Scientists Without Borders

Scientists Without Borders is an idea I had for the past year or so and now its been brought to reality thanks to The New York Academy of Sciences and UN Millennium Project. The mission of SWB is to match needs with resources focusing on capacity-building in developing countries, in areas of public health, environment, energy, and natural resources among others, using science and technology as the primary tools.

I feel this is a great opportunity to showcase what resources SISTP and/or CISTP have to offer and also to get involved in meaningful work beyond the traditional academic role. I have been in contact with SWB's Executive Director, Dr. Evelyn Strauss and would welcome ideas and suggestions from our group that I can bring up with her the next time. Read more!

The WikiLaboratory

Just as you may use wikipedia.com to do a general search for some quick historical info, to figure out which actor played in that movie you are trying to remember, or to win a bet with a friend using some obscure trivia, you might also be interested in the wiki laboratory.

http://www.wikilaboratory.com/ is a website, in their own words, "based off of the well-known Wikipedia template where users contribute, edit, and direct content on the website. The goal of this website is to develop a community of researchers in every discipline. We would like WikiLaboratory to become a place where scientists can come to get information, discuss topics, and collaborate."

Not only can you conduct a search for "rinderpest virus chromotographic strip test", which I actually had to do the other day, you can use their jobs section to find or post jobs from science writing to senior scientist in a research lab. There is a nice list of scientific databases, as well.

Although there is no page for "science and technology policy" yet, given time I think that can change. Read more!

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!