I imagine this discussion spun off of my piece in the latest
People and Science where I raised this issue, and when writing it, I had this
kind of thing in mind. Being paid would be ideal, although things like Museums
Journal which run reviews of galleries etc don’t actually pay, but get
professionals to volunteer, I’ve just done one on this basis for a US
publication.
IAN
Ian Simmons
Science Communication Director
Centre for Life
Management Suite
Times Square
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4EP
Tel: +44191 2438250
Fax: +44191 2438201
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: 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. 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. 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. 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]
**********************************************************************
--
Jon Turney
Science writer, editor, lecturer.
Author The Rough Guide to Genes and Cloning (2007)
The Rough Guide to the Future (2010)
blog(s) at
http://unreliablefutures.wordpress.com/
and
http://bristoljazzlog.wordpress.com/
www.jonturney.co.uk
twitter: jonWturney
********************************************************************** 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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]
**********************************************************************
Disclaimer - September 8, 2010
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for [log in to unmask].
If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute, copy
or alter this email. Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely
those of the author and might not represent those of Centre for Life. Warning:
Although Centre for Life has taken reasonable precautions to ensure no viruses
are present in this email, the company cannot accept responsibility for any
loss or damage arising from the use of this email or attachments.
**********************************************************************
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. 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. 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. 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]
**********************************************************************
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. 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] **********************************************************************