I’m currently on the flight to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina for, drum roll please, Science Online 2012 #Scio12. WOO HOO! This is my first time ever going to this conference and I am so ever excited to have the opportunity to take part in this amazing un-conference.
For those who are unfamiliar with #Scio, it’s a kind of a conference, but not really. It’s called an un-conference. So it’s not like your typical scientific conference where a scientist is at the front a giant room giving a power point presentation of his researching knowing that he only has 20 minutes but disregards that time limit and presents for 45 minutes anyways. Why not, he believes his/her research is so interesting, so will everyone else. Then you have a question and answer period which can also go on for a very long time, depending on how many egos are in the room and by then all the graduate students, like me, want to shoot themselves because they would rather be chatting by their poster or in the hallway to other fellow grad students. Yes this conference is not like that. The idea is to bring the discussions into the rooms where everyone can give their input and experiences. Egos are checked at the door.
As a fifth year PhD graduate student so close to finishing and so close beginning a new career path in science communication, #Scio looked like a fantastic opportunity to soak up the knowledge by experts in the field, like @edyong209 and @BoraZ and learn how to make it out there in the real world. Grad students lead a very sheltered life where it seems like the only future for a grad student is academia or biotech. I, on the other hand, always like to think outside the box. Like my Mom always says to me, “why do you always look for the hardest route when there’s an easier way”. Well it’s because I like challenges and sometimes the easiest way is not necessarily the happiest route to take.
Out of my own pocket, I have managed to save up enough of my hard earned cash organizing sleep overs at Science World, freelancing for Science.ca and also squirreling away money from research to go to #Scio and I will talk and soak up every single piece of information I can from every single person at this conference.
Discussions and workshops I will be attending will be:
“How to become a successful freelancer” – that’s what I want to become
“Basic video making 101” – something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time
“Going from blogging to MSM – Selling out or Gateway Drug” – I have no problem selling out, in fact, I’m probably selling out on my fellow academics right now by doing this.
“Sex, Gender, and Controversy: Writing to educate, writing to titillate” – obviously sex interests me, I’ve written about a fetish and spiders and erections
“Punchlines and Perils of Science Humour” – I’ve been told I’m funny. I just need to be able to translate that into written form. Oral no prob. That’s why I want to do videos.
“On the Record – a Media Skills Workshop for Scientist – I have a very sarcastic sense of humour, which in some, or more like, often cases especially talking to the media, it’s not so good to have. So I this this would be a good workshop to attend.
I can go on and on and on about the workshops I’ll be attending but I’ll blog about highlights of each of them soon enough.
Oh right and the coolest part, I get to go on a tour of the Museum of Life and Science. YIPPEE! I get up close and personal with Black Bears, which has happened to me twice when I went camping in Prince Albert National Park. Hmm, I should blog about that. I also get to hang out with crocodiles, alligators, snakes, big animals, small animals, all animals! I love animals. But my mom never let me have a dog. Nope, not bitter at all.
So right now I’m over Iowa? I wasn’t paying attention to when the captain was speaking.
I feel like I’m in a dream flying across the continent to #Scio. Although this may be hardest route to realize my dream of becoming a successful science communicator but it’s a pretty awesome route to take.
Until next time,
Sarah