Students --
postgraduate, undergraduate, or high school -- can submit shadowing
reports, interviews, or diary entries.
Students can
shadow or interview a scientist or a more advanced student, such as a high school student shadowing a university student or an undergraduate shadowing a doctoral student. Find
out about a typical day, the Day in Science. Or, just ask about
the high point of the day.
Scientists and cience-based professionals
of any type are welcome as subjects or authors, ranging from laboratory
scientists to park rangers to science communicators to nurses and
computer engineers, anyone whose job involves science in some way.
Be creative.
A science-based professional can shadow a student. Discover what kids
these days are up to.
We need
just three paragraphs -- 250-500 words -- for shadowing reports,
interviews, or reflective diary entries. Ask the scientist, or ask
yourself:
1. What
was the high point of your day? Or, tell us what you did
all day. You can also explain that April 23rd 2008 was boring and describe
an exciting April 11th or 25th.
2. Whydid you do that? How does the day's activity fit
into your job or studies and your career path?
3. Why
are you drawn to science? What were your interests when
you were in high school? How have you pursued those interests? What
about the future?
Select
photos or other relevant images or even audio and video to include.
Submit your story on the WWDS website using our new, automated system.
Just copy in your text, and upload your images, as directed. It is as easy as composing an e-mail message.
Then, answer the multiple-choice questions on the 'personality test'.
This test is not particularly precise. However, it enables our high school readers to find science-based professionals who are profiled on the site who share their preferences.
Baffled by the automated submission process? Send your
weblog URL or Microsoft Word document to -- WWDS@unsw.edu.au.
Reports
are due mid- to late- May 2008 in order to be shown here on the web
on June 1st.
If
you are a university academic or a science teacher, you
can become involved by asking your students to undertake this endeavour.
They will obtain a range of lessons.
Firstly, note
that the World-Wide Day in Science occurs every April. The date is selected
to suit the academic calendar both north and south of the equator.
On the day, student reporters go into the field to ‘shadow’
their scientist of choice using their selected media -- text, photos,
audio, video. In the weeks that follow, they and their classmates
edit and tailor submissions for addition to the web, sending us
a URL for linking to the World-Wide Day in Science website. Alternatively, students can contribute their stories directly to WWDS via the automated submission process, which was new for 2007.
Participating
students learn how to work in teams, hierarchies, and production
lines; how to handle concrete deadlines; how to communicate effectively;
and how to deliver a professional product for public consumption.
In short, they learn the communication and managerial skills needed
by professionals.
Students also
become part of an active worldwide network of scientists-in-the-making. Contact us at WWDS headquarters -- wwds@unsw.edu.au -- if you would like to put your student reporting teams in touch with similar teams at other universities around the globe.
Last but not least, they learn what botanists, psychologists,
and astrophysicists do all day.
