Meet at the bar of the Doubletree Hotel in Berkeley at 4:45.
Henry Kaiser
Underwater videographer and guitarist Henry Kaiser discusses the filming of footage used in Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World.
Boyce Rensberger
A wide-ranging talk covering: what science makes news; why traditional journalistic balance can mislead the public; the clash between science’s uncertainty and the public’s misunderstanding of science; how to deal with science fact and scientific opinion; and other issues facing journalists who cover the realm of human endeavor with the greatest impact on humanity.
Boyce Rensberger
The frontier of modern biomedical research requires an understanding of the mechanisms within cells and the workings of their genes. This talk, designed for those new to the topic, will cover the fundamentals with a minimum of jargon.
Richard Muller
We live in a high tech world in which many key decisions depend on technical knowledge. Climate change, energy security, space, military decisions, and even counter-terrorism, all have technological components that must be understood in order to make wise and proportionate decisions.
David Baron
Scientific topics can be dense and abstract, and scientists often provide less-than-compelling interviews, but that doesn't mean your story has to be dull. David Baron, health and science editor for The World and former science correspondent for NPR, shares tips on turning leaden material to gold.
Harvey Blanch
Harvey Blanch will lead a discussion and tour of Calvin Laboratory where the Energy Biosciences Institute is housed. The Energy Biosciences Institute is a collaboration between University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and BP. Among techniques explored by researchers in Calvin Laboratory are feedstock genetics, potential deconstruction microbes and enzymes, and fermentation.
Daniel Kammen
A low-carbon, sustainable energy economy is vital for our economic and environmental future. Dramatic strides have already been taken under the Obama Administration, opening the door for substantive and sustained work on energy and environmental stewardship.
Brent Mishler
This lecture/discussion will focus on both the theoretical structure of evolution and the evidence, ranging from classical comparative anatomy and development to modern genomics. The goals include understanding evolutionary biology as a science and addressing the often shaky relationship between the public and science.
Sally Lehrman
Does a science reporter primarily explain, expose, or simply interest? What are the traps that lie in wait for even a well-seasoned pro? How does our work influence social perceptions and perhaps even the scientific process itself? Join in an exploration of our role and discuss ways to take your reporting to a deeper level with examples from genetics and biotechnology.
Doug Levy
Doug Levy, who has participated in science communications from both sides of the fence, will lead a workshop covering the essential steps that reporters should take before deciding if they have a story, including ways to judge a scientist's (or a news release's) credibility, and questions that should always be asked. In addition to addressing "hype vs. substance," this session will include tips on writing a viable story on really fast turnover, writing story from a lead, and recognizing and addressing conflicts of interest.
Michael Starbird
Data do not come with meaning. Statistics is a collection of techniques whose basic goal is to extract meaning from data.
QUEST staff: Andrea Kissack, Lauren Sommer, Paul Rogers
During this session we will hear from staff at QUEST, the largest multiple-media project in KQED's history. QUEST staff will talk about current media buzzwords such as: convergence, multimedia and social networking. They will discuss how station-based producers are changing their thinking to embrace new media.
Tim Olson
Examples of how KQED and others are using blogs, video, online maps, Twitter and other tools to enhance their coverage and increase reach and relevance with "the people formerly known as the audience."
Mary Hodder & Spencer Weisbroth
Mary Hodder and Spencer Weisbroth will talk about the challenges faced by journalists as they create, reuse and publish materials for the Web. Specifically, Hoddern will discuss copyright issues that come up in the distribution and creation of digital media.
Brent Iverson
Most of the world is certain that synthetic chemicals are dangerous and that natural means safe. Brent Iverson will look into the science behind these notions and challenge some preconceived ideas, while trying to reach some conclusions as to why public perception is where it is today.
Sandy Tolan
Making compelling radio on scientific topics can be a challenge. There's so much **data to impart, and often scientists themselves can be, well, rather **dry. What to do?
Sally Lehrman & Michal Strutin
How do you get the latest findings, know they are from a trustworthy source, and get them fast? What are some of the best open access databases and what are the most effective ways to use them? How do you gather fresh, interesting and reliable insights from the Web without drowning yourself in information? Sally Lehrman and Michal Strutin lead this exploration into the best and most efficient ways to research science stories online.
Laura Sydell
Science, like every other discipline, is being transformed by the digital revolution. Computers offer access to vast amounts of research, nanotechnologies may help cure cancer, health care records are about to be digitized. Yet, it can be hard to discern which technologies really are significant, and it can be even harder to tell technology stories in a compelling way on radio under deadline pressure.
California Academy of Sciences staff: Brian Simison & Norm Penny
On this day, participants will tour the California Academy of Sciences, considered the “greenest” museum in the world with an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and four-storey rainforest all under one roof.
Alison Richards
How to turn science into rich, compelling and accessible radio.
Including:
• choice of story
• setting the context
• getting the right tape
• making it personal
Critiquers: Alison Richards/Margo Melnicove, Gary Covino/Loretta Williams
During this session we will divide into groups and review audio pieces submitted by participants.
Arnold Kriegstein
Stem cells hold the promise of revealing fundamental information about human development, and could ultimately be used to illuminate and treat a broad range of diseases and disorders, from heart disease, Parkinson's disease and diabetes, to birth defects and cancer.
Gary Covino, Margo Melnicove, Alison Richards & Loretta Williams