PCST stories: Luisa Massarani

In a new series, we tell stories of members’ experiences of PCST conferences and meetings. Luisa Massarani kicks us off with a life changing meeting in Geneva…

For their 2018 annual conference, the Science Communicators Association of New Zealand (SCANZ) wanted to see, hear and think about the diversity in all areas of science communication. 

Members from the accelerator communication community gathered at CERN for a workshop on outreach activities for particle physics and light source accelerators. Daniela Antonio reports.

Through the Forum Wissenschaftskommunikation, Wissenschaft im Dialog (WiD), an initiative of German science research organisations, offers an opportunity for science communicators to exchange ideas and expertise.

‘Navigating change as we face the future’ was the core theme of the UK’s NCCPE-organised conference in Edinburgh, Scotland last week. Professor Richard Holliman, The Open University provides an overview of what took place. 

The Australian Science Communicators (ASC) Association recently held their 10th annual conference – here are some highlights.

Heather Doran, Alex Gerber and others took part in the ‘New Understanding of Communication, Learning and Engagement in Universities and Scientific institutions’ meeting in Malta.

A survey of registrants to PCST 2018 in Dunedin shows registrants were largely ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the conference, but also have suggestions on how future events might be improved.  

Stories, and histories, connect us, even across great distances.  Defined broadly, science communication is society talking about science. That could well be recast: science communication is society telling stories about science.

After a period of rapid expansion, science communication has arrived at something of a crossroads. Where to next?  The aim of the conference was to provide a fresh focus.

In 2017, the international peer reviewed journal Public Understanding of Science, founded in 1992, celebrates its 25th anniversary. Leading scholars in the field were invited to imagine and reflect upon the future scenarios of Science in Society, discussing the main trends and challenges for research, publishing, science communication and public engagement. 

Next April, after the PCST conference in Dunedin, we’re planning a 4-day retreat near Wellington, New Zealand.  It’s open to all interested in in the public engagement about science, STS and associated fields.

International research leaders met with science communication researchers from Latin America to talk about trust, current trends in research, social media and dialogue in science communication.

We are excited to announce that Professor Maja Horst from the University of Copenhagen will kick off Day 4 (6 April) of PCST 2018, which is themed around SOCIETY. Professor Horst not only has a strong research interest in science and society: she wrote the book on it! Her book, Science Communication: Culture, Identity and Citizenship (co-authored with Sarah Davies) was published just last year. Come and learn from an expert.

PCST Network announces its support to three events taking place July-November 2017. All of these events are organised by members of the PCST Scientific Committee and all address in different ways the state of research in science communication and its relations with practice.

The PCST Network invites you to submit proposals for presentations at the PCST Conference 2018 in New Zealand, 4–6 April 2018. Update: The Call for proposals has now closed.

Contact

The Network for the Public Communication of Science and Technology Incorporated (PCST Network) is an organisation that promotes discussion on the theory and practice of communicating science, and of public discourses about science and technology and their role in society.

Email: admin@pcst.network
Web: www.pcst.network

Incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Registered number AO5352.

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PCST is the an active and influential international academic and professional organisation in the field of science communication.

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PCST Network has co-operation agreements with the following international organisations:

EUSEA
European Science Engagement Association

IECA
International Environmental Communication Association

RedPOP
Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Popularisation of Science and Technology