Calling all potential Session Producers (including Workshops and Social Events) for the upcoming 2018 National Conference to be held in Sydney in November.

We are delighted to invite you to submit your expressions of interest for inclusion in the ASC2018 conference program.

PROPOSALS DUE

First round: 30 July 2018

Second round: 10 August 2018 [SUBMIT]

The theme for ASC2018 is “Elevate Engage Collaborate” and we will be particularly interested in session proposals (includes workshops and social activities).

Similar to previous conferences we are keen to include a mix of professional development and skills training, case studies and real life stories from practitioners, as well as accessible and perhaps transformative science communication research and theory.

This is a great opportunity to catalyse a collective experience and community around a topic you are passionate about!

PROPOSALS

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY PROPOSAL IS ACCEPTED?

We will notify you of acceptance and look forward to receiving your polished session blurb and title for promoting, along with bios and photos for each participant including you as session producer. These will be due along with the other conference abstracts on 26th August 2018.

Below is the outline of what we are seeking from you in order to assist the selection process.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Do you or others you know have a skill/practical knowledge that you can share?

Have you been involved in an interesting project or two in recent years that would make for a good case study?

Have you been doing research in science communication, visiting science communication and education conferences, or have a good literature review that you could share?

Are you a facilitator, able to draw others into exploring and practicing new skills and knowledge?

Have you had an opportunity to work with interesting collaborators outside of science communication who have enriched your understanding and practice that you could invite to share?

Are you a social genius and know how to generate a good time? Submit your social event proposal and lead the way!

Engaging, novel, innovative, creative, interactive ways of running a session will be appreciated.

Most voted session formats in the open Conference Scoping Survey (aka community wishlist) are:

• Professional development/skills development
• Case studies in science communication
• Research in science communication
• Topical panel discussions
• Structured networking
• Mentoring
• Unstructured networking/long networking breaks
• Structured group brainstorming and problem solving
• & more…

The wishlist survey this year has indicated that many of our experienced professionals want to go deeper with their material. Have you participated in a complex science communication project in recent years? If yes, please offer to share about it! Either alone or with others who were involved. Do you have friends or colleagues outside science communication that could bring new knowledge to this industry? Bring them in too! We’ve had many requests to hear from experts in other industries to glean new transferrable insights.

We would like people to think a little, enjoy themselves, and walk away inspired and engaged.

MORE ABOUT SESSION PRODUCERS

Many who have attended previous ASC conferences have commented on the quality of sessions. This is due in large part to the producers working behind the scenes. Producers conceive, design, plan, find speakers for, and organise each session on the program. They may or may not also participate in the session themselves. Session producers are featured in the program for the event.

SEE PREVIOUS CONFERENCE PROGRAMS

PDF versions: ASC2010 ~ ASC2012 ~ ASC2014 ~ ASC2016 ~ ASC2017 ~ ASC2018 is being co-created now, by you!

On the web: ASC2012 ~ ASC2014 ~ ASC2016 ~ ASC2017 ~ ASC2018 is being co-created now, by you!

Still not sure? Email asc2018@asc.asn.au to find out more about being a conference session producer.

CONFERENCE THEMES

We encourage session proposals pulling together professionals from areas both inside and outside of science communication, particularly in our (currently) most voted areas*:

• 21st century comms: emerging digital, technical and social trends to anticipate
• Data tells stories: data journalism, mining and contextualising data for insightful comms
• Visualising science in all its forms
• Controversial areas (vaccines, climate, GM, stem cells)
• Citizen Science
• Crossing borders: comms for enhancing collaboration (inter and trans-disciplinary, cross-cultural and more)
• Infographics
• More about why: interrogate the reasoning behind scicomm practices today
• Writing and Editing
• Podcasting
• Narratives
• Working with constraints: bosses, budgets and other career-shapers
• On the ground with communities
• Video production
• Communicating with industry for investment
• Science communication for gurus
• Fake news & social bubbles
• Media landscape matters
• Change agents: Social license to operate, economics and other infrequently discussed challenges to change
• Policy and politics
• The business of running your own business
• Evaluations
• Popup science
• Freelancing 101
• Science communication for beginners
• Knowledge transfer and mobilisation
• & more…

The Conference Scoping Survey (aka community wishlist) is still open and will help guide program choices for ASC2018.

Have your say here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pre-ASC2018

And view the results here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-P6GNRPCSL/

CONFERENCE STRUCTURE @ ASC2018

The conference experience in November:

• 12th-14th: A full three-day multi-stream program that includes case studies, professional development and more from experienced leaders in the field you love
• 11th & throughout: Optional social activities, pre-conference workshop and more
• 15th: Multiple half and full-day post-conference workshops to choose from

Can’t wait to see what goodies will be on the program this time around – and that is up to you!

Please don’t hesitate to ask questions or run initial ideas by us at program.committee@asc.asn.au