Welcome to our December 2014 newsletter: Favourite sci-comm videos and online tools
In this our final newsletter for 2014, our colleagues and friends from around the world share some of their favourite science communication videos, radio broadcasts, online tools and other ‘stocking fillers’.
We hope you can find time to indulge in one or two of them over the festive season, which is already upon us.
Merry Christmas, happy new year and thanks for reading.
President – International Network for the Public Communication of Science and Technology
Fergus McAuliffe, a PhD student in environmental science, was thrust into the spotlight of science communication when he won the international FameLab competition in 2013.
In his TEDx Dublin talk, Sharing science through story (15 min), Fergus uses self-deprecating humour to tell the story of how scientists lost their connection with the public, how they can get it back, and how a frozen frog won him the FameLab prize.
Dance your research
By Michelle Riedlinger
Communication Department, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada
Not only because I want to see students dance their research but because John Bohannon does such a good job of showing that there are many useful and powerful visual aids to choose from for communicating science.
I show this video to all my science and communication classes. While no-one has danced their research yet, I’m seeing progress—students have brought in baby animals, knitted models and food samples. One student played the flute.
Reimagining leadership: the role of media
By Colleen Foelz
Freelance science editor, Edenink, Australia
What is the influence of the media on leadership styles and practices in Australia?
Some people claim that the national media are setting the political agenda.
Others say that their influence is declining as people move to digital media for their news—or abandon interest in politics altogether.
So what’s needed for the media to play a renewed role in advancing leadership for the greater good in Australia?
MinutePhysics: fascinating mini physics tutorials.
Vsauce investigates fascinating questions.
SmarterEveryDay explains cat-flipping, and more.
Science Channel gives you the latest science news.
NASA gives you real-life science inspiration.
Getting your daily dose of science communication
By Bruce Lewenstein
Chair, Department of Science & Technology Studies, Cornell University, USA
I don’t have a favourite video, radio show or podcast.
What I have is a favourite internet aggregator—The #SciComm Daily, produced by Thilina Heenatigala, an astronomy educator in Sri Lanka.
Each day, The #SciComm Daily gives me links to new examples to use in class, and early notice of new publications—both practical guides and academic analysis—from around the world.
I enjoy it because it captures the vibrancy of our field.
Practical guides and bite-sized videos
By Marina Joubert
Director, Southern Science, and researcher/lecturer at Stellenbosch University, South Africa
My favourites:
I find the practical science communication guides on SciDev.Net really useful as training aids for science communication courses for scientists and journalists.
On YouTube I enjoy AsapSCIENCE for short (and fun) examples of how science can be communicated.
They are 3 minutes long. This is a magic number for YouTube videos as most of us start to get itchy mouse-fingers around this time as our attention decreases.
Each video seeks to answer one question. A focused theme helps me, the viewer, focus and I am more likely to take away the key message.
They are fun. Vanessa uses a combination of cut-out animation and video of herself.
They are interesting and I can relate to the topics.
I used it this year when teaching risk and crisis communication at Germany’s Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, and during a communication master class I ran in South Africa.
