Episode III of #IASBB evening event - beyond science blogging

I'm lucky enough to get to go to all sorts of interesting events at which I make lots of notes. The 'writing them up' bit doesn't seem to go quite as well so I've decided to work in harmony with my inability at this, and serialise my posts. Here's the third in the 'series' of posts about the evening event a couple of weeks ago (oops!) after the #IASBB, I'm a Scientist Beyond Blogging event.

Previous #IASBB posts were

• "Bollocks Watch" - feedback to evening event at #IASBB on proactive science stories (23 Oct 2010)
• Beyond blogging - science engagement online #IASBB (23 Oct 2010)

At the evening presentations we heard back from the different groups who'd spent the afternoon looking at ways in which scientists might use the online world even more to engage with people, including being more politically involved, ie taking things 'beyond blogging'.

Alice Bell reported back for her group - they'd been looking at science and politics and how the two communities might work together. I think the British Science Association have or had a short-term placement scheme for MPs and working scientists but I don't know how many people could feasibly be accommodated on the programme.

Apparently the group came to the conclusion that we should all watch the West Wing - I expect there'd be uniform agreement with this as it's wonderful, I have the box set. So many great instances of affection for science and knowledge - possibly the episode that makes me swoon the most is 'Galileo' - rest assured, CJ "says it right" at the end.

The group also came up with the idea for some sort of online "Campaigning for scientists, for dummies" where scientists can pose questions, answerable by others. The Science is Vital campaign (and there'll be a future blog post at some point on the fab presentation by Jenny Rohn, Richard Grant and Shane McCracken) involved a steep learning curve for the organisers in terms of arranging the rally outside the Treasury. Lots of community input.

I think I missed the comment at the time but possibly it was Alok Jha who tweeted along the lines that science bloggers should get their posts onto places like Conservative Home and target other blogs like that, reaching a different crowd etc.

Finally, the group had discussed the notion of a science-specific campaign roadshow telling people about science and citizenship, and policy. I think there may have been ideas for a travelling bus :)