ASC2020 - 16-19 Feb, Melbourne

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Can we save our grandchildren? Inspiring change in an age of denial and despair

The planet is in melt down. Since the 1970s scientists have issued repeated warnings about global warming and of the catastrophic impacts on our planet and our survival unless we reduce carbon emissions . Yet as the scientific evidence mounts, the facts are deliberately obfuscated by political and institutional restraints and vested interests. No wonder many scientists report feelings of frustration, depression and despair.

The panel will discuss how scientists and science communicators can overcome these obstacles; how we can present the facts about the climate emergency and the array of interconnected existential threats in a way that resonates with people across all sectors of society and make a compelling case for taking action.

  • 10 to 15 minutes from each presenter
  • 15 to 20 minutes Q and A

What will participants gain from attending your session?

Practical ideas on how to reframe communication techniques and strategies

Session Producer/Session chair/Curator

Alison Leigh, Consultant to World Congress of Science and Factual Producers

Presenters

David Karoly, Leader Earth Systems and Climate Change, CSIRO

Alvin Stone, Media & Comms Manager, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes

Sonya Pemberton, Film maker, Genepool productions

Lee Constable, Science Communicator and Broadcaster, Freelance

Cameron Muir, Freelance writer, editor and researcher

 

When: Monday 17th February, 10:15am-11:30am
Where: Room G31, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

 

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Breaking Business as Usual: Using creativity to imagine purpose and practice in the Radical Decade

We’re about to enter the Radical Decade. What will your story be?

We’re in a climate emergency. Teenagers are gluing themselves to bridges to protest systemic inaction. Protests and demonstrations are breaking out around the world. Yet thirty years after James Hansen’s testimony to US Congress, our civilisational supertanker plows on with emissions-as-usual. We’ve missed our opportunity to make incremental change, so the coming decade will need to be radical.

This experiential workshop will break down all of your assumptions about the role of science communication and ask you to back-cast your story around a very different future. When you look back in years to come, what story will you tell about the role you played in the radical decade? Combining creativity, improvisation, complexity and systems thinking, we’ll challenge you to radically reorient your own approach to science communication.

We’ll give you the tools to jump into the unknown, lean-in to risk and use creativity to thrive in a time of great uncertainty. You’ll leave with new possibilities that will help you re-imagine and re-shape the role you want to play in what will be humanity’s critical decade.

 

What will participants gain from attending your session?

Participants will be challenged to deeply interrogate their own assumptions and practice in order to find new ways to engage with audiences with creativity, empathy, courage and imagination. They will gain:

  • Increased awareness of structural, cultural and personal assumptions that constrain practice
  • The opportunity to reimagine their role in a decade that will require transformational change
  • Practice in using creativity and improvisation activities to spark empathy and imagination, lean-in to risk, learn to jump and embrace uncertainty
  • Strategies for rethinking the fundamentals of their work, drawn from very different domains of knowledge and practice
  • An opportunity to identify specific actions and methods to challenge, rethink and improve their practice on an ongoing basis

Session Producer/ Workshop facilitator

Vicki Kyriakakis, Storyteller, Improviser & Marketing Strategist, Monash Sustainable Development Institute

David Robertson, Connector, Science Communicator & Educator, Monash Sustainable Development Institute

 

When: Wednesday 19th February, 9:30am-10:30am & 11:00am-12:00 noon

Where: Room G31, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton

Hashtag: TBC

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Taking action – changing the way we communicate air quality data that affects peoples health

Victorians want to know how air quality affects their health. Particularly when there is an emergency nearby. EPA’s previous website that was used to communicate this information was designed by scientists, not the public. User research showed that the information was too confusing to understand. Using this user research, we designed a new website that does it’s best to balance scientific accuracy with user accessibility.

Delivering a radical shift to ‘community first’ has been a long process with multiple government and community stakeholders. I’ve had a lot of tough conversations with our scientists that revolve around “but what value does this give to the community member? You want it, but what about community?”

Come and see how two different systems compare when designed with two different users in mind.

 

What will participants gain from attending your presentation?

Attendees will get an understanding of how social research gets turned into a solution that works for the public

Presenter

Emma Saville, Science Communications Advisor, EPA Victoria

 

When: Wednesday 19th February, 12:05pm-12:50pm
Where: Room G31, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Taking ‘A load off our minds’ through ‘airing our dirty laundry’: an installation for participation and dialogue

When: TBC
Where: TBC
Hashtag: TBC

The New Zealand Association of Scientists conference 2019 focused on ‘Changing the Culture of Science’, with keynotes covering equity, diversity and inclusion. Acknowledging the potentially difficult content, conference curator Kate Hannah sought a creative and ‘kind’ activity as a counterbalance. Our response was A load off your mind: a playful installation to elicit dialogue and participation. Its form was a low-fi cardboard laundromat: a place to congregate and share thoughts about scientific culture: what it is, what it could be, and personal experiences that have shaped it. NZAS was the first iteration of this experimental engagement device for collective reflexivity, which has since had a second spin at an art gallery (where the culture of design was ‘rinsed’) and subsequently at AAHPSSS, where the NZAS responses were used as further prompts to explore the culture of both science and the disciplines attending the conference. Next week, it gets another spin at SCANZ, where we will be using it to probe the ethics of science communication.

Why a laundromat? The catalyst was the idea of ‘airing and rinsing’ issues, and pertinent puns flowed: taking ‘a load’ off our minds; being ‘pressed’ into action; ‘cleaning up’ our acts; getting ‘all in a lather’ over vexing issues; ironing things out; perhaps ‘agitating’… These metaphors’ humorous simplicity belie the serious possibility of a laundromat as a transformative ‘third place’ or ‘third space’. After all, laundromats are ordinary and familiar, but in a sense shaped by nostalgia and popular culture more than first-hand experience, so their role – people know them as a place to undertake a somewhat intimate ritual in public, in a space where there is shared purpose – can be adopted and moulded as an engagement vehicle.

A Load off your mind uses ‘cultural probes’ as projective techniques, with paper garments sheets containing design prompts that feel straightforward, but attempt to elicit the articulation of motivations, attitudes and biases or ‘thoughts, hopes, and fears’[1] without specifically asking for them. Garments can be placed in a washing machine for cathartic symbolic cleaning, then pegged out on the line to share. This design-led approach seeks informal qualitative responses (drawings, statements, stories)[2]. In this context, the laundrette format is exploratory, not confirmatory and is not seeking specific data, rather it allows autonomy for participants to shape their own engagement.

Inspired by Maja Horst’s ‘make an intervention and see what happens’[3] approach, and conducted as an iterative human-centred design practice, we extend the offer for ASC to host the next cycle of the A load off your mind laundromat. This can be used to present and extend SCANZ’s work on the ethics of our field, or could be tailored to pose questions related to the ASC conference theme, and can be further illustrated with a presentation to take you on a spin through A load off your mind’s history, giving a wash-up of what we’ve learnt so far.

[1] Boucher, A., Gaver, B., Kerridge, T., Michael, M., Ovalle, L., Plummer-Fernandez, M., & Wilkie, A. (2018). Energy Babble. Retrieved from https://www.matteringpress.org/books/energy-babblehttps://doi.org/10.1145/1015530.1015555

[2] Gaver, W. W., Boucher, A., Pennington, S., & Walker, B. (2004). Cultural Probes and the Value of Uncertainty. Interactions, 11(5), 53–56. https://doi.org/10.1145/1015530.1015555

[3]  Horst, M., & Michael, M. (2011). On the Shoulders of Idiots: Re-thinking Science Communication as ‘Event’. Science as Culture, 20(3), 283–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/09505431.2010.524199

Presenter
Jo Bailey, Senior Lecturer and PhD candidate, Wellington School of Design, Massey University / Centre for Science in Society, Victoria University of Wellington

makinggood.design

Co-authors

Rhian Salmon, Kate Hannah, Rebecca Priestley

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Changing environmental behaviours, using ABC’s War on Waste as a case study

The first season of ABC’s War on Waste led to an immediate funding boost of $1.2 million dollars to organisations that rescue food, Responsible Cafes increased from 400 registered cafes to 1,400 almost overnight, and KeepCup reported a 400% increase in sales the week after War on Waste aired.

So how did the series do it?

One of the most interesting findings of the ABC’s 2018 War on Waste survey found that millennials—those aged between 18 and 34—produce more waste in their households compared to all other generations. This survey was one of Australia’s largest ever studies on waste behaviour change and was completed by 36,722 participants around the country.

Millennials were more likely to have thrown out rotting food, thrown food scraps into the general waste, placed recyclables in the general waste and purchased fruit and vegetables in plastic bags or trays. Yet when it came to using BYO coffee cups instead of disposable and non-recyclable coffee cups, millennials outperformed all other generations.

So why, out of all the environmental behaviours in War on Waste, was the BYO coffee cup adopted more than others? And how exactly did the War on Waste provoke this change in behaviour in millennials?

We asked Melbourne millennials their thoughts in a one-hour focus group.

Engaging storytelling, non-preachy tones, gentle learning curve, a joint-learning experience with the host, relatable contexts, targeting consumers, businesses and government and step-by-step guides on how to change behaviour, all played a key role.

But one of the main findings was that these preferences aren’t unique to Melbourne millennials—other generations make decisions in the same ways. Findings demonstrate overall consistencies with existing theories about edutainment interventions and cognitive processing.

We’ve put together some practical tips to help waste education practitioners engage communities in waste issues, using War on Waste as a case study.

Learn about new insights on:
-striking the right tone in a waste education campaign
-choosing pro-environmental behaviours that are most likely to be adopted -inspiring change on issues perceived to be too overwhelming
-the psychology on how we make decisions

Entertainment-Education (edutainment) interventions are communication strategies that have a predetermined educational or persuasive outcome, and aim to motivate and inspire social change.

 

What will participants gain from attending your presentation?
Attendees will learn about new insights and practical tips on how to engage communities on complex topics, and learn the latest on edutainment communication research. The presentation will outline a practical step-by-step framework that attendees can take home on how to create a communication campaign that will lead to social change.

Specifically the audience will learn about insights on:
-striking the right tone in a waste education campaign
-choosing pro-environmental behaviours that are most likely to be adopted -inspiring change on issues perceived to be too overwhelming
-the psychology on how we make decisions

 

Presenters

Rachael Vorwerk, Communications Consultant and RMIT Research Assistant, Self-employed and RMIT

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-vorwerk/

When: Monday 17th February, 2:00-3:30
Where: Room G02, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Sustainable Stand Up: Cultivating laughter to save humanity

All too often conversations about sustainability become negative and accusatory, and alienate the very people we need to connect with. In this session we’ll talk about Sustainable StandUp, a different way to approach communication, using a highly compassionate form of comedy.

Belina Raffy teaches stand up and improv practices to sustainability champions (environmental and social) to help them to talk about important and scary ideas in delightful ways that bring people in, instead of frightening them away.

Based in Berlin, Belina has now run Sustainable Stand Up courses and shows over 33 times across 10 countries and has also written a book Using Improv to Save the World (and me) .

The talk will feature some excerpts of live comedy from Melbourne-based Sustainable Stand Up teacher and comedian, Tejopala Rawls.

 

What will the audience get out of it?

Insights on a new way to approach difficult conversations, a smile and some optimism!

 

Structure
A live cross to Belina Raffy in Berlin, and some examples of comedy from Tejopala Rawls, along with a discussion of how he develops material and some audience Q&A.

 

Producer

Phil Dooley, Phil Up On Science, and Sustainable Stand Up teacher, Canberra

 

Presenter

Belina Raffy, Empress, Maffick Ltd and Founder, Sustainable Stand Up

 

Presenter/Performer

Tejopala Rawls, Activist and stand up comedian

 

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

Where: Room G21, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton

Hashtag: TBC

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Tweed Sand Bypassing – evoking an emotional response in coastal science communication

Tweed Sand Bypassing is a long term coastal engineering solution located on the border of NSW and Queensland. The two objectives of the Project are to restore and maintain the natural coastal sand drift to the southern Gold Coast beaches; and to establish and maintain a safe, navigable entrance to the Tweed River.

The Project has been in operation for almost 20 years and during this time has implemented a wide range of communication strategies to inform and educate the various stakeholder groups about the science and engineering work that the Project does.

To determine how effective implemented strategies had been, in 2015 a community consultation and engagement assessment was carried out. The results found that while basic communication and information exchange has worked – engagement and trust building hasn’t. This result was clearly evident through the ongoing confusion, mistrust and misinterpretation about the Project’s impact, management and main responsibilities among stakeholder communities.

In 2016 an innovative three year communications strategy was developed. The strategy had the overall vision of promoting the Tweed Sand Bypassing identity, engaging a younger demographic, and communicating the science in a more meaningful, emotive and accessible way.

Several contemporary communication techniques were used. These involved creating a visual identity, a magazine, Instagram account, smart phone application, a presence at the Quiksilver Pro Surfing Competition at Snapper Rocks, and a High School student resource package.

Community feedback has indicated that the communications strategy has been highly successful, and overall has achieved its objective of educating and changing the perceptions of a diverse range of Tweed Sand Bypassing stakeholders.

 

What will Attendees gain from this session?

Attendees will hear about the investigation, design, implementation and review stages of a complete coastal science communication strategy for Tweed Sand Bypassing.

Tools that were used include photography and language to evoke an emotional response and communicate the aesthetic, recreational, place and social values of the coast. A contemporary magazine, website, smart phone app, Instagram account, and High Schools Package.

Attendees will leave with a science communication methodology that they can apply to their own work, particularly in the natural and environmental sciences.

 

Presenter

Catherine Angela Kerr, Coastal Management Specialist, NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment

 

When: Tuesday 18th February, 2:00pm-3:30pm
Where: Room G21, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Novel and risky: designing for young adults

An increased affective attraction to experimentation with risky behaviour during adolescence is understood as an adaptive, biologically-driven need to gain the experience required to assume adult roles and behaviours. This surge in sensation seeking, coupled with an underdeveloped ability to evaluate risks, coincides with rising dopaminergic activation in brain regions heavily involved in recognition and anticipation of reward. As a consequence, a young adult’s brain is extremely sensitive to the learning that can occur during this period and has cognitive capacities that are primed to take advantage of the experience gained.

MOD. designs for young audiences aged 15-25 years. In our first exhibition, we developed two exhibits nicknamed the “pain chairs” in collaboration with researchers at Body In Mind Institute. The spot-lit, hard-edged metal chairs, complete with seat drains, were placed centre-gallery under dramatic lighting. Dark screens invited visitors to challenge their perceptions of pain and warned against under 15 year-olds using the chairs. The two interactive chairs delivered electric and heat stimuli, modelling different factors known to affect pain perception like attention, distraction, and the placebo effect. Framing the situation as scary and potentially dangerous, and placed within a public building, allows young adults to push the boundaries of what is safe in an environment free of danger.

Evaluations revealed that visitors spent time at interactive exhibits (91% of visitors engaged with the pain chairs), rated them highly in terms of enjoyment and learning, and that this approach also led to two thirds of visitors being able to identify key concepts that we wanted to communicate about the brain and its role in pain perception.

 

What will participants gain from attending your presentation?

That understanding social and cognitive development can underpin approaches to designing for a young target audience to make their experience better, but also to give the museum permission to include risk and push the boundaries of what might be appropriate.

 

Presenter

Dylan DeLosAngeles, Exhibitions Coordinator, MOD.

When: Wednesday 19th February, 12:05pm-12:50pm
Where: Room G21, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Getting Paid for Scicomm: Free Labour, Fair Wages and How to Ask for Money

Working for experience and exposure won’t keep a roof over your head no matter how much you love science!

How much are science communication skills worth? When is volunteering a good thing? How do you negotiate fair pay for scicomm work? And what effect does free labour have on the science communication sector as a whole?

All these questions and more will be tackled in this panel discussion.

This is the perfect opportunity to ask all those burning questions about getting paid for your scicomm skills!

 

What will audience gain from attending this section?

Participants will gain a better understanding of the benchmarks for how science communication skills are valued in the Australian job market and what their skills are worth. This will also give the audience tools to help them make responsible choices when negotiating payment or volunteering in the science communication space.

 

Structure

This session will be introduced and moderated by Lee Constable.

Matt Nurse will present the results of the CPAS science communication remuneration and skills survey and talk about where the benchmark is for valuing science communication skills in Australia.

A representative of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance will speak on the effect that free labour and the modern media, entertainment and arts landscapes have on the science communication sector.

Jenni Metcalfe (Econnect Communication) and other experienced science communication freelancers will speak about their personal experience in negotiating payment in exchange for science communication work and paying science communicators for their work.

The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and get practical advice from the panel.

 

Session Producer/MC

Lee Constable, Science Communicator and Broadcaster, Freelance

 

Presenters

Matt Nurse, Masters degree candidate, CPAS, ANU

Jenni Metcalfe, Director, Econnect Communication

Marcus Strom, President MEAA Media and Director of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism

 

 

 

When: Tuesday 18th February, 9:45am – 10:45am
Where: Room G31, Learning and Teaching Building, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton
Hashtag: TBC

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Communicating science content to blind and low vision audiences through multi sensory means

Diversity in STEM can lead, among other benefits, to better problem-solving and expansion of the talent pool. But whilst we recognise the importance of diversity, many communities still feel unable to engage with STEM subjects.

Participation by the blind and low vision (BLV) community in STEM higher education is below the national average, in part due to their perceived ability to engage meaningfully in the delivered content.

This workshop will look at how emerging technologies such as 3D printing can be used to engage diverse cohorts with scientific content. With examples from multi sensory, inclusive exhibitions and workshops, we have engaged diverse groups with varying degrees of scientific understanding.

Session participants will be able to bring their own discipline knowledge to the workshop and take part in an interactive component in which they consider how content from their area can be presented in a way that would be more accessible and inclusive.

 

What will participants gain from attending your session?

Attendees will have a better understanding about the difficulties the BLV community have in accessing scientific information. We hope they will be inspired by the possibilities of presenting science in non visual ways, and take away practical tips for how to harness emerging technologies to increase access to scientific information and broaden participation.

 

Structure

Introduction to the issue of exclusion for those with vision disabilities in discourses around science and biomedicine [10 min]

Presentation of two case studies on how emerging technologies such as 3D printing is currently being used to engage BLV people with scientific content [20 min]

Workshop activities on how this can be remediated through multi sensory exhibition, displays and audience participation [60 min]

Session Producer/Presenter

Lizzie Crouch, Senior Coordinator of Engagement, SensiLab, Monash University

Presenters

Matthew Butler, Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching), Inclusive Technologies, Monash University

Erica Tandori, Artist in Residence, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University

 

Session

Accessibility

 

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