Detailed Programmes

Programme Outline

Monday 24 May 2021

Tuesday 25 May 2021

Wednesday 26 May 2021

Thursday 27 May 2021

PCST 2020+1 Virtual Conference DETAILED PROGRAMME is now available.  You can download a pdf version for reference.

PCST 2020+1 Virtual Conference will provide the opportunity to all delegates to engage with the Visual Presentations in a new way.  The Visual Presentations will be available to view before the conference and we will run a series of live sessions which will feature a selection of Visual Presenters discussing their work.

Session will run for one hour each and delegates can chose to 'attend' as many as they wish at no additional cost.  Details of the Visual Presentations can be found in the VISUAL PRESENTATION PROGRAMME: please note that this is subject to change.  Once we have a FINAL PROGRAMME we will publish it here. 
 

The dates and times of the sessions are:

PCST 2020+1 Workshop Programme provide delegates with an opportunity to explore topics related to the Public Communication of Science and Technology in more detail.  We are running 3 workshops in the week before the conference proper.  

Please note - the workshops will take place in different virtual places; for all workshops we will provide details of name and email address to the organisers to ensure access to the workshops.  Data will only be used for this purpose and will be deleted post event.

Podcasting for Beginners: Association of British Science Writers

The course will give an overview of the science podcasting landscape and how to produce simple but professional-sounding audio podcasts on a shoestring. 

The workshop will include:

• Overview of the podcasting landscape
• How to plan and script episodes
• Recording techniques
• Overview of open source software options
• How to upload and deliver your podcast 

10am - Introduction to the science podcasting landscape with Lewis MacKenzie (Durham University)

11am - Workshop: Writing for audio with Sue Nelson (Boffin Media)

12pm - Panel discussion: Podcasting on a shoestring with Rowan Hooper (New Scientist podcasts), Georgia Mills (freelance radio producer, formerly BBC and Naked Scientists), Asma Bashir (Her Royal Science podcast, University of Edinburgh) and Stuart Higgins (Scientists not the Science, Imperial College)

The workshop will last for roughly 3 hours and will take place on Zoom or Crowdcast.

Discussing Policies, Incentives and Toolkits to Promote Quality Science Communications

Chairs: Matteo Di Rosa, Ilda Mannino, Alessandra Fornetti

Communication of science plays a key role in supporting policy decisions. At the same time, policy measures and incentives are important instruments to create framework conditions able to support and promote quality communication of science. Policy makers at different levels, including EU and national governments and agencies, funders, editors and publishers, research institutions and museums governance bodies can all introduce important policies and incentives in this concern. These policies and incentives can foster developing skills or introducing rewards within the scientific community as well as support quality science communication to citizens in journalism, in science museums or through social media. 

This workshop aims at actively engaging the audience in a participative discussion with policy makers about possible policies and incentives for promoting quality science communication, starting from those identified by the H2020 SwafS project QUEST. The interaction will be stimulated by web tools such as easy-to-use Q&A and polling app that will turn our silent listeners into engaged participants. This activity will be guided by a facilitator that then interacts with the event speakers.

Communicators (journalists, communication officers, museums facilitators), other communication professionals and scicom scholars are welcome to the workshop, as well as decision-makers for the different sectors.  Participants will leave the workshop with a Toolbox filled with ready-to-use toolkits for improving communication strategies and techniques, lectures and training, self-learning.

The Toolbox is a major result of the H2020 SwafS project QUEST.

The workshop will last roughly one hour and will take place on padlet, slido or similar platform.

Healthcare Communications: an interactive workshop based on a real-world case study 

Amiculum - Silver Sponsor

This workshop is for students and early career researchers who are interested in medical and health related science communication. In this session you will be challenged to create two 15-second podcast adverts to inform specific audiences about a medical condition and an unmet clinical need. The adverts will feature on two high-profile podcasts; one for the general public and the second for healthcare professionals.

Participants will need to consider how to effectively communicate to the different audiences when generating the key messages and the primary objective of each advert. Once the task is completed, each group will present their adverts during a feedback session and will be scored on creativity, audience impact, and collaboration.

This session is hosted by Amiculum, a service and consultancy that delivers a range of services to healthcare clients. They have experience in a wide range of therapy areas, including rare diseases and genomic medicine.

While entirely fictitious, this challenge reflects the type of situation regularly encountered in healthcare communications and provides valuable insight into the industry. The key aims of the workshop are to encourage creative thinking, collaboration, and the effective communication of scientific information in a medical context.

You can view Amiculum's privacy policy here.

The workshop will last for roughly two hours and will take place on Remo.

PCST 2021 Networking – Sponsored by the Kavli Foundation

The PCST2021 Networking space consists of virtual rooms where people can have informal audio conversations via their avatar.

If you are looking to meet someone in the networking space you can search for them or you can just join the room where the gathering is taking place and meet new people.

Online networking has proven to be both fun and useful during this last year, so even if you’re not a fan of virtual interactions, why not give it a go? Feel free to organise your own gatherings in the virtual networking space just like you might at a in-person conference.

The following rooms will always be available 24 hours throughout the conference for people to join. Feel free to use these spaces to have conversations after round-table events, plenary sessions and others:

• The Music Hall – join the virtual representation of the Music Hall in Aberdeen that hosted The British Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in 1885 (Now the British Science Association)
• Aberdeen beach – chill out at the beach for some informal chats. The advantage of a virtual Scottish beach is that no waterproof clothing is required.
• The Library
• The Bar

Parallel Session Breakout Rooms - there are 4 breakout rooms with 8 tables each for the use of Round-table and Demonstration attendees.

The language specific room will also be available throughout the conference. It has dedicated tables for the following languages:

• Spanish
• Italian
• Portuguese
• German
• French
• Mandarin Chinese

The following sessions will have people present to facilitate networking and conversation at the times specified:

Monday 24 May 2021

10:30 – 11:30 BST

Welcome Networking in The Virtual Music Hall Join us for some informal virtual networking! If you are new to PCST or science communication this is a good opportunity for you to meet with others at the conference. At this session you can meet others attending the conference and representatives from the PCST Committee to find out more about the Public Communication of Science and Technology Network

15:15 – 17:00  BST

Parallel Session Breakout room and Plenary Breakout room Join us for some informal virtual networking where there will be rooms available to continue discussions from Parallel Session A and the Plenary Session from Day 1.

Tuesday 25 May 2021

07:00 – 08:00 BST

Breakfast/Evening networking at the Beach Start the day with an invigorating virtual walk at the beach. Join our informal virtual networking session where you can talk about the panel themes for day 2.

18:00 – 19:30 BST

Conference Social in the Bar Join PCST for a post-day 2 evening networking session where you can join others to discuss your reflections on the day in our virtual bar! At this networking session we encourage PhDs and Early Career Researchers’ to come along to network.

Thursday 27 May 2021

07:00 – 08:00 BST

Breakfast/Evening networking at the Beach Start the day with an invigorating virtual walk at the beach. Join our informal virtual networking session where you can talk about the panel themes for day 3.

14:15 – 15:30 BST

The Social discussions in the Music Hall Last chance to discuss all things PCST 2020+1 and say bye to your fellow delegates before the final plenary session! This is your opportunity to chat with others about future plans and long-term connections from the conference.