World Science Festival '08

I came across the World Science Festival (http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/) just recently and is a must watch, listen and learn if you are in NYC. It is from May 28-June 1 and I will try to make a trip up there to attend at least some of the talks! Although it is a Science Festival, it draws upon the most eclectic group of thinkers be it doctors or actors, engineers or dancers, economists or ethicists, psychologists or philosophers or architects and even magicians!! Some of the well-known names (http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/speakers/) include- Brian Greene, Francis Collins, Antonio Damasio, Alan Alda, Lucy Hawking, Walter Isaacson, Ray Kurzweil, Vilayanur Ramachandran, Charlie Rose & Oliver Sacks!

Check out for more - http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/2008-festival/

A perfect idea for a weekend road-trip to NYC and learn some science along the way!



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Science Communications?

Some of you met Christoph D. at the last journal club; he's a visiting scholar with the Austrian Office of Science and Technology. He asks:

I'm currently doing some work-related research about science communication in the US and I was wondering whether you'd be able to give me some pointers into the right direction...

The two main blocker questions that I'm dealing with atm are:

#1 How do both public and private research institutions in the United States handle their science communication and public relations?

#2 What possibilities are there to efficiently evaluate and monitor media reporting that deals with scientific topics? E.g. to gather feedback on which media outlets mention an IMP press release.

I'm having kind of a hard time coming up with satisfying results and I'd appreciate any input you might have.

Any SISTP-ers been doing any Science Communications work? Leave your comments below! Read more!