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I wish we could! Money, as always, is a problem. But many people are happy to write for the exposure it gives them. Wendy _____ From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Suzanne King Sent: 09 September 2010 16:21 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Sci com's Billington As someone who was at Wendy Barnaby's editorial meeting for People and Science, I think Andy's email hits the nail on the head. So should various magazines/websites be paying 'critics' to attend various events/activities/exhibitions/etc and review them? Suzanne Dr Suzanne King Director People Science & Policy Ltd Argyle House, 29-31 Euston Road, London, NW1 2SD Tel office: + 44 (0)20 3102 8136 Mobile: +44 (0)7961 149558 www.peoplescienceandpolicy.com PSP is a company registered in England and Wales, registration number 3891609 This email and any attachments are confidential and may be the subject of legal privilege. Any use, copying or disclosure other than by the intended recipient is unauthorised. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message and any copies from your computer and network. We have taken precautions to minimise the risk of transmitting software viruses but we advise that you carry out your own virus checks on any attachments to this message. We cannot accept liability for any loss or damage caused by software viruses _____ From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Andy Lloyd Sent: 08 September 2010 11:46 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Sci com's Billington This is a discussion we've had a few times within the British Interactive Group (at the conference and online at big-chat), usually in relation to exhibitions or science shows and demos. In these cases science communicators are essentially creating an "artistic" product for audiences but in most cases their experience of the work of their peers' work is limited. One of the useful roles of a critic in the arts is to travel around seeing lots of examples of work in order to form an opinion based on a meaningful comparison (being the person who sees more work than the artists themselves). As we don't really have anyone in this role it is very difficult to really make definitive judgements on whether a specific exhibit, lecture or show is, in the grand scheme, any good. Perhaps this is another way to think about the standards question as raised by the "Science for All" report - rather than worrying about ways to somehow validate or certify individual science communicators if we had a means to critically compare what we do with our peers then the field as a whole could raise its quality standards. It's a conversation we'll be continuing within BIG but we'd welcome anyone's thoughts. Cheers Andy Lloyd (BIG Vice-chair) Andy Lloyd Special Projects Manager Centre for Life Management Suite Times Square Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP Tel: +44191 2438283 Fax: +44 191 2438223 Email: [log in to unmask] Life - A Centre for world-class science This year we celebrate our 10th birthday - Find out more at www.life.org.uk Doctor Who Exhibition at Life until Sunday 31 October 2010 - Book tickets now at www.life.org.uk/whats-on 10th Anniversary Debate, Science - Where in the Next Ten Years - www.life.org.uk/whats-on Our mission is to inspire curiosity in science through imaginative exhibitions and events, raise standards in science education and support world-class scientific research. From: Michael Kenward [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 07 September 2010 19:32 Subject: Re: Sci com's Billington That's not how I read it. Billington reviews theatre, not writing about theatre. Perhaps Wendy could elaborate. MK From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jon Turney Sent: 07 September 2010 12:10 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Sci com's Billington But Wendy is looking for a science communication critic, rather than a science critic, I think? I too read Maurice's book long ago, and I think one could suggest a few candidates for the latter role - though no uncontroversial ones. Evelyn Fox-Keller certainly embraced the term at one time, with some justification. As for science communication critic - much harder. Established critical slots are tied to established media and cultural habits (books, theatre, music), but do offer a space for comment which it is hard to match. So maybe it is not (just) pedantic to point out that Billington has a salary and an independent platform for his views, and does not write drama. He did once try his hand at directing, I seem to remember, but more to inform his critical practice rather than to cultivate an alternative career... I'm not sure how one could set up a similar gig, covering all the forms and occasions for science communication, though if anyone want to promote it my application will follow! I think New Scientist's nicely eclectic, and multi-authored, Culture Lab is probably nearest we are going to get at the moment... On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 11:52 AM, Hugh Aldersey-Williams <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Has anybody lately read Maurice Goldsmith's The Science Critic (1984)? He proposed this role at least 35 years ago. There must be reasons why the vacancy has not been filled. Surely high among them is that scientists aren't interested in the opinions of people who 'don't actually do it'; new research doesn't at any stage in fact demand an audience response; also that the media reaction when it comes (eg to GM) is rather unmeasured (a theatre critic would be more even-handed!). The obvious candidates, such as Carl Sagan, are dismissed by scientific peers as having crossed over. Aren't James Lovelock or Richard Lindzen both from their respective sides of the fence critics of 'climate change' science? They certainly seem to stand awkwardly in relation to the mainstream. best, Hugh Aldersey-Williams At the last meeting of the editorial committee of "People & Science", we tried to think of someone who has the same relationship to science communication as Malcolm Billington (Guardian theatre critic) has to the theatre. Any ideas? I'd discount Ben Goldacre as being too much a one-drum critic. We were trying to think of someone who knows the scene, doesn't actually do it, but engages with it and criticises and praises as s/he thinks fit. Someone at the table suggested that, until a field can name that sort of person, it hasn't really come of age. Wendy Barnaby ********************************************************************** 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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