Disasters and the media – how did we do – ASC session tonight

Bulletins, Media bulletins

Tonight in Melbourne meet join Ed Sykes from the Australian Science Media Centre, Dr Mark Quigley, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch and Professor Kevin Furlong, Professor of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University to discuss how scientists, science communicators and the media dealt with this year’s natural disasters. What are the lessons for future reporting?

The event kicks off at 6:00pm at the Clare Café 421 Rathdowne St, Carlton (cnr of Palmerston St). It’s a free event with food and drinks at bar prices. Here’s the details.

Communicating science in a crisis; 6-7.30pm Tuesday 5 July

Join Ed Sykes from the Australian Science Media Centre, Dr Mark Quigley, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, and Professor Kevin Furlong, Professor of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University to discuss how scientists, science communicators and the media dealt with this year’s natural disasters.

What are the lessons for future reporting?

Ed gained a PhD in evolutionary biology from the University of Edinburgh before joining the UK Science Media Centre where he led on many of the most high-profile scientific issues of the time including swine flu, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the volcanic ash cloud that ground aircraft across Europe for weeks and the ongoing issue of vaccinations. In February 2011 he joined the Australian Science Media Centre for a 12 month stint as their Media Manager just in time for the Sendai tsunami.

Mark brings a remarkable professional and personal insight to the recent earthquakes: “I was born in London, Ontario, Canada, where my parents presently live. My love of earth science began out of a desire to have adventures like Indiana Jones and to wear running shoes to work. This led me through the halls of the University of Toronto (1995-99), University of New Mexico (2000-02), and the University of Melbourne (2003-2008). I am now a Senior Lecturer in Active Tectonics and Tectonic Geomorphology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. I presently live in the suburb of Avonside in Christchurch.” He’s also a Fresh Science alumnus.

Kevin Furlong is Professor of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University. His research interests include: lithospheric geodynamics; numerical modelling; thermal processes; plate tectonics.

He was on sabbatical this year in New Zealand, with a research focus on New Zealand tectonics. As an unexpected component of his research, Kevin experienced first hand the Mw = 7.0 Canterbury Earthquake. He was involved in the immediate response to the earthquake and now is conducting  longer-term research projects on the earthquake

I’ll chair the conversation.

The event kicks off at 6:00pm at the Clare Café 421 Rathdowne St, Carlton (cnr of Palmerston St). It’s a free event with food and drinks at bar prices.

Upcoming media training courses in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra

We are holding two media training courses next month—on Tuesday 12 July in Melbourne and Tuesday 19 July in Sydney. If you know of anyone who may be interested in attending please forward this onto them.

And we have now finalised course dates in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne for the remainder of 2011.

Our media training course is designed for scientists and anyone who needs to communicate complex and technical ideas via the media.

It will help you improve your chances of being accurately reported, and you will learn what to expect when the media covers a story.

Three working journalists will come in over the course of the day and you will conduct practice interviews for TV, radio and newspaper. The workshop structure is licensed from our friends at Econnect Communication.

Please feel free to forward this onto any colleagues who you believe may be interested.

The courses run from 9.30am to 5pm, and cost $740 + GST per person which includes coffee, morning and afternoon tea and lunch.

More details at www.scienceinpublic.com/training.

Upcoming courses, subject to demand:

Melbourne (at The Clare Café, Carlton)

  • Thursday 18 August
  • Tuesday 4 October
  • Wednesday 2 November
  • Wednesday 7 December

Sydney (at The Big Dig Archaeology Education Centre, The Rocks)

  • Tuesday 19 July
  • Wednesday 7 September
  • Tuesday 18 October

Canberra (at the Australian Academy of Science)

  • Tuesday 20 September
  • Friday 14 October