We need your help!
We are planning a Science Convention for 2018 and we could use some help!
If you want to help us out, send an email to info at scienceforprogress dot eu!
Why have a Science Convention?
The progress of our civilization relies completely on the natural and social sciences. However, we see a decline of trust in experts on many topics. Influential anti-science movements place ideological, monetary, or power interests above the needs of the people. They defame scientists and other experts, create confusion over scientific facts, and even blur the borders between fact and opinion.
In the past, science promised a prosperous future. Today, however, the predictions are rather dark. In the future, people are told, they need to go without many of our favorite things to solve problems on a scale that we can not grasp. Wouldn’t it be so much better if driving cars and eating beef wouldn’t cause that surreal thing called climate change?
To really tackle the new, global problems humanity faces, we need the people to trust the experts. And to trust them they need to know and understand them first. And if we can, we should lighten up the outlook by focusing on what we can do without sacrificing a comfortable lifestyle.
What are the goals of the Science Convention?
We want to address a large, lay audience to convey the historical and philosophical basics of science, the way academia works (and it’s problems), the expert view on critical topics, and how the sciences can help solve the problems of the 21st century. We compiled a preliminary list of possible topics that may help give you an idea: docs.google.com/document/…
What will the convention look like?
We are thinking of two days of short workshops and lectures for lay people of every age in Lisbon, Portugal. The level of difficulty should be roughly equivalent to 9th grade scientific understanding, and it should all be in Portuguese. In addition we would like to invite science related organizations, businesses, and institutes to showcase themselves in a small fair. The first day would end in a keynote lecture by a Portuguese academic, and the second day should end in a debate on the future of science in Portugal with representatives from academia, government and industry. Our preferred date would be around June 22nd, hoping that that’s a good time for school classes to show up.
If you want to help…
send an email to info at scienceforprogress dot eu!
We are still looking for additions to our team to realize a lot of the ideas for Science for Progress that are directly and indirectly related to the convention – especially for branding, PR, and media. We are also trying to find a fitting location, interested presenters, and appropriate sponsors and partnerships. Anybody who would be interested in helping us out by joining our team, presenting at the convention, or just by sharing contacts and tips, please contact us!