Piazzano 2012: «Un premio dedicato a tutti i giornalisti scientifici»

«Dedico questo premio a tutta la comunità dei giornalisti scientifici, siamo pochi ma il nostro è davvero un lavoro bellissimo e stiamo facendo un grande sforzo per cavarcela in questo particolare momento di difficoltà»: Silvia Bencivelli, tesoriera di SWIM, ha voluto condividere così la gioia del Premio Piazzano, che le è stato consegnato sabato a Novara.
Da Science Writers in Italy, un sentito ringraziamento a nome di tutti i giornalisti scientifici.

A Silvia Bencivelli il Premio Piazzano 2012

Silvia Bencivelli

Complimenti alla tesoriera di Swim Silvia Bencivelli, cui è stato assegnato il Premio intitolato alla memoria del giornalista scientifico novarese Piero Piazzano, riservato a “un giornalista segnalatosi per la sua capacità di divulgazione di temi scientifici ed ecologici”.

Prima di lei, nel 2011 l’importante riconoscimento era andato allo swimmer Jacopo Pasotti.

Deborah Blum a BergamoScienza 2012 con Swim

Domenica 14 ottobre 2012
alle ore 15
al Teatro Sociale di Bergamo alta
(Via Colleoni)

Dal manuale dell’avvelenatore: cocktail al cianuro

Anche se oggi diamo per scontato che gli scienziati forensi lavorano mano nella mano con gli investigatori della polizia, non dobbiamo però dimenticarci che la scienza forense è un campo straordinariamente nuovo. Il primo training formale in Italia ha avuto luogo solo a partire dagli anni ’30 e gli scienziati non sono divenuti grandi alleati della polizia fin da subito. Si discuterà dell’invenzione della tossicologia forense, degli scienziati battaglieri che hanno cambiato il modo in cui si catturano gli assassini e ci si potrà mettere alla prova immaginando di essere uno scienziato forense degli anni ’20 deciso a risolvere uno dei casi di omicidio più sconcertanti della storia.

Interviene: Deborah Blum Premio Pulitzer 1992
Introduce: Giorgio Gandola direttore L’Eco di Bergamo

organizzazione: Associazione BergamoScienza
collaborazione: SWIM Science Writers in Italy
si ringrazia: Confindustria Bergamo Gruppo Chimici

Swim sarà presente in massa alla BlogFest di Riva del Garda, sabato 29/9

Il ScienceCamp organizzato quest’anno nell’ambito della BlogFest 2012 a Riva del Garda (in programma da venerdì 28 a domenica 30 settembre) vede in prima fila gli swimmer Beatrice Mautino, Marco Ferrari e Peppe Liberti (organizzatori dell’evento insieme a Stefano Dalla Casa) e altri iscritti tra i partecipanti attesi.

«ScienceCamp sarà composto da una manciata di brevi interventi mirati sui temi più sensibili dell’attività di blogger (in senso lato), con l’obiettivo di catalizzare discussioni  (e progetti?) che proseguano nei mesi a venire» scrive Stefano Dalla Casa nel presentare l’iniziativa su OggiScienza. «ScienceCamp infatti dovrebbe essere solo un antipasto, le portate le vedremo più avanti. Non si va là per applaudirsi a vicenda, a lamentarsi collettivamente di quanto del desolante trattamento riservato alla scienza in televisione come sui giornali e su tutti i cosiddetti mezzi di comunicazione “mainstream” (…), e di quanto siano invece bravi gli anglosassoni: grazie, lo sappiamo già. Né si va là annunciando chissà quali rivoluzioni, a proporre “nuovi” modelli per salvare il mondo dalla cattiva informazione, l’obiettivo è molto più modesto e concreto: vediamoci, contiamoci, annusiamoci a vicenda, e proviamo a “quagliare” qualcosa. Cosa? Venite a vederci, perché i barcamp sono rigorosamente aperti al pubblico.»

At ESOF 2012 the swimmers are under the spotlight

Many Italian science journalists were present at the ESOF meeting in Dublin, and among them the colleagues from Swim were certainly very active, not only in networking with scientists and colleagues from all over the world but also in discussing from the stage the present and the future of science journalism.

Particularly, in the panel entitled “Is Science Journalism dead or does it just smell funny?” the debate introduced by Irish journalist Brian Trench saw the participation of Swimmer Elisabetta Tola, who spoke about data journalism and among other projects presented the wonderful job by swimmer Amelia Beltramini on health data (La guida ai migliori ospedali d’Italia)  that were never available before for Italian citizens.

The vast programme can be consulted on the website of ESOF, where may speeches where broadcast live and are now available online.

Anne Glover will be in the panel on Science Media Centres at PCST 2012, in Florence

The newly named Chief Scientific Adviser of the European Commission, professor Anne Glover, will take part in the panel of the PCST Conference in Florence on Science Media Centres organised and moderated by Swim President Fabio Turone, that will address the issue of bad coverage of scientific controversies in the general press and the possible countermeasures that can be adopted, and specifically on the results obtained by the British Science Media Centre in its first ten years of activity, characterised by considering itself at the service of the science journalism profession.

Along with Professor Anne Glover, the panel will see the presence of Fiona Fox, director of the UK Science Media Centre, Charlotte Wien, researcher from the University of Southern Denmark, and Morten Busch, head of the project for a Danish Science Media Centre at the Experimentarium in Copenhagen.

The panel will be on Thursday from 14:30 to 15:45
Mad Cow Disease, Franken-Food and Killer Vaccines: this sensationalistic approach to scientific controversies typical of British tabloids – but often a prerogative also of more serious and respected media – caused in recent years a long-term damage not only to the image of science, but also to health policy and science research itself.
The first ten years of activity of the UK Science Media Centre have shown that authoritative and independent scientific sources can be helped not to shy away from media storms, so that they can timely and effectively intervene in the debate about sensitive issues by establishing a relationship with representatives of the media in an open and collaborative climate during and especially between media crises.
Now an international network of such centres has taken impulse from the successful British experience and has started operating to build trust and dialogue between the scientific community and the media, knowing that each country will pose specific challenges but a coordinated network can be useful on several accounts, as it was the case with the emergency following the nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant, in Japan. The panel will discuss the Science Media Centres model, its strenghts and its weaknesses from the point of view of the proponents and of the professionals working in science communication and in the media.

The Foundation Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze provided a grant to make the panel possible.
Several other panels have been produced by members of Swim.

Anche a Firenze per PCST 2012 una ricca presenza di Swimmers

Sarà il decano del giornalismo scientifico italiano Piero Angela a tenere il discorso inaugurale della 12^ conferenza international del Public Communication of Science and Technology network (PCST), che si terrà a Firenze dal 18 al 20 aprile prossimi.

Nel corso delle due intense giornate un gran numero di accademici e comunicatori della scienza discuteranno di qualità, onestà e bellezza dai più disparati punti di vista, confrontandosi con un gran numero di giornalisti scientifici tra cui parecchi membri di Swim.

Nel programma definitivo appena pubblicato figurano infatti Jacopo Pasotti, che coordinerà una sessione in cui si discuterà su ciò che gli scienziati devono imparare per comunicare efficacemente con i media ed Elisabetta Tola che gestirà la sessione pratica “Show, tell and talk” sui media audiovisivi. Gianna Milano modererà poi una sessione dedicata alla vaccinazione contro il Papillomavirus sui giornali italiani, in cui Chiara Palmerini e Daniela Ovadia discuteranno con Carla Cogo, dell’Istituto Oncologico Veneto, e con Michele Grandolfo dell’Istituto Superiore di Sanità.

Infine Fabio Turone coordinerà una sessione sul nascente network europeo di Science Media Centre – che vedrà tra gli speaker la direttrice del Science Media Centre britannico Fiona Fox, il direttore del progetto danese Morten Busch e forse la nuova Chief Scientific Adviser della Commissione Europea Anne Glover (che ha dato la sua disponibilità di massima ma non ha ancora confermato) – e in un’altra sessione discuterà con Ruth Francis di Nature, Eric Merkel-Sobotta di Springer e Tom Reller di Elsevier sul tema dell’embargo e dell’accesso open alla letteratura scientifica.

Qui è possibile scaricare il programma definitivo.

All’Evolution Day 2012 a Milano, Swim è presente in forze

A partire da domani si svolgerà al Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano l’iniziativa Evolution Day 2012 dedicata alla “intelligenza” delle piante: evoluzione, diversità e risorse del mondo vegetale.

Siamo molto orgogliosi e compiaciuti del fatto che i tre dibattiti con il pubblico sono moderati da Marco Ferrari, Beatrice Mautino e Silvia Bencivelli, tutti iscritti alla nostra associazione.

Calling All Journalists to the AAAS Annual Meeting!

We publish with pleasure this invitation from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in the hope of having also in Vancouver a strong participation of colleagues from Italy.

Calling All Journalists to the AAAS Annual Meeting!
Join colleagues from around the world in Vancouver, B.C. for science and fun at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Free registration is available to journalists via the AAAS virtual newsroom on EurekAlert!. Please log onto http://www.eurekalert.org/aaasnewsroom.
A preliminary press program is now online at http://bit.ly/us4BAv.

NEWS AND NETWORKING: With more than 170 symposia, seminars and lectures to choose from, reporters at the world’s largest general scientific conference will have ample opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research and hot policy topics. AAAS typically organizes 20 to 25 embargoed news briefings and medi availabilities over the course of the meeting. Science news headlines in 2012 are likely to encompass topics including: Biologging, archaeoacoustics, endangered and minority languages, advancements in the treatment of spinal cord injury, and hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas.

SPECIAL SOCIAL EVENTS: Social events for newsroom registrants only will include a welcoming reception Thursday, 16 February at the Vancouver Aquarium in beautiful Stanley Park; the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards gala Friday, 17 February at Science World; and the Canadian Science Writers’ Association party at The Canvas Lounge, sponsored by Waterloo Region, Ontario — Canada’s leading tech cluster — and brought to you by Communitech and its 800 technology organizations.

ADVANCE UBC TOUR: The University of British Columbia also will sponsor a tour of research facilities Wednesday, 15 February. To RSVP, visit http://www.ubc.ca/news.

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL NOW: When your newsroom registration is confirmed, you will receive a code number for making reservations at official meeting hotels at a discounted rate through the AAAS Travel Desk. Be sure to book your air travel and hotel reservations early! Visitors to Canada, including U.S. citizens, need a passport.

Please contact AAAS at media@aaas.org or 202-326-6440 with any questions. See you in Vancouver!

Apply for a scholarship to the 2012 Kavli Award ceremony in Oslo

From the website of the World Federation of Science Journalists:

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters offers scholarships to cover 2012 awards in Oslo

June 26, 2011 posted in Competitions

There’s a door opening wide into astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience, and science journalists can apply for front-row seats to cover a landmark event honouring researchers in these fields.

The door is in Oslo, Norway, but it’s open for applications from science reporters anywhere – from Chile to China and all points in between.

The $1 million Kavli Prize ceremony is scheduled for Oslo, Sept. 3–6, 2012. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and The Norwegian Ministry of Research and Education are offering up to seven journalists transportation from their home countries, a week’s accommodation, and lectures by some of the world’s best popularizers of science.

They will also attend the Kavli Prize Science Forum with the 2012 topic being “science and global health.”

The World Federation of Science Journalists will choose the journalists on behalf of by the Norwegian ministry and academy and winners will be announced during the 2012 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Feb. 16–20, in Vancouver, Canada.

Scientists in the running for the $1 million Kavli prizes for 2012 will be chosen in May or June of next year by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and will be presented by King Harald of Norway in September.

The Kavli Prize is a partnership between The Kavli Foundation, The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The scholarships are funded by the Norwegian ministry and academy.

The Kavli Foundation is the brainchild of Norwegian-born Fred Kavli, a physicist and entrepreneur who came to the United States after the Second World War and invented flight control sensors for aircraft, devices which operate in most commercial and military aircraft today.

In a 2007 interview with actor Alan Alda on the foundation website http://www.kavlifoundation.org/fred-kavli, Kavli said that after he sold his business in 2000 he wanted to “do something of long-range benefit to human beings,” and do it in his chosen field of science, “especially physics.” (Alda, along with Åse Kleveland, former Norwegian culture minister, hosted the 2010 Kavli Awards ceremony.) For their founder, the Kavli Awards – in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience – were defined to encompass everything “from the biggest, to the smallest, to the most complex” knowledge being pursued by researchers today.

Applications should be emailed to WFSJ info@wfsj.org by Jan. 15, 2012. An application package should include the journalist’s CV and co-ordinates, identification pages from his or her passport, three articles or audio/video files on astrophysics, nanoscience or neuroscience (in the original language), and a one-page essay in English on why the applicant should win this competition.