Category: News

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Alan Alda’s Science Communication Training Comes to San Diego: What Science Writers Need to Know

By Kelly Quigley

Most science writers already appreciate the actor Alan Alda for much more than his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV show M*A*S*H. For more than a decade, Alda’s been training scientists to become better communicators — both through his New York-based center and his bestselling book, “If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?” His work in this area even earned him the National Academy of Sciences’ highest honor, the Public Welfare Medal, back in 2016. Continue reading “Alan Alda’s Science Communication Training Comes to San Diego: What Science Writers Need to Know”

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December Updates

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Sorry for the prosaic title, things are hectic.

First, you may have noticed the groovy new SANDSWA logo. Many thanks to Sanford Burnham Prebys science writer Monica May for the concept and graphic designer Priyanka Paurana for the finished product. For her creativity, Monica won a year’s membership in SANDSWA – nice.

On January 3, SANDSWA members are getting a free Ruben H. Fleet Science Center tour, featuring CEO Steven Snyder, PhD, and marketing director Wendy Grant. Not a member? That’s easily remedied: JOIN NOW.

Continue reading “December Updates”
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What’s Next for SANDSWA

36978837_10216168953047461_5130917847635066880_o1.jpgWe’ve received a lot of positive feedback on our recent happy hour, so it makes sense to have another. Hope to see everyone on August 15, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, at AleSmith Brewing Company for our second event.

We would also like to encourage everyone to become a member. It’s only $25 a year, $15 for students. We’re putting together a nice membership package, which is expanding by the minute:

  • Regular newsletters with event notifications, job openings, member news and more
  • Invitations to special quarterly events, lectures, workshops, field trips
  • Opportunities to write a blog post or be featured in our blog and newsletter
  • Access to member directory
  • Opportunity to take a leadership role in organization – professional development and community service

So, you can serve your community, network like crazy and enhance your personal brand. What could possibly be better?

On the member event front, we are looking into potential tours at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, White Labs and other sites, as well as satellite events with some of the many scientific conferences that come to San Diego.

But what would you like us to do? Feel free to share in the comments below, through Twitter @SANDSWA2 or on our Facebook group. See you on 8/15.

 

 

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Thanks for Being our Friends

Welcome SignWe reconstituted SANDSWA because we thought there might be pent up demand for a local science writing organization. Judging by the response at yesterday’s Farmer & The Seahorse happy hour, we weren’t wrong.

We guesstimate around 50 people showed up – freelancers, PIOs, journalists, marketing and PR pros, postdocs, grad students and at least one PI. People came from UCSD, Salk, SBP, LIAI, the UT, Canale, CG Life, Little Dog. There were past, present and (possibly) future San Diego Business Journal biotech writers. Thanks everyone for coming. And if you couldn’t make it, we missed you.

In a way, it was like a big family reunion where everyone gets along. We got to meet (IRL) so many people we knew only via email. There were former colleagues reacquainting and more than a few who had held the same positions at different times.

On a personal note, I’ve been to science events where I’m the only writer, and I have to explain what I do. And I’ve been to PR and journalism events where I’m the only science writer, and I have to explain what I do. It was nice getting to skip the preamble.

Steve2So, what’s next? There will be networking, facility tours, speakers, book signings. Stay tuned for a calendar of events (coming soon). If there’s anything you’d like to see, please let us know.

In the interim, you can become a member – only $25 or $15 for fulltime students. Join by July 31 and your one-year membership becomes an 18-month membership. You won’t have to re-up until 2020.

On the social media side, please follow, like and retweet on Twitter @SANDSWA2. We will be opening our Facebook page soon as well, so watch out for that.

We’re also looking for volunteers. You can help plan events, take on administrative duties or submit a guest blog. Send us a nice note, sandswa.info@gmail.com. We want to keep in touch.