Category: skeptical events

November 9, 2011

The Sixtieth Science Talent Search

by Ken Greatorex

Victoria’s mainstream media have pulled off a remarkable feat! It was the Diamond Anniversary of an annual Good News event involving thousands of intelligent, motivated Victorian children, staged in a city which thrives on Major Events; and yet, the Media still pretty much managed to keep it quiet!

The Science Talent Search celebrated its 60th birthday this year with the theme “React to Chemistry“. Students entered original projects in categories of creative writing, experimental research, inventions, working models, photography, posters, games, computer programs and video productions. The adjudged cream of Victoria’s budding young scientists made the annual pilgrimage to Latrobe University to receive cash bursaries and other rewards from prominent local scientists.

Terry Kelly and I attended Exhibition Day on behalf of Australian Skeptics Science and Education Foundation. ASSEF funded more than seventy bursaries this year along with other major sponsors including The Department of Early Childhood Development, Swinburne and Latrobe Universities,  the Catholic Education Office, The Royal Society of Victoria, Rio Tinto, CSIRO and BHP Billiton. It was impossible for us to meet all of the hundreds of bursary winners; however we were able to interview a small cross-section whose contributions intrigued and impressed us. View More The Sixtieth Science Talent Search

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October 8, 2011

Skeptics In the Pubs – How are We Travelling?

You’d have to say “very well”.

Victoria has adopted the “Skeptics In The Pub” idea with enthusiasm. If you turn to the back page of your latest Skeptic magazine , you’ll see that of the eight new Australian regional groups listed, six are in Victoria.

We’ve discussed Skeptics in the Pubs before;

Your Very Own Skeptics In the Pub

Great Ocean Road Skeptics

New Skeptics in the Pubs

Here’s a brief look at each group in alphabetical order.

View More Skeptics In the Pubs – How are We Travelling?

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August 21, 2011

Leo Igwe in Melbourne

Humanist Leo Igwe, currently touring Australia will be in Melbourne from Thursday 25th  to Saturday 27th of August. Leo is a tireless campaigner against witch-hunting and other superstitions in his native Nigeria.

Subscribers to The Skeptic Magazine will be familiar with Leo through his frequent Reports From Nigeria

  • Listen to ABC Local Radio 774’s Drive Time program at 4:30 pm on Thursday for a live interview between Leo and host Lindy Burns.
  • There are still a few limited spaces available for Thursday evening’s Dinner with Leo Igwe at La Notte Restaurant, Carlton. You must book by ‘phoning 9378 4414 or emailing vic@skeptics.com.au. It’s La Notte’s famous Smorgasbord at $50 per head.
  • Leo Igwe will speak again at a public meeting on Saturday. The Humanist Society of Victoria is joining Vic Skeptics in staging this event. It’s at 2pm at Victorian Trades Hall New Council Chambers at 54 Victoria Street Carlton South. $10 at the door, ($5 concession). Refreshments will be available.

Leo has undertaken that his Thursday and Saturday presentations will be different in content.

For information about Leo Igwe, please see

http://newhumanist.org.uk/2548/witch-hunt-saboteurs?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4dcaeb01c8d28212,0

and our previous posts

https://skeptics.cafe/2011/04/02/leo-igwe-tour/

https://skeptics.cafe/2010/07/14/support-for-leo-igwe

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April 30, 2011

Announcing: Three Special Events

We’d like to tell you about three special upcoming events.
1. Dr Rachael Dunlop will be our featured Lunch guest on Sunday 26th June. Rachael  is a scientist researching into heart disease, and is a vice-president of  Australian Skeptics Inc (aka NSW Skeptics)
She is also part of the Mystery Investigators show for schools, co-organises the Sydney Skeptics meet-up group, contributes to The Sceptics’ Book of Pooh-Pooh blog and may be familiar to some of you as Dr Rachie from The Skeptic Zone.
The venue is La Notte Restaurant, 140 Lygon Street Carlton. It’s a 12:00 for 12:30 start.
Set menu (Choice of four mains and two deserts, tea and coffee) will cost you $35 per person
You can enquire about or book for this event by emailing vic@skeptics.com.au or phoning (03) 9378 4414 or 1800 666 996

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2.Nigerian Humanist  Leo Igwe will speak at a Dinner at La Notte Restaurant, 140 Lygon Street Carlton on Thursday evening 25th August.
For information about Leo Igwe, please see our recent post https://skeptics.cafe/2011/04/02/leo-igwe-tour/ and last year’s https://skeptics.cafe/2010/07/14/support-for-leo-igwe
La Notte’s famed smorgasbord will cost you $50 per person. The proceeds of the evening will pass to Leo.
You can enquire about or book for this event by emailing vic@skeptics.com.au or phoning (03) 9378 4414 or 1800 666 996

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3. Leo Igwe will speak again at a public meeting on Saturday 27th August. Our friends at the Humanist Society of Victoria are joining Vic Skeptics in staging this event. It’s at 2pm at Victorian Trades Hall New Council Chambers at 54 Victoria Street Carlton South. $10 at the door, ($5 concession)

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April 3, 2011

Sydney SkeptiCamp 2011

 

Skepticamp-2010-flame-100Sydney SkeptiCamp will be held on 30 April 2011.

What is a SkeptiCamp, I hear you ask?

Here’s what it says on the official site:

SkeptiCamps represent a new way of thinking about conferencing within the growing skeptical community. Diverging from the traditional lecture events which have dominated skepticism for decades, these ‘open events’ tear down the barriers to organizing substantive (and fun) events by building on the wildly-successful Barcamp conference model from the tech community.

In short, it’s is an opportunity for skeptics to get together and have a chat. But unlike the traditional skeptical conference, there are no official speakers. The participants do the speaking.

Instead of listening to lectures, the focus is on interaction and discussion.

The concept has enjoyed increasing popularity over the last few years, particularly in the US. And now it’s coming to Australia.

View More Sydney SkeptiCamp 2011

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