To promote the overseas scientific news publicity, setting up an outstanding public information officer (PIO) team, the 2018 Spring Science Communication meeting was held at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Shanghai on May 18, 2018. The meeting was sponsored by the Bureau of International Co-operation of CAS.

Dr. Audrey Huang, the director of the media relations of Johns Hopkins Medicine International, Ms. Joy Ma, the editorial content manager of the EurekAlert! American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Ms. HUNG Yan, senior editor from the XinHua News agency delivered excellent lectures.

Mr. ZHNAG Qingquan, the deputy director from the Bureau of International Co-operation of CAS, and Prof. YE Yang, the deputy director general of SIMM made the opening speech at the meeting. They both emphasized the importance of establishing a professional, outstanding and active PIO team to tell great stories of CAS and CAS scientists. More than 80 CAS colleagues participated in this meeting.

Firstly, Ms. Joy Ma delivered a lecture entitled “Science Communication In Action”. She emphasized the importance of scientific report, giving a detailed introduction about the job duty of PIO, as well as some suggestions for the attendees.

Later, Dr. Audrey Huang and her team member Ms. Alsy Acevedo brought to the audience a lot of wonderful examples on how to select the topic of news and communicate science issues with publics via different medias.

Ms. HUANG Yan shared some interesting stories with the audience and confessed the difficulties that she experienced during her work on scientific report. She reminded the audience that the field of scientific report was in urge needs of news writers who was familiar with and interested in science.

The spring science communication meeting impressed the attendees with its quality lectures and effective organizing.

Prof. YE Yang making the opening speech at the meeting (Image by CAI Hui)

Mr. ZHANG Qingquan hosting the meeting.(Image by CAI Hui)

Ms.Joy Ma making lecture at the meeting (Image by CAI Hui)

Dr. Audrey Huang making lecture at the meeting. (Image by CAI Hui)

Ms. HUANG Yan sharing her news writing experience at the meeting. (Image by CAI Hui)

Attendees at the meeting (Image by CAI Hui)

Panel discussion (Image by CAI Hui)

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by SIAT staff) from materials provided by Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica.