The WCSJ2009 committee invites applications from working journalists (staff or freelance from print, broadcast, online) for a limited number of Travel Scholarships.
These will cover travel, 6 nights accommodation (for scholars who live outside London) from Sunday 28th June to Saturday 4th July 2009 and full registration for the 6th World Conference of Science Journalists (30th June - 2nd July 2009), with workshops on 29th June, and post-conference trips to sites of scientific interest on 3rd July 2009. The deadline for applications will be 28th February, and successful candidates will be notified by 31st March 2009.
Ian Katz, Executive Editor of the UK’s Guardian Newspaper is the latest speaker confirmed for WCSJ2009. Katz will speak in the plenary ‘Editors: what future for science?’ a session that will explore what the future holds for science journalism. Is it alive and healthy or is the recent culling of the entire science, technology, and environment news staff at CNN indicative of a wider trend? For the New Media Plenary founder of Google News, Krishna Bharat is on board. How will news be delivered in the future? Who is controlling the news agenda in the internet age? To keep up to date with programme developments visit our website www.wcsj2009.org, sign up for the RSS feed of our blog or follow our Co-Director Sallie Robins, on twitter (srPR).
The National Oceanography Centre, Southampton is the latest research institution to lay on a trip for Conference delegates. Visit the Centre to learn more about the UK’s national research vessel fleet from RSS James Cook to the Autosub6000 autonomous underwater vehicle. WCSJ trips are free to all conference delegates and provide direct access to scientists at some of the UK’s top research institutes, providing immediate stories and long term contacts. Visit our website for details of all trips and to register your interest in attending.
Welcome to our first two Silver Sponsors!
We are delighted to welcome our first two Silver Sponsors Johnson & Johnson PRD and Research Councils UK. Thanks are also due to several other new sponsors: European School of Oncology, supporting a workshop on “Informing attitudes and beliefs about cancer” and a parallel session on “Reporting cancer breakthroughs: striking the right note", British Council Darwin Now, for supporting a session on “Media coverage of evolution”, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), NWO (The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) and VWN (Dutch Association of Science Journalists) for travel scholarships, Canada Foundation for Innovation for a workshop “from Quantum to Cosmos, and highlights of Canadian research”, the Knight Science Journalism Fellowships for generous support for speakers, and UNESCO for a workshop on climate change. Finally, we welcome on board our first media partner, the Science and Development Network.
If you would like to support the conference, please see the Support WCSJ2009 section below.
'J & J PRD wants to play a significant role in the support of science writers because we think it is an essential part of our mission. Worldwide we have a group of about 20,000 people in research and development whether it is in Pharma, devices and diagnostics or in our consumer group. These are dedicated scientists who believe that their work can be beneficial to patients across the Globe. Their work can only be understood and explained or even admired if the right independant people communicate about it. The conference deserves the full support because it underlines this commitment to open and correct science writing and does so from a global perspective'.
Frederik Wittock, Director of Communications, Johnson&Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development 'The British Council works to encourage the international exchange of knowledge and ideas and that is why we are delighted to support the World Conference of Science Journalists. The session we are supporting is part of our Darwin Now initiative, a year-long programme that engages people from all over the world to explore evolutionary theory and the interplay between science and society. We look forward to creating a thought-provoking space in the conference for this dialogue to take place, and I am sure the session will be of great relevance to science journalists who are reporting on the many facets that the Darwin anniversary celebrations this year have to offer'.
Dr Fern Elsdon-Baker, Head of the Darwin Now project, British Council
The Conference relies on support from its funders and sponsors to ensure the Conference is a success and that it delivers on all its objectives.
If your organisation would be interested in being a key part of this Conference, please visit the Sponsorship page on our website for more information.
As part of our commitment to supporting science journalism in developing countries, we are pleased to announce SciDev.Net’s participation in the 6th World Conference of Science Journalists in 2009 as an official media partner. The leading source of news, views and information about science and technology in the developing world, SciDev.Net (The Science and Development Network) is dedicated to building capacity for communicating science through its regional networks, practical guides and training workshops. WSCJ2009 and SciDev.Net look forward to working together in the coming months to bring this world-class event to a global audience.
To ensure that you are kept up to date with the plans for the conference and if you didn’t receive this email directly from us, make sure you sign up to our mailing list. You will then receive all future conference updates directly to your inbox! Please also feel free to forward this email on to your colleagues who may also be interested in the conference.
Julie Clayton and Sallie Robins along with many others behind WCSJ2009 will be in Chicago for the AAAS on Wed 11th Feb – Sun 15th Feb. Visit us at our exhibition stand (booth 1318) and come along to the press briefing on Friday 13th Feb 4pm in the Press Room, to hear more about the programme from President of the World Federation of Science Journalists and BBC Science Correspondent Pallab Ghosh, and for a discussion ‘Science Journalism in Crisis?’ with views from the UK, USA and Developing World…. a taste of things to come in London 2009.
Bookings are now open for the World Conference in London 2009!
There are substantial discounts for Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) members and those who are members of an association which is a World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) member, and Early Bird registration discounts.
We look forward to seeing you in London,
WCSJ2009 Conference Steering Group |
| Conference Office: WCSJ2009 | Benchmark Communications | 14 Blandford Square | Newcastle upon Tyne | NE1 4HZ | UK T: +44 (0)191 241 4523 | F: +44 (0)191 245 3802 | E: info@wcsj2009.org | W: http://www.wcsj2009.org/ |
We wish to acknowledge the support of the following organisations who provided seed funding to help us in the early stages of development of the WCSJ2009:
Nature, The Royal Society, Wellcome Trust, World Federation of Science Journalists.
Thanks also to our partners who have provided a donation or grant in support of the WCSJ 2009:
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
And finally thanks to our sponsors:
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