Summer 2006
From the Chair
Science in school
How to communicate for business success
Science communication -the African way
Low cost media training
Free access medical journals
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Stempra newsletter
From the Chair
I thought that this might be a good opportunity to let you have some feedback from the non-member consultation we conducted in December 2005. This was done alongside our membership consultation – which many of you seem to have missed! - to attempt to understand better the needs of our potential customers and to see whether Stempra does currently provide what they need. When you’ve had a chance to digest it, it would be good to hear your own views on whether Stempra is “doing the right job” and how it might do it better. Please email me your comments or better still, start a debate going on our e-list. (stempra@jiscmail.ac.uk)
Courtesy of our former committee member, Becky Morelle at the Science Media Centre, we were able to email a very brief questionnaire to the SMC list of over 600 press officers across the UK. They work in universities, research institutes, charities and commercial organisations. We asked them three simple questions. Have you heard of Stempra? What do you think of it? And, what sort of things would you like an organisation that represents science PRO’s, such as Stempra to do? (In terms of activities, meetings, materials, communication etc.)
The response was well above average - 71 replies (12%) – and there was an approximate 50/50 split on whether respondents had heard of Stempra (y = 33; n=38). The results were not particularly surprising and in many ways, were reassuring as they showed that many of these press officers do seek much of what Stempra actually currently does. Here are some headline results:
• There is widespread interest to support an organisation which could represent science PRO’s;
• There is an eagerness to be represented better within the science community;
• There is recognition that it is difficult to run a successful association with only voluntary resources;
• Stempra has a low profile and is not well enough known;
• There is confusion about what Stempra does/what it stands for (what’s the difference between Stempra and other organisations such as SMC, The BA and AlphaGallielo):
• Running events was considered to be very useful;
• There are potential issues with the “London-focus” - not enough goes on in the regions;
• There is some concern that there is a focus on PR rather than the communication of science;
• There is great value perceived in the networking side of organisation;
• Subscription is cheap and provides good value;
• The e-network is useful for advice;
• Stempra is a useful network for press officers who work alone in large scientific establishments such as the Royal Colleges;
• The Stempra website is good for the basics;
• Stempra provides a good place to share experiences and best practice with PR people in the science field;
• Stempra is good at focussing on “nuts-and-bolts, operational” things for frontline press officers. Best perhaps for more junior PR people who are just learning the trade …
• What about the needs of more senior people in the SET PR sector?
When asked what kind of activities Stempra should usefully run, we were pleased to have good feedback:
RAISE Stempra’S PROFILE
• Review and issue statement of its “raison d’être”;
• Turn itself into an essential part of the STEM community’s activities;
• Get closer to the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee;
EVENTS
• Run lecture & discussion evenings;
• Run semi-social meetings (speed-dating);
• Monthly meetings to share and discuss trends in the sector, issues, difficulties – notable speakers;
• Annual Event;
• More “profile” events like badged symposia at the BA and annual SciComm conference etc;
• Regional talks by scicomm experts;
• Ideas perhaps for events:
Find out what health and science journalists want from communications offices within hospital trusts;
Reports on science PR campaigns that went well (disseminate through newsletter/web?);
Different types of journalists speaking out on what they need from press officers;
Non-science communications experts presentations for fresh ideas;
NETWORKS
• Support network on issues such as how to cope with controversial issues in the news (e.g. animal research)
• Open access to members in the Stempra database; (For use to contact others easily when working on a press release which impinges on other areas; or, to harness support for things like petitions etc.)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Training; More formal Science PR training; Particularly for media work;
• More information about professional development: Courses, workshops etc
• Travel grants for attending science communication and PR meetings;
COMMUNICATION
• Quarterly newsletter;
• More on-line activity (so that the London-focus is less obvious and less of a problem)
• Website with up-to-date listing of jobs; on-line case studies;
• Find experts rapidly (like the CVCP service, ExpertNet which is no more);
• Greater European angle
e.g. Help in assembling lists of European science journalists; notification of meetings which are relevant to science strategy and communication at a European rather than UK level (all the EU R&D initiatives); information on new and emerging ways of communicating sciences stories across Europe as opposed to at a national level; e-fora to network with PR groups in other countries.
The Stempra committee is currently reflecting on much of this but it will be very helpful to have more input from members. Please do contact me or email the list. Finally, once again many thanks to the Science Media Centre for their help – both in conducting the consultation for us, but also in offering a regular venue for our committee and other meetings.
Juliet Upton
Chair, Stempra
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