Blog posts categorized by Science Communication
Storyboard created by Dr Charlotte Young (click for larger version)

Bill Dennison speech to Latornell conference, Ontario, Canada: Part 8 - Communicating Science Effectively poster

Bill Dennison ·
3 January 2011
Science Communication | 

PART 8; Communicating Science Effectively poster … In real time, as the plenary talk was being delivered, Dr. Charlotte Young from Envision Synergy quietly recorded the seminar as a story board on a large colorful poster in the back of the room. Following the seminar, I was able to view her graphical interpretation of the talk.

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Canadian flag

Bill Dennison speech to Latornell conference, Ontario, Canada: Part 7 - O Canada!

Bill Dennison ·
31 December 2010
Science Communication | 

PART 7; O Canada! So my conclusions are that conservation deals with complex problems. I think of it as simple problems are like following a recipe. Complicated problems are like building a rocket to the moon. It's complicated, but you can do it over and over again if you do the equations and follow them. Complex problems are like raising a child. You don't always have complete control. It's not easy, and no two are alike.

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Chester River Report Card

Bill Dennison speech to Latornell conference, Ontario, Canada: Part 5 - Report card examples

Bill Dennison ·
28 December 2010
Environmental Report Cards | Science Communication | 

PART 5; Report card examples … Another aspect that I think has a lot of similarities to Ontario right now with your thirty-six conservational authorities doing these Report Cards, is that first in some areas where you don't have a lot of resources, that citizens and scientists become a really powerful tool. And we've developed a coalition around these citizen and scientist groups. An example is the Chester River, and citizen science group call themselves the Chester Testers.

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Communicating science can lead to social change.

Bill Dennison speech to Latornell conference, Ontario, Canada: Part 3 - History of Science Communication

Bill Dennison ·
26 December 2010
Science Communication | 

PART 3; History of Science Communication … There is a history of effective science communication that actually changed the world. If we think about the Copernican Revolution, Copernicus was a Polish astronomer, who published a book in 1543 on the movement of the Earth around the Sun, not the Sun around the Earth, which was the established belief at the time. And we call this the "Copernican Revolution".

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Bill Dennison giving a keynote seminar at the Latornell conference.

Bill Dennison speech to Latornell conference, Ontario, Canada: Part 1 - Science Communication

Bill Dennison ·
24 December 2010
Science Communication | 

PART 1; Science Communication … I can't believe you are all here at 7:45 am. What's the matter with you people? This is way too early. I actually have ten years experience at the University of Queensland teaching at eight o'clock lectures, so I know how to deal with you. My jokes will fall flat, I will not get any eye contact, and what eye contact I get will be bloodshot.

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Group photo of participants at the Zanzibar workshop.

Zanzibar seems like a dream

Bill Dennison ·
23 December 2010
Science Communication | 

Wandering through StoneTown, Sniffing the frying octopus, Admiring the elegant burkas, Zanzibar seems like a dream. Wading out to seaweed farms, Laughing with the monkeys, Feeding the sea turtles, Zanzibar seems like a dream. Meeting with villagers, Stopping at checkpoints, Smelling different spices, Zanzibar seems like a dream. Watching the Dhows drift in, Dancing under the stars, Relaxing by the pool, Zanzibar seems like a dream.

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Conceptionary in action with Maricela de la Costa gesturing.

Notes from Zanzibar; Communicating science workshop

Bill Dennison ·
22 December 2010
Science Communication | 

The workshop in Zanzibar was organized by a group of Swedish and African scientists. The role of our Integration and Application Network Science Communicators Kate Bentsen and Jane Hawkey, working with Guiseppe DiCarlo from Conservation International and myself, was to develop some training exercises and to produce a couple of science communication newsletters in a collaborative manner with workshop participants.

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New media such as the soon to be launched UMCES SchoolTube channel is a vital part of rejuvenating young people's interest in science.

As seen on TV....or your computer, or your smart phone

Joanna Woerner ·
13 December 2010
Environmental Literacy | Science Communication | 

We've all seen how video-sharing websites have the power to make everyday events such as frolicking kids and frisky kitchens go viral. Well then, we should be able to harness that power to deliver engaging content about items that impact our every day. Items such as climate change, water quality, and public health issues—topics so important, they warrant space on our screens. The challenge is that these topics don't have the warm and fuzzy factor of frolicking kids and frisky kittens.

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Screen capture of climate change page in the coral and climate change web module being developed by IAN and the Pacific Island Network Inventory and Monitoring Network. Available spring 2011.

What would a 7th grader do?

Joanna Woerner ·
7 December 2010
Environmental Literacy | Science Communication | 

Chilling question when your middle school days are long behind you and you're reminded of just how not hip you are each time you put on the tv, the radio, or Google. Nonetheless, What would a 7th grader do? --has been the guiding question for the coral and climate change module IAN is developing for the Pacific Island Network Inventory and Monitoring Program at the National Park Service (NPS).

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