Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2002 11:13:19 +0000
Subject: ALPHAGALILEO eNEWS - Feb 02
From: AlphaGalileo <[log in to unmask]>
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ALPHAGALILEO eNEWS - February 2002
CONTENTS
* International expansion
* European Science Press Agency
* Arts and Humanities
* The Library
* Request for feedback
* Job opportunities
* Site statistics
* The Hits Parade
* Remember...
* Contact details for AlphaGalileo
AlphaGalileo's eNews is supported by the Natural Environment Research
Council as part of its commitment to science communication
<http://www.nerc.ac.uk>.
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
The AlphaGalileo service is seeking additional partners to expand its
service to European science, medicine and technology. The partners should be
able to assist in improving the communication of European research by the
world's media, operate a national office for the service and represent their
country on the AlphaGalileo Management Board.
AlphaGalileo is supported by the European Commission but operates as a
collaboration between Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal and the UK,
with one partner in each country. Our aim is to promote European research by
producing a one-stop shop for the world's journalists covering all aspects
of science, medicine and engineering. From late Spring 2002 we will also
handle research into the arts and humanities.
The closing date for new partners to join the service is 11 March 2002.
The application forms are available from Peter Green
<[log in to unmask]>.
EUROPEAN SCIENCE PRESS AGENCY
The Research Directorate General of the European Commission is exploring the
creation of a European Science Press Agency. It announced its interest in
this in the paper 'Science and Society' published in December 2001. The
paper can be downloaded as a PDF from:
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readRelease&Releaseid=8096
>
AlphaGalileo has been invited to contribute to the preliminary thinking on
the issue. We have welcomed the idea, providing that the Press Agency
operates as an independent press office for the European research community.
The model supported by the AlphaGalileo collaboration would be an
internationally-funded organisation analogous to ESO or ESA. The Agency
would act as a press office for European research, encouraging the research
community and the existing institutional press offices to announce more news
to the world's press in the form of press notices, briefings, interviews and
visits.
ARTS AND HUMANITIES
AlphaGalileo is pleased to announce that late Spring will see the site's
expansion to cover the Arts and Humanities.
Many researchers across Europe take a wider view of what constitutes science
than those of us in the United Kingdom. Our partners in the
AlphaGalileo-Europe collaboration cover subjects that in the British
tradition are classed as arts and humanities. Our objective is to meet the
needs of all of Europe's research communities through using the established
AlphaGalileo service.
The European Science Foundation, the Arts and Humanities Research Board and
the British Academy have agreed to provide the additional funds needed to
add new keywords and a filtering procedure to AlphaGalileo. This will ensure
that journalists only see releases in their subject area.
If you have colleagues who you think would be interested in this development
we would be grateful if you could pass on this news.
THE LIBRARY
As part of the AlphaGalileo expansion, the Library section has been created
to provide a resource of background information for journalists.
We are encouraging all contributors, to add both text and non-text files to
the Library. We accept PDF files, images, movie and audio clips, as well as
text.
Since the site already provides the facility to attach images and other
items that are directly relevant to particular press releases, Library
material should be of a more general nature. For example, you might like to
showcase images that are available to journalists, or have reports,
documents or other informative facts and figures that would help to build up
an overview of a particular technology or discipline.
Posting items is a simple procedure, similar to posting a press release.
Contributors are able to promote their organisation or institution as the
source of the material, including the addition of logos and contact details.
The submission form requires a title, description and if posting an image, a
caption. You might also want to add comments in the Notes to Editors box.
Please see
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readLibrary&Libraryid=175>
as an example. We can accept the following file sizes: Images: GIFs and
JPGs, up to 200kb (thumbnails giving a flavour of what material is available
from the contributing organisation); PDF files: up to 1MB Movie/audio clips
up to 1MB
If you have any problems or queries about submissions, please contact the
duty editor.
REQUEST FOR FEEDBACK
We are preparing our next brochure and would like to include some examples
of coverage that releases or experts have had because of AlphaGalileo. For
example we have a fascinating instance of coverage in a local Kent (UK)
newspaper of research by the University of Durham and published by the Royal
Entomological Society into the threat that malaria may become endemic in the
UK again. Kent had the last recorded case in 1917. We have others based on
releases from the Universities of Liverpool and Newcastle. Examples from
beyond the UK would be extremely helpful.
If you have an example please get in touch.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
NUFFIELD COUNCIL
Assistant Director
The Nuffield Council currently has a vacancy for an Assistant Director. The
closing date for applications is 8 February 2002. Further details about the
post, including an application pack available to download are on the
Council's web site at:
<http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/home/index.asp/index.html>
THE BA
Science Communication Manager
The BA is a leading player in science communication in the UK. The Science
Communication Manager is responsible for developing unique and innovative
science communication programmes for the BA, both now and in the BA's
forthcoming new home in South Kensington.
Educated to degree level or equivalent , you will have significant
experience in devising and managing innovative science communication events
and other activities. You will have excellent interpersonal skills, an eye
for attracting media attention, and a broad understanding of the
stakeholders in the science communication community.
Two year appointment, salary range: £25 000 - £30 000 pa.
Please email or telephone Emma King on 020 7973 3056 or email
<[log in to unmask]> for further details. Closing date for applications,
in the form of a CV with accompanying letter, is 5.00 pm Friday 8 February
2002.
SITE STATISTICS
On the 4 February the site had:
Journalists 2828 (2827 at the end of January)
Contributors 1280 (1276 at the end of January)
Experts 3624 (3624 at the end of January)
Press Releases 7185 (7153 at the end of January)
Events 984 (983 at the end of January)
Books 22 (22 at the end of January)
Library 77 (77 at the end of January)
THE HITS PARADE
The top five releases by hits for January:
'Climate change following collapse of the Maya empire', NWO (Netherlands
Organization for Scientific Research) 1492 hits
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readRelease&ReleaseID=8458
>
'Pharoah's ears'' New scientist 1406 hits
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readRelease&ReleaseID=8420
>
'The earliest Australians', John Wiley & Sons 1124 hits
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readRelease&ReleaseID=8386
>
'Soviet plans implemented by Nature 90,000 years ago', John Wiley & Sons
675 hits
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readRelease&ReleaseID=8387
>
'Bonn researchers localise manic depression gene', Institute of Human
Genetics, Universität Bonn 370 hits
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=readRelease&ReleaseID=8358
>
REMEMBER....
...that your press release, book announcement or event has the potential to
be seen by nearly 3000 journalists worldwide. Many journalists tell us
AlphaGalileo is the best source of information they have. Make the most of
this opportunity by including pictures, video clips or sound files with your
release. And don't forget to add any background information to the library
for journalists to use as an extra resource. Adding attachments is a simple
process but if you experience any difficulties please contact the duty
editor at <[log in to unmask]>.
CONTACT DETAILS FOR ALPHAGALILEO
The AlphaGalileo team works from offices across southern England and also
whilst travelling. Reaching us can therefore be difficult. We recommend that
you use email to reach us and address emails to:
<[log in to unmask]>
This address sends mail to all members of staff and the duty team member
will respond.
Traditional post should go to the British Association, 23 Savile Row, London
W1S 2EZ.
Our partners in France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Portugal and the UK will
also be pleased to provide advice
<http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=supporters>.
If you need to email or speak to an individual team member and know that
they are at their home base you can contact them at the following email
addresses:
Peter Green, Director: <[log in to unmask]>
Laura Miles, Manager: <laura.miles@ alphagalileo.org>
Adrienne Meredith, Assistant Manager: <[log in to unmask]>
The site is available 24 hours a day 365 days a year. The management team
operate from 08.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs UK time five days a week. At weekends
the site is checked at 09.00 hrs, 13.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs Saturdays and
Sundays.
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