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,
Tel
office: + 44 (0)20 3102 8136
www.peoplescienceandpolicy.com
PSP is a company registered in
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From:
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
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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:
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
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