welcome to
1st Conference on
Science and Communication
Supported by:
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Programme
10.00 Poster presenters arrive and set up; filming and adjudication from 10.30 – 12.00
11.30 Visitor organisations set up
12.15 Lunch for organisers, visitors and poster presenters
12.30 – 13.00
Arrival and registration [Shirley Hall foyer]
13.15
Welcome and introduction [Shirley Hall]
Sophie Brown (Chief Editor), Christina Astin & Ghazwan Butrous (YSJ co-founders)
13.30
Keynote address – Prof Sir Harry Kroto
14.15
Short talk from Claire Nicholson (YSJ blogger)
Introductions to workshops and leaders: Fiona Jenkinson (former Chief Editor)
14.30 – 15.30
Workshop Session 1 [see pages 9-11 for details and venues]
15.30 – 15.55
Afternoon tea with poster presentations and exhibition
[Pupil Social Centre, below Shirley Hall]
16.00 – 17.00
Workshop Session 2 [see pages 9-11 for details and venues]
17.00 – 18.00
Welcome from Mr. P. Roberts, Headmaster of The King’s School
Feedback from workshops & plenary discussion [Shirley Hall]
18.00
Oral presentations from the 2 poster winners [Shirley Hall]
18.15
Refreshments (poster displays and exhibition available again) [Pupil Social Centre]
and departure of delegates
7.15 for 7.30
Dinner for speakers and invited guests
[Gateway Chamber, St. Augustine’s]
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Welcome!
Welcome to the conference and thank you for coming. We are delighted to have students and teachers
joining us from such a diverse array of schools and geographical locations. There is a distinguished line-up
of speakers and workshops for you today and hope you will feel inspired (though probably exhausted!)
afterwards. This is the first time the Young Scientists Journal has hosted a conference and we’d love your
feedback (see page 15).
YSJ (www.ysjournal.com) was founded in 2006 by a small group of students at the King’s School
Canterbury, with the support of Christina Astin (head of science) and Ghazwan Butrous. We wanted to
give promising science students a head start with their communication skills in the context of a real journal.
We also knew that students were doing excellent research in schools but had nowhere to publish.
Since then, an ever-changing student team has published 14 issues, with about 200 articles submitted from
student authors all over the world. One article, by Jaspreet Khaira, has recently received its 50,000th hit!
But what makes YSJ unique is that it is not only written but also run and edited by students. We are
currently working on our new site which will make the process from submission to publication quicker and
easier. If you would like to get involved in any way, e.g. as a writer, editor, web designer, blogger, social
media officer, get in touch with Chief Editor Sophie Brown at editor@ysjournal.com.
We hope you enjoy the day!
Christina Astin & Ghazwan Butrous
Schools attending
Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School, Canterbury
St Lawrence College, Ramsgate
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Faversham
King's School, Canterbury
Benenden School, Cranbrook
Highgate School, London
Annamalai University School, Chennai, India
The Perse School, Cambridge
Uplands Community College, Wadhurst
The Warwick School, Redhill
Chethams Music School, Manchester
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Messages from our supporters
Dear YSJ conference delegates,
“There was a time when communicating scientific research and scientific discoveries to a wider, lay
audience was thought to be a waste of time and certainly not something the scientists themselves should
spend time on. How things have changed. Today, the UK leads the world in science communication and
most scientists understand the value and importance of explaining what they do and why they do it, as well
as sharing the wonders of our universe with the rest of the population.
I always ask this: what is the point of discovering something new and
profound about the Universe if I don’t tell the world about it? For me,
explaining scientific concepts, in particular from my area of physics, to
the wider public who can share my excitement gives me a huge buzz
and is just as important as doing the research itself.”
Jim Al Khalili
Theoretical physicist, author and broadcaster
“I'd like to wish you all the very best for this conference. It promises to be very stimulating and I do wish I
could have been with you to hear all the ideas! I've spent the last 30 years communicating science and
technology stories, so it will come as no surprise that I think it's really important - not only to inspire those
who will be the innovators and inventors of the future but so we can all take part in informed debate on key
issues. It's never too early to start writing and sharing what you have learnt or seen. It's very exciting when
you read a piece written by a young person, with a fresh perspective and a fresh voice.
And I should remind all the young people under 16 attending this
event that the Journalism category for the TeenTech Awards
remains open until April 4th. The winner receives £1000 and the
presentation will take place at Buckingham Palace.”
Maggie Philbin
TV and radio presenter, formerly on Tomorrow’s World, CEO
TeenTech CIC
www.teentechevent.com (Winner Best Communication and
Outreach 2012)
“The YSJ conference provides, in my opinion, an excellent forum for the discussion of scientific ideas and
presentation of research - vital components of scientific progress. Discussing current breakthroughs and
issues in science not only sparks interest and excitement in students' minds but also equips them well for
further study and research, ultimately improving the quality of scientific research in
the UK. The magazine provides an excellent platform for young scientists to
present their work, as it has personally for me with my article on Tilings and
Tessellations.”
Jaspreet Khaira
3rd Year medical student at Cambridge University, whose article published by YSJ
has been viewed over 50,000 times.
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“I am immensely proud of what the Young Scientists Journal has achieved in the last eight years. The
Journal demonstrates that no matter who you are or where you live you can contribute to the shared body
of scientific knowledge that is humanity’s greatest achievement.
I began my scientific career with the Young Scientists Journal, and I hope that many of you will be inspired
to do the same. Science is the tool I use to feed my curiosity about the world. Like many scientists I’ve
found myself focusing in ever increasing detail on a tiny area of research (how we can build better homes)
yet more research I do, the more unanswered questions I find. Far too often I find myself in the office late at
night working by the glow of my computer, not because I have to, but because I want to.
This conference addresses the very important topic of science communication. Few people outside of the
scientific community have any idea what scientists do, or how they help make the world a better place.
Without public knowledge of science, important issues such as climate change or the teaching of evolution
can be ignored by politicians with disastrous consequences. It is your responsibility as the next generation
of scientists to ensure that everybody knows about science, its methods, its principles and usefulness to
society.
I hope you enjoy the conference; I would like to leave you with a
quote from one of my personal heroes and a great science
communicator Neil de Grasse Tyson. When an eight year old girl told
him that she wanted to be a scientist when she grew up, he said “The
great thing about being a scientist is you never have to grow up.”
Malcolm Morgan
Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Cambridge
Founding Member of the Young Scientists Journal
Conference bookshop
Copies of the Young Scientists Journeys book, edited by Paul Soderberg and
Christina Astin, will be available for a special conference price of just £2
(discounted from the normal retail price of £12.45) in the Shirley Hall foyer.
Please email gbutrous@gmail.com if you would like to order further copies at this
price.
One reviewer wrote: “Blast Off! ... Oops. This title sums up the sheer fun of the contents of this
amazing book. Divided into short, punchy, chapters it takes the reader on a journey through science
which is entertaining and inspirational. The section in question describes repeated attempts to create
a small rocket, complete with space capsule, which would carry two ant-astronauts ... an experiment
which inspired the writer to begin a seventeen-year military flying career. Many other similar
anecdotes are included such as finding the ultimate paper plane, observing the intriguing effect of
cholesterol on young rats, and all capture the attention and make one want to read more.
Aimed principally at aspiring scientists aged between 12 and 20, the warmth and personal tone of
the contents proves engaging even to the older non-scientist like me. The journey theme is supported by a sense of 'family': a
section entitled 'A Few Final Tips from Your Big Sister', for example, gives lots of encouragement to a young scientist to have
confidence to embrace the infinite possibilities on offer - and in a global context. Contributors come from a wide range of countries
and cultures, and the common thread throughout is the love of science.
In addition to the young scientists of the title, this attractively produced and illustrated book will be appreciated by educators,
parents, intrigued adults of all academic persuasions, and of course librarians. The school library needs to be a place where
enjoyment is coupled with aspiration and this book certainly achieves this aim. Where else can you be inspired by the artistic
possibilities of bloated leeches and buffalo blood ... buy your copy immediately!”
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Visiting Organisations
Exhibitors:
The Royal Society
University of Cambridge (Queens’ College)
University of Kent
SEPnet (South-East Physics network – a university consortium of physics departments, who have kindly
sponsored this conference)
CREST Awards
Nuffield Research Placements (represented by Medway Education Business Partnership)
London International Youth Science Forum
Education Harbour
Leaflets and other materials provided by:
The Royal Institution
The Society of Biology
The Royal Society of Chemistry
The Institute of Physics
University of Cambridge Admissions office
Imperial College, London
Philip Allan, publishers of Physics/Chemistry/Biology Review (with thanks for supplying the bags!)
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Keynote Speech: Professor Sir Harry Kroto
“Créativité Sans Frontières”
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Workshops overview
Professor Sir Harry
Kroto
(Keynote speaker)
Professor of Chemistry at
Florida State University
The Goo-You-Wiki-World revolution and
GEOSET in particular – a project aiming to
share science videos across the world
Professor Averil
MacDonald
University of Reading
How to understand your audience in order
to make an impact
Stefan Janucz, Emilie
Aime, Ruth Milne &
Raminder Shergill
Royal Society Publishing
How scientific journals are adapting to
change, including the role of online
publishing
Joanne Manaster
University of Illinois, USA;
prolific science blogger
Social media is more than finding out what
celebrities had for lunch! Discover how to
share your passion for science on social
media for a broader reach.
Kate Bellingham
TV Presenter
Media coverage of scientific research: TV,
newspapers, radio. How to write a press
release.
Michael Marshall
Environmental journalist,
New Scientist
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Routes into science journalism and tips on
how to write with interest and clarity.
Workshop details
A. GYWW and GEOSET
ROOM: Schoolroom
Workshop leader: Professor Sir Harry Kroto, Professor of Chemistry at Florida State University
The Goo-You-Wiki-World revolution and GEOSET– sharing science videos across the world
Professor Kroto won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Robert Curl and Richard Smalley in
1996 for his discovery of Carbon-60. He is professor of chemistry at Florida State
University, which he joined in 2004. Prior to that, he spent a large part of his career at the
University of Sussex, where he now holds an emeritus professorship.
The aim of education is to uncap the creative potential of every child and the Internet promises to do that better
than before. Not only is information today almost instantaneously accessible, but anyone with expertise and the
passion to communicate can contribute to the amazing globally-accessible cache of knowledge. Can on-line
education replace a real teacher-pupil relationship? We should explore the imaginative educational opportunities
which this new technology offers for instance to conflate synergistically with, rather than replace, traditional models.
One such approach is the Global Educational Outreach for Science, Engineering and Technology (GEOSET) initiative
(www.geoset.info) which enables both teachers and students to contribute creatively to the great humanitarian
endeavour of building the “Global Cache of Knowledge” and at the same time improve greatly their career
prospects.
B. The Psychology of Science Communication
ROOM: ChemLab 3
Workshop leader: Professor Averil MacDonald, University of Reading
How to understand your audience in order to make an impact
Professor MacDonald holds the Chair of Science Engagement at the University of Reading. Averil
has been awarded the international Bragg Medal and Prize by the Institute of Physics, London, the
accolade of Woman of Outstanding Achievement in Science in recognition of her work in Science
Communication, and the prestigious Plastics Industry Award.
Communicating science isn’t just a matter of deciding what you want to say – or write – and then saying it or writing
it well. The real professionals approach the process with a serious analysis of who their audience is and how they
think. In this workshop you will find out how to understand your audience, how to choose the voice, the feel, the
message, the medium and the level for your piece along with a USP that really hooks your audience into reading or
listening to the end.
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C. Peer Out
ROOM: PhysLab 5
Workshop leaders: Stefan Janucz, Emilie Aime, Ruth Milne and Raminder Shergill, Royal
Society Publishing
How scientific journals are adapting to change, including the role of online publishing
Stefan is the Programme Manager for the 350th anniversary
of the journal “Philosophical Transactions”. He, Emilie, Ruth
and Raminder work for the Publishing division of the Royal
Society, which publishes nine scientific journals. The Royal
Society is a Fellowship of the world’s most distinguished
scientists and its fundamental purpose is to recognise,
promote, and support excellence in science.
Scientific publishing began almost 350 years ago in 1665 with the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, still
published today. The journal’s founder, Henry Oldenburg, defined the functions of a scientific journal as Registration
(establishing who got there first), Certification (peer review), Dissemination (communicating to a sizeable,
geographically distributed audience) and Archiving (allowing scientists to build on what went before). These are the
foundations of, not only scientific publishing, but the scientific method itself. This model has since been used by
many thousands of scientific journals, and since the world wide web, there are now nearly 30,000 journals publishing
altogether a million papers a year. This workshop will look at how the model is adapting to change including open
access, and how online publishing offer new opportunities and challenges.
D. Sharing Science on Social Media
ROOM: Computer Rm 2
Workshop leader: Joanne Manaster, Lecturer in biology at the University of Illinois, USA and
prolific science blogger
Social media is more than finding out what celebrities had for lunch! Discover how to
share your passion for science on social media for a broader reach.
Joanne is a faculty lecturer of biology at the University of Illinois in UrbanaChampaign, USA. She is active in social media and is known for her STEM advocacy for
young people. She writes a blog for Scientific American about science in film, video,
and TV, and maintains a website called Joanne Loves Science. Her twitter account,
@sciencegoddess, has been named by Mashable as One of 25 Twitter Accounts That
Will Make You Smarter.
New media and social media have created unprecedented and unique ways engage with scientific peers and the
general public. It is also an effective way to meet the people whose work you admire. We will explore some
examples of how new media is used to share science, including twitter, Google Hangouts on Air, Pinterest, Tumblr,
and more. Participants will set up a twitter account and learn the basics!
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E. Playing the Media Game
ROOM: BioLab 5
Workshop Leader: Kate Bellingham, TV Presenter, Teacher & STEM Consultant
Media coverage of scientific research.
Kate has worked as a TV & radio presenter including BBC TV’s Tomorrow’s World. With a
degree in physics and Masters in electronics, she has also worked as an engineer, a Maths
& Physics teacher, the National STEM Careers coordinator and in numerous roles
supporting STEM learning and outreach.
A workshop looking at how scientific research is covered by mainstream TV, radio & press. Tips on how to play the
media game without compromising your position as a scientist. Have a go at developing a media plan and writing a
press release.
F. Science Journalism
ROOM: Mint Yard 3
Workshop leader: Michael Marshall, Environmental journalist, New Scientist
A practical master class in writing for a popular science journal.
Michael is a journalist and writer. He studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge and
went on to do a Masters degree in experimental psychology, then another one in
science communication. He now works full-time for New Scientist as their
environment reporter.
How do we write about scientific research for a popular audience? Find out how to research and structure a story,
and what needs to go into it. Then have a go at writing a science news story for yourself.
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Plenary Questions
You might like to consider these questions during the two workshops you attend for discussion
during the final plenary. Feel free to make notes below!
i.
How can school-age students publish their research?
ii.
What’s the best way to practise science writing/enhance scientific literacy?
iii.
The challenges of peer-review by students
iv.
Benefits/limitations of social media/blogging
v.
Who should pay for open-access journals?
vi.
The challenges/opportunities of researching collaboratively, internationally
vii.
Video – professional vs user-generated
viii.
The relationship between scientists and the media
ix.
Why should we engage the public with research whereas for many years it was considered
sufficient to communicate only with one's peers?
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Poster Projects – Titles
Delegates have been invited to bring posters showing some science research they have done.
These are displayed in the Pupil Social Centre and will be available to view before the conference,
during the tea break and after the final plenary session. Two prizes of £250 will be awarded to the
two best projects (generously donated by the Butrous Foundation) and these winners will present
their research at the end of the conference.
Name(s)
School/College
Title
Pratap Singh
The Perse School,
Cambridge
Tamsin McKinnon
Highgate School,
London
Aisling Clube, Olivia Wollaston
and Intie Howell
Prishita Maheshwari-Aplin
Benenden School, Kent
Cosmic-Ray muon detection: can
we verify Special Relativity in the
school lab?
The polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) – a technique used to
amplify targeted sections of DNA
Influenza: will YOU survive?
Claire Nicholson
Sampath Sambavi
Rahul Sadhwani & Alexandra
Ham
Tireni Atoyebi, Helen Woodward
& Alisha Sadhwani
Rosalyn Suen, Kanapath
Oungpasuk & Dawn Lau
Madeleine Mills, Dena
Movahedyan & Elizabeth Hale
George Edwards
Hal Evans
Maddy Irwin & Honoury Cheung
Kashvi Shah
Laura Chimdi Ota
Maria Constantinescu
Chetham’s School,
Manchester
Bishops Stortford
School, Essex
Annamalai University
School, Chennai, India
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
The King's School,
Canterbury
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Does the choosiness gene
evolve in mate-copying males?
The Effect of Acid Rain on
sealife.
Effect of iron nanoparticles on
bioelectricity generation in a
microbial fuel cell.
Oscillating Reactions and
Antioxidants in Fruit Juices
The Doppler Effect
Environmental chemistry
research - testing lake water
Tea: preferences and health
benefits
Gas-Sense: How much gas in in
a Gas Bottle?
The Changing Shapes of
Engineering
Cloud Seeding using Silver
Iodide
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Should Fluorine be put in our
water?
Can you remember?
Map and other practical details
Workshops are in these areas
Main conference sessions
Dinner (for invited guests)
Wi-fi access
Network: kingsguest
User: ysj
Password: kingsysj
Toilets
These are located under the Shirley Hall.
Refreshments
Drinks will be available in the Pupils’ Social Centre (under the Shirley Hall) before the Conference until
12.10 for poster presenters and visiting organisations, and after 18.30 for all.
Afternoon tea will be available in the Pupils’ Social Centre at 15.30 during the poster presentations.
Contact
If you need to contact one of the conference organisers during the day, please call 01227 595501 or ask
one of the YSJ runner in blue T shirts for assistance.
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Feedback
We would value any feedback you can give us so that we can make our next conference even
better.
Either fill in this sheet, tear it out and pop it in the box in the Shirley Hall foyer or email us your
thoughts at nk@ysjconf.info.
Thanks!
Quotable “soundbite” about the whole event:
Did you like the choice and quality of the speakers and workshop leaders?
What did you think of the exhibition and poster presentations?
Any comments about the timing?
How were our practical arrangements, refreshments, etc?
Ideas for next time – theme, speakers, format?
Any other feedback?
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