speakers
More about the speakers
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Dr. Andrea Gwosdow has a long history of helping researchers communicate science to the public. In 1997, Dr. Gwosdow founded Gwosdow Associates Science Consultants, an award-winning science & medical communication company. Gwosdow Associates is dedicated to providing medical and science writing services and training services, working with schools on science education, and interpreting science for non-scientists (the public). Dr. Gwosdow is an effective medical writer who has received top awards from the New England Chapter of the American Medical Writers Association. She is known for her clear explanations of complex scientific principles to a variety of audiences at all levels. She has worked around the world with a wide variety of organizations to improve their communication skills. In addition, she leads workshops aimed at teaching scientists and medical professionals how to communicate science. Dr. Gwosdow is a skilled scientist with experience leading research teams in systems physiology, endocrinology and immunology. She has expertise in animal, cellular and molecular biology. She holds an academic appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Scientist in the Endocrine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. | |||||||||||
 | Baudouin JurdantGERSULP - Groupe d’Etude et de Recherche sur la Science de l’Université Louis Pasteur |
Born as a Belgian in 1942. Higher education in Strasbourg. Start as a journalist in a daily newpaper in 1962. Assistant professor of Professor Abaham Moles at the University of Strasbourg in 1968. Recruited as a Teaching and Research Fellow in psycholinguistics at the University of York (UK) from 1969 to 1972. Temporary Lecturer in Sociology at the University of York in 1972/73. Back in Strasbourg in 1974 where he is appointed as a Lecturer of Philosophy of Science in the Department of Economics. First doctoral dissertation submitted in 1973 on « The theoretical problems of popularization of science » (published in 2009). Naturalised French in 1982. Second doctoral dissertation (thèse d’Etat) in 1984 on « Ecriture, monnaie et connaissance » (Writing, money and knowledge).
Professorship in Science Communication in Strasbourg in 1989. Elected as a Professor of Science communication in the University Paris Diderot (Paris 7) in 1997. Director of the Master Programme in Science Journalism in the University Paris 7. Professor emeritus since september 2011.
Invited in various universities such as Cambridge (1983/84), Montréal (1979), Vienna (1992/93), Tokyo (1993), etc. Publication of many articles on science communication, psychoanalysis, the history of alphabetical writing, etc.
 | Carlos Catalão AlvesHead of Communication in Ciência Viva Ciência Viva - National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture |
Carlos Catalão Alves, phd, Science Education, University of Cambridge, UK, is head of Communication in Ciencia Viva, and a member of its Board of Directors, having been part of the founding team, since 1996.
He teaches Science Communication and Education, at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and he is a research at the CIES, Centro de Investigação e Estudos de Sociologia, UL.
His research is focused on the social mission of universities and scientific institutions, particularly in terms of its contribution to science education, as well as to public participation and engagement with science.
 | José Vítor MalheirosScience communication consultant / Newspaper columnist |
José Vítor Malheiros is a science communication consultant and a newspaper columnist. Previously he worked as a journalist and editor, covering science, technology, education and environment for the printed and online press.
He created the first daily science section in the Portuguese media in the daily Público, in 1990. He founded and ran Público's website for ten years and has devoted a large part of his time to the teaching and training of journalists and science communicators.
 | Magdalena Bak-MaierOrganisational Development Consultant and Talent Coach |
Magdalena Bak-Maier is an Organisational and Individual Development Specialist, Executive Coach, Trainer and Speaker with over 10 years experience in the field of consulting, training and developing people. Magdalena has trained as a neuroscientist and uses her knowledge and interest in brain plasticity to develop and deliver highly effective learning solutions and to help individuals understand and overcome what’s stopping them from realizing their ambition.
Magdalena has an intimate understanding of the HE sector, research cultures and pressures, and how to develop academic careers. She works with leading academics on research vision development and tactics to convert ideas into results with close to £10M in funding obtained over last two years coaching individuals in preparing and defending research ideas.
At Imperial, she directs the Imperial Academic Development Centre (ADC) for academics in the top 10-20 global positions in their respective fields and the leadership development programme for professorial staff who wish to assume organisational leadership roles. She has created effective bid development methodologies for Ideal Labs in Faculty of Engineering leading to many successful cross disciplinary collaborations and new research proposals, the Research Proposal Checklist tool used by over 500 academics within Imperial to improve proposal quality as well as an academic performance and career development diagnostic used for academic career management.
Magdalena has a BSc from NYU and a PhD from Caltech with successful track record of research spanning across medicine, chemistry, physics and engineering. She is also a professionally qualified coach, fully accredited Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner and an FRSA and her book on improving personal productivity with Wiley Capstone will be published in July 2012.
 | Nathalie CapletResponsible for scientific and cultural resources – European networks |
I fell in love with science communication while preparing my PhD on molecular microbiology (on the secretion of the cholera toxin) at the University of Bristol at the end of the 90s. I should say I fell in love with science first, and in particularly tiny molecules and minute bacteria, and so much so that I was desperate to share my enthusiasm! During my PhD, I got involved in any project I could in science communication, with local organisations, with the British Association (for the advancement of science), the media, the newly built science centre At-Bristol… After interacting for a while with a school for deaf children, I applied and received a Millennium Award to make a science video specifically for deaf children, which was filmed at the Cardiff science centre Techniquest. A great project to manage!
In 2001, I started working in London as a journalist for an international publication on the veterinary industry and received strict in-house training on journalism techniques. I later decided to go back to France and got a position at Cap Sciences in Bordeaux. Over the past 9 years, I have held various positions at Cap Sciences. I first worked as a journalist reporting on the local research and as an editor, launching our annual magazine. I then became in charge of Cap Sciences’ external communication, setting up our electronic newsletter and handling press relations.
My present job is also multi-faceted. I am responsible for scientific and cultural resources. This involves working for our largest projects to find the scientists and other specialists for our scientific committees, identifying potential interesting partners, investigating over the Internet to find the right picture, video, sound… and negotiating the rights to use them. I also oversee all the documentation, and the book selections. In parallel I try and build Cap Sciences’ connections and reputation on the international scene, in particular through the European science centre network Ecsite, and various European projects. I also work as a freelancer in communications and press relations, as French correspondent for the London veterinary industry publication I used to work for, and as an active mother to my three boys!
 | Olivier MochPresident of Science Animation Midi-Pyrénées Website: Science Animation |
Olivier MOCH (present position: permanent secretary of the French High Council for Meteorology) is a former Deputy Director-general of Météo-France - the French Meteorological service. He also worked several years in a specialised agency of the United Nations.
In his various professional positions he has always focused on the practical applications of science: there should be no gaps in between the (always increasing) scientific knowledge and the implementation of practical applications.
Olivier MOCH is also the president of “Science Animation Midi Pyrénées”. This regional association (grouping together the efforts of about 30 permanent employees and about a hundred of volunteers) has a multifaceted activity aiming at increasing the scientific culture of citizens. This is needed since nowadays “illiteracy in sciences” certainly leads to handicap in making personal as well as collective choices.
 | Vicent J. MartinezDirector of the Observatori Astronòmic - Universitat de València |
Vicent J. Martinez is professor of astronomy at the University of Valencia, and director of its Astronomical Observatory. In addition to his teaching and research, dedicated mainly to cosmology and the study of the large-scale structure of the universe (having published over one hundred articles in international journals and several books), Vicent has always been interested in science communication.
He organized and edited the proceedings of the conference "Teaching and Communicating Astronomy" with Amelia Ortiz held in Granada in September 2004 and has led many of the outreach activities organized at the Valencia Astronomical Observatory since 2001.
Vicent enjoys giving talks to general audiences. He does it on a regular basis and in very different scenarios: conference halls, universities, planetariums, science museums, summer schools, high schools, scientific societies, etc.
He has published hundreds of popular science articles in newspapers and magazines. He is the author of the book "Marineros que surcan los cielos" `Sailors that sail the skies´,
which received the Outreach Award "Estudi General" 2005. He recently participated in the scripting and filmmaking of Javier Diez's short scientific documentary "The Invisible Universe", awarded the 2011 CPAN Prize.
He was driving the creation of the Chair of Science Popularization of UV. He has carried out various activities, seminars and courses to promote the training of researchers in the task of dissemination and communication of science, including the course: "Scenarios and Actors for Scientific Communication"
He is the coordinator and scientific director of the science communication web page of the Generalitat Valenciana - http://www.conec.es
 | Vladimir de SemirAssociate Professor of Science Journalism and director of the Science Communication Observatory at Pompeu Fabra University |
Vladimir de Semir, born in 1948, has been a journalist since 1975 and has specialized in science journalism and science popularization since 1982. In 1994, he began teaching and training new journalists and popular science writers as Associate Professor of Science Journalism in the Faculty of Communication at Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, where he also directs the Science Communication Observatory, a research centre specializing in analysis of the transmission of scientific, medical and environmental knowledge to society. At Pompeu Fabra University, he is also director of the Master’s in Scientific, Medical and Environmental Communication and of the Diploma in Scientific Communication in Buenos Aires (Argentina).
He is a member of the international Public Communication of Science and Technology Network, a member of the expert group, Monitoring Policy and Research Activities on Science in Society (MASIS), of the European Commission, and a member of the European Science Communication Network (ESConet).
