In NYC Thursday evening? Want to meet up at Rockefeller University? I’ll be speaking there–along with some terrific co-panelists, described below–at 7pm. RSVP here if you’d like to attend this free event, presented by Nature Publishing:
Matching medium and messengers to meet the masses
Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (ET)
New York, NY

Here’s the description from the event’s website:

Reaching an audience that’s already interested in science is a relatively easy thing to do. Reaching a broader audience, however, can be a serious challenge. Attracting and maintaining an audience outside the core of science enthusiasts requires a carefully crafted match of the medium and messenger. When and how should scientists and science communicators seek to highlight science issues to the general public? Should we be ready to respond and correct public misunderstandings or attempt to influence science policy? What material can be handled through social media, and what requires a more involved form of engagement, such as a science festival? Our panel has experience communicating with everyone from young kids to policymakers, and will discuss what they’ve learned about using different spokespeople and platforms to get their message out.

Panelists:
Darlene Cavalier is the woman behind the Science Cheerleaders.
Jamie Vernon, a science policy analyst.
Molly Webster, lead producer for live programming at the World Science Festival.
Kevin Zelnio is Assistant Editor and Webmaster for Deep Sea News and a freelance writer.

Weiss 305
Rockefeller University
E66th and York Ave.
New York, NY

Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (ET)
RSVP to attend here.

Humans evolved. Shouldn’t our websites? That’s the idea behind NOVA’s new Beta Evolution website, an experimental effort to transform the way NOVA delivers its award-winning science and technology programming.

Since 1996, NOVA has pioneered new forms of web-original content with more than 30,000 pages covering anything from string theory to aviation to how the Pyrimids were built. The Beta Evolution website serves as one-stop shop for all matters evolution, including the recent three-part NOVA series, Becoming Human, which explores the latest scientific research on human origins. Over time, NOVA will rely on user feedback to help inspire new ways of designing, organizing, and presenting this content to make it more useful for viewers.

Last week, I had the opportunity to chat with Lauren Aguirre, executive director of NOVA’s Web team, about goals of the new project, the challenges of organizing 13 years of content, and her experiences at the forefront of science communications. You can listen to each individual question and answer by clicking on the audio player below. Enjoy!

Indulge me (Dr. John Ohab) for just a moment and check out this new story, Armed and Scientific, just released by UCLA Magazine. I was recently interviewed for the “Quick Takes” series, which highlights former students and their work since graduating from UCLA. While much of the article focuses on my experiences at the Defense Department, the author did include a brief ditty about Science Cheerleader, describing it as “a web-based media platform that… aims to make science more fun and understandable to wider audience.”  Right on!

Click here to read “Armed and Scientific” in UCLA Magazine.

From ScienceCheerleader.com reporter, Dr. John Ohab:

Citizen scientists, I’d like you to meet Ziya Tong, a new correspondent on the Emmy-nominated science video series, NOVA ScienceNOW. Ziya joins a NOVA program well-known for exploring important science and technology topics at the interface of politics, art, and society. So far, she’s covered areas like gene therapy, how walruses and sea lions have influenced human language, and the hunt for the earliest macromolecules. I recently had a chance to chat with Ziya about how her work in science broadcasting is creating common ground for scientists and the public.

For Ziya, it turns out that exploring far-out science topics is just another day at the office – literally! In addition to her work with NOVA, she also hosts Daily Planet, Discovery Channel Canada’s daily science show, and previously served as host and producer on PBS’ Wired Science. She even hosted a travel show, Island Escapes, during which she visited over 50 countries (approximately 45 more than me).

“I’m inspired in a new way every day,” Ziya said. “I’ve had the unique opportunity to meet, and most importantly, learn from very inspiring people.”

Ziya’s work in video production, writing, directing, and hosting has reinforced the importance of presenting science in a way that is meaningful and understandable to people. She operates from several guiding principles: keep things simple, live what you love, and get out in the field to experience real science.

Importantly, she has seen first-hand the impact of citizen participation in the scientific process. For example, in the Wired Science episode, Flotsam Found, Ziya worked with Curt Ebbesmeyer, an oceanographer who tracks data points of garbage floating in the ocean. By aggregating records of things people have found on the beach — rubber ducks, shoes, etc — Curt is able to track the flow of objects over ocean currents.

When it comes to getting people involved, Ziya has been a part of some pioneering efforts in the media space. One of her first hosting gigs came on ZeD TV, a Canadian variety show that included user-generated video content and interactive features through its website. This concept would later influence the development of Current TV, a network led by former Vice President Al Gore. Also, on Daily Planet, there is currently an interactive segment, Planet You, where viewers can record and contribute their science and technology ideas.

Ziya also discussed her place as a role model and the importance of mentoring students who are interested in careers in science and communications. She credited much of her own success to the “fantastic visionaries” Arthur and Marilouise Kroker, her mentors at McGill University, where she received a Masters degree in Communications. Ziya hopes to play a similar role for aspiring young science broadcasters, particularly women.

“It’s important to present to young people, especially young women, a new face in the science and technology realm,” she said. “I want to present a critical and thoughtful view that demonstrates the impact that scientists have on society.”

Ziya is not the only one trying to demystify science. On August 31, NOVA ScienceNOW launches The Secret Life of Scientists, a web video series that provides a personal and thought-provoking look at the lives of 16 scientists and engineers. Through a mixture of whimsical interview questions, each show will demonstrate how scientists and engineers can be athletes, musicians, artists, chefs, and, most importantly, incredibly human.

Ziya also offered advice to young students looking to pursue a career in science, whether at the bench or with a camera.

“Persistence and passion,” she said. “If you can demonstrate that you care more than anyone else, eventually people will see that.”

As for her future, Ziya has considered lecturing and even writing a book about her experiences covering science and technology across the globe. For now, you can find Ziya on her personal website and access every episode of NOVA ScienceNOW via streaming, download, and RSS or iTunes.

Randy Olson’s forthcoming book on communicating science, “Don’t be SUCH a scientist,” will surely irk some (particularly scientists who frankly don’t see the importance of communicating with the public despite the fact the public pays for most of their research). However, I predict most readers and reviewers will find it informative, refreshing and certainly entertaining.  Randy draws upon a plethora of personal and professional experiences only he can bring to the table: Harvard-educated marine biologist who gave up a comfortable tenured position to start a career in Hollywood. Along the way, he picked up valuable lessons on how best to engage an audience and he generously shares those lessons in this book.  It’s framed by science but it should be required reading for law school students, elected officials, education majors and others who need to connect with an audience.  The message (don’t be afraid to be a good story teller) is universal and transcends science. 

I should mention that he and I are friends. He reached out to me after seeing this video and later (fortunately for me) was my key advisor on this one.  I snapped this picture of Randy when we were in NYC last week. It shows him holding the very first signed copy of his book which went to yours truly. (GOOOOO Randy!) Preorders of the book are available here.