Doctor Who and Science Survey – update

Thanks 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

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

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

Download the report here. Tully, A. (2013). ANU Health and Wellbeing Communication with Students. Completed at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Sciecen 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. Searle, S.D. (2014). How do Australians engage with science. April 2014

Doctor Who Zoe and Romana survey information

A debrief for participants who completed the Doctor Who Zoe and Romana survey in late 2012.

Thank you for completing this survey and for your interest. The survey is now closed.

The rationale behind it was to investigate fan perceptions of the relationships between Zoe and the Doctor and Romana and the Doctor respectively. It is my perception that both relationships are characterised by conflict, often intellectual or scientific conflict, but that the power dynamics and indeed gender dynamics between each pair are qualitatively different. I wanted to find out if other fans thought the same way.

Unfortunately, there were not enough responses to the survey to make any meaningful generalisations about that, so I will not be publishing the survey results. However, if I do publish any work on this topic I will post an update here.

Thanks again for the generous donation of your time in completing the survey.

Queer scientists in television science fiction

The Doctor and Captain Jack HarknessThe UK’s public broadcaster the BBC has this month commissioned a study into representations of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people in its fiction and non-fiction programs (BBC News, 2010).

Of particular interest to science communicators is representations of scientists in fiction, and this study seems a timely prompt to ask: are there any queer scientist characters on telly?

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