Sci-comm course takes a bath

It is now official - the Bath Science Culture and Communication Masters course is closing at the end of this academic year.

Explaining the decision, Prof Christine Griffin, head of the Psychology department that hosts the masters in Science, Culture and Communication wrote:

"Our original intention was to continue to run the SCC programme until 2008/09, but a number of factors have led us to reconsider this decision. I am therefore considering a proposal to withdraw the MSc in Science, Culture and Communication with effect from 2008/09. There are a number of reasons for this, which are presented below:

1. Student numbers and applications on SCC have been decreasing steadily over the past few years, partly as a consequence of the launch of successful competitor courses at Cardiff and UWE.

2. The course involves a number of external tutors who present units that are integral to the SCC programme, but this incurs relatively high external teaching costs. As a consequence, SCC is becoming less financially viable as a stand-alone course.

3. A number of staffing issues have arisen during the current academic year, involving a significant reduction in staff with expertise to teach the course. If SCC runs in 2008/09, the Department runs the risk of being unable to service the course to an acceptable standard, given the probable pressures on existing staff. It would be preferable to allocate staff time to other teaching duties..."

Anna Grayson, an ABSW prize winner who taught on the course, regrets the closure but told me: "It is probably best to … quit while we are still managing to produce good marketable graduates. We have ten impressive students going through this year."

Ted Nield

NSF joins EurekAlert! portal

The National Science Foundation has become one of the growing band of organisations establishing "mini sites" on EurekAlert!, the media service run by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The new site, News From the National Science Foundation, has both news of the NSF and from research that it has funded. There is also a RSS feed to make life easier for those of us who have moved away from email as a preferred way of receiving press releases.

Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal

Many science writers have covered astronomy at some stage in their careers. Now there is a journal all about the subject, communicating astronomy that is, not astronomy, which has more than its fair share of the scientific literature.

The second issue of Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal has just hit the web. The journal appears under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The European Space Agency's Hubble Space Telescope group has sponsored the print costs for the first few issues. The people behind the venture "are currently fund-raising for the longer term".

In his note about the contents of the latest issue, number 2, Pedro Russo, Editor-in-Chief of the CAPjournal, says:

"In this issue we marvel at the breathtaking images taken by astrophotographers from The"World at Night project", get insider tips from authors of two popular astronomy vodcasts, learn how to navigate the labyrinth of European Commission grants for education/outreach and much more. We'd like to welcome Ryan Wyatt as the author of our first regular column, "Visualising Astronomy". Ryan will give us his opinions and perspectives about the growing field of graphical science communication."

The web site has PDF files of the first two issues, with more details of the venture and an RSS feed. There is also a section of the site for job openings.

Recruitment

Four new job opportunities that may interest you...

Associate Consultant Analysts

Oakland Innovation is a consultancy with a multinational team of postgraduate scientists, technologists, business strategists and qualitative research analysts. We help major international clients to explore new market opportunities, to find technology for product and process innovation, and to identify possible partners to fast track product development and market execution.

We employ full-time staff and associates that work on a variable-hour basis. We wish to increase our portfolio of Associate Consultant Analysts for a wide range of projects. The successful applicants should have a biology or chemistry background and ideally experience in a market research/business analysis environment. Consultancy experience and fluency in a foreign language, for example Japanese/Russian/Portuguese would be a distinct advantage. An interest in the application of science in a business environment is essential. As a member of a multidisciplinary team, you will undertake primary research (telephone research), secondary research (published information), analyse information and prepare reports/presentations on new and emerging technologies.

It will be necessary for applicants to have worked with standard computer programs such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Experience of secondary information research, particularly using the World Wide Web as well as commercial/scientific databases (PubMed, STN, Dialog, Kompass, Profound, Web of Science) would also be of advantage.
Rates of pay will be subject to experience.

For further details on Oakland’s activities see our website, www.oakland.co.uk
Please send your CV, day rate and names of two referees to Lucy Atkin on (la@oakland.co.uk), Oakland, 18 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0FH by 3rd March 2008. You will be contacted if you are successful in reaching the interview stage.

Contemporary Science Content Developer (x2 posts)

ABSW members may be interested in the following job opportunities in the Contemporary Science Team at the Science Museum, London. You can see examples of the Contemporary Science Team’s written output at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/antenna.

Please note that applications or requests for further info should go to recruitment@sciencemuseum.org.uk or HR Assistant, Human Resources Department, The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2DD, quoting reference CSCD/08.

• Title: Contemporary Science Content Developer x2
• Vacancy number: 02/2008
• Reports to: Contemporary Science Project Leader
• Contract: Permanent
• Based London.
• Salary: £23,970 including London weighting
• Closing date: 12-00 10th March 2008
  

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute directly to the Museum’s creative offerings. As part of the Antenna Contemporary Science team, you will help to deliver an innovative programme of exhibitions, web content and public events. You will also be involved in the production of content for web and a public events programme.

There are two vacancies available.

With a relevant degree, or equivalent level of attainment, in a science related subject, you will have an understanding of museum-based exhibits and a proven interest in communicating contemporary science and technology through print, multi-media, exhibitions or events. You will be a good team worker with the ability to multi-task and handle large quantities of complicated information.

In the role, you would be involved in:

• Research, development and delivery of high quality contemporary content for exhibitions, websites, broadcast and narrowcast programming, for a broad audience
• Developing relationships with scientists and stakeholders, pitching stories and identifying and proposing high quality news stories for antenna products
• Presentation of contemporary science issues live to Museum audiences both in the Museum and via the web in order to increase understanding and debate among our target audience
• Sourcing and collecting objects for Antenna exhibitions and associated events to aid visitors’ interpretation of agreed messages.
• Use of Museum templates to build electronic products (including online exhibitions and gallery computer information points) to support increased reach of Antenna
• Writing content proposals, scenarios and path flows for exhibitions, broadcast, narrowcast and interactive media on contemporary science subjects to ensure agreed exhibition messages are successfully conveyed.

HOW TO APPLY:

We have made applying for this role simple, but please read all the following instructions carefully.

To apply:

1. please read the job description fully and then email your CV and covering letter, explaining clearly how you meet all our stated requirements, to
   recruitment@sciencemuseum.org.uk .
   Alternatively, you can send your CV, PDP and covering letter explaining clearly how you meet all our stated requirements to: HR Assistant, Human Resources Department, The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2DD
   The covering letter is very helpful to us, and we won't be able to accept applications without one.
2. Please quote the reference CSCD/08 either in your email subject header, or at the top of your covering letter.
   In short listing for interview, priority will be given to applicants whose covering letters and CVs explicitly demonstrate their suitability in terms of the full job description.

Marketing Communications Specialist – Writer

Cambridge, UK £Competitive + Benefits

This marketing communications role within Accelrys, a leading scientific software company, calls for a technical writer with the ability to understand and communicate complex scientific information. A degree in a scientific discipline is also preferred.

Working closely with Product Marketing Managers and subject matter experts you will take responsibility for writing both marketing and technical collateral related to Accelrys' scientific software and services working closely with your colleagues in the US and UK.

This broad-ranging role will stretch your writing skills across a variety of mediums – from website content, customer/prospect communications and on-line banner ads, to technical product data sheets and scientific research application notes. A team-player you will also proactively support and assist with ongoing marketing initiatives and programs throughout the department.

It goes without saying that you’ll be an expert on MS Office with the written and verbal communication skills to engage with varied customers across different cultural environments. What sets you apart is your ability to drive best practice in marketing communications and keep pace with new developments to ensure product collateral is current. Knowledge of web editing and graphic design software would be highly advantageous.

Accelrys has been delivering software and service solutions to the world's leading pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology, nanotechnology, academic and government research organizations for over 20 years. With expertise in life and materials science modeling and simulations, informatics, nanotechnology and scientific operating platform technology, Accelrys' multi-disciplinary solutions span the research and development continuum.

To apply, please email your CV and covering letter, quoting ref: AB-MW207, to Nicola Anderson, European Recruiter, at: recruitment@accelrys.com

www.accelrys.com

Make that $2 billion for New Scientist

The news that Reed Elsevier is selling of a "job lot" of magazines, including New Scientist, has provoked extensive media coverage. Over on World Screen they suggest that "Possible buyers for the business, said to be worth about $2 billion, include Apax Partners."

One ABSW member has questioned the availability of venture capital funding. World Screen quotes the New York Times which quotes Reed Phillips, a managing partner of the media investment bank DeSilva & Phillips, as saying “The market is strong for business-to-business companies”.

As well as New Scientist, Reed's magazine business includes Variety along with many specialist titles including Multichannel News, Broadcasting & Cable, Video Business and Television Asia.

Apax specialises in management buyouts and is strong in media investments. The question is, who do they consider to be management? Will it be the bean counters of Reed Business Information? Or is there room for the editors and publishers who actually create the publications?

Among Apex's recent deals was the purchase last year of a 49.9% stake in Trader Media Group, which is in the business of "Print and online automotive classifieds". Apex's purchase, from Guardian Media Group, meant that Trader Media Group was worth £1.35 billion at the time of the deal.

New Scientist for sale

Reed Elsevier continues to flail around trying to work out how to adapt to the 21st century. From the point of view of science writers, the best news of this dithering, which has gone on for the best part of a decade, is that the company has decided to put New Scientist on the market.

New Scientist is a part of Reed Business Publishing, which also produces Farmers Weekly. The Daily Telegraph reports Sir Crispin Davis, Reed's chief executive, as saying that Reed Business Publishing's "advertising revenue model and the inherent cyclicality fit less well with the subscription-based information and workflow solutions focus of Reed Elsevier's strategy".

New Scientist and Farmers Weekly were among magazines that Reed hung on to when it sold off IPC Magazines. Reed even moved the science weekly out of its "magazines" division into its "business press" group. The magazine had previously shared management, and offices, with a raft of women's magazines, pop titles and other well know publications, including Horse & Hound and Yachting Monthly.

Now Reed seems to have realised that it does not have a clue about running magazines, with their sordid need to attract advertising, as opposed to expensive journals that just lift money out of university budgets. This should be good news for New Scientist and its fine team of writers and editors. With luck it will find a buyer who doesn't see the magazine as a money machine. It can still be that, but machines need careful oiling, or at least "benign neglect".

You can see where Reed's business is heading from the announcement that delivered news of the fate of New Scientist. The company has just paid $3.6B for a company called ChoicePoint. The story on this on Forbes.com says that ChoicePoint "collects, sells access to and analyzes the personal information of consumers". Reed plans to roll this acquisition into LexisNexis, its on-line information service.

Disclaimer: I spent the 1980s grappling with IPC Magazines, as editor of New Scientist. Since then, the magazine has gone from strength to strength.

Job Opening - Marketing Communications

Marketing Communications Specialist - Writer
Cambridge, UK £Competitive + Benefits

This marketing communications role within Accelrys, a leading scientific software company, calls for a technical writer with the ability to understand and communicate complex scientific information. A degree in a scientific discipline is also preferred.

Working closely with Product Marketing Managers and subject matter experts you will take responsibility for writing both marketing and technical collateral related to Accelrys' scientific software and services working closely with your colleagues in the US and UK.

This broad-ranging role will stretch your writing skills across a variety of mediums - from website content, customer/prospect communications and on-line banner ads, to technical product data sheets and scientific research application notes. A team-player you will also proactively support and assist with ongoing marketing initiatives and programs throughout the department.

It goes without saying that you'll be an expert on MS Office with the written and verbal communication skills to engage with varied customers across different cultural environments. What sets you apart is your ability to drive best practice in marketing communications and keep pace with new developments to ensure product collateral is current. Knowledge of web editing and graphic design software would be highly advantageous.

Accelrys has been delivering software and service solutions to the world's leading pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology, nanotechnology, academic and government research organizations for over 20 years. With expertise in life and materials science modeling and simulations, informatics, nanotechnology and scientific operating platform technology, Accelrys' multi-disciplinary solutions span the research and development continuum.

To apply, please email your CV and covering letter, quoting ref: AB-MW207, to Nicola Anderson, European Recruiter, at: recruitment@accelrys.com

www.accelrys.com

Alien Worlds takes off

Taken from Cision Daily Media Bulletin

A new magazine, Alien Worlds, launched on 8th February. The 88 page, bimonthly magazine will cover extra-terrestrial life including UFOs, astrobiology, SETI and the origins of life on planet earth. Stuart Miller is the Editor and can be reached at editor@ or on 0161 928 5554

Check out their web site.

Learn science journalism from the comfort of your home

The World Federation of Science Journalists has launched what is describes as "the world’s first online course in science journalism".

The WFSJ, working with the Science and Development Network (SciDev.Net), launched the new venture at “Science Journalism meets Science in Qatar,” hosted by the Aljazeera Network and Qatar Foundation from 3 to 9 February 2008.

The course itself consists of a series of eight modules, including interviewing, writing skills and "reporting on controversies". There are also some "self-teaching questions" and assignments for students.

2008 National Academies Communications Awards

It may help to be in the USA, but with $20,000 prizes on offer, it might be worth investigating the Call for Nominations for 2008 National Academies Communications Awards.

"On Feb. 4 the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine will begin accepting nominations for the 2008 National Academies Communication Awards for excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering, and medicine to the public during 2007. Four $20,000 prizes will be awarded in the following categories:

-- Book author
-- Newspaper or magazine journalist
-- Online journalist
-- TV/radio or film producer or reporter"

You have until 9 April to make an online nomination and 12 April to submit supporting material.