Registration is open for the 5th European Conference of Science Journalists!

The French Association of Science Journalists (AJSPI) and the European Union of Science Journalist’s Associations (EUSJA) are pleased to announce that the 5th European Conference of Science Journalists is now open for registration. The conference, ECSJ2018, will take place in Toulouse (France) on 8 July 2018.

European Conferences of Science Journalists have taken place on a yearly basis since 2014. They gather between 200 and 400 science journalists to discuss issues of interest to their profession, exchange experiences and good practices, receive training etc. They are thus a unique opportunity for science reporters to network across the continent.
The conference is a side-event to the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF), the largest interdisciplinary science gathering in Europe, with over 4000 attendees, which also takes place in Toulouse this year and will begin on the day following the ECSJ2018.
This year’s programme (available on the Internet site of the conference, www.ecsj2018.eu) will include the following sessions:
 Can we trust European agencies to remain independent despite the pressure of specific interests?
 Rise of authoritarian states and media censorship: how can journalists respond to new pressures and attacks on the press in East Europe and Turkey?
 How should we report on conflicts of interest in scientific research?
 Protecting the independence of staff and freelance journalists- best practices and challenges.
 Working with leaks and whistleblowers, protecting your sources and managing your data.
Speakers confirmed so far include Dr Bernhard Url, executive director of EFSA (European Food Safety Agency); Cédric Villani, French Field Medalist and MP; Deborah Blum, director of the Knight Science Journalism program at MIT; Mićo Tatalovic, editor at New Scientist and chairman of the ABSW (Association of British Science Writers).
ECSJ2018 will also offer its attendees a number of field trips to some of the best research units of the Toulouse area, such as the LAAS, a world class robotics laboratory, or the Moulis experimental ecology station, at the foot of the Pyrenees.
Jens Degett, president of EUSJA, said: “Science journalism has an increasingly important role in our democraties, as many key social choices we face have an important scientific component. If we want citizens to understand issues ranging from the energy transition to pesticide use, we need a strong, competent, and independent community of science journalists, and this is what we will try to foster in Toulouse.”
Yves Sciama, president of AJSPI, added: “Toulouse is a beautiful historic city with a strong scientific and innovative tradition. It is a great place for us French science journalists to welcome our colleagues from Europe and beyond, and we look forward to rich exchanges with them about our practices, our tools and our ethics.”
About AJSPI: AJSPI, the French association of science journalists, has over 220 members, staff or freelancers, who are all active science journalists, working for a diverse range of medias, print, radio, television, online etc. AJSPI has a board of 10 members, and organises meetings with scientists and stakeholders, debates, trainings, study trips abroad, laboratory visits and many other activities. It also defends freedom of information whenever necessary. About EUSJA: Founded in 1971 in Belgium by seven national associations of science journalists, EUSJA now represents around 2000 science journalists from 22 countries. Following the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 there was an upsurge of interest from Eastern European countries, that now play an active role in EUSJA’s activities. EUSJA has its head office in Strasbourg at Euroscience – where it has its own secretariat.
About ESOF: ESOF (EuroScience Open Forum) is the largest interdisciplinary science meeting in Europe. Created in 2004 by EuroScience, it associates a professional forum and a “Science in the City” open festival, giving the host-city the title of “European Science City of the Year”’. This 8th edition, organised for the first time in France, will take place 9-14 July in Toulouse. More than 4000 participants (researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, policy makers, science communicators and journalists) from all over the world will attend over 200 sessions and discuss current hot topics in science, science policy and innovation.
Contact:
Yves Sciama, president of Association des Journalistes Scientifiques de la Presse d’Information AJSPI (www.ajspi.com)
E-mail : yves.sciama@gmail.com
Tel: +337 89 86 13 77
Jens Degett, president of European Union of Science Journalist Associations EUSJA (www.eusja.eu)
E-mail : jens@degett.org Tel: +333 88 24 71 98
Alexandra Foissac, press officer, ESOF (www.esof.eu) E-mail : alexandra.foissac@toulouse2018.esof.eu Tel : +335 61 00 91 19
Internet site of the Conference : www.ecsj2018.eu


Posted

in

, , ,

by

Tags: