Comments on: The NSF Astrophysics Fellows Symposium

By: Blogs and Outreach at the NSF Astrophysics Fellows Symposium | Cosmic Variance

Tue, 10 Jan 2006 03:39:42 +0000

[...] I’m now back in Syracuse after an enjoyable couple of days in D.C. As I advertised last time, on Saturday afternoon I sat on a panel on Exploring Non-Traditional Outreach Methods at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows Symposium. The whole day turned out to be a lot of fun. Part of the qualifications for NSF postdoctoral fellows is that they be top-flight young researchers, who also have an extremely active interest in teaching and outreach. This combination made for a very lively day of talks and panels. It’s refreshing to hear the same people switch from giving relatively technical discussions of their research on, for example, searching for quiet X-ray binaries, to discussing their involvement in setting up an entire campus astronomy museum (in this example, Ginny McSwain, from Yale). [...]

By: Cosmic Variance

Cosmic Variance — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 03:34:50 +0000

Blogs and Outreach at the NSF Astrophysics Fellows Symposium

I’m now back in Syracuse after an enjoyable couple of days in D.C. As I advertised last time, on Saturday afternoon I sat on a panel on Exploring Non-Traditional Outreach Methods at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fel…

By: Henry

Henry — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 22:47:04 +0000

Sitting in the NSF symposium right now listening to an excellent panel. No wireless in here and neither Mark nor Phil have their laptops up with them, but I’m sure they’ll report in tonight.

By: Sean

Sean — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 20:23:34 +0000

You met Wonkette!? That’s officially cool. (I’ve come very close to meeting Chris, but haven’t quite succeeded.)

By: Phil Plait

Phil Plait — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:34:05 +0000

Oh, you know some cool ones?

I met Chris Mooney and Wonkette today, so this has been quite the blogerrific day.

By: Sean

Sean — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:25:03 +0000

Phil and Mark, while you are sitting on the panel live-blogging away at your laptops, please be sure to emphasize that bloggers are really cool.

By: Phil Plait

Phil Plait — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 16:33:19 +0000

Hey, wait a minute. I’m on that panel too! See you there.

By: citrine

citrine — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 16:32:16 +0000

Hi Mark,

A few quick suggestions on outreach efforts:

Arrange for Junior High and High School kids to visit scientists at work, at universities and research labs. Have the scientists talk to the kids, instead of just one person sheparding the kids around pointing out the people at work.

Have reporters from publications aimed at teens come interview you guys and prepare even a small article for their mag.

Persuade the scientists to interact more with their kids’ friends, kids in the neighborhood, kids of friends and relatives, etc. to talk about one’s field (and other stuff as well). Hopefully this will motivate the youngsters’ curiosity about science and to convey that one can be in this field of work w/o necessarily being deranged, cloistered and off-the charts smart.

By: Dissident

Dissident — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 10:29:21 +0000

Mark, I hope you have a good answer ready for the one question which the others esteemed panelists are all sure to ask of you: how do you handle those pesky dissidents running mok on the net – and on your blog?

By: Clifford

Clifford — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 04:07:15 +0000

Mark, try live blogging from the panel itself. See if they have a wireless connection. If anyone asks, explain that it is an important part of the blogging process/duty.

-cvj