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ABSW Science Journalism Summer School - Wed 5 July 2017 - London - Registration now open to all

European Conference for Science Journalists - 26-30 June 2017 - Copenhagen

World Conference of Science Journalists - 26-30 October 2017 - San Francisco

 

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The Scholarships are now closed to entry - we hope to inform individuals of their success or otherwise at early on in the week beginning Mon 26 June

The Association of British Science Writers is pleased to offer a limited number of free student places to the ABSW Science Journalism Summer School on Wednesday 5 July 2017 at The Wellcome Trust, London. To apply you must currently be in full time education within the UK. 

Closing date for entries is noon on Friday 23 June 2017. 

The scholarship covers your registration fee and pre-agreed travel and accommodation costs only. If you are eligible, you will also receive one year's student membership of the Association of British Science Writers.

If you have already registered and paid for the Summer School and/or already paid for student membership of the ABSW you may still apply for the scholarship and this sum will be refunded to you if you receive a scholarship.

If you are not successful but still wish to attend the Summer School a place will automatically have been held for you so you do not lose out on a place at the Summer School by applying for the scholarship.

Apply for a student scholarship

The scholarships are possible due to support from Taylor & Francis Group.

Outside the Research Lab Volume 1: Physics in the arts, architecture, and design by Sharon Ann Holgate

Published by Morgan & Claypool as part of IOP Concise Physics, 2017    

This book is a testament to the fact that the physics taught to high school and university students IS used in the real world. It is a fascinating insight into the use of physics and technology in the arts, architecture, and design. Outside the Research Lab is a path to discovering how professionals from different sectors – including sculpture, music, TV sound recording, and shoe design – use physics to help them in their work. Stunning images throughout the book and clear, understandable writing are supplemented by offset detail boxes which take the physics concepts to higher levels.

Report by ABSW board member Andy Extance

Following a letter signed by the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) and other organisations, the UK government has clarified that ‘purdah’ rules should not restrict commentary from university academics.

The clarification follows a notice from Research Councils UK that it must ‘avoid competition with parliamentary candidates for the attention of the public’ in the run-up to the country’s election on June 8. The same notice also advises scientists not to highlight their research council funding and to delay publishing press releases about research-council funded work until after the election.

Science journalists have found that these and other instructions have had an unduly chilling effect. The letter, written by the Science Media Centre, highlights several examples where scientists had inappropriately declined to talk to the media. Those examples include subjects such as a new study on climate change, the current UK drought, and the government’s draft air quality plan.

Winners announced ABSW Science Writers' Awards for Great Britain and Ireland

The winners of the 2017 Association of British Science Writers’ (ABSW) Awards for Great Britain and Ireland were announced at an Awards Ceremony tonight (Thursday 25 May) in London.  

Two hundred and twenty-eight entries were considered by the independent panel of science journalists and science communicators who judged the entries based on originality, appeal to a broad audience, novelty of subject matter, likely impact, style, content, entertainment, balance and depth of reporting.  

The evening was hosted by Pallab Ghosh, Honorary President of the ABSW, and Science Correspondent at the BBC.   Aoife Pauley, Head of Corporate Media, EMEA, presented the Awards on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, the Award sponsors.

Hester van Santen, a science journalist for NRC media in the Netherlands has won this year's European Science Writer of the Year Award.

Hester was chosen from the fifteen nominees from throughout Europe and will attend the ABSW Awards Ceremony in London next week (Thu 25 May) to collect her certificate and cash prize.

On announcing the award the judging panel said: 

"In her submission, Hester has demonstrated her ability to be at ease with both popular science formats and more investigative type pieces. Her work is remarkably well researched regardless of the format or audience targeted and is full of creativity with a great range of interviews. Hester's best submission is undoubtedly the article about peer review, which represents a great case study of a big problem affecting science." 

Candidate's were assessed on three pieces of work and all were nominated by organisations representing science journalists and writers from throughout Europe. Hester was nominated by VWN the Dutch association for science journalism and communication.

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