Tag: eusja

  • Creating a better future for health in Europe

    Creating a better future for health in Europe

    Gastein forum.2jpg

    Like the last year EUSJA journalists were invited to attend the European Health Forum Gastein to be held in a remarkable place Bad Hofgastein in Austria (October 2 – 4). EUSJA members once again are getting a wonderful opportunity to participate to the most important health policy event in European Union and watch very interesting sessions and discussions of the politicians, scientists, policymakers. Moreover, EUSJA was offered a possibility to organize an informal session the days of the Forum and present a journalistic view of the health policy in Europe. The idea of such a kind session was discussed last year during the meeting of EUSJA journalists with newly elected President of the European Health Forum Gastein Dr Helmut Brand.
    The motto of this year meeting is “Creating a better future for health in Europe”. First announcement of the programme is to EHFG we page:

    http://www.ehfg.org/fileadmin/ehfg/Programm/2013/EHFG_2013_1st_Programme_Announcement.pdf

    EUSJA has 10 invitations. The organizers will provide the accommodation for the full conference period (October 2 – 4) with respect to travel arrangements (starting from October 1). The organizers will cover also the conference fees for invited journalists and offer the meal. Journalists must take care for their traveling. The number of press conferences will be organized during the conference, the interviews with scientists and politicians will be organized upon the request of journalists. The applications must be sent as usual only via national associations: name, affiliation with media, e-mail, mobile. The deadline for the applications is July 14.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Next time – when first plasma!

     

    EUSJA journalists to Cadarache

    19 science journalists from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Finland, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and UK attended the EUSJA study trip to Cadarache in southern France to learn more about the promising international ITER project. During 2 days of 22 and 23 April they have met scientists and engineers, visited the ITER construction site which will dramatically evolve this year since the blanket system of a grandiose experimental machine is now ready to proceed to the manufacturing stage. Here in Cadarache is expected to prove that fusion is an energy source of the Future…

    Science journalists no doubt will share their impressions from this very interesting study trip to our web page. EUSJA Board thanks ITER Organization, ITER Division of Communication and External Relations for invitation. As it was said, next time – when first plasma!

  • Atomium Culture’s official response to Jens Degett

    Atomium Culture’s official response to Jens Degett

    We received this reply to the recent post on Atomium Culture
    by the President of the Danish Association of Science Journalists Jens Degett
    “Atomium Culture and The Role of the Media in Responsible Research and Innovation”

    Brussels – 3 April 2013

    OBJECT: Response to post by Jens Degett published on 24 March 2013

    Dear Jens Degett,

    The inquisitive and questioning nature of journalists is precisely one of the key qualities of the current press that need to persevere in order to ensure the development of Responsible Research and Innovation as the EISRI Summit in Dublin clearly pointed out.

    However, on behalf of Atomium Culture I would like to correct some of the facts that you report in your blog that are in effect incorrect or not precise (in order of appearance):

    1) The EISRI Summits are NOT events organised by the European Commission (nor was the Danish Science in Dialogue conference an EISRI Summit). EISRI stands for “European Intersectoral Summit on Research and Innovation” and is an event that Atomium Culture organises every 18 months to bring together leading representatives from academia, media, industry and policy makers to discuss a key issue relating to the relationship between science and society. For the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Department for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation decided to use this platform, working in particular with the institutions engaged in Atomium Culture in Ireland (Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Times) to develop the theme of “The Role of the Media in Responsible Research and Innovation”.

    2) Atomium Culture is NOT a media organisation. Atomium Culture is a Brussels-based international non-profit organisation that brings together in its platform leading universities (http://atomiumculture.eu/node/33), media (http://atomiumculture.eu/node/92) and industry (http://atomiumculture.eu/node/43) to promote knowledge sharing and “out of the box” thinking on issues regarding the development of a European knowledge society; AC was launched publicly at the European Parliament by the leaders of the institutions engaged and by V. Giscard d’Estaing, currently Honorary President. The Board is chaired by Felipe Gonzalez and consists of the representatives of all sectors engaged (http://atomiumculture.eu/node/63).

    3) The possible construction of an EU Science Media Centre is a possible project that Atomium Culture is assessing whether or not to promote. It was suggested as a positive project by the representatives of the organisations engaged in AC following the Expert Panel Discussion organised together with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in March 2012. At this meeting in Frankfurt, several external organisations were also present, representing different fields of science communication. Since then, AC has organised numerous meetings with the different stakeholders to assess how such an institution could benefit science communication in Europe. EUSJA has been invited and represented during some of these meetings.

    4) Our Executive Director Erika Widegren was present at the Odense meeting upon invitation of the European Commission and Danish Ministry. Further, Ms Widegren was present at the ESOF Panel on Responsible Research and Innovation together with Mr Waldemar Kütt, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and Mr Uffe Toudal Pedersen, Permanent Secretary of the Danish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education.

    5) The conference topics, speaker list and material was prepared by the Conference Coordination Committee and the European Commission. The Conference Coordination Committee included representatives from Atomium Culture, the Irish Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Trinity College Dublin and The Irish Times.

    6) Speakers at the conference included leaders and key representatives from academia, media, industry and policy makers (including the President of EUSJA Barbara Drillsma and President Emeritus Istvan Palugyai). The selection of speakers was done upon suggestion of all partners engaged in the conference and represented all different stakeholders and brought to the table the different perspectives of the debate. Full list of speakers can be found on http://eisri-summit.eu/programme-2/

    7) The aims of the Summit are clearly defined as:
    – Continue the conversation initiated during the “Science in Dialogue”, a Conference held during the Danish presidency to develop a European model for Responsible Research and Innovation;
    – Explore the role of media in the European model for Responsible Research and Innovation;
    – Facilitate the formation of professional networks, knowledge sharing, and exchange of best practices;
    – Come up with concrete recommendations on what has to be done in the short term at a European level to reach the long term objectives of smart, inclusive and sustainable growth.

    In addition to the above corrections, Atomium Culture would further like to clarify that it is not a media organisation involved directly in science communication. What Atomium Culture does is bring together academia, media and industry to assess some of the underlying issues and support the development of innovative projects that can benefit the organisations engaged in the platform.

    AC is a strong proponent of the fact that “Europe already has excellent research universities, media organisations and industry”. AC works with the newspapers engaged in the platform, in particular with our Editorial Committee (composed of the chief science editors of Der Standard, El País, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, The Irish Times and Il Sole 24 Ore) to find new ways of collaboration to benefit all partners and in particular the relationship between science and society.

    From the reaction of members of EUSJA during several of the meetings organised by Atomium Culture in 2012–2013 we understand that there is a clear concern by some of the members of EUSJA relating to some of the new projects that Atomium Culture is promoting—in particular, the development of an EU Science Media Centre.

    We believe that these fears are unfounded and would welcome, as stated several times to members of EUSJA, to have an open and constructive discussion on these themes and to see how EUSJA could play a role in the development of this institution. The EU SMC would be developed to support journalists across Europe so the input of EUSJA is certainly very welcome. Fabio Turone has already voiced some of the concerns and Atomium Culture is doing its utmost to develop a project that reflects the different needs and concerns of ALL stakeholders. There is strong support for the development of an EU Science Media Centre by academic institutions, established media, industry, NGOs and policy makers, each of which sees the usefulness of such an institution.

    Again, thank you for your comments and we hope that EUSJA and its members will welcome the suggestion for a concrete and direct discussion on these themes in the future.

    Renato Tagliaferro
    Director of External Relations
    Atomium Culture

  • Open Forum in Venice

    Venice

    EUSJA journalists are invited to participate to the CO2GeoNet Open Forum 2013 (Venice, 9-10 April 2013) organized each year by the European Network of Excellence on the geological storage of CO2. It is a key opportunity for stakeholders including EU representatives, industry, regulators, public authorities, NGOs, and the research community to meet and interact directly with Europe’s largest group of researchers on CO2 geological storage covering 28 countries.

    European journalists are invited to attend a press conference on Monday April 8 at the San Servolo Island (from 15.30), which will be held by a group of scientists of the CO2GeoNet Network of Excellence. In the following days they will have also the opportunity to interact directly with the attending scientists from all over Europe.

    The Organising Committee will cover travel expenses (pre-paid air tickets or train reimbursement) and hotel accommodation for two nights (arriving on Monday 8) for up to 8 journalists. Please send your application directly to CO2GeoNet Secretariat: spersoglia@ogs.trieste.it before Sunday March 24.
    The information and a registration form have been sent out to national associations (you will find it also to the web page of the Forum – http://www.co2geonet/venice2013).

  • Keep up with change – a letter from the President

    Keep up with change – a letter from the President

    From the Spring 2013 issue of EUSJA news

    I am sure most of you know that the UK’s BBC has been under attack for what has been described by the chairman of the BBC Trust, Sir Chris Patten, as “its shoddy journalism”.
    He says that the worldwide reputation the Corporation achieved for its first class jour- nalism has been seriously compromised by basic mistakes, and he is deeply ashamed and apologetic. Basically the Beeb, as it has been affectionately known here in the UK, has become embroiled in a huge scandal that links one of its best known presenters, the late Sir Jimmy Savile, with alleged massive paedophile activity over many decades, some of it on BBC premises.

    With continuing huge interest in sex scandals on social networks (and perhaps attempt- ing to recoup some of its tarnished reputation), the BBC’s respected Newsnight programme intimated that a certain Thatcher-era establishment figure had been involved in paedophile activity during the 1980s. The programme took its information from external sources and failed to contact the individual concerned for his comments. Nor did it bother to check the material it was given. Although the programme didn’t name the individual concerned, there was plenty of innuendo sloshing around on social networking sites that identified him.

    This person is completely innocent of any paedophile activity. Apparently one phone call would have been sufficient to demonstrate he was not where he was alleged to have been and when.
    This furore serves as a timely reminder to us all that the basic rules of journalism we learn on the first day of our training – Who, What, Where, When, Why and How? – should on no account ever be forgotten or overlooked. It also is a warning that even on social networks we must all be careful not to pass on any rumours, innuendos or hear- say without first checking for ourselves.

    We are trying to organise a series of “speed dating” sessions
    at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Helsinki

    With this in mind it is absolutely vital that all EUSJA members are up to speed with their training, particularly with new media. Our profession is in a state of constant change, we must all keep up. Many young journalists have entered journalism after completing only a science degree, and many have never undertaken any structured journalistic training. The board is now involved in looking at training, attempting to raise funds for training programmes linked with study trips. We are also trying to organise a series of “speed dating” sessions at the WFSJ conference in Helsinki. Here we hope to have well-established journalists giving short one-to-one interviews. These sessions will cover everything from how they entered journalism, how to get the essence of a story into the opening paragraphs, how to get and check information, to pitching a story, selling copy, and the laws of libel/defamation. We plan to use reporters and broadcasters covering the conference to act as our “speed daters”, and we also welcome suggestions and offers of help from those of you planning to be present.

    We are also pursuing our proposed Investigative Journalism Award. This will be particularly relevant in light of the bad press some investigative journalism is receiving at the moment. We will keep you all informed via emails to delegates and on the EUSJA web- site of our progress in these spheres.

    A specific problem for many science journalists is accessing all the research articles needed. I was invited to speak on “Open Access and Science Journalism” at a recent EU/Atomium conference in Dublin. Whilst applauding the concept of true open access I did raise the point that this could have an effect on members’ jobs. I also mentioned the problems of “churnalism” – copy written without time to check information and place it in an historic context in a rushtogetthestoryout.Willthisleadtodumbingdown? How does it impact on newcomers to the profession? I shall write more about this for the EUSJA website and for the next issue of EUSJA News. Meanwhile, I am eagerly looking forward to visit- ing Prague for the 2013 EUSJA General Assembly on 16 March. There are many interesting topics lined up for discussion and I hope we have a fruitful meeting.

    Barbie Drillsma,
    EUSJA President