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Dear all, There's now only a week and a half to go before the deadline for applications to enter the Dragons' Den at the UK Conference of Science Journalists - it's on Friday 25th May. So if you're a science writer who's just starting out and wants to have a shot at being published in the Guardian, Nature or Research Fortnight - not to mention a free place at the conference (see www.ukcsj.org for details) - send us your pitch! The Dragons want pitches of really good science news ideas - whether that's an unique take on a story, or something you've dug out that noone else has covered. Have a look at the biogs of the Dragons and their publications and keep the pitches short and sweet! A great guide on how not to pitch<http://www.theopennotebook.com/2012/01/04/how-not-to-pitch/>is available on The Open Notebook, and is well worth a read (even if you decide not to apply!), but I'm sure there are also plenty of people on here who could offer some pearls of wisdom that would be appreciated by everyone as well. If list members could pass this on to anyone who might be interested that would be great - previous writing experience isn't a must so anyone from scientists to students to science communicators can apply. All you need is to be able to attend the conference on Monday 25th June. Applications open until 25th May here: http://www.ukcsj.org/dragons-den.html and successful entrants will find out if they've made it to the final pitching session at the conference by Friday 8th June. Any questions, just get in touch with me (Beki Hill) on: [log in to unmask] All the best, Beki Dragons' Den Got an amazing idea for a science news story? Think you can cut it in the Dragons’ Den? As part of the UK Conference of Science Journalists 2012 we’re running a session with a difference – Dragons’ Den: Pitch to the Editors. This is your chance to stand in front of our three Dragons – Helen Pearson (Nature), Ehsan Masood (Research Fortnight) and James Randerson (Guardian) – and sell your ideas, with the opportunity of having your story published on one of their publication’s websites. Right now we’re asking anyone who’s interested to send in short pitches for a science news story suitable for one of theDragons’ publications. The best three will be chosen, and those people not only get to attend the conference free of charge, they also get to stand up in front of the Dragons live on the day. The session is intended to be fun and light hearted but also informative, with the constructive criticism of the Dragon's providing an insight into what makes for a successful pitch. If they’re good pitches you could get your story published by one – if they’re really good you might even have them fighting over it! What we want •Short pitches (no more than 300 words, but the shorter the better) for a news story about any aspect of science, suitable for publication in Nature, the Guardian or Research Fortnight (although you don’t need to specify which – the Dragons will decide that on the day!). You can check out the biographies below for a bit more information on the editors and their publications. •Examples of your writing – this isn’t essential but if you have some then do send them on. They can be links to online content, or attachments if they’re not readily accessible online. •You should be an early career science writer – you might be a student, a recent graduate, a freelancer, or even a scientist with a great story. •You must be free to attend the conference on Monday June 25th. How to apply: Complete the form below by Friday May 25th. Decisions will be made by Friday June 8th. Successful applicants will then be asked to pitch their news story in front of a live audience at the conference session on Monday June 25th. More details about what to expect on the day will be given once the final three have been chosen. Meet the Dragons: Dr James Randerson is environment and science news editor at the Guardian. He was previously online environment editor and science correspondent and before that was deputy news editor at New Scientist magazine. He has a PhD in evolutionary genetics. The Guardian is a global digital media organisation and national newspaper with a liberal voice. It serves a non-specialist audience and is always in the market for science, environment and health stories that will amaze, astonish, inform and entertain our readership. Helen Pearson runs the features section for Nature, where she has been writing and editing since 2001. She has a PhD in genetics and specialises in long form and biomedical journalism. Nature is a world-leading international journal publishing the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology, as well as authoritative, insightful news, features and comment for the scientific community. Ehsan Masood is the editor of Research Fortnight and has overall editorial responsibility for the 'Research' family of science policy publications including Research Europe. Research Fortnight was established in 1994 and is read by academics, policymakers and research managers in UK universities; as well as in government, industry and campaign groups. Ehsan also teaches international science policy at Imperial College and occasionally presents programmes for BBC Radio 4. -- Rebecca Hill, PhD E-mail: [log in to unmask] Tel: 07732229797 Twitter: @BekiHill <http://twitter.com/#!/BekiHill> ********************************************************************** 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 You may also change your settings and subscribe/unsubscribe to psci-com from the web site. Psci-com is part of the National Academic Mailing List Service, known as 'JISCMail'. It adheres to the JISCMail Acceptable Use Policy: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/acceptableuse.html and to the JISCMail guidelines for etiquette: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/etiquette.html Email commands: 1. 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