Professional Development Month Kickoff Event: Newsbrief Awards featuring Fireside Chat with Lisa Palmer
June 2 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
The kickoff event of DCSWA’s series of professional development events on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June will feature a quick address from DCSWA president Rachael Lallensack about the outlook of DCSWA this year in these uncertain times, a short Newsbrief Award Ceremony to honor this year’s winners and Fireside Chat with Lisa Palmer, author of “Hot, Hungry Planet” and the inaugural National Geographic Visiting Professor of Science Communication at the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, on covering non-COVID-19 science during the pandemic.
This session was not recorded.
Professional Development Month: Navigating the Editor/Writer Relationship
June 4 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Writers and editors alike benefit from a relationship built on trust and clear communication. What can each do to build rapport and get what they need, from clean copy to securing work? We’ll hear from experts on best practices to navigate the editing process, setting expectations and managing disagreements. Editor panelists will share tips on cultivating relationships with their writers – staff, freelance or remote. Writers will give advice on making connections that lead to editors seeking them out to write stories and pointing them to career-boosting opportunities, like awards and fellowships.
Featured speakers include Lauren Wolf, executive editor at Chemical & Engineering News; Lauren Morello, deputy health care editor at Politico; Gabriel Popkin, freelance journalist; Sarah Zhang, staff writer at The Atlantic.
Professional Development Month: Curating Instagram Stories
June 9 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Instagram is currently the most engaged social platform, so being able to share science stories through compelling photos can go a long way. This session will explore the components of a successful Instagram profile, with examples from organizations and individuals who have mastered the skill.
Professional Development Month: Kickin’ Kickers
June 11 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Do you find yourself stumped when putting the finishing line on that short, newsy brief? Do you dread wrapping up a big feature? Panelists will share their strategies for the sometimes frustrating task of coming up with compelling endings. They’ll go beyond the standard kicker quote to discuss how to wrap up loose ends, draw memorable conclusions, and leave readers satisfied.
Featured speakers include Sarah Kaplan, climate reporter at the Washington Post; Tina Hesman Saey, senior writer at Science News; and Michael Greshko, science writer at National Geographic.
Professional Development Month – Virtual Pitch Slam 1
Some of DC’s finest editors will share what stories they’re looking for and give advice for how to pitch their publication with a Q&A portion to follow during which you can ask general questions about pitching. Optional: You are encouraged to prepare a pitch that can be presented in 90 seconds, after which you’ll get feedback on it from the panel. Note: This session will not be recorded and attendees are expected to keep others’ pitches confidential.
Editors joining the panel:
Lisa Moore, the editorial director and editor-in-chief of National Wildlife magazine, “an award-winning publication that goes to roughly 450,000 members of the National Wildlife Federation as a benefit of membership.”
Sarah Zielinski, the managing editor of Science News for Students, “a free, award-winning online publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate science news to learners, parents and educators.” Science News for Students is published by the Society for Science & the Public.
Lauren Wolf, the executive editor and deputy editorial director at Chemical & Engineering News, “the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative news source about chemistry and related fields.” C&EN is published by the American Chemical Society.
Professional Development Month: Making the Most of (Virtual) Site Visits
June 18 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
When reporters come out to visit a lab or some other research facility, both they and the PIOs who host them want the experience to be a great one. Too often, though, it can be a waste of time. Our panel of journalists and PIOs will discuss the pitfalls to avoid, and tips for how to make the experience productive for everyone. Among the topics: Who does the tours? How are they trained? What do you show off (one clean room looks like another)? Are table briefings actually better than dragging people around looking at shiny stainless steel? And is there a future for virtual tours of facilities that would actually be more interesting than the real thing?
Featured speakers include Susan Pell, deputy executive director at U.S. Botanic Gardens; Amy Bolton, public programs manager at U.S. Botanic Gardens (formerly of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum); and Rick Borchelt, director of communications and affairs at the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
This session was not recorded.
Professional Development Month – Virtual Pitch Slam 2
Some of DC’s finest editors will share what stories they’re looking for and give advice for how to pitch their publication with a Q&A portion to follow during which you can ask general questions about pitching. Optional: You are encouraged to prepare a pitch that can be presented in 90 seconds, after which you’ll get feedback on it from the panel. Note: this session will not be recorded and attendees are expected to keep others’ pitches confidential.
Editors joining the panel:
Nsikan Akpan, a science editor at National Geographic.
Caryl-Sue Micalizio, managing editor at Eos, “a source for news and perspectives about Earth and space science.” Eos is published by the AGU.
Torie Bosch, the editor of Future Tense, “a project of Slate, New America, and Arizona State that looks at the implications of new technologies.”
Professional Development Month: Scientific Studies and Data — How To Tell The Good From The Bad From The Ugly
June 25 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
It’s not always easy to tell which studies are worth writing about and which aren’t. In this talk, we’ll go over how to assess the quality of a journal as well as the information and statistics within a study.
Featured speakers include Bruce Lee, senior contributor at Forbes and professor at CUNY Grad School of Public Health & Health Policy.
This session was not recorded.
Professional Development Month Closing Event: Plenary Talk with Maddie Sofia, host of NPR’s Short Wave
June 30 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Maddie Sofia, the host of the daily NPR science podcast Short Wave, will talk about what she’s learned from her time communicating science to the public. From unraveling mysteries to covering new discoveries in today’s headlines, Sofia and her team create engaging science snapshots for the public, infused with humor and creativity.
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