Blog posts by Bill Dennison
The conceptual diagram worksheet can help the diagramming process along.

New conceptual diagram worksheet developed

Bill Dennison ·
25 April 2011
Science Communication |     1 comments

In order to guide people interested in creating a conceptual diagram, a worksheet has been developed by the Integration and Application Network. This worksheet is designed to aid in the assembly of relevant information needed for drafting a new conceptual diagram. The worksheet helps hone the message, prioritize the features and processes being depicted, and avoid false starts.

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Cover of dashboard book.

Dashboard books on fire: Communicating fire management creatively

Bill Dennison ·
22 April 2011
Science Communication | 

Reef Catchments in Mackay, working with a range of partners, has produced a superb set of 'dashboard books' designed to ride around on the dashboards in volunteer rural fire brigade trucks or landholder trucks (utes) and provide easily accessible fire management information. Andrew Houley with Reef Catchments, a self-avowed firebug, produced these high quality books, which employ excellent science communication techniques.

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Prof Stuart Phinn presenting at TERN symposium 2011

TERN workshop

Bill Dennison ·
18 April 2011
Science Communication | 

I was asked by Prof. Stuart Phinn from the University of Queensland to give a keynote lecture at the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) Symposium 2011 in Melbourne, Victoria. There were approximately 100 scientists and resource managers at the symposium held at a conference center near the University of Melbourne. The other keynote speaker was Dr. Steve Kelling from Cornell University.

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Bill Dennison facilitating a discussion on the Healthy Waterways Alliance newsletter. Photo by Sal Gray.

Launching the Healthy Waterways Alliance in Mackay

Bill Dennison ·
13 April 2011
Science Communication | 

Sal Gray and Carl Mitchell from Reef Catchments invited me to participate in the launch of the Healthy Waterways Alliance in Mackay, on the central Queensland coast. We agreed on a plan for me come up the day before with a Science Communicator, Kate Moore, and run a half-day training session in which we would generate a draft newsletter. We would use the draft newsletter at the launch to structure a discussion about the form that Alliance would take.

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"The Ghost Map: The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic – and How it Changed Science, Cities and the Modern World" and "The Crime Fighter: How You Can Make Your Community Crime Free"

Dr. John Snow and Jack Maple, kindred spirits

Bill Dennison ·
11 April 2011
Science Communication |     1 comments

Dr. John Snow (1813-1858) was a doctor who lived in London, England and Jack Maple (1952-2001) was a policeman who lived in New York City, USA. In spite of their wide geographical and generational differences, these two remarkable men were kindred spirits in combining insights and good maps to solve compelling problems. Following their premature deaths, both men have developed a strong following and have left a legacy that transcended their lives.

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Dugong in Moreton Bay with Brisbane City (2 million people) skyline on the horizon (Photo: Chris Roelfsema).

Sea turtles, dugong and a major city skyline

Bill Dennison ·
6 April 2011
Queensland Floods |     1 comments

Moreton Bay, adjacent to Brisbane, the Capital of Queensland, Australia, supports large populations of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and dugong (Dugong dugon). The turtles and dugong feed on seagrasses growing on the shallow sand banks of Eastern Moreton Bay. These shallow sand banks are flushed with clean ocean water that enters and exits Moreton Bay through an opening (South Passage) between the large sand islands, North Stradbroke and Moreton Islands.

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Corpus Callosum visible at center, in light gray

Integrating science with people: Creating the corpus callosum connections

Bill Dennison ·
5 April 2011
Environmental Literacy | Science Communication | 

As part of the Integrated Water Management Master's program offered by the International WaterCentre (IWC), a four person panel was convened which included Poh-Ling Tan, a lawyer from Griffith University, Helen Thompson, an anthropologist in the private sector, Dr. Stephen Mahler, an engineer from the University of Queensland, and I was the natural sciences representative. Bruce Missingham from the IWC was the moderator.

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Discover the Waterways of South-East Queensland

Discovering Southeast Queensland waterways and rediscovering Liz Clarke

Bill Dennison ·
4 April 2011
Science Communication | 

One of the more enjoyable projects that I have done was co-author a book entitled "Discover the Waterways of South-East Queensland". The premise behind the book was to give people of Southeast Queensland a guide to viewing their streams, rivers and embayments. The guide was meant to also highlight the key processes and features of the waterways, which the photos and conceptual diagrams that accompanied the map of viewing locations would elucidate.

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