academics to develop new content within Questacon in the form of shows and demonstrations, helping bring cutting edge science to the public
  • Enterprising Australians web portal, using STEM professionals to tell stories of innovation, becoming inspiration for the next generation of innovators

Session

Case studies: Cultural Institutions and Festivals

Presenters

Broderick Matthews, A/g National Programs Manager, Questacon

Amelia Coman, Special Activities and External Liaison Officer, Questacon

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Communicating Climate Change and other Complex and Contested Content

When: Tuesday 13th November, 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Where: Theatrette, Level 2 behind the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #T13

Join climate change communicators to discuss the latest approaches to communicating controversial research. The panel will draw from perspectives and case studies from university centres of excellence, government research organisations, communication consultancies, and non-profit organisations. You’ll obtain specific suggestions on the use of infographics, video and other innovative communication approaches, ideas about campaign timing, and guidance on drawing from a robust foundation of science to effectively communicate in complex and contested domains.

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Simon Torok, Director, Scientell

Panel

Paul Holper, Director, Scientell

Karen Pearce, Director, Bloom communication, and communicator for the National Environmental Science Program’s Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub

Martin Rice, Acting CEO and the Head of Research, Climate Council

Alvin Stone, Media and Communication Manager, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes

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Taking your presentation skills to the next level

When: Tuesday 13th November, 11:45am – 12:45pm
Where: Theatre, Level 2 down the stairs to the right of the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #T6

The key to the art of presentation is knowing it’s a dictatorship, and you are in control.

Dr Karl will take you on a fun guided tour through how to deliver a Powerpoint/Keynote presentation. There will be tips and tools to help you engage your audience, from simple microphone technique to how to blend content and segues to generate humour.

Learn the skills to take your audience on a science journey to remember from one of the country’s most experienced presenters.

Session Producer/Chair

Dr Phil Dooley, ASC National Co-Vice-President, Phil Up On Science

Workshop Facilitator/Presenter/Performer

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Julius Sumner Miller Fellow for Sci Comm, University of Sydney

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Anyone can visually communicate science

When: Thursday 15th November, 8:00am – 12:45pm (including lunch)
Where: Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo
Room: L2, Level 2 to the left of the registration/foyer area, down the hallway and through the doors on the right

Purchase separately or free for conference+workshop delegates (RSVP during registration).

Register now!

Visuals grab attention and can have great explanatory power. As a result they’ve long been coveted in science communication circles. Yet many practitioners still feel they lack the skills to make them.

Well, forget all that negative self talk. The premise of this workshop is in the title: “Anyone can visually communicate science”. And it goes about equipping you to do so through a series of brief lectures, discussions and practical exercises.

Building on everyday skills you already possess (like writing, taking photos, sending text messages and using presentation software), this hands-on workshop will help you make visuals that should prove immediately useful in your internal and external communication activities.

Bring along pen, paper, laptop and ideally some idea/concept/research you wish to communicate visually.

Learn how to:
⁃ analyse visuals you like and use them to guide you in creating your own,
⁃ generate and iterate visual ideas,
⁃ create simple illustrations, visual abstracts and infographics,
⁃ improve the quality of your visual products,
⁃ and commission visuals (because even having learnt the basics you may still need to delegate).

PLEASE NOTE: Science visualisation is a related but different area of endeavour. If that is your focus, much of the content might still be relevant but the workshop will not be covering computer simulation or 3d computer graphics.

Workshop facilitator

James Hutson, Explanation designer, Explanovision

Purchase separately or free for conference+workshop delegates (RSVP during registration).

Register now!

**This is a public event. Register to save your seat!**

Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/694141270960487/

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Spinning World: art science collaboration talk and tour

When: Tuesday 13th November, 7:00pm – 7:30pm
Where: Turbine Hall, Level 1 next to the Experimentations exhibit
Hashtag: #T18

Genuine interdisciplinary collaboration between practitioners in arts and sciences can be a complex process. Here we present a case study of the challenges and outcomes of arts-science collaborations as part of the Material Science, Slow Textiles & Ecological Futures (MSSTEF) project.

MSSTEF was initiated by artists-researchers, Agnieszka Golda and Jo Law. The project was inspired from their Visiting Research Fellowships at the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Sydney (MAAS) in 2017, where they looked to traditional slow textile techniques in the Museum’s Asian and Japanese collection in order to locate new ways to embed conductive materials into fabric to create immersive and multi-sensory artworks.

Golda and Law invited materials scientist Sepdiar Sayyar (ANFF, UOW) and climate scientist Helen McGregor (ARC Principal Future Fellow, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, UOW) to investigate the use of innovative materials in contemporary art to convey climate science research. For Sayyar, the expectation was to find new and ecologically sound ways to create conductive materials, namely graphene, for art production. McGregor looked to this project to investigate art as a platform for science communication.

The combined use of slow textiles techniques, electronics and graphene presented a set of parameters. The tradeoffs between more environmentally sustainable solvents and optimisation of the conductive properties of graphene led Sayyar to consider his research practice in a different way. There was also negotiation between the artists and the climate scientist in balancing the need for scientific accuracy with making the science accessible and allowing for artistic creativity. This presentation will discuss problems encountered such as these and ways in which these difficulties were resolved. The presentation will look to the project outcome: the exhibition Spinning World at the MAAS, to conjecture how practice-based research in both arts and sciences can build a strong base for collaborative research.

Materials Science, Slow textiles and Ecological Futures

Images of the exhibition at MAAS

Presenter

Dr Jo Law, Senior Lecturer, University of Wollongong

Dr Agnieszka Golda, Senior Lecturer, University of Wollongong

 

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The Art and Science of Collaboration – Three Case Studies on Finding Innovative Partnerships for Science Communication

When: Tuesday 13th November, 9:15am – 11:15am
Where: Theatrette, Level 2 behind the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #T3

You have a message and you know who you want to reach, but you have little to no budget or resources. Partnerships are often the best way to maximise your science communication efforts, but how do I make it happen?

From the world’s largest museum to the smallest of conservation non-profits, organizations big and small face this very same problem. Micaela Jemison will present three case studies from her time at the Smithsonian Institution and Bat Conservation International (USA) to shed light on the process of finding the right partners and the potential benefits and pitfalls of these collaborations.

The case studies span a range of corporate, government/non-profit and media partners, as well as individual collaborators you may not expect. The result is an annual North American bat conservation campaign reaching more than 24 million people, integration of conservation science messages into one of the world’s most popular online games for kids, and a virtual reality experience bringing a “Batnado” to the rest of the world.

Session

Case studies: Cultural Institutions and Festivals

Presenter

Micaela Jemison, Science Communicator, Smithsonian Institution

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Communicating the True Nature of Science: A MAAS Collection Set

When: Tuesday 13th November, 9:15am – 11:15am
Where: Theatrette, Level 2 behind the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #T3

Those who work in science research and communication understand that the scientific process is rarely linear: the road from hypothesis to discovery often involves setbacks, false leads, and diversions along the way; and new knowledge more often comes in the form of incremental progress than in major breakthroughs. We also understand the value of ‘blue skies’ research, and that the applications of this research may sometimes be indirect, or not emerge until decades later.

These are difficult concepts to convey, however, and while science outreach events like the Sydney Science Festival have helped to increase the public’s engagement with science (SSF reports 2016, 2017), recent research has also shown that these events may be reinforcing common misconceptions about scientific process, misleading the public’s perception of science as absolute and certain, instead of the tentative and evolving endeavour that it actually is (Kingsley et al., 2017). Media reporting too tends to over-simplify the process for the sake of headlines and storytelling (see e.g. Sumner et al. 2014), both of which suggest that additional approaches to science communication are required if we wish to convey these ideas.

The MAAS collection contains an estimated 500,000 objects, including a strong representation of science, technology and engineering artefacts, many of them related to Australian inventions and research (see MAAS Online Collection & MAAS Collection Development Plan, 2015). These objects provide a physical manifestation, in the form of familiar, everyday objects, of the long-term benefits of pure research in all of our lives, and demonstrate how research in fields as obscure as astronomy and quantum physics has practical implications in areas ranging from medicine to modern technology. In this talk I will present a set of scientific objects, drawn from the MAAS collection, which can help communicate these ideas, and the potential for developing this set into an online resource or a full exhibition.

Session

Case studies: Cultural Institutions and Festivals

Presenter

Sarah Reeves, Assistant Curator, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences

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Speed mentoring: short shots of career tips

When: Tuesday 13th November, 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Where: L3, Level 2 to the left of the registration/foyer area, down the hallway and through the doors on the right
Hashtag: #T11

Meet senior science communicators from all parts of the industry and find out their tips for success.

Mentors include Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, journalists from ABC, Fairfax and Nature, people from large organisations like Questacon and Universities, successful freelancers, senior ASC figures and more.

In small groups of similar interests you’ll spend ten minutes with a few mentors, getting their thoughts and asking some questions.

Could be the inspiration for your future career!

** Spaces strictly limited, RSVP for this session during registration. **

** All attending this session will be listed on this session page as they register to attend. **

Session Producer, Workshop facilitator, Presenter

Dr Phil Dooley, Galactic Commander, Phil Up On Science and ASC national vice-president

Mentors

Karl Kruszelnicki (Broadcaster and author) was given this good advice early in his media career: “Avoid opinions, stick to the facts”. Sometimes, you’re lucky.

Broderick Matthews (Acting National Programs Manager, Questacon) began his sci comm journey playing security guard Max Power in a CSI-style murder mystery. Since then he’s travelled from Broome to Bourke with Questacon, exploring the science behind bagpipes, the technology in game controllers, the engineering in play dough and the maths of catapulting cream pies.

Craig Cormick (ASC National President) has been a science communicator for over 25 years, working inside government agencies like Questacon and the CSIRO, as well as outside and around them, and now runs his own company – specialising in risk communication and community engagement.

Stephen Pincock (Nature) was a science journalist at Reuters, The Scientist and the Financial Times before writing popular science books and working as a science book publisher. He now leads a global editorial operation that includes Nature’s careers and supplements journalists and a team that helps institutions tell their science stories on the world stage.

Dr Bobby Cerini (Deputy Director and General Manager, Science and Learning A/g, Questacon) is currently the acting Deputy Director and General Manager of Science and Learning at Questacon. She works to ensure that science learning and engagement outcomes throughout Australia are met through the programs and exhibits run by Questacon.

Penny Palmer (Catalyst, ABC) As an ex-BBC now ABC science television programme maker, the secret to Dr Penny Palmer’s success is her curiosity and desire to understand how the world ticks – she studied parasitic Crustacea living inside starfish for her PhD. That’s a keen sense of curiosity.

Genelle Weule (ABC Science) started out with a health sciences degree. Then she became a journalist and embraced the internet when it was still spelt with a capital “I”. Today she is a senior science reporter, editor and digital producer at ABC Science covering everything from astronomy to zoology.

Jenni Metcalfe (Director, Econnect Communication) has been a science communicator for almost 30 years because she couldn’t decide what to be when she grew up: scientist or journalist. She still can’t decide and she still hasn’t grown up, but she loves bringing science to life through words, images and good old fashioned conversation.

James Hutson (Explanation designer, Explanovision) is a writer, illustrator & animator who creates clear & engaging explanations of complex information for non-experts and has been involved in the visual communication of science for over 20 years.

Lisa Bailey (Exhibition Manager, MOD & ASC National Vice-President) has worked in cultural institutions in the UK and Australia.  At the Royal Institution of Australia she helped design hundreds of science engagement events for communities across Australia, including producing the SCINEMA International Science Film Festival.  She’s now at MOD. at UniSA, designing exhibitions for Australia’s leading future-focused museum, provoking new ideas at the intersection of science, art and innovation.

Lizzie Crouch (Senior Coordinator of Engagement, SensiLab, Monash University) still finds it incredibly difficult to define what she does, having worked as documentary maker, journalist and presenter, art season producer and public engagement consultant (among others things!). But she’s committed to interdisciplinary approaches that create inspiring, engaging opportunities for new conversations around scientific content!

Marcus Strom (Media Advisor, University of Sydney) has a science degree but accidentally became a journalist while living in London last century. Recently was science reporter for Sydney Morning Herald.

Marina Hurley (Director, Writing Clear Science) In the distant past, Marina did a PhD on Stinging Trees. She now specialises in teaching how to write clearly, concisely and efficiently – and plays flamenco percussion on her days off.

Phil Dooley (Phil Up On Science and ASC National Vice-President) As a freelancer and in research institutions Phil has run physics workshops for thousands of high schoolers, written for publishers such as Nature and Cosmos, and told bad science jokes in pubs.

Toss Gascoigne (Visiting Fellow, ANU) walked into a job with CSIRO knowing nothing, but ended up running 1700 communication training workshops for scientists, inventing ‘Science meets Parliament’, running a national advocacy body for science and helping establish Australian Science Communicators.

Jen Martin (Senior Lecturer in Science Communication, University of Melbourne) used to study the sex lives of possums. A decade ago, she founded the scicomm teaching program at UniMelb. She’s been talking science on 3RRR radio for the last 12 years, writes a popular science blog and also loves writing about science for kids in Double Helix magazine.

Attendees

Andy Stapleton, CEO and Founder of verbalize.science
Anna Attard, Research Assistant and Masters Student, University of New South Wales
Anne-Sophie Dielen, The Australian National University
Dr Astha Singh, Vice President | ASC NSW, ASC
Caleb McElrea, University of Melbourne
Catharina Vendl, University of New South Wales
Dr Catherine Dorey, Consultant, Fish & Fisheries | Science Communication | Campaign Strategy
Catherine Healy, Science Communication Advisor, Environment Protection Authority Victoria
Catherine Somerville, Doherty Institute
Clare Watson, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
Emma Saville, EPA Victoria
Errol Hunt, FLEET: ARC Centre of Excellence
Jackie Randles, Manager Inspiring Australia NSW, Inspiring Australia
Jane Ilsley, Econnect Communication
Jessica Heinemann, Centre for Biopharmaceutical Innovation – UQ
Jun-Ting Yeung, University of Melbourne
Kimberly Cullen, Managing Director, Crafting Astronomy Communication
Laura McCaughey, UTS
Lee Byrne, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre
Matt Nurse, Masters degree candidate, CPAS, Australian National University
Meagan Vella, NPWS
Melina Gillespie, Communication Advisor, CSIRO Energy
Micaela Jemison, Science Communicator, Smithsonian Institution
Michael Helman, Communicatrium
Michelle Neil, Australian Citizen Science Association
Michelle Riedlinger, Associate Professor, University of Fraser Valley, Canada
Naomi Koh Belic, University of Technology Sydney
Nicole Fetchet, Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre
Rachel Rayner, Science Communicator, Australian Volunteers Program
Rebecca Blackburn
Ruth Redfern, CRDC
Sally Grosvenor, CDPC, University of Sydney
Sarah Buchan, The Mullion Group
Sheryn Pitman, Programme Manager Inspiring South Australia, South Australian Museum
Susan Rauch, Lecturer, professional writing (science and technology), Massey University, School of English and Media Studies
Tyrone Anderson, ASPIRE – UNSW

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Podcasting. Behind the microphone.

When: Thursday 15th November, 12:00pm – 4:45pm (including lunch)
Where: Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris St, Ultimo
Room: L2, Level 2 to the left of the registration/foyer area, down the hallway and through the doors on the right

Purchase separately or free for conference+workshop delegates (RSVP during registration).

Register now!

Love to listen? Enjoy your podcasts? Thinking about/starting one of your own? This practical workshop by audio producer Lea Redfern (formerly of ABC RN, currently University of Sydney) is an opportunity to go to the next level in audio production.

Tailored to the participants, Lea will take you through the elements of audio from interviewing to music, to why and how you should edit, and how to plan, produce and distribute a podcast with an audience in mind.

Format
This session will be a combination of listening, discussion, practical exercises and planning/feedback.
Listening.
Discussion
Pitching
Practical exercises
Planning to podcast

Audience
Confirmed participants will be contacted to gauge experience with audio, interviewing and podcasting and areas of interest.

The class will be tailored according to participants’ experience.

Participants will gain practical experience in scripting and presenting, interviewing, handling recording equipment, knowledge of hosting options and an outline/pitch for their podcast.

Workshop Facilitator

Lea Redfern, Audio educator and podcasting consultant, The University of Sydney

Purchase separately or free for conference+workshop delegates (RSVP during registration).

Register now!

**Numbers strictly limited. Register to save your seat!**

Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/176034206615465/

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Speed Networking

When: Monday 12th November, 11:55am – 12:55pm
Where: L3, Level 2 to the left of the registration/foyer area, down the hallway and through the doors on the right
Hashtag: #M9

It can be hard work to get around and meet everyone at a conference.

Join 49 other delegates for this coordinated speed networking session.

You will have the chance to meet and chat with over half of the attendees as you shift between small groups.

[limited to the first 50 RSVPs – filled up quickly at ASC2014. RSVP when you register or modify your registration in your registration portal]

** Spaces strictly limited, RSVP for this session during registration. **

** All attending this session will be listed on this session page as they register to attend. **

Session Producer

Kimberly Cullen, Managing Director, Crafting Astronomy Communication

Attendees

Adam Selinger, Executive Director, Children’s Discovery Museum Ltd
Andy Stapleton, CEO and Founder of verbalize.science
Anna Attard, Research Assistant and Masters Student, University of New South Wales
Anne-Sophie Dielen, The Australian National University
Dr Astha Singh, Vice President | ASC NSW, ASC
Bobby Cerini, Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre
Caleb McElrea, University of Melbourne
Catharina Vendl, University of New South Wales
Dr Catherine Dorey, Consultant, Fish & Fisheries | Science Communication | Campaign Strategy
Catherine Healy, Science Communication Advisor, Environment Protection Authority Victoria
David Robertson, Lecturer, Monash University
Errol Hunt, FLEET: ARC Centre of Excellence
Jane Ilsley, Econnect Communication
Jen Martin, Educator and radio personality, The University of Melbourne
Jenny Whiting, Microscopy Australia (previously AMMRF)
Jessica Heinemann, Centre for Biopharmaceutical Innovation – UQ
Julianne Camerotto, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
Jun-Ting Yeung, University of Melbourne
Kimberly Cullen, Managing Director, Crafting Astronomy Communication
Matt Nurse, Masters degree candidate, CPAS, Australian National University
Meagan Vella, NPWS
Melina Gillespie, Communication Advisor, CSIRO Energy
Micaela Jemison, Science Communicator, Smithsonian Institution
Michael Helman, Communicatrium
Michelle Neil, Australian Citizen Science Association
Michelle Riedlinger, Associate Professor, University of Fraser Valley, Canada
Nicole Fetchet, Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre
Paul Holper, Director, Scientell
Dr Phil Dooley, ASC National co-vice-president and Galactic Commander, Phil Up On Science
Rachel Rayner, Science Communicator, Australian Volunteers Program
Rebecca Blackburn
Richard Chi, Sydney Observatory – MAAS
Sally Grosvenor, CDPC, University of Sydney
Shannon Panuska, CIT Bruce
Sheryn Pitman, Programme Manager Inspiring South Australia, South Australian Museum
Susan Rauch, Lecturer, professional writing (science and technology), Massey University, School of English and Media Studies
Taryn Laubenstein, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
Tilly Boleyn, Curator, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences
Dr Tom Carruthers, Senior Content Producer, Australian Academy of Science and National Director, Pint of Science Australia
Tom Rayner, Griffith University
Tyrone Anderson, ASPIRE – UNSW

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Questions? Please contact Kali on asc2018@asc.asn.au.

Acknowledgements

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