Summer 2007

From the Chair

Stempra AGM 2007

Dummies at Westminster (and some mannequins)

Science advice for government? It's in the POST

Science communication with MPs

Saving British Science; Interview with Peter Cotgreave

The BA Science Communication Conference, any good, or not?

Eurochat

Stempra newsletter

The BA Science Communication Conference, any good, or not? Two contrasting views.

Dianne Stilwell, Institute of Physics

I hadn't been to the science communication conference for a couple of years - nothing sinister, just doing other things - so I was interested to see how it had changed as, the last time I'd attended navel-gazing had been the order of the day. My verdict on this one - better but still some way to go. The main problem seems that the conference cannot decide if it is primarily for scientists who communicate - or communication professionals who are working in science. The two groups are not mutually exclusive and indeed both benefit from meeting - but the streaming of the sessions could take the different needs into account. There is still too much repetition of the same issues with the same concerns being aired (this isn't just my view - a colleague who'd only been once before felt that "we discussed all that last time"). I'm sure this is a reflection of the number of new people moving into the sector and its good that there is a forum in which they can identify core issues quickly and establish networks - but more thought needs to be given to sessions for those with more seniority and experience to encourage them to attend. In general the attendance still needs broadening, the science and technology sector is potentially huge but attendance remains with the same institutions and organisations. We need a real mix of journalists, PR people - both agency and in-house, a wider range of charities, government departments and many more. I'd like to see more Stempra involvement - our members do science communication for a living and must be best placed to put on sessions that would have real value to those working in the sector.


Fiona Fox, the Science Media Centre

When I started at the Science Media Centre five years ago 'word on the block' was that the annual BA/Royal Society Science Communication Conference was not really for those of us who deal exclusively with media but an annual navel gazing conference for science communicators. Now don't get me wrong - that seems like a perfectly reasonable subject for a conference - just not for me. Then, last year, I was contacted by the organisers for ideas on media relations issues and suddenly I felt involved. When the draft programme arrived, loads of sessions caught my attention and the focus seemed to have changed from a trade conference to a much more outward looking event with big-name speakers and topical debates.

For me, the event itself did not disappoint. When I arrived, I immediately had the sense I was at a buzzing, dynamic conference and a glance at the attendance list showed over 300 delegates from a wide range of institutions. One of the complaints made about this conference is that there's a strong sense of 'same old same old', but anyone who sat through Kathy Sykes' report would struggle to claim that nothing has changed. I could have sworn that last year Kathy was talking about the HEFCE Beacons for Public Engagement scheme as a promising idea - now it's a multi million pound done-deal showing that most senior levels of our Universities are buying into science communication. Another complaint is that the sessions don't reach any kind of conclusive outcome. But, by their nature, conferences are talking shops and we shouldn't expect blueprints for action from them. For me, the conference provided food for thought, new contacts, fresh ideas and the luxury of being able to debate wider trends.

Having said all of that, I avoided all the professional sessions about engagement strategies, evaluation etc and one of the reasons I now like the conference is that these are easy to avoid if that's not your thing. My one piece of advice would be that the organisers dump the dull 'how was it for you' feedback session in favour of a more upbeat, inspiring send off.

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