ConservationBytes.com

In a little under two weeks I’ll be co-running a workshop of the same name at James Cook University at both the Cairns and Townsville campuses.

With me will be super-scientist, media-guru and anti-deforestation advocate, Distinguished Professor Bill Laurance (who you might remember came to Adelaide earlier this year and gave some great talk), ex-Microsoft man and social media guru (and self-entitled ‘geezer’), Mike Seyfang, and the Media Coordinator for the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Jennifer Lappin.

Should be heaps of fun (and hopefully highly educational). Basically we’ll be preaching to aspiring and well-established researchers in many areas about how they can maximise the impact of their scientific research, in terms of media, education, outreach and policy.

I’ll be talking about science blogging (and blogging science!), other social media uses in science, and some of my personal experiences with ConservationBytes.com. I haven’t yet finalised my presentation, but I think it’ll be insightful.

Here’s the official blurb for the 1-day workshop:

In this one-day workshop, we’ll highlight a range of strategies for reaching out to the general public and decision-makers as well as to other scientists, in order to influence a vastly greater audience.

We’ll discuss how to become a scientific leader, how to get noticed by the popular media and how to deal with journalists. We’ll also highlight social networking – the use of blogs, webzines and twittering to magnify your impact. And we’ll show you how to put your scientific productivity into overdrive-by writing and publishing far more easily.

It’s free, fast-paced and fun – and it really works – so come join us!

The first workshop will be held in Cairns on 22 September from 08.30-16.30 in the Cairns Campus Building E2:113. The second will take place on 24 September from 08.30-16.30 in the Endeavour Room of the Townsville Campus, James Cook University Halls of Residence.

Want to attend? You’ll have to get in touch with the Divisional Manager of the Research and Innovation Division (James Cook University) to see if you can attend. We don’t know yet if this workshop will happen elsewhere, but some have already suggested we take it on the road around Australia – I guess it really depends on the response we get in north Queensland.

If you are planning on attending, I look forward to seeing you there.

CJA Bradshaw