ASC2018 - 11-15 Nov, Sydney

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Students Blogging Science: A Case Study that Measures the Effectiveness of Communicating Science to Public Audiences

When: Wednesday 14th November, 8:45am – 9:45am
Where: L3, Level 2 to the left of the registration/foyer area, down the hallway and through the doors on the right
Hashtag: #W5

ASC2018 asks, “How do we know whether any given effort in communicating science among public audiences is effective? And by which aims and objectives are those efforts measured?”
This case study answers these questions by examining the effectiveness of view stats from student blogs that were created as part of an assignment in a first-year university science communication paper. In 2017 the Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ) published a discussion paper that asks public audiences to consider the medical, legal, ethical, cultural implications of gene-editing healthcare technologies in New Zealand relevant to four given case scenarios (sickle cell anaemia, breast and ovarian cancer, cardiovascular disease, improving athletic performance). Students were required to write a series of blog posts targeted to public audiences in response to the RSNZ discussion paper. In post #2, students were prompted to communicate their position on one of the discussion paper case scenarios while addressing one or more of the four considerations. After publishing their posts for public view, many students noted significant high/low percentages in their blog view stats from audiences located both locally in New Zealand and internationally. The blog view stats are the focus of this case study, which help gauge and measure where public interests lie regarding new media platforms as an accessible means to science communication.

Session

Case studies: Education

Presenter

Susan Rauch, Lecturer, professional writing (science and technology), Massey University, School of English and Media Studies

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Elevating science communication through social science

When: Wednesday 14th November, 11:55am – 1:25pm
Where: Theatre, Level 2 down the stairs to the right of the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #W10

Effective communication and engagement is key to achieving impact from science. This session highlights how harnessing social science research can improve science communication. Three case studies from Australia’s lead science agency, CSIRO, will demonstrate how social scientists are collaborating with science communication practitioners to elevate science communication and engagement with target audiences. Strategies include formulating engaging key messages, identifying appropriate channels/platforms, and using language and tone to meet communication objectives.

Session Producer/Presenter

Dr Tsuey Cham, Communication & Stakeholder Manager, CSIRO GISERA

Melina Gillespie, Communication Advisor, CSIRO Energy

Session Producer/Chair

Helen Beringen, Communication Manager, CSIRO Land and Water

Presenters

Dr Nadine Marshall, Environmental Social Scientist, CSIRO Land & Water

Dr Andrea Walton, Social Scientist, CSIRO Land & Water

Dr Elisha Frederiks, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Land & Water

Amy Edwards, Communication Advisor, CSIRO Land & Water

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The Rescue Project Podcast – Stories of Kind Acts of Environmental Rescue

When: Wednesday 14th November, 10:20am – 11:20am
Where: Theatrette, Level 2 behind the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #W6

**Have you ever rescued a riverbank? A tract of bush, an eroded beach, a waterway, some farmland, a garden or a native tree? A native animal or bird? What do you feel as you tend to tired earth, or engage with the intrinsic value of an old-growth giant, or as you look into that creature’s eyes? And, in some way, do these things rescue you?**

The Rescue Project is citizen storytelling in online and podcast form.
Launched in early October it is a public invitation to contribute a 500-word story to the Rescue website – a collaboration between Landcare Australia and Gretchen Miller/UNSW. The stories are currently growing there with opportunity for anyone to read and respond.
The next stage will be The Rescue Project Podcast, beginning production in early 2019 – 10 of the stories read aloud by the writers and set to sound. The podcast series will also include an audio documentary focusing on one special habitat rehabilitation site selected from the uploaded stories.
“Rescue” is an organic, living website, changing by the day and inviting its contributors to feel a part of something bigger. It functions as an online clubhouse for discussion of the personal power of taking action to benefit habitat, animals and the humans who get involved. The intention is to reflect the rich experience, both practical and psychological, that engaging with environment brings, building a deeper recognition of how little things can grow bigger ones.
https://landcareaustralia.org.au/rescue

Session

Case studies: Environment and community engagement

Presenter

Gretchen Miller, Rescue Project Director/Producer, Media Consultant, Gretchen Miller Media

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Trust Me, I’m a Scientist: A Case Study about Science Communication, Co-design and Community

When: Wednesday 14th November, 10:20am – 11:20am
Where: Theatrette, Level 2 behind the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #W6

As most science communicators and scientists know, even the most engaging and carefully-crafted communication will be ineffective if your audience doesn’t trust you. As Victoria’s environmental regulator, the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is acutely aware of the importance of trust, particularly when it communicates and engages with communities.

In early 2014, a fire at Hazelwood Mine burnt for 45 days, covering much of the Latrobe Valley region in smoke. As a result, community confidence in EPA and the Victorian government was low both during and immediately after the fire.

Since then, EPA has worked closely with Latrobe Valley communities to strengthen relationships and improve how it communicates its science. This work cumulated in the roll out of a ground-breaking co-design process in 2016, which relied on extensive input from community, scientists, engagement experts and a science communicator. The primary task of a community panel was to design an air monitoring network to complement EPA’s existing air monitors in the Latrobe Valley.

In this session you will hear how a co-design process helped build community trust from the point of view of a science communicator. I will:
• show you how science communication improved the community’s understanding of air pollution and helped build community trust
• share my challenges and triumphs of working side-by-side with scientists and community
• explain how lessons learnt through a co-design process have made me a better science communicator.

Session

Case studies: Environment and community engagement

Presenter

Catherine Healy, Science Communication Advisor, Environment Protection Authority Victoria

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Citizen Storytelling – How the Small Stories can Combat the Global Warming Hyperobject

When: Monday 12th November, 10:25am – 11:25am
Where: Theatrette, Level 2 behind the registration/foyer area
Hashtag: #M4

The stories around us regarding climate change are shocking and both the concerned public and scientists are exhausted. Every day there is a new petition to sign, a plea for a donation for campaigning and another set of terrible statistics. Talk to lay people and their eyes glaze over, talk to friends within environmental communications they can finish the story for you. So how can we re-engage ourselves and those around us? Does art and storytelling have a further role to play in reconnecting a fatigued public who want to act but can’t bear the tidal wave of bad news? This discussion with science and activist communicators will look at how new formats might help us include and engage those who are running out of steam. We’ll discuss new digital and social trends including podcasting and citizen storytelling and how broadcasting is remaking itself, alongside the use of performance and installation arts to help us colour in shades of grey and provoke emotive responses. And we will consider how to break through the exhaustion to positively engage others and encourage actions both large and small.

Robyn Williams AM has presented and produced the science show on ABC RN every week for over 40 years and knows just how to find a new angle.

Paul Brown is an academic professor in environment studies at UNSW, was campaign manager for Greenpeace and is also a verbatim playwright.

Gretchen Miller is a former radio documentary maker from ABC RN currently doing a PhD in her specialist arena of citizen storytelling, podcasting and environmental communications.

James Link manages the corporate partnerships program at Landcare Australia and is accustomed to telling great stories of the work of everyday Australians to attract new funding.

Tessa Fluence is public narrative coordinator leading the Changing the Story work at the Australian Conservation Foundation.

Session Chair

Gretchen Miller, Podcast producer, lecturer and media consultant, Gretchen Miller Media

Presenters

Robyn Williams AM, Presenter, The Science Show, ABC RN

Paul Brown, Associate Professor Environment Studies, UNSW Faculty Arts and Social Sciences

James Link, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Landcare Australia

Tessa Fluence, Public Narrative Coordinator, Australian Conservation Foundation

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

Acknowledgements

© 2018 Australian Science Communicators

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