Chairs:
Prof. Leo W.H. Tan (whltan@nie.edu.sg)
and
Prof. R. Subramaniam
Singapore National Academy of Science

2014 Update

PSA Science Communication Working Group leaders Prof. Leo Tan and Prof. R. Subramaniam (Singapore National Academy of Sciences) have a new book, “Communicating Science to the Public: Opportunities and Challenges for the Asia-Pacific Region” that will be published by Springer in July 2014. The book is now available for pre-order.

2013 Update
We are pleased to report on the following:

1. New Book on Science Communication
We are now editing a book on “Communicating Science to the Public: Opportunities and Challenges for the Asia Pacific region”. This is under contract with Springer (Netherlands) and will be published in mid-2014.

The book will comprise 18 chapters as follows:
1. Promoting science literacy via science journalism: Issues and challenges
2. Science and technology centres as agents for popularizing science
3. Role of non‐governmental organizations in the promotion of science: Experiences from scientific academies and scientific societies from
around the world
4. Television as a medium for science communication
5. Outreach activities by universities as a channel for science communication
6. Science kits: Fostering cost effective hands‐on experiences in science among children
7. Graduate degree programs in science communication: Reaching out to the community via trained science communicators
8. Field trips to industrial establishments: Infinite opportunities for popularizing science
9. Science clubs: An under‐utilized tool for promoting science communication activities in schools
10. Web‐based channels for science communication: A review of trends and platforms
11. Café scientfiques: A platform for the meeting of like minds
12. Entrepreneurship opportunities in science communication
13. Challenges facing developing countries in promoting science communication
14. Status of science communication in developing countries
15. Mobile phones and social media for science communication
16. Science in everyday life
17. Science Olympiads: Promoting excellence in science and identifying talent
18. Methodological issues in assessing effective science communication practices

Leading experts in the field are being invited to contribute chapters in the foregoing areas. The expected date of completion of the book is 31 Dec 2013. It is mentioned in the Call for Chapters that the book project is supported by the Pacific Science Association in Hawaii.

2. Seminar on science communication
As part of the 22nd Pacific Science Congress in Kuala Lumpur in 2011, the Singapore National Academy of Science organized a seminar on science communication. The seminar was composed of workshops on
science communication, which is being organized by the Australian National University, as well as this seminar.

There was a total of five presentations (including a keynote address) by participants from Malaysia, Australia and Singapore, for the seminar.