Northwest Science Writers Association

Dolan: Taxonomy of Headaches

Chris Tachibana — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:13:02 +0000

Maria Dolan explains the four categories of headaches in the latest Northwest Health, Group Health’s quarterly magazine with tips on fitness, nutrition and preventive medicine. Get a scorecard on duration, symptoms and treatment, with advice on how to avoid headaches in the first place. (Maria also has a story at Smithsonian.com about a birdhouse for 26,000 Vaux’s swifts.)

Miner: Who’s Who in Vaccine Research

Chris Tachibana — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:09:55 +0000

The monthly newsletter VIDD Vitals takes us inside Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division with upcoming events and recent publications and awards. Mindy Miner profiles the institute’s biostaticians, scientists, and doctors, giving us an in-depth look at their research, and a glimpse into their motivations and aspirations.

Pajer: Think Globally, Read Locally

Chris Tachibana — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:59:17 +0000

In Bernadette Pajer‘s historical mysteries, crimes are solved not by a detective, a little old lady, or a journalist-hacker pair. In A Spark of Death and Fatal Induction, the hero is Professor Benjamin Bradshaw from the University of Washington’s Department of Electrical Engineering. Identifying Seattle locations is just as much fun as figuring out whodunit.

photo: Joe Mabel

ScienceOnline2012 Recap Feb. 7 at UW School of Aquatic Fishery Sciences

Molly McElroy — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:29:16 +0000

Jennifer Davison, Usha Lee McFarling, Liz Neeley, Brian Glanz and Sandra Porter discuss the latest challenges and opportunities in communicating science online. Photo by Sally James.

Miss ScienceOnline 2012 but wish you had been there? Listen to a recording of a Feb. 7 recap of “scio12” from five Seattle science communicators who attended the meeting. The panel discussed the latest challenges and opportunities in communicating science online.

Listen now.

Topics included: communicating personalized genomics, dealing with abuse over the internet, disconnects between scientists and journalists, crowdfunding for science, cybersecurity for blog posts, emails and other online activities, writing for men’s and women’s magazines, and more.

View Carin Bondar’s ScienceOnline 2012 music video below:

Panelists included:

Sandra Porter (@digitalbio), president of Digital World Biology (digitalworldbiology.com) and blogger with ScienceBlogs (http://scienceblogs.com/digitalbio/)
Liz Neeley (@LizNeeley), Assistant Director of Science Outreach with COMPASS (http://www.compassonline.org/)
Jennifer Davison (@jenedavison), Research Scientist with the College of the Environment at the University of Washington. She also drives the College’s social media presence and the “CoEnv Currents” news blog.\
Usha Lee McFarling (@ushamcfarling), Artist In Residence in the UW Department of Communication
Brian Glanz (@brianglanz), director of Open Science Federation (http://opensciencefederation.com/).

Making video tell science stories

Matt Vivion — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:05:10 +0000

Thanks to Hannah Hickey for gathering the following information:

Video & Audio Hardware

Flip: Recently discontinued pocket camera, used by many of the panelists
Kodak Zi8: Pocket video camera that can connect to an external microphone
Audio-Technica ATR 3350: Cheap lapel mic that works well with the Kodak Zi8 camera
Canon EOS 5D: Digital SLR camera that can shoot HD video. Katherine used this to film aboard the ship. Phil uses two, one with a 50 mm f/1.4 lens and another with a 35mm f/2 lens.
Mikey: Plug-in mic for recording better audio on the iPhone. Todd uses this.
Zoom H2: Portable digital recorder popular for recording audio in the field

Video Editing Software

iMovie: Free software for Macs, used by many panelists
Final Cut Express / Studio / Pro: Popular video editing software for Macs, available at different price points
Adobe Premiere: Most popular video software that runs on both Macs and PCs. Available at different price points.

Audio & Slide Show Editing Software

www .audacity .com - Free software for audio editing
www .animoto .com - Free software for slide shows, popular with teachers
www .soundslides .com - Cheap software for creating narrated slide shows, developed by journalists.
This American Life’s $5 cartoon guide on how to record audio:

Science Writers on Using Video

“Reporter’s Toolbox: A Newbie’s Advice on Getting Started with Video” - By Seattle environmental reporter Robert McClure
“Shooting 101: Video for Writers” from the 2010 National Association of Science Writers Workshop - (Presented by Seattle native and UW grad Eric Olson)
“Telling Stories with Video” From the 2010 National Association of Science Writers Workshop - (Presented by Seattle native and UW grad Eric Olson)
“How Pulitzer Prize-winning Explanatory Reporting project humanizes story of genetic detection” - Poynter’s Al Tompkins on how multimedia helped Milwaukee Journal Sentinel win a 2011 Pulitzer in Explanatory Reporting

Other Resources

“Knight Digital Media Center: Video tutorials” - Free tutorials on video and audio techniques, software packages and equipment buying guides
“UW’s Masters of Communication in Digital Media: Resources page” - Guide to shooting with the Flip (or other pocket) cameras; audio sources; video and audio tips
“ScienceFilm” - BC-based organization offering training on making videos about science and natural history
- Online discussion forum
- Recommended reading

McElroy: Your Desk Is Not That Bad

Chris Tachibana — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:46:48 +0000

Or rather, the clutter in your workspace could be worse. How? Molly McElroy, public information officer in the Office of News and Information at the University of Washington, explains in a story about the psychology of hoarding. If you are among the 2.5 to 5 percent of the population afflicted with hoarding, Molly also describes promising therapies. As of December 2011, Molly is a candidate for the NSWA board, and she spoke at the “Making Video Tell Science Stories” event in April 2011.

(photo: sugarpond)

Scigliano: Global Warming’s Evil Twin

Chris Tachibana — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:31:02 +0000

We thought we’d heard the last of acid rain, but a story by Eric Scigliano at OnEarth.org is a reminder of that environmental plague of the 1970s. Fossil fuel consumption increases CO2 in the atmosphere, causing global climate change. But it also forces CO2 into our seas, decreasing their pH. In this in-depth investigation on the effect of ocean acidification on oysters, Eric tells us what it takes to run a Pacific Northwest oyster farm, how acidicity can destroy it, and possible solutions.

(photo: Daniel Schwen)

Timmerman: Auld Lang Syne for Seattle Biotech 2011

Chris Tachibana — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:12:20 +0000

As National Biotech Editor of Xconomy and the Editor of Xconomy Seattle, Luke Timmerman writes and tweets about the Seattle life sciences industry copiously, continuously and most importantly, competently. See his “Top 12 Life Sciences Stories of the Year” for a round-up of stories you might have missed or might want to revisit. (Luke also hints at an open house in February after Xconomy moves from their small Pill Hill location to nicer digs on Eastlake.)

(photo Daniel Schwen)

Sorensen: May I Have Your Attention Please

Chris Tachibana — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:16:42 +0000

Reading tweets is more interesting than working. Kids like stuff that flashes. Talking on the phone while driving is dangerous. Eric Sorensen, science writer for Washington State Magazine/WSU News Service, delves deep into the science of attention research to explain why.

(photo: Ed Brown)

Barlow: What Ted Kennedy and the Oregon Ducks Have In Common

Chris Tachibana — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 10:16:38 +0000

References to both the late Massachusetts senator and the mighty Duck football team show up in a story about the cells responsible for a rare but deadly brain cancer by Jim Barlow, University of Oregon director of science and research communications.