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Schedule of Events

Day 1 - Friday, July 15th, 2016

9:00am  Breakfast

9:15am-10am  Introduction

10:00am-12:30pm  Session 1: Engaging Diverse Audiences: Telling a Scientific Story

Communicate your own science to academics, reporters or others. Two speakers will present effective communication strategies, and lead interactive exercises.

  • Itai Cohen, Professor of Physics and Science Communicator at Cornell University.

  • Linda Glaser, Communications Officer at Cornell University.

12:45-1:30pm  Lunch

1:45pm-2:45pm  Session 2: Sharing Science in Print: The Writing Process and Mechanics

During this session, a science communication expert will present elements of style, structure, do's and don'ts and other useful tips to make a writing piece an engaging article for a non-specialist audience.

  • Lauren Chambliss, Communications director of the Atkinson Center for Sustainable Future, Cornell University.

3:00pm-3:45pm  Writing Prompt and Open Workshop

4:00pm-5:00pm  Session 3: Science writing and communications IRL: career stories from the front lines of scicomm

Science communication in real life: during this session, our expert with a multifaceted science communication experience will tell her story and that of others.

  • Merry Buckley, Communications and Marketing Director at the Baker Institute, Cornell University.

5:00pm  Dinner

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Day 2 - Saturday, July 23rd, 2016

9:00am  Breakfast

9:30am-10:50am  Session 4: Getting Started in SciComm: Exploring opportunities online and at local science centers

Full of energy and ideas? From local outreach to video making or blog writing, our panelists will present many ways you can gain experience and get started in scicom.

  • Kara Verno, Program supervisor at the Rochester museum & science center.

  • Hannah Smith Walker, Digital Manager and Multimedia Producer at Cornell Alliance for Science.

  • Amy McDermott, Editor in chief, Hawkmoth magazine

11:00am-12:30pm  Session 5: Communicating with the Public: careers in non-technical science communication

This panels intends to offer an overview of the breadth of careers in science communication. Hear the story of our scicom specialists and ask them questions about their job!

  • Yaihara Fortis Santiago, Science Alliance Director at The New York Academy of Sciences.

  • Mindy Weisberger, Senior Writer at Live Science, AMNH.

  • Luis Quevedo, Director and Anchor on NTN24 TV channel, journalist and freelance contributor to El Mundo newspaper.

  • Diana Friedman, Director of Communications at New York Academy of Science.

12:30pm-1:15pm  Lunch

1:15pm-2:15pm  Keynote address by Sylvester James Gates Jr., Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland and current member of President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

2:25pm-4:15pm  Expert Review of Attendees' Writing

4:25pm-5:30pm  Session 6: Advocating for Science: Applying science communication to policy and law

Our panelists will explain why communicating scientific and technological discoveries is crucial to allow public policymakers make informed decisions on health, sustainability and other pressing issues.

  • Chris Schaffer, Associate Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University and science policy advisor for Representative Edward Markey in the United States Congress.

  • Ryan Coots, PhD Candidate in Nutritional Sciences (expected 2016), writer for the American Society for Nutrition blog and participant of AIMBE’s Public Policy Institute.

  • Sylvester James Gates Jr., Distinguished professor at the University of Maryland and current member of President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

5:30pm  Closing remarks & “crudités”