Jenni Metcalfe elected President of PCST

Dr Jenni Metcalfe was elected unopposed at the first meeting of the new Scientific Committee this week.

Maarten van der Sanden was elected vice-president, Heather Doran as secretary and Alexandra (Sacha) Borissova as treasurer.

She follows in the footsteps of former presidents Toss Gascoigne (2008-2014) and Brian Trench (2014-2021), and said she was thrilled and honoured to win the trust of the Scientific Committee.

“I have a clear vision of what I would like to achieve as president. This focuses on providing benefits to our members, building our international profile, and promoting excellence in the research and practice of the public communication of science and technology.

“Strengthening our sub-committee system will help us achieve all these aims.  We need to use the talents of all the members of the Scientific Committee. They come from 19 countries round the globe, and PCST is a genuinely international organisation.”

Jenni attended her first PCST conference in Montreal in 1994, and has spoken and chaired sessions at every conference since.  For the past 5 years she has been chair of the PCST Program Committee.

The last year was tough.  The PCST team had planned and organised for a face-to-face conference in Aberdeen, but COVID destroyed all those plans, and the team had to work out how to create a virtual conference.

“In the end it was a great success (and a great relief!) and we learned a lot.   We will apply these lessons at our next conference in Rotterdam in 2023.  Rotterdam will be stimulating, and I hope face-to-face, but with online opportunities for those unable to attend in person.”

And her other priorities?

“We need to build and strengthen our webinar series, with an emphasis on ongoing professional development and networking opportunities.  I want to make steady improvements to PCST’s capacity to communicate, through the PCST website and social media.

“I’m excited by the next two years, and I hope you are too. I welcome your ideas and feedback.”