Dear Gail
Thank you for your reponse - I feel reassured!
I also wanted to say a personnal thank you for the great events that I have
enjoyed at the Ri over the last year or so. I agree, there is always room
for more!
Regards
Rebecca
Senior Account Executive
Cohn & Wolfe
30 Orange Street
London WC2H 7LZ
t: 020 7331 5332
f: 020 7331 9084
http://www.cohnwolfehealthcare.co.uk
Gail Cardew
<[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask]
Sent by: cc:
"psci-com: on Subject: Re: Jenkins replaces "embarrassed" Ogilivie
the public
understanding
of science"
<PSCI-COM@JISCM
AIL.AC.UK>
26/06/2002
17:51
Please respond
to "psci-com:
on the public
understanding
of science"
Dear Rebecca
By the tone of your email, I assume that you'd like me to tell you that
you're completely off target. You're not; but you're not spot on target
either. Yes - the 'big three' do all hold events on similar subjects in
London throughout the year; as do a number of other excellent organisations
(and individuals for that matter). So what? All the theatres and art
galleries in London organise similar events too, and no one would suggest
that they should co-ordinate their activities. I'm all for a bit of choice,
and I'm sure that all these activities are increasing the 'pool' of people
who are starting to come out of an evening to chat about science.
That's not to say we could probably all benefit from some more
co-ordination, as long as no one felt that it was acting as a straight
jacket and it didn't take up too much time. When I first started here, I
set
up an informal meeting with the Royal Society and Science Museum to discuss
how to share our provisional programmes. This was in response to ourselves
and the RS organising a near-identical event on the same night, and a visit
by Lindsay Sharp and Graham Farmelo to discuss how events at the DANA
centre
would differ from those at the Ri. We all promised to meet again (this time
also with the BA), but we never got around to organising it. Maybe because
we didn't need it, or maybe we were all just too busy. A suggestion at some
point was that all our activities should be on one website. But we don't
need this now that www.the-year-ahead.co.uk is on the scene.
I also wouldn't agree with your remark of us all having 'little apparent
awareness of what the other groups are up to'. We're all on each other's
mailing lists, and we also all meet up from time to time - at various
levels
from the big cheeses down to the events assistants - and each organisation
has a great deal of support and respect for the others. The recent highly
successful BA/Copus science communication conference was a case in point.
It
was brilliant - a fantastic opportunity to discuss all sorts of
science-society problems. And the beauty of this meeting was that it wasn't
just the 'big three' deciding what to do about the various issues, or even
just the usual science communicator suspects. Perhaps there's room for more
meetings like those.
One last comment - thanks for the positive support for all the 'new and
exciting initiatives' we're trying to put together. As you can imagine, a
lot of people are working extremely hard to deliver all this, and it's nice
to hear it's being appreciated.
Gail
_____________________________
Dr Gail Cardew
Head of Programmes
The Royal Institution
21 Albemarle Street
London W1S 4BS
Tel: 020 7409 2992
Fax: 020 7670 2920
Email: [log in to unmask]
www.rigb.org
Registered Charity No 227938
-----Original Message-----
From: Rebecca Todd [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 26 June 2002 16:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Jenkins replaces "embarrassed" Ogilivie
As someone with a keen interest in science communication, but not actually
employed directly in the field myself, I feel I can perhaps comment without
requiring the safety blanket of anonymity. When I returned to London a
couple of years ago I quickly became a bit of an observer of science
communication activities and I frequently enjoy attending the interesting
debates and events that all three of the COPUS organisations regularly
arrange.
However, I have been struck by the apparent lack of communciation between
the three groups. I have found, for example, interesting events being
hosted by different groups on the same night, just around the corner from
each other! When I have asked a couple of people involved about this
"problem", I have, in some cases, generated a rather defensive response or
simply a shrug.
All three organisations are doing fantastic work in science communications,
but it appears to be coming from within little bubbles with little apparent
awareness of what the other groups are up to. This is despite the
existence of COPUS for so many years. I can understand that, historically,
these three organisations came into being to serve different purposes, but
now that they overlap in having the same currently popular aim of
"improving" science communication (something I feel strongly about as
well), it seems to me that there remains an obvious need for, either an
umbrella organisation, or the development of systems promoting greater
communication and teamwork to serve the same ultimate goal.
A couple of years ago, when I attended a "Building Bridges" conference,
there was talk of COPUS refocussing and, as part of this, choosing a new
name. Years later, even this relatively simple change has apparently not
taken place. As an outsider, I find this extremely disappointing and it
leaves me feeling slightly cynical about the whole science communications
community. If they can't even agree on a name.....?
I would love to hear representatives from the "big three" tell me I am
wrong to hold these views and tell me about the wonderful practices for
working together that they have, as I feel slightly tinged by my unwanted
cynicism!
I do, however, feel extremely positive about all the new and exciting
initiatives that all three organisations are separately undertaking - there
is undoubtedly room for all of them and I will continue to enjoy the events
that I attend.
Dr Rebecca Todd
Senior Account Executive
Cohn & Wolfe
30 Orange Street
London WC2H 7LZ
t: 020 7331 5332
f: 020 7331 9084
http://www.cohnwolfehealthcare.co.uk
David Steven
<david@RIVERPAT To: [log in to unmask]
H.COM> cc:
Sent by: Subject: Re: Jenkins replaces
"embarrassed" Ogilivie
"psci-com: on
the public
understanding
of science"
<PSCI-COM@JISCM
AIL.AC.UK>
26/06/2002
15:24
Please respond
to "psci-com:
on the public
understanding
of science"
Another list member comments:
"The COPUS press statement says it all. It is addressed from the Royal
Society not from COPUS. The Royal's dominance is nowhere better illustrated
by the COPUS web site: www.copus.org.uk. The independence of the "org.uk"
domain name is betrayed by site being framed by the Royal Society's
corporate paraphernalia.
Let's face it, the tripartite ownership of COPUS has broken down. In its
early years, COPUS was an essential support to the ailing BA. The BA is now
on a reasonably decent footing. It has a clearer agenda of its own and
doesn't need COPUS. The RI was a remarkably ineffectual member during these
early years and also a block to change in COPUS. Now the RI is striding off
in its own directions under its new leader and also doesn't need COPUS.
That leaves the Royal Society and COPUS is becoming part of its public
relations arm. Arguably, it always was this to some extent. But how is a
Council - let alone "the UK Partnership for Science Communication" - going
to going to work when it has all this historical baggage and the Royal
Society to all intents and purposes regards COPUS as just another internal
department?"
David
_____________________
David Steven
River Path Associates
E [log in to unmask]
T +44 (0)1202 849993
M +44 (0)7939 038832
W www.riverpath.com
_____________________
_____________________________________________________________________
This message has been checked for all known viruses by the
MessageLabs Virus Scanning Service. For further information visit
http://www.messagelabs.com
**********************************************************************
1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example,
send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following message:
set psci-com nomail
2. To resume email from the list, send the following message:
set psci-com mail
3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the
message:
leave psci-com
4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list
archive,
can be found at the list web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html
5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and
science
and society can be found at http://psci-com.org.uk
**********************************************************************
=============================================
This transmission is confidential and intended
solely for the person or organization to whom
it is addressed. It may contain privileged and
confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient, you should not copy,
distribute or take any action in reliance on it.
If you have received this transmission in error,
please notify the sender at the e-mail address above.
==============================================
**********************************************************************
1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example,
send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following message:
set psci-com nomail
2. To resume email from the list, send the following message:
set psci-com mail
3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the
message:
leave psci-com
4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list
archive,
can be found at the list web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html
5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and
science
and society can be found at http://psci-com.org.uk
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example,
send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following message:
set psci-com nomail
2. To resume email from the list, send the following message:
set psci-com mail
3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the
message:
leave psci-com
4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list
archive,
can be found at the list web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html
5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and
science
and society can be found at http://psci-com.org.uk
**********************************************************************
=============================================
This transmission is confidential and intended
solely for the person or organization to whom
it is addressed. It may contain privileged and
confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient, you should not copy,
distribute or take any action in reliance on it.
If you have received this transmission in error,
please notify the sender at the e-mail address above.
==============================================
**********************************************************************
1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example,
send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following message:
set psci-com nomail
2. To resume email from the list, send the following message:
set psci-com mail
3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the message:
leave psci-com
4. Further information about the psci-com discussion list, including list archive,
can be found at the list web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html
5. The psci-com gateway to internet resources on science communication and science
and society can be found at http://psci-com.org.uk
**********************************************************************
|
