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COALESCE turned one on 1 April – above is the group from our kick-off meeting – and what a year it has been! You may have read some of our highlights in the previous issue of this newsletter. Since then, as you will see in this issue, we have had the pleasure of welcoming our new national and regional hubs, publishing our first policy brief and speaking at several key conferences on science communication in Europe.
We also launched our podcast on science communication, called SciComm Conversations, last month. Our first season is all about science communication in the context of AI, and you can listen to the first episode below or search for “SciComm Conversations” in your favourite podcast app. Our second episode will be out later this month.
COALESCE will have a prominent presence at the ESOF2024 conference in Katowice, Poland, this coming June, and we hope to see many of you there. We will be hosting one of the main workshops of the event, but if you cannot attend it or the other sessions we will be hosting, you can always find us any time at our booth. Come say hello!
COALESCE can only achieve its potential with your participation: we invite you to join our Community of Practice if you haven’t already done so. And don’t forget that you can follow us on social media – we post regularly on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.
We hope that, as spring finally arrives across Europe, your science-communication endeavours continue to thrive. Happy reading!
– Joana, Jason and Rosa
The COALESCE Co-ordination Team
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Shaping European science through dialogue |
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In March, COALESCE was invited to a number of key conferences in Europe. Below are some of the highlights.
Science Europe – which represents major European organisations that fund and perform research – organised a high-level conference in Brussels, Belgium, with Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) and Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS), on the topic of “Unlocking the Power of Science Communication in Research and Policy Making”. Joana Magalhães from Science for Change represented COALESCE at the conference, speaking on a panel on the current priorities in science communication.
Following the conference, the organisers released their strategic conclusions, calling on European institutions, national governments and research organisations to incentivise science communication, recognise science communicators as professionals, promote AI literacy and adopt core principles for responsible science communication. COALESCE endorses the recommendations and call to action presented in the document, which you can download and read on the Science Europe website.
COALESCE also attended the “Science communication beyond tomorrow II: Reaching our stakeholders - channels and tools for success” event organised in Brussels, Belgium, by the Joint Research Centre, represented by Joana and by the University of Valencia’s Isabel Mendoza. A full recording of the conference as well as the presentations given can be found on EU Science Hub’s website.
In Venice, Italy, the European project Climateurope2 held the “Uniting science, services and standards for a climate resilient future” festival, to which COALESCE was invited, represented by Kaelin DeLong from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Kaelin participated in an interactive session on communicating climate knowledge.
Image credit: FNRS/Danny Gys (released under CC BY)
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Welcome to new national and regional hubs |
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COALESCE national and regional hubs are organisations across Europe, including COALESCE consortium partners, which form a network at the heart of COALESCE and serve as the physical venues for COALESCE activities.
Earlier this year, we welcomed five new N&R hubs into the COALESCE family, learning more about their work during our first mutual-learning sessions:
- CRA, Sofia, Bulgaria 🇧🇬
- TRACES, Paris, France 🇫🇷
- SciCompt, Lisboa, Portugal 🇵🇹
- Hiša eksperimentov, Lubiana, Slovenia 🇸🇮
- Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷
New N&R hubs will be established throughout the project, following annual calls for expressions of interest from selected countries. You can find out more about the N&R hubs and their roles in COALESCE on our website.
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Communicating science during crises: what do generalist journalists need? |
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In January 2024, COALESCE organised a workshop on “Managing scientific information in times of crisis” in Trieste, Italy.
From the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change, from farmers’ protests across Europe to population ageing, generalist journalists increasingly have to deal with scientific issues. They have to communicate uncertainty and counter fake news in the face of ever-tighter deadlines. To help them develop the necessary skills and to equip them with suitable tools for these challenges, COALESCE organised a workshop on “Managing scientific information in times of crisis”, which took place in Trieste, Italy, on 26 January.
The workshop was organised by SISSA Medialab, formicablu and the Fiuli Venezia Giulia Regional Council of Journalists, and gathered 14 generalist journalists from across Italy to discuss the importance of properly managing scientific information.
In the first part of the workshop, Elisabetta Tola (science journalist and founder of formicablu) addressed some of the critical aspects of communication in times of crisis, such as the difference between an “emergency” and a “crisis”, the dos and don’ts of risk communication, and the role of journalists and media during such occasions. The second part was dedicated to the participants’ perspectives, and they were asked to share their own experiences, particularly concerning local news. In this part, through participatory activities coordinated by Paola Rodari and Laura Busato (science communicators at SISSA Medialab), journalists had the chance to reflect on how emergencies and crises affect their profession, both in terms of news production and in their relationship with readers.
The workshop helped to identify several common issues and needs shared among generalist journalists with diverse backgrounds. These will prove crucial for the development of the European Competence Centre for Science Communication, as well as the associated Science Communication Academy, as we prepare the necessary training and resources for generalist journalists.
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Excellent science communication for society at large through informal activities |
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COALESCE’s first policy brief draws together (a) the main conclusions from the eight projects that feed into COALESCE pertaining to the role of informal science-engagement organisations and (b) the outcomes of a series of COALESCE case clinics carried out with representatives of different organisations, on public engagement with climate change, one of the key topics addressed by COALESCE. |
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SciComm Conversations: Episode 1
SciComm Conversations is COALESCE’s official podcast. In our first season, we are chatting with experts on the topic of science communication in the age of artificial intelligence. In the first episode, we hear from Professor Mike Schäfer from the University of Zurich on the challenges and opportunities that generative AI presents to science communication.
You can find a full transcript of the episode on our website.
Engaged Science Journalism
How is science journalism evolving in Europe? Engaged Science Journalism – produced by formicablu for ENJOI – goes through the experiences of some European media, which found innovative ways to survive, or even grow, in a post-pandemic world.
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International Journalism Festival
“The International Journalism Festival (IJF), is a cultural event dedicated to journalism, which takes place in Perugia, annually, in the month of April. It takes the form of a program of meetings, debates, interviews, book presentations, exhibitions and workshops, which bring together the world of journalism, media, communication and culture.”
- Date(s) 📅: 17–21 April 2024
- Location 📍: Perugia, Italy
- Language(s) 🗣: English + Italian
- Attendance 🧾: Free of charge, online streaming available
More info
Engage Conference
“Engage Live 2024 will be hosted in Bristol and is going to be a celebration of excellent engagement practice in all its forms - led by researchers, engagement professionals, communities, charities and organisations acting as agents for societal change.”
- Date(s) 📅: 1–2 April 2024
- Location 📍: Bristol, UK
- Language(s) 🗣: English
- Attendance 🧾: Registration remains open until the event starts
More info
EUSEA conference
“You’ll have the opportunity to engage with like-minded professionals from all over Europe and beyond. Together we’ll exchange best practices, and explore innovative approaches to science engagement.”
- Date(s) 📅: 15–16 May 2024
- Location 📍: Tblisi, Georgia
- Language(s) 🗣 English
- Attendance 🧾: Different fees for EUSEA members, non-members, students
More info
ECSITE conference
“Professionals directly involved with the public; people who shape the programming at science centres and museums; exhibitions developers, directors of education, CEOs and Managing Directors, university students, professors and researchers; managers and coordinators of ground-breaking EU and global projects; and senior-level managers of the world’s leading science engagement institutions and more are all welcome.”
- Date(s) 📅: 5–8 June 2024
- Location 📍: Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Language(s) 🗣: English
- Attendance 🧾: Registration opens on 14 February 2024
More info
SciComm South West Conference 2024 – UWE Bristol
“The conference will focus on how we, as a collective, foster a brighter future for the research and practice of science communication… and for society? And how does our regional hub fit within the global picture of science communication, and local, on-the-ground action?”
- Date(s) 📅: 7 June 2024
- Location 📍: Bristol, UK
- Language(s) 🗣: English
- Attendance 🧾: Registration required
More info
ESOF 2024
“[ESOF] is one of the most significant international conferences, having an impact on the science and world transformation. During the event, scientists, entrepreneurs, politicians, journalists and inhabitants are going to discuss the latest scientific achievements, the arts and their impact on society.”
- Date(s) 📅: 12–15 June 2024
- Location 📍: Katowice, Poland
- Language(s) 🗣: English
- Attendance 🧾: Registration required
More info
EUPRIO
“At the EUPRIO conference, all units of the communication departments in Higher Education learn about the state of the art internationally. In internal or external communication, in social media, in crisis communication, in the digital communication or at open doors, in dialogue with the population or with politics, but also in alumni relations or fundraising.”
- Date(s) 📅: 12–15 June 2024
- Location 📍: Turin, Italy
- Language(s) 🗣: English
- Attendance 🧾: For EUPRIO members
More info
BIG Event
“The BIG Event is a three day get-together every summer to share skills and experiences, develop professional links and keep up-to-date with the STEM engagement field. This is the place to hone your skills and recharge your professional batteries, pick up great ideas and show off your talents to peers.”
- Date(s) 📅: 24–26 July 2024
- Location 📍: Cardiff, UK
- Language(s) 🗣: English
- Attendance 🧾: Early-bird registration is open
More info
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