Oceanography | June 2018
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Contact us
Conference Secretariat: info@icp13.com.au | Phone: 02 9254 5000
www.icp13.com.au
13th International Conference on
Paleoceanography
The Conference will be hosted at
The University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Key Dates
Call for Abstracts Open
1 September 2018
Early Bird Registration Close
28 February 2019
Standard Registration Open
1 March 2019
Call for Abstracts Close
20 April 2019
QUARTERDECK
A Really Tough Problem
for Scientists to Solve
Good scientists have many positive attributes that should be attractive to scien-
tists and non-scientists alike—curiosity, patience, long-term views, and opti-
mism about solving problems. From our perspective, it seems perplexing that
we sometimes have difficulty connecting with the public. But today, perhaps
the scientist’s personality type is precisely what leaves us disconnected from
people who simply do not share our worldview or who listen to leaders who
find it expedient to ignore what science can contribute to our society. How
do we connect with a population that simply lacks curiosity about the natural
world or the role humans have played in modifying it? How do we articulate
that working backward from conclusions to facts doesn’t solve problems? How
do we frame a response if they want answers now, or next week, not in two or
even ten years when we scientists may determine that we have enough data
to address a question satisfactorily (and will know, even then, that with more
data, the answer may change)? What do we tell this segment of the public who
doesn’t perceive there is even a problem to solve? What if they can agree that
there is a problem but figure it is too big to solve or simply think it is impos-
sible to solve, certainly not in their lifetimes, so why bother doing anything?
Our community needs to be clear-eyed about the fact that while our pub-
lic outreach programs have some impact in educating the public, we are most
likely only reaching the self-selected population who want to participate in
such events and are already at least somewhat excited by science. And we need
to do more than hope, pray, protest, and/or vote to be governed by execu-
tive branch officials and legislators who respect scientists and scientific find-
ings and whose words and actions demonstrate that attitude. In short, we
need to take matters into our own hands and craft compelling words and
images to connect with people who currently don’t see science as an instru-
ment that can measurably improve their lives and help solve some seemingly
intractable global problems.
Fortunately, we’re scientists. We’re patient and optimistic. If we can solve
difficult scientific and technical challenges, we can solve this communications
problem, too. But we need smart, creative ideas from all corners of our com-
munity. Please send them to me at ekappel@geo-prose.com.
Ellen S. Kappel, Editor
September 2018
Mathematical Aspects of Physical
Oceanography
December 2018
Gulf of San Jorge, Patagonia,
Argentina
March 2019
Scientific Ocean Drilling:
Looking to the Future
June 2019
Salinity Processes in the Upper
ocean Regional Study (SPURS) – 2
September 2019
Partnership for Interdisciplinary
Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO)
December 2019
Flow Encountering Abrupt
Topography (FLEAT)
https://tos.org/oceanography
Do you have an idea for a special
issue of Oceanography? Please send
your suggestions to Editor Ellen Kappel
at ekappel@geo-prose.com.
Oceanography
SPECIAL ISSUES
UPCOMING
CALL FOR IDEAS!