Participant Feedback: Unrealistic Science in Fiction

Thank you to everyone who participated in ā€œAudience perspectives on scientific realism in fiction.ā€ The study aimed to understand when and why the realism of science in fiction is important to audiences. A total of 55 people shared their views on this topic by participating in interviews and focus group discussions. The complete results are reported in my PhD thesis, Screaming When There is Sound in Space: Unrealistic Science and the Reception of Narrative Fiction.

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Peter Hopper/flickr CC BY-NC 2.0

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Doctor Who and Science Survey – update

ThanksĀ to the 1039 people who commenced the Doctor Who and Science Survey in October 2015, and to the 578 people who answered enough questions to make your responses useable in the research project. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts and experiences.

The survey has now closed. I’ll post a more detailed update summarising the results some time in 2016 – hopefully early that year.

If you have any questions in the meantime, you can email me at lindy.orthia@anu….

Science communication image competition – deadline extended to 30 June 2015

NEWSFLASH! The deadline for the science communication image competition has been extended to 30 June! Get your entries in now!

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Original post:

Got a good idea for depicting ‘science communication’ visually?

CPAS is running an image competition for all ANU and University of Canberra students enrolled between February and May 2015. Win cash prizes and eternal glory!

The full terms, conditions and instructions are in the pdf file linked below.

Science communication images competition extended date

The Science, Health, and Television Study

Recruitment for the Science, Health, and Television Study has now closed. The study aimed to investigate how audiences respond to science and health issues depicted in narrative fiction.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

Participants have now been emailed a debriefing of the research objectives. If you participated in the study but did not receive a debriefing email, or if you have any questions regarding the study, please contact Jarrod.Green@anu.edu.au

Report: ‘ANU Health and Wellbeing Communication with Students’, by Amanda Tully

Former undergraduate science communicationĀ student Amanda Tully completed this report in 2013 for her SCOM3003 Special Topics in Science Communication Research project.

Download the report here.Ā Tully, A. (2013).Ā ANU Health and Wellbeing Communication with Students. Completed at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of SciecenĀ for assessment in SCOM3003 Special Topics in Science Communication. Produced for the use of the ANU Medicine, Health and Wellbeing Learning Community and other university stakeholders.

How do Australians engage with science? A survey commissioned by Inspiring Australia through the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS), The Australian National University

The ‘How do Australians engage with science?’ report, commissioned by Inspiring Australia, designed and directed by CPAS Research Fellow Dr Suzette Searle, and conducted by IPSOS Public Affairs, was released to the public on 27 May 2014.

Download the report here.Ā Searle, S.D. (2014). How do Australians engage with science. April 2014

The Hendra Story: A Triumph for Australian Science

Guest post by Erin O’Neill, Visiting Fellow at The Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science

1. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF HENDRA VIRUS

When most people think of Australia, they imagine long coastlines with beautiful beaches, magnificent deep red deserts, the Opera House and cuddly koalas and kangaroos.Ā  The more jelly-legged will profess a concern for sharks (of any kind), snakes, crocodiles, blue ringed octopus, funnel web spiders, jelly fish and possibly cassowaries.

They don’t think of one of the deadliest viruses that humanity has had to reckon with.

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