The annual ScienceWriters meeting is a joint meeting of the National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing. A mix of professional development workshops, briefings on the latest scientific research, extensive networking opportunities, and field trips, it is a meeting for science writers, by science writers, with content to appeal to both the newest writers and seasoned professionals. The location varies each year based on the host institution, providing access to science writers in all parts of the United States.

In 2012, we are meeting the Research Triangle of North Carolina, October 26-30. Mark your calendars and plan to stay and extra day or two to take it all in.

Here's a preview from the team in North Carolina

The Research Triangle is a community of nearly 2 million where the major industry is R&D. Consequently, there are a LOT of science writers around here! Our riches include two federal labs (EPA and NIEHS); three major research universities (Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State); a non-profit research institution, RTI International, that is larger than most universities; and tons of private-sector R&D.

What’s the plan?

ScienceWriters 2012 will kick off with science-themed tours around the Triangle region on Friday and a welcome reception at the RTP Foundation, headquarters of the world-famous Research Triangle Park.

NASW’s professional development workshops, organized by terrific NASW volunteers, will take place Saturday, October 27, and the 50th meeting of the CASW New Horizons in Science, orchestrated by CASW's Program Director, will be Sunday and Monday. Both will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center. Accommodations will be at the Marriott City Center, right across the street. You’ll find yourself in the center of a fun and growingly funky downtown scene that you’re sure to enjoy.

Saturday night, awards will be presented at a gala party in the stunning new Nature Research Center science museum in downtown Raleigh. To celebrate and inspire, this year the awards reception will be open to all meeting attendees free of charge, sponsored by NASW.

On Sunday, October 28 enjoy “Lunch With A Scientist” with a quick trip to NC State University’s Centennial Campus for one-on-one sessions with some of the area’s leading researchers. Sunday night, don’t miss the SCONC Halloween Party at the Oxford Gastropub! Your North Carolina hosts will provide the food, drink and dancing, and the NC Museum of Life + Science will offer some spooky science surprises. (Costumes encouraged.)

Field Trips

On Tuesday, October 30, there will be half-day tours around the Triangle or a choice of two field trips to

A Transformed Town

A day-trip to Kannapolis, NC, birthplace of Dale Earnhardt and the $500 million North Carolina Research Campus, dedicated to the life sciences. This former cotton mill town’s remarkable transformation is the result of one man’s vision and financing. (Read Frank Bruni’s NYT Sunday Magazine profile of Dole Foods owner David H. Murdock

Or

A Marine Sciences Coastal Overnight

Perhaps you fancy a Tuesday overnight trip to beautiful Beaufort, NC. This part of the coast is home to the Duke Marine Lab, NC State’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences, and NOAA’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research. The Beaufort Inlet is also the final resting place of Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge. We’ll try to take a boat ride out to the site where she sank – maybe they’ll be pulling up a cannon that day.
(The Beaufort trip will charge a small fee to offset meals and transportation. Overnight lodging will be the guest’s responsibility at a discounted rate. We’ll return to downtown Raleigh and RDU airport by Noon on Wednesday, October 31. )

A Convenient Location

The Research Triangle is 260 miles by car from DC, and the City Center Marriott is just three blocks from an Amtrak station. Our airport is RDU. Taking a side trip to the Smoky Mountains or the Outer Banks is an easy 3- to 4-hour drive from Raleigh. (That’s another reason we love it here!)
Please plan to join us. We really want you to see why we love communicating about science from this part of the world and we promise you’ll go home with notebooks full of story ideas and local contacts.

We hope to see you in October,

Your North Carolina Hosts
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Duke University
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences / NIH
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Sea Grant
North Carolina State University
Research Triangle Park
RTI International
SCONC – Science Communicators of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
US EPA, Research Triangle Park

Questions?

See the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.