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HI Nicola Given that other people are posting shameless plugs for themselves here in response to your query I thought I'd do the same. I write and present science shows for young people of all ages from 7 to 97+, and I also design and make show props and interactive exhibits, and I reckon I can be pretty inspiring given the chance. I'd be delighted to come to Cambridge and have a go at inspiring your PhDs and Postdocs. If you'd like to know more have a look at my website; www.lminteractive.co.uk, or give me a ring on 01761 412 797 Cheers Richard. Richard Ellam L M Interactive Science Shows and Hands-On Stuff [log in to unmask] On 19 Aug 2010, at 18:46, Nicola Buckley wrote: > Hello all > With (sort of) reference to this interesting discussion: does > anyone have recommendations for good science communication > trainers? Inspiring people who could talk to PhDs, postdocs etc and > start them off or develop their learning how to be engaging > communicators, mainly in the context of live communication events > with young people / the public of all ages? We know a few very good > people round here, but additional recommendations on or off-list > would be helpful! > thanks > Nicky > > Nicola Buckley > Festivals and Outreach Manager > Cambridge Science Festival and Cambridge Festival of Ideas > Office of External Affairs and Communications > University of Cambridge > The Pitt Building > Trumpington Street > Cambridge CB2 1RP > Tel: +44 (0)1223 764069 > Mobile: +44 (0)7774 017688 > Email: [log in to unmask] > > > Cambridge Science Festival www.cambridgescience.org > Cambridge Festival of Ideas www.festivalofideas.org > Cambridge Community Knowledge Exchange > www.cam.ac.uk/ccke > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:PSCI- > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Ellam > Sent: 18 August 2010 13:31 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Update from Science for All Follow on > group: Science Communicators > > > HI Dom (and All) > > As someone who has the Museums Diploma (the AMA), gained a good few > years ago now, I have serious reservations about the utility of > this, and similar qualifications, as my experience suggests that > once people have gained them they forget about most of the stuff > they've learned and just carry on much as before. So the motivated > and professional carry on being motivated and professional and the > rest just muddle along as they did before, too. In theory the MA > is supposed to maintain a check on professional standards, but it > has never, to my knowledge censured a professional member for > failing to behave in a professionally competent manner. > > There is maybe some merit in having some kind of entry-level > qualification for science communicators, but I really don't think > there's much merit in having any kind of professional > qualification. Broadly speaking science communicators generally > sit with people like journalists, and live performers, and > teachers. There are courses that you either can do or have to take > in order to enter these occupations, but they don't lead to a > 'professional' qualification with the regulation of standards that > this implies. > > This is not to say that I don't believe in continuing training - as > a regular organiser of sessions at the BIG Event I certainly do- > but I'm not sure that wrapping this continuing training up into > some form of qualification actually achieves anything useful. > > Another point to ponder - the Museums Association adminsters the > AMA qualification. It has about 6000 members, and they pay about > £50 a year each to be members. The MA also has corporate members > who, although fewer in number pay rather more each per year. This > income maintains a central London office and a small staff. > > If we create some kind of professional qualification for science > communicators who do you envisage running the scheme? There isn't > any single body in our business which could do this at the moment. > So do we create yet another organisation to stand alongside BIG and > ECSITE UK and the BSA, or do dragoon one of these into running the > scheme. And who pays? > > I'm all in favour of training, and wish there was more of it > offered as this would largely meet Anabella's requirements, but I > can't see any merit in a professional qualification, I'm afraid. > > Hope this helps > > Cheers > > > Richard. > > > Richard Ellam > L M Interactive > Science Shows and Hands-On Stuff > [log in to unmask] > > > > > > On 18 Aug 2010, at 11:27, Anabella Gale wrote: > > > Hi all, > > I think the Museums Association Scheme looks like a good model to > start with. It may be difficult to set up to begin with as there is > still an issue with how you accredit people with 20 years + > experience > in a meaningful way, but once established it could be really useful. > > Personally, I would like training that gives opportunities to work > with new aspects of science communication that part of my current > job. > I often meet and work with people who have skills that I would really > like to learn. The ideal way would be to work on a project together, > but to collaborate you need to bring a useful skill, and even then > you > don't necessarily learn what you hoped to. > > I think a scheme like this could be a great way for someone entering > the industry to gain a range of skills, but for those who are more > experienced it could allow them to branch out and try something new. > > Bella Williams > > > On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 4:57 PM, Dominic McDonald > <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Hi again everyone > > Many thanks for all your comments so far about the idea of a > qualification for science communicators which might look a bit like > the Associateship of the Museums Association scheme (http:// > www.museumsassociation.org/careers/associateship-of-the-museums- > association). > > I think there are a couple of really interesting issues that have > been raised, and I wondered if I could stimulate some further > discussion around the two questions that Suzanne asked, namely: > What training would you like to help you do whatever you do better? > and > What training do you need before you can start doing what you'd > like to do? > > Please believe me when I say that I don't need a fully worked up > syllabus! All comments are incredibly useful in terms of helping us > to get a flavour of what people want and/or need, and would they > would actively fight against... > > Yours in anticipation > > Dom > > > ********************************************************************** > 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for example, > send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] with the > following message: > > set psci-com nomail -- [include hyphens] > > 2. To resume email from the list, send an email to > [log in to unmask] with the message: > > set psci-com mail -- [include hyphens] > > 3. To leave psci-com, send an email to [log in to unmask] > with the message: > > leave psci-com -- [include hyphens] > > 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. 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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.ac.uk > > 6. To contact the Psci-com list owner, please send an email to > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > ********************************************************************** > > > ********************************************************************** > 1. To suspend yourself from the list, whilst on leave, for > example, send an email to mailto:[log in to unmask] with the > following message: > > set psci-com nomail -- [include hyphens] > > 2. To resume email from the list, send an email to > [log in to unmask] with the message: > > set psci-com mail -- [include hyphens] > > 3. 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