News & Views item - January  2005

 

 

Science meets Parliament 2005 - Registrations Open (January 5, 2005)

The dates for the next Science meets Parliament are: Tuesday and Wednesday, March 8th and 9th, 2005.

 

Registrations are now open and the registration form is on the FASTS website at http://www.fasts.org/Fsite/SmP/2005/registration.htm

The format of Science meets Parliament has been changed with greater emphasis on the 'science'.

There will be four forums open to the broader Parliamentary community and media on a number of key issues, including a bio-medical hypothetical hosted by Dr Norman Swan.

 

 

Program

 

Day 1: Tuesday March 8th - National Press Club, Canberra.

 

  9.00 - 10.00am          Registration

10.00 - 11.30am          Compulsory session on the aims and objectives of SmP -- Briefing on the key issues.

 

11.30am - 12.30pm.    Morning Tea - then planning with your partners.

12.30 - 2.00pm           National Press Club Lunch - Guest speaker is the

    Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson.

 

2.15pm - 4.00pm (Concurrent session)    Briefing sessions on how to talk with Parliamentarians, the role of political staff and so forth. This session is required for all people who have not previously participated in SmP .

 

2.30pm - 3.30pm (Concurrent session)    Forum "managing public perceptions of emerging technologies" - presented by Biotechnology Australia.

    This session is open to participants who have attended SmP before and choose not to go to the Briefing session.

 

4.00pm - 4.30pm    afternoon tea, meet your partners, summing up.

 

7.00pm for 7.30pm Government- Industry-Science Dinner, Great Hall of Parliament House.

 

 

Day 2: Wednesday March 9th - Parliament House, Canberra.

 

7.30am - 8.45am     'Science for Breakfast'. An informal breakfast for young Parliamentarians , early-career researchers and PhD students.

                                NB: Due to size of venue, numbers are restricted and bookings accepted on a first in basis. To register ECR and PhD students should contact Robyn at the FASTS office directly robyn.fasts@anu.edu.au

 

8.00am - 6.00pm         Scientists meet with the Parliamentarians.

 

Four Events

 

During the course of the day there will also be four events open to all participating scientists (depending on their meeting commitments), Parliamentarians, political and other parliamentary staff and media.

 

The four events are -

  1. Bio-medical Hypothetical focusing on the science, politics and institutional elements of a viral pandemic. Host: Dr Norman Swan, ABC Health Report.

  2. Climate Change Forum - What is the scientific consensus? What are the outstanding questions? Scientific, political, policy, public health and industry implications?

  3. Science Education Forum - focusing on the enabling sciences and mathematics.

  4. Forum on flexible career paths, science skills shortages and minimising attrition. This session will focus on opportunities and challenges to minimise attrition of science skills by looking to more flexible career paths, re-entry and re-training for scientists, notably, but not exclusively, women seeking to re-enter science after family commitments.

 

Accommodation

 

FASTS advises that accommodation has been reserved at University House, ANU - 18 Balmain Crescent, Acton, phone 02 6125 5211 - at a special rate of $94 for single occupancy rooms.  Bookings are to be made by registrants. Please cite "FASTS' SmP" to receive the discount rate.

 

 

FASTS lists two key foci of this year's SmP:

  1. Make it concrete and real - People are typically more responsive to ideas, technologies and insights that have a direct bearing on them and their local community. Not everyone is fascinated by a partial stochastic differential equation. Parliamentarians are no different. Participating scientists are urged to think locally - an insight, for example, that creates 10 new jobs or improves the water quality of Ballarat means a lot to the member representing Ballarat.

  2. It's about long-term relations. In Parliament House now are the next two - three Prime Ministers, Treasurers, Science, Environment and Industry Ministers, Shadow Ministers and so forth. If current Parliamentarians develop a stronger sense of the possibilities and real benefits of investment in science, mathematics and technology then there may be long term benefits for all.

If you have any inquiries about Science meets Parliament please do not hesitate to contact:

 

Bradley Smith
Executive director
fasts@anu.edu.au
(0408) 511 261

or

Robyn Easton
Office Manager
robyn.fasts@anu.edu.au
(02) 6257 2895.