KC and USC

Here's some news I've been bursting to tell you for a while, but had to wait until it was official. It is going to be announced tomorrow, so we're ahead of the pack here. You may recall the science writer/journalist K.C. Cole, who I've mentioned before in connection with the programme Categorically Not! about which I've posted here, here and here, and whose comments also featured in a recent post by Sean. Well, she's left the LA Times, and has moved to... USC! I'm excited about this because of my interests in the communication of science to the public, and how this might be done more effectively (and in larger quantities), toward my ultimate goal of increased science awareness in society at large, which I've shared with you here. One of the key things that has to be tackled in this area is of course the better training of journalists in this specific area of science coverage. So I'm really excited because she'll be joining USC's excellent Annenberg School of Communication faculty (in the Journalism subdivision), and she will be specifically charged with the creation of a new gradaute degree programme focussing on science and technology. This is really great, since she'll be involved in drawing on the whole campus worth of science and technology expertise and the huge interdisciplinary spirit that USC has. I also expect that now she's on campus full time, I'll be able to tempt her into collaborating on some exicting projects which will bring the Physics and Astronomy department (and perhaps other science departments) into closer contact with the Annenberg School, in parallel with some of the other collaborative efforts I'm trying out with my friends and colleagues in the School of Theatre and the Cinema-Television School. (I hope to tell you more about some of that some time soon.) Anyway, I forsee more exciting times ahead with this new development! (Never let it be said that I don't bring you breaking news from time to time....) -cvj [Update: The Annenberg School now has a press release.]