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| UBC Journalism students mingle with TRIUMF scientists in search of a topic for a science news pitch. |
Nine students from the University of British Columbia (UBC) Graduate School of Journalism visited TRIUMF this past Monday, October 19, 2009. The trip was part of the course "Critical Thinking in Science Journalism" taught by UBC Adjunct Professor Nicola Jones. The course, which is part of a Masters of Journalism degree, focuses on learning the practice of finding, reporting, and writing science news. To accomplish this, Jones incorporated the lab visit to TRIUMF into her course schedule to give students on-the-ground, real-time experience. "This is a great opportunity for students who have little first-hand experience or no previous lab work to draw from," explained Jones.
After a guided tour of the site, the students were greeted by a group of TRIUMF research scientists for a small reception. Here the students had the opportunity to speak to experimental and theoretical physicists working on cutting-edge science, from nuclear medicine to Large Hadron Collider physics and nuclear astrophysics. The students were to develop a science news pitch from the experience as an assignment for their class.
"Pretend you're at a conference," suggested Jones to her students, "you're on a coffee break and you have ten minutes to talk to these researchers and find something interesting to write about." What ensued was a little like speed dating. Students had 10 minutes to speak to a particular scientist and at the end of that 10 minutes had to switch to someone new - all the while in search of an interesting lead for a news pitch.
As science journalists-in-training, these students are faced with the task of taking highly detailed and jargon-laden information on a scientific topic and communicating it in a clear, accurate, and engaging manner to an editor or the readership of a science magazine. Often a daunting task, the laid back atmosphere of the reception helped to ease the students into the practice of finding science news and both scientists and students chatted away comfortably for over an hour.
The exercise was a great lesson for students in differentiating between their role as student and as journalist. Many students found it very easy to get caught up in what the scientists were explaining and ended up trying to absorb everything, just as a student would, rather than looking for and pursuing pieces they could put together into a promising pitch as a journalist would.
Thank you to Nicola Jones and Jennifer Kaban for organizing the event and to the following TRIUMF scientists who participated in the reception and tour: Ewart Blackmore, Barry Davids, Greg Hackman, Byron Jennings, Jens Lassen, Jean Philippe Lavoie, Nigel Lockyer, Rob McPherson, Tim Meyer, Marcello Pavan, and Paul Schmor.
Overall, it was a very successful and educational event and TRIUMF wishes the students who visited all the best in their future academic pursuits.
--Meghan Magee, Communications Assistant