Press contact: Khadijah M. Britton, COPUS
617-997-3394, kmb@betterbio.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 1, 2013

Washington DC -- The Coalition for the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) today announced this year's winner of the second annual Paul Shin Award, honoring the unsung heroes of science communication and engagement.

The 2013 winner is Mónica I. Feliú-Mójer, Ph.D., Vice-director and News Editor for Ciencia Puerto Rico. For the past seven years, Mónica has dedicated 20-30 hours a week of unpaid work to Ciencia Puerto Rico (www.cienciapr.org), a non-profit grassroots organization that promotes science, research and scientific literacy in Puerto Rico, all while working toward (and obtaining) her PhD in neuroscience at Harvard University. Mónica explains: "I love the lab bench, but through Ciencia Puerto Rico I've realized that my true passion lies in outreach, communicating science and making it available to everyone."

Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, Ph.D. , Executive Director of Ciencia Puerto Rico, nominated Dr. Feliú-Mójer saying, "Mónica has enhanced science communication directly, through her writings and innovative education programs, but perhaps most importantly, through her example, she has empowered fellow scientists to get involved and do the same. "

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Feliú-Mójer said, "What I love most about Ciencia Puerto Rico is that everyone in the (mostly volunteer) group is equally passionate about making a difference. I am so excited to connect with people from across the United States that share that passion." Dr. Feliú-Mójer will attend the COPUS 2013 Invitational from April 12-14 in Monterey, CA, receiving a $500 cash prize and recognition plaque, while taking part in two days of science outreach networking and educational events.

Co-founder of COPUS, Judy Scotchmoor said, "The Paul Shin award is very special to us at COPUS. In the short time that we knew Paul, we were captivated by his energy and determination to make a difference in the world. The nominees for this year's award were fantastic, but Dr. Feliú-Mójer made an impression on us. Her tireless enthusiasm and commitment to sharing science to reach her community is exactly what we aspire to recognize through this award."

Learn more about the Paul Shin Award.

Download the press release in English or Spanish.

About COPUS

The Coalition for the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) is a grassroots effort to engage the public in science and increase public understanding of the nature of science and its value to society. What COPUS does is simple: create a network of peers that build community for science through promoting dialogue, building connections, and sharing ideas and resources. Learn more at http://www.copusproject.org.

About Ciencia Puerto Rico

Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting science, research and science education in Puerto Rico and among Hispanics in the U.S. Through its online platform, CienciaPR brings together the geographically dispersed but emotionally connected Puerto Rican scientific community and leverages their collective knowledge and expertise for the promotion of science careers, education and public understanding of science. Learn more at www.cienciapr.org,

by Jen Collins

Creating new relationships with enthusiastic, creative, and highly engaged people, many of whom I would not have contact with otherwise, has been a highlight of my participation with COPUS. Never before have I been able to sit down with an MIT scientist, art and science professors, the Science Cheerleader, the head of geology for an entire state, a mom and a former shoe maker, a public media specialist, the two masterminds behind COPUS, and other people from equally diverse backgrounds to actively pursue ways to engage the public in science. The connections, new ideas, and energy that result from these interactions are astonishing.

Ocean connections and explorations is one of my cups of tea. Because of COPUS, I was empowered to coordinate and facilitate the development of the Year of Science Ocean/Water website and DC COPUS HUB Ocean/Water group. To have an excuse to contact professionals that do amazing aquatic education and outreach has broadened my knowledge of activities, and helped to forge some new collaborations and contacts.

Prior to COPUS, I did not always have a means for pursuing ideas outside the scope of my paid job. COPUS changed that. For example, when a casual conversation with a scientist sparked the idea of a public Species Naming Contest, COPUS provided the platform, encouragement, and non-monitory resources to pull it off. Three hundred submissions, and over 800 votes later, the Bonaire Banded Box Jellyfish was publically named and published in the literature. It was a thrilling experience to get so many people involved in the process of taxonomy and to pursue a novel idea.

Understanding COPUS took me awhile. I came to COPUS as a classroom teacher on maternity leave. Connecting to amazingly accomplished, bright, and motivated people can be a bit intimidating. But being part of COPUS is not about being part of a nationally recognized institution, or doing things that need to reach X number of people, or creating something large and complex. Being part of COPUS is about personal connections, expanding your horizons, and working within the scope of your own parameters. It feels good to know that there is such a diversity of people reaching a range of audiences in so many different ways. It makes me optimistic that we can raise the level of science understanding and appreciation.

So no matter who you are, if you have a passion for science communication, education, and/or outreach, COPUS is a network worth being a part of.

New Award Recognizes Individual Contributions to Public Understanding of Science, celebrates the life of Dr. Paul Shin

Press contact: Roger Harris, Harris Social Media
919 662 1618, roger@harrissocialmedia.com

March 28,2011

Berkeley - Dr. Paul Shin, a chemist and passionate science communicator was on the staff at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Northridge. He was well-known for his contributions to science teaching and outreach, and was actively involved with education and outreach programs at the American Chemical Society. Paul posthumously received the "Twice a Citizen" award from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for his outstanding service as a Specialist Reserve Officer for the LAPD Hazardous Materials Unit.  He was a leading member of the COPUS coalition. Dr. Shin died after a brief battle with cancer in late 2010.

In recognition of his selfless contribution, COPUS has established this award to annually honor individuals who demonstrate a passion and commitment to communicating science to the public, and leading others to do the same.  The 2011 recipient of the award is Dr. Shin himself, bestowed upon his family in celebration of his life.

Each year the Paul Shin Memorial Award recipient will be recognized for dedication to communicating science to the public, whether in person, in print or online, or a combination. The award especially recognizes “unsung heroes” who have demonstrated commitment and passion to this effort. COPUS is particularly keen to recognize individuals for whom science communication may not be part of an everyday job, but who nevertheless give their time and energy to enhancing the public understanding of science. Individuals need not be affiliated with an institution.

The annual award will comprise a $500 unrestricted cash award with a plaque and letter of recognition from the COPUS leadership. In addition the recipients accomplishments will be celebrated on the COPUS Web site and announced by press release. Nominations will be accepted via webform on the COPUS website.

About COPUS

The Coalition for the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) is a grassroots effort to engage the public in science and increase public understanding of the nature of science and its value to society. What COPUS does is simple – it creates a network of peers that build community for science through promoting dialogue, building connections, and sharing ideas and resources. http://www.copusproject.org

Individuals and corporations are invited to honor the legacy of Dr. Paul Shin by contributing to the Paul Shin Memorial Award fund.  Click to learn more.

Have you started planning for participation in the The USA Science & Engineering Festival??

The Inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival will be the nation's first celebration of science and engineering innovation in our nation's capital. The festival will run for two weeks, October 10-24, 2010. Its capstone will be a two day Expo on the National Mall, featuring exhibits and performances from some of the most dynamic speakers and performers in science and engineering, including: Darlene Cavalier - The Science Cheerleader, the Banana Slug String Band, Nick Walker - the Weather Dude, science comedian Brian Marlow, chemist Dr. Joe Schwarcz, and many more! The festival is supported by over 350 leading science organizations including Lockheed Martin, Popular Science Magazine, and Scientific American.

However,this celebration is not confined to our nation's capitol - this is a nationwide celebration. Organizations across the country are encouraged to host a Satellite Event in their communities, during the same weekend -- October 23 and 24, 2010, when hundreds of thousands of people will celebrate science on the National Mall. In fact, if your organization already has an event in the works, then you can register it as a Satellite Event of the USA Science & Engineering Festival. Satellite Events can be as small or as big as you want. They range from a single activity to a full-fledged Festival. They include Science Family Days, contests, workshops, Citizen Science projects, a science scavenger hunt, or whatever you want it to be, as long as it is educational, fun, science-related, and free to the general public! You create it, and the USA Science & Engineering Festival team will help you market it by including your information on the Festival website. To host a Satellite Event, please click here. Fill out a brief online form to let Festival organizers know you are planning an event. Or partner with a Satellite Event organizer in your area. Satellite Events are currently being planned in several communities throughout the United States. If you would like to partner with a Satellite Event organizer in your community, contact Ruth Kiefer at rkiefer@mindspring.com and she will gladly connect you to the right people.

For more information about the inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival visit www.usasciencefestival.org.

A business should be part of the community - both receiving from and giving back to their customers and the communities they live in. Guardian Insurance is committed to the necessity of giving back, and in this spirit is supporting the Year of Science in 2009 project.

The Year of Science celebrates sciences from astronomy to zoology to help boost the level of public understanding of how science works. Each month during the year of celebration is focused on a specific theme that explains the process, methods and nature of the scientific method in different fields. In 2009, for example, monthly themes included "Sustainability and the Environment" and "Geosciences and the Planet Earth."

In the end, the Year of Science project hopes to inform people, and especially the young, as to why science matters and is important for improving our lives.

By supporting the Year of Science in 2009 project, Guardian Insurance hopes to improve the appreciation of the sciences and to encourage interest in scientific subjects among young people. By giving back to the community, everybody including Guardian Insurance benefits! For information on Guardian Life Insurance please visit guardianisurance.com.au.

Giving back to the community is a core value at Real Insurance. We believe that giving back should make a positive impact on the people that we serve, and the world in which we live.

One of the many ways we give back is to support initiatives that make an impact on the lives of students. We are also committed to leaving a positive footprint in the sustainability of our planet.

By supporting Year of Science 2009 we are fostering both of these ideals.

Helping students understand why science matters will make a difference in their lives and in the lives of future generations. The enthusiasm, creativity and knowledge of bright minds are crucial as we face the global changes in our environment. We want to be a part of helping students become excited about science! This excitement can lead them into important careers in a scientific field.

Each month The Year of Science introduces and theme that explores the wide variety of scientific fields. These diverse themes include "Sustainability and the Environment" and "Geosciences and the Planet Earth."

Real Insurance is a green company, and being part of The Year of Science is only one way that we demonstrate our commitment to global sustainability and ecological awareness. For information on Real Life Insurance please visit realinsurance.com.au.

Participants in the COPUS Project website (COPUS) enjoyed a fantastic Year of Science 2009. It was a twelve-month celebration of every discipline of science and we met our goal of engaging the public in science and innovation. However, our work is not done; and neither is the excitement that was generated from the community science events. In fact, COPUS is revving up its engines to take public engagement of science to the next level; and we want you to be a part of this movement!

COPUS is a grassroots community of individuals, organizations, and institutions who passionately care about enhancing science literacy among all citizens.

COPUS is a network. We are a community of scientists, engineers, teachers, students, parents, and everyday people who are committed to sharing science with everyone! We catalyze connections among those committed to facilitating communication of science to society.

COPUS is a resource. We share information about local, regional, and national science outreach and public programs. COPUS is a conduit to participation in public outreach. We facilitate communication and collaboration of local outreach partners to community programs. We also mobilize volunteers to participate in local and national scientific celebrations, such as the Year of Science 2009, and the USA Science & Engineering Festival 2010. Finally, we coordinate content such as Understanding Science, a resource created by and for COPUS community members, to help communicate the scientific process to the general public.

Our emphasis is to connect people to each other and everyone to science outreach resources.

Ready to join the COPUS movement?
If you participate in broader impacts for your research or through your professional organizations, then you already are. Simply, sign up on the COPUS Project website and let us know how you share science in your local community or participate in public outreach programs.

Not participating in an ongoing broader impact project? Then we recommend participating in an upcoming Community Science Event. Here are a few days to mark on your calendar:

May 12, 2010, is National Lab Day. In communities all over the USA, local teachers are conducting exciting hands-on science activities for their K-12 students. Local scientists, science organizations, and volunteers work with these educators to make it happen! See what is happening in your area and sign up to volunteer. http://www.nationallabday.org/

October 23-24, 2010, is the USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo in Washington, DC. The country's first national science festival promises to be the ultimate multi-cultural, multi-generational, and multi-disciplinary celebration of science in the United States. The Expo is being celebrated nationally, as well. Local universities, science organizations, and institutions are being asked to organize satellite event in each of their communities. Share science locally and connect to other science events across the nation. http://www.usasciencefestival.org/

Be sure to drop us a line and let us know how you engage the public in understanding science.

Life generates a lot of data – the number of hours you spend awake and asleep and at your desk and in your car; the foods you eat; the pace of your morning run. I just read a great article in the New York Times Magazine, The Data-Driven Life, about geeky guys who are obsessed with self-tracking – gathering data about their daily lives and distilling from these data information about how to improve their lives. How to work more efficiently, run faster, feel happier. This got me thinking about how self-tracking might be a great hook to get people interested in science – and in one of my favorite little corners of science, data analysis.

The guys in the article were for the most part tech-savvy nerds. They recorded copious data, like what they ate, how much money they spent, and… every single idea they had since 1984. This allowed them to figure out things, like exactly how much time one man spent cleaning up after a messy roommate. Or how many tablespoons of flaxseed oil another man needs to take to maximize his concentration.

I think people could really get into this. Everyone likes to know more about himself. And there could be some tangible benefits: in today's bad economic times, people could really benefit from knowing exactly how they spend their money. And in this image-obsessed society, understanding how diet and exercise affect your own weight – not just the weight of Hollywood types – could be very very appealing. Is that $10 skin cream just as good as the $100 skin cream? Run your own test (controlling for potentially influencing co-variables!) and find out for yourself.

Collecting data is easy. There are all kinds of ways to automate data collection (companies like Google collect tons of data about you already). Depending on the kind of data you want to collect, cheap sensors might already exist, such as accelerometers for your running shoes, or tiny temperature loggers (I tend to sleep better with the window open – is that because the room is cooler?). And smartphones make it easy to collect data on the fly – and can remind you to record your mood or what you ate.

The next step, data analysis, is the best part. This is where people can really learn about how science works. Using their own life as an example, people can understand concepts like correlation versus causation, signal versus noise, controlling for confounding variables, and the importance of replication. It would be super to have a website to help you track your data – and easily analyze and graph it. The website Gapminder is an elegant model.

Last week, I started keeping track of how much time I spend working on each of my many work projects each day. Myriad web-based programs are out there to help you track your time. For me, self-tracking is simultaneously a bit tedious and super interesting. I can see how, once I get into the habit of recording what I'm doing, it can become an obsession. There are so many questions I can ask about my own work habits and efficiency! Now I need a spreadsheet to track more variables – only then will I figure out if my ability to concentrate correlates with the number of cups of coffee I consume! 

Webinars, that modern combination of conference call and colloquium, are becoming more and more popular. And I can see why! Last week I took part in my first webinar. It was part of a series run by the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS). Last week's webinar focused on the Process and Nature of Science in Teaching Introductory Biology, and it was led by Judy Scotchmoor, from the University of California Museum of Paleontology. I figured that during a webinar you just zone out in front of your computer, the same way you'd zone out in a lecture if you were invisible and no one could tell you were zoning out. But Judy used a few tricks to encourage participation (we had to answer questions! And type stuff!), which kept me engaged. Judy demonstrated ways for introductory biology teachers to incorporate the nature and process of science into their curriculum. I am of course biased (I work for Judy and write for the Understanding Science website), but students, teachers, and frankly everyone else could really benefit from learning how science actually works.

The next few webinars in the AIBS series sound really great. On February 25, there will be A Virtual Book Party! Authors Chris Mooney and Carl Zimmer will be talking about their most recent books, Unscientific America and The Tangled Bank, respectively. They'll talk about education and evolution - and two lucky webinar participants will win a free copy of each book. I already have Chris Mooney's book, but I'll be tuning in nonetheless! And there are more webinars in the series - check here for the full list!

One last practical note: use a headset or headphones! This way, you don't have to hold the phone in your hand or cradle it between your cheek and your shoulder for an extended period of time. I dialed in to the webinar using Skype, so I could listen via headphones plugged in to my computer. You could also get a telemarketer-style headset, which can connect to either your computer or your telephone. I think having your hands free to type in responses and take notes will help keep you focused and prevent you from zoning out!

Webinars are big - and I think they can be convenient and effective ways to communicate science - for internal use within your organization, and for a large public virtual event.

Washington, DC - After three rounds of reading, laughing, and learning a lot of science, a panel of six judges selected the winners of the Year of Science 2009 Science Zine contest - a contest sponsored by the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) and the Small Science Collective. More than 250 submissions were received from all over the world - from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Marasthra, India; from Bellingham, Washington to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Each mini-magaZINE combined science and art to tell a compact story about science. The subjects ranged from endosymbiosis to energy, from oceans to the solar system, and from thunder to mineralogy.

Thirty-two winners from three age categories (8-12, 13-17, and 18+) were selected by the judges based on four criteria: scientific content/fidelity to topic, visual appeal and communication, readability, and original perspective on the topic. The judges were three faculty members of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and three scientists from The Field Museum in Chicago, the University of Illinois Chicago, and the University of California, Berkeley. The submissions were extraordinary, reflecting creativity, talent, and enthusiasm, which made the judging very challenging.

The contest grand prize winner was Chen Dou (age group 13-17) from Gaithersburg, MD with the zine "Meeting a Giant Octopus." Runners up to the grand prize were Lauren Hughes from Minneapolis, MI with "Dive Deep into the Lives of Freshwater Mussels," Alex Chitty from Chicago, IL with "The Indomitable Water Bear," Rishabh Tripathi from Nagpur, Maharashtra India with "Acids," and Mary Allison Abad from Gaithersburg, MD with "Endosymbiosis." The grand prize was a cash prize of $500 donated by Shodor, a nonprofit organization serving students and educators by providing materials and instruction for computational science.

Two $250 awards were given in the category of understanding the nature and process of science. The winners were Santino Chavez from Rockford, IL with "Scientific Methods in Earth Science" and Amy Schleser from Chicago, IL with "Perfect!" The contest was a collaboration between COPUS and The Small Science Collective, a project initiated by Andrew Yang of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Jeff Oishi of the University of California Berkeley. They founded the Collective as a way for scientists, artists, students, and anyone invested in science to share their fascination with others. The zines are meant to be both educational and artistic - often humorous, sometimes questioning, and always readable. To learn more about The Small Science Collective, visit http://smallsciencezines.blogspot.com/.

Prizes donated by the COPUS network will be sent to all winners. For a complete listing of winners, winning zines, prize donors, and details on the judges and judging process, please visit http://www.yearofscience2009.org.

COPUS, which began with a grant from the National Science Foundation - (Grant Nos. EAR-0606600, EAR-0628790, and EAR-0814048), has grown to be an inclusive grassroots endeavor spurring communication and collaboration in the scientific community while shining the spotlight on science in 2009. Still growing, Still growing, the COPUS network includes a broad and eclectic range of participants from large federal agencies and professional societies to small local groups using music and the arts to portray science. Major sponsors of the Year of Science 2009 include the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the University of California Museum of Paleontology, the Geological Society of America, and the National Science Teachers Association. To register as a participant or learn more, visit copusproject.org.

For more information about COPUS and the Year of Science 2009, please visit: