Can I just endorse Mike's comments and add that the EPSRC scheme is good
as it actively encourages and supports projects that link with
established science communicators - so if you've got the idea but not
the time or know-how you can join forces with people who have experience
- science centres, teachers, outreach units and the like - to apply for
a grant to take the idea forward.
The only other points I'd make are - think about your potential audience
(and define them tightly) and really think about why that particular
audience would be intersted in/needs to know/would want to take part in
your pet project. Just because it facinates you and/or 'people ought to
know more about how xyz works' are not by themselves good enough
reasons.
Dianne
Dianne Stilwell
PR and Public Awareness Manager
The Institute of Physics
76 Portland Place
London
W1B 1NT
UK
Tel +44(0)20 7470 4875
Fax +44(0)20 7470 4848
E-mail [log in to unmask]
www.iop.org
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on the public understanding of science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of mk
Sent: 26 May 2004 14:03
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Awards and encouragement
As one of the "peer reviewers" for the EPSRC scheme on public awareness,
I have seen proposals from "experienced" communicators and newcomers.
The schemes run by the research councils are open to all comers. Indeed,
the EPSRC has recently gone out of its way to encourage engineers with
no previous experience to join in the fun.
Having said that, as a reviewer I would expect to see at least some
evidence that the person seeking funds had exhibited at least a bit of
enthusiasm for communication. This does not have to be an expensive
project - a list of talks given, articles written or web pages
presented.
Think of it as a research project. You cut your teeth on an
undergraduate project, then go on to get your PhD with your supervisor's
support, and can then venture out and begin to do your own thing.
Research grants do not begin to flow until you are some way down this
road.
In the past, when assessing proposals for the Wellcome Trust for
example, I found that proposals from beginners showed little evidence
that they had looked at existing communications activities.
Too many bids set out to reinvent the wheel, especially when it came to
web sites. These proposals often seemed like thinly disguised attempts
to fund the purchase of new hardware. With luck we are now beyond that
phase.
_______________________________________________________________________
Michael Kenward OBE / Phone: +44 (0)1444 400568 Fax: 401064
/
Science Writer & Stuff / My other computer is a slide rule
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on the public understanding of science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jonathan Tedds
Sent: 26 May 2004 11:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [PSCI-COM] Awards and encouragement
Hello
Is it just me or do many of the current funding and award schemes as
typically posted on psci-com, for example, reward those that have
*already* significantly distinguished themselves rather than encouraging
the vast majority of practising scientists and communicators who would
wish to? I recognise that in reality it becomes a difficult job to
decide who should and shouldn't receive such funds/awards without some
distinguishing mechanism and rewarding success in this regard is in
itself desirable! But when you see recipients of e.g. NESTA dreamtime
awards who already have science/art books in print at time of
application and so forth it can seem rather daunting.
So perhaps an annual open forum could be created where anyone can come
for a day and present their raw ideas for innovative science
communication to a panel and then be invited back if warranting further
interest and hence a further investment of time and effort on behalf of
the applicant? This then does not involve an excessive time investment
in the initial stages. Eventually a limited number of applicants might
be offered financial assistance/secondment and advice having
sufficiently convinced the judges. By the way, I apologise if such a
forum already exists!
I think the problem for many practising scientists is that the usual
combination of work and family responsibilities make it extremely
difficult to put into action many of the good ideas we might have. You
feel you might jeopardise your current career (where there is always
that pressure to do your job well and write up and publish ever more
while on short term contracts) if you devote the significant effort
required to invest in serious science writing. On the other hand just a
small amount of encouragement from your peers might make all the
difference. Perhaps the best will always find a way but I believe we can
definitely encourage more to try?
Cheers,
Jonathan
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Jonathan Tedds, Tel: +44 (0)116 252 3502
XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre (XID), Fax: +44 (0)116 252 3311
Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of Leicester, Email: [log in to unmask]
Leicester LE1 7RH, UK http://xmmssc-www.star.le.ac.uk/~jat
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