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YEAR OF SCIENCE ANNOUNCES JANUARY LAUNCH EVENTSOctober 27, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON DC — Today marked the registration of the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford, CT as the 385th participating organization in the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) - a grassroots network of universities, scientific societies, science centers and museums, government agencies, advocacy groups, media, schools, educators, businesses, and industry - basically, anyone who cares about science and is concerned about national scientific literacy. COPUS participants are leading the way in a national celebration of science — Year of Science 2009 — to celebrate how science works, why it matters, and who scientists are. The Year of Science 2009 will hold a launch event in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), beginning January 3, 2009 at The Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel, Boston, MA. The SICB meeting will include plenary presentations emphasizing the benefits of an engaged public, a workshop that focuses on science communication, and several Science Cafés in the Boston community.
A special component of the meeting is the much-anticipated January 5th unveiling of the Understanding Science Web site and its new paradigm for portraying the process of science. Prominent and popular textbook author and Brown University professor Ken Miller will join forces with Natalie Kuldell of the MIT Department of Biological Engineering to officially launch the site at the Boston meeting. High school science teacher Dr. Kathleen Gorski in Wilbraham, MA was one of the first educators to preview the site and implement it in her classroom. She writes “… the materials have had a huge impact on my classes this year; I’ve been told ‘that makes more sense [than what was learned earlier]’ and the kids seem to understand how one does science at a much deeper level. It is still the early days of the course, but I am thrilled with their response!” COPUS looks forward to similar activities at other professional meetings throughout the year. The strategy is simple: (1) partner with local organizations that can share their expertise and facilitate public engagement; (2) connect with the community about science, and (3) have fun. To stay in touch with the activities and events of the Year of Science 2009 as they unfold, register your organization to become a participant in COPUS by completing the online form at www.copusproject.org. By becoming a part of this communication and collaboration network, adding Year of Science logos to your Web site and marketing materials during 2009, and spreading the word to others, you are helping promote these efforts. For more information about COPUS and the Year of Science 2009, please visit: About COPUS Year of Science sponsorship opportunities are available now! For more information, contact Sheri Potter at spotter@copusproject.org « COUNTDOWN TO YEAR OF SCIENCE CONTINUES | Main | Year of Science 2009 Kicks Off this Week across the Nation » |
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The cognizant fiduciary body for the COPUS and Year of Science 2009 projects is the American Institute of Biological Sciences Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific association founded in 1947 as a part of the National Academy of Sciences, and an independent, member-governed organization since the 1950s. Support for COPUS workshops by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. EAR-0606600, EAR-0628790, and EAR-0814048. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. |
