ASC2020 - 16-19 Feb, Melbourne

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How you can change the world with science communication… on zero budget

We have much more power than most of us realise to bring about positive change. As science communicators, we are gatekeepers of knowledge that can change the world.

Science communicator and environmental campaigner, Matthew Shribman, will present on how, with zero budget and a lot of collaboration, campaigns can be built resulting in the likes of all three major political parties in the UK multiplying their reforesting pledges by factors of tens to hundreds, and universities and schools across Europe dropping beef and lamb.

Matthew’s campaign work has won the support of Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, the University of Cambridge and Friends of The Earth.

The session will focus particularly on the practicalities and struggles of building impact campaigns from the ground up, and the importance of shaping communication for different audiences, in order to empower rather than spread guilt and hopelessness.

There will also be a discussion of the pros and cons of achieving change through public-facing campaigns vs. decision maker-facing campaigns.

The aim of the session is to demonstrate what can be done with very little, and to encourage and empower attendees to dream big, and to act now.

What will participants gain from attending your session?
Inspiration and ideas. This session is about encouraging the use of skills and experience to bring about real positive change, and empowering attendees.

Presenter

Matthew Shribman, Scientist / Environmentalist / Musician

 

When: Monday 17th February, 12:00pm-1:00pm
Where: Room G03, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Radical Ideas Hour: New Decade, New Voices

We’re entering a new decade and science communication needs a shake up. Hear from 4 fresh voices pitching diverse new ideas and provocations, as part of this session hosted by the Monash Sustainable Development Institute.

How will your session be structured?
The session will have 4, 10 minute talks, each structured as a pitch or call to action, with a short time between each for questions and changeovers.
The talks are:
Luke Richards: “Social Enterprise and Science – Empowering the Local Conversation.”
Olivia Stonehouse: “You can run but you can’t hide: Burning out, what to do when it comes for you.”
Joseph Atkinson: “Fighting for Understanding- how conflict with our loved ones creates understanding of scientific issues.”
Catriona Nguyen-Robertson: “Scientific Earworms: getting science stuck in people’s heads.”

What type of session will this be?
Provocations: short talks where speakers present and explore a dilemma in science communication theory or practice., Demonstrations: presenting innovative science communication practices with a commentary on their application and effectiveness.

What will participants gain from attending your session?
Participants will gain a quick, fresh take on 4 topics relating to science communication: social enterprise; difficult conversations; burnout; and art-science concepts.

Presenter

David Robertson, Lecturer, Monash University

When: Tuesday 18th February, 11:15am-12:15pm
Where: Room G31, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Animation strategy for next level science communication

It’s popular to talk about having a good content strategy for communication. But it’s a waste of time unless you have a clear outcome strategy.

In this session Adrian will unpack strategic insights and understandings from the world of digital marketing and explore how we can translate them into practical ideas for Science Communication.

– Outcome strategy vs content strategy.
– High level strategic overview of how to plan science communication animation & other social digital content to maximise outcomes.
– Digital marketing techniques for science communicators.
– Marketing funnels and how they translate to science communication.
– The Science Communication Pyramid framework (inverted funnel)

 

How will your session be structured?
15-20 mins presentation
10-15 mins Q&A

 

What type of session will this be?
Practice insights: speakers describe, demonstrate and/or evaluate specific science communication practices.

 

What will participants gain from attending your session?
– Understanding why many science communicators focus on Content Strategy, when they should be focusing on Outcome Strategy, and how to know when to do each.
– High level strategic overview of how to plan science communication animation & other social digital content to maximise outcomes
– Insights into the latest digital marketing techniques and how to make them work in science communication
– The Science Communication Pyramid framework (inverted funnel)

 

Session Producer, Presenter

Adrian King, Executive Producer, Redboat

 

When: Monday 17th February, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Where: Room G03, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton

Hashtag: TBC

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SciCom Trivia: World’s greatest science communication quiz show with (smallish) prizes

Join your colleagues at the opening night of ASC2020 and reminisce about Australian science communication events and people – great and small. Celebrate our 25-year history as an organisation. Dig even further back into our Indigenous and colonial past.

Who have been our famous science communicators? When did it all start? What science communication events have shaped our country today?

Come along to Dooley’s Irish Bar on Sunday February 16 at 6.30pm. Form a team of 4-5 people. Give your team a name, and test your knowledge of Australia’s dark science communication past.

Ringmasters

Jenni Metcalfe, Director, Econnect Communication
Toss Gascoigne, Consultant
Michelle Riedlinger, Associate Professor / Consultant, University of Fraser Valley/Econnect

When: Sunday 16th February, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Where: Dooley’s Irish Bar, 2077 Dandenong Rd, Clayton VIC 3168
Cost: Free for delegates – RSVPs essential, $25 for public.
Hashtag: TBC

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Broadcasting for Impact

Stephen introduced impact campaigns to the ABC, with notable success, including on two series of War on Waste, with 68% of the huge audience declaring to have changed behaviour after watching the show. In this session Stephen will discuss producing broadcast content that has far reaching impacts from attitudes to recycling, to senate inquiries on seafood labelling, and how lessons learned are being translated to current ABC projects on climate change including The Fight for Planet A: The Climate Challenge documentary.

 

Presenter

Stephen Oliver, Manager Documentaries, ABC

 

When: Tuesday 18th February, 12.20pm
Where: Room G31, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

 

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Delving deeper with design thinking

This workshop will introduce participants to design thinking and, through hands-on activities, demonstrate its different stages and how they can be used for many purposes, including to help science communicators develop more relevant content and for engaging audiences more effectively.

Using the Whittlesea Tech School as a case study, which is part of the new Victorian government initiative intending to transform secondary school education, we will illustrate how we use design thinking to empower young people to take on global and local challenges.

This session aims to demonstrate the widespread applications of design thinking and how it can be used by science communicators for both developing content and delivering content with more effective audience engagement. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the design thinking methodology and learn ways in which they could implement design thinking into their own work context through reflective discussion.

This session will be structured with a brief presentation on design thinking and how the Whittlesea Tech School uses design thinking to empower young people and build their science literacy and communication skills. In the form of short hands-on activities, participants will then be guided through the different stages of design thinking to solve a global issue. They will work in groups and the workshop will conclude with a pitching session.

Workshop Facilitator

Vhairi Mackintosh, STEM Communication Officer, Whittlesea Tech School

Michael Wilson, STEM Communication Officer, Whittlesea Tech School

 

When: Wednesday 19th February, 11:00am–12:50pm

Where: Room G03, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton

Hashtag: TBC

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Using your smart devices to create better visuals for science communication

**This is a ticketed event. Public and delegates welcome. Tickets available for separate purchase. This event is uncatered – information about available nearby options will be provided or BYO lunch. **

This is a workshop where participants will:

* Appreciate the value of creating great images and video for communicating their science for greater impact

* Understand how to use smart phones and tablets to take better photos and videos

* Practice taking photos and videos and receive feedback

* Learn how to edit their photos and videos effectively using free or low cost software

* Understand how to distribute, promote and evaluate their images and videos using social media

Session Producer, Workshop facilitator

Jenni Metcalfe, Director, Econnect Communication

Workshop facilitator

Michelle Riedlinger, Associate Professor / Consultant, University of the Fraser Valley / Econnect

Madeleine Stirrat, Studio Manager, Econnect Communication

Sponsor

Facilities sponsored by FLEET and Monash University Faculty of Science

 

When: Sunday 16th February, 9:30am – 5:00pm
Where: Room G29, New Horizons Building 82, 20 Research Way
Hashtag: TBC

**This is a ticketed event. Public and delegates welcome. Tickets available for separate purchase. This event is uncatered – information about available nearby options will be provided or BYO lunch. **

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Strategies for measuring social impacts of science communication

Participants will learn about global social progress indicators.

The session will contribute to understanding how these can inform and be used in evaluating science communication

 

Presenters

Cobi Calyx, Research Fellow in Science Communication, Centre for Social Impact, UNSW Sydney

Amir Aryan, Head of the Social Data Analytics (SoDA) Lab in the Social Innovation Research Institute at Swinburne University of Technology.

Further opportunities for delegates interested in this session: Post-conference Workshop Thursday 20 February

Research Communication, Influence and Impact

Strategies for measuring real-life impacts of research

ASC2020 participants are invited to an unconference hosted by the Centre for Social Impact and Swinburne Social Data Analytics Lab the morning after the conference, about measuring social impacts of research. Please register your interest to: cobi.calyx@unsw.edu.au . 

 

When: Monday 17th February, 12:00pm-1pm

Where: Room G01, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton

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We are not experts: Co-creating content with audiences

Science Gallery Melbourne (SGM) is an art/science laboratory for young people to spark big ideas. This workshop will take participants behind the curtain into our process engaging young people, experts, and communities to develop exhibition themes, artworks, and public programs.

Drawing on case studies from the science gallery global network, this session will take participants through the co-creation process to workshop future SGM programs.

What type of session will this be?

Demonstrations: presenting innovative science communication practices with a commentary on their application and effectiveness., Workshop: allowing participants to actively engage in exploring a project or concept in science communication.

How will this session be structured?

0-10 minutes: introduction of presenters and Science Gallery as a global network and Melbourne node including overview of co-creation in regards to programming,
10-45 minutes: Case studies from SGM and Science Gallery nodes around the world of the behind the scenes ways that we co-design and co-develop exhibitions/programs.
45 – 90 minutes: Participants will take part in a co-creation, co-development workshop led by SGM staff.

Session Producer, Workshop facilitator

Claire Farrugia – Education & Outreach Manager, Science Gallery Melbourne

 

Workshop facilitator

Tilly Boleyn – Curator, Science Gallery Melbourne

 

Presenters

Anastaszia Ward-Davies, Visual art teacher (Williamstown High School) Research assistant (University of Melbourne – MGSE & Department of Medicine/Department of Physiotherapy)

Jett Janetzki The University of Melbourne/MPavilion

 

When: Wednesday 19th February, 13:50pm-15:25pm

Where: Room G03, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton

Hashtag: TBC

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Participatory science communication for creating needed social change

Session will look at:
* What participatory science communication is, and why it has the power to create change
* Case studies of participatory science communication – long term and short term – to see what works or not (including at least one citizen science example)
* Barriers for participatory science communication, especially institutional will and resources, and opportunities to overcome these
* Roles for science communicators, scientists and other publics

 

Presenters

Jenni Metcalfe, Director, Econnect Communication

Jennifer Manyweathers, Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Biosecurity, Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University and NSW Department of Primary Industry

Michelle Riedlinger, University of Fraser Valley, Canada

Rod Kennett, Senior Manager for STEM Content, Questacon

Anne Leitch, Adjunct researcher / casual senior editor, Griffith University / NatureResearch

When: Tuesday 18th February, 2:00pm-3:30pm

Where: Room G02, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Questions? Please contact Kali on asc2020@asc.asn.au.

Acknowledgements

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