Hi, All.
As I mentioned for my project, I am organizing with Jason a conference devoted to Scientific Writing. The featured speaker is Judy Swan, whose article ("Whose literature is science") we read a few weeks ago. Another article of hers, which I found very insightful, is
The science of scientific writing .
I have also posted below the (very tentative) discription of the conference. We are also planning to have a website for the conference. Feedback is always welcome!
Bob

Science Writing at Queens College
March 31, 2005

Science Writing at Queens College, a one-day conference, will bring together students and faculty in Mathematics and the Natural Sciences with CUNY Writing Fellows to discuss writing pedagogy and practices in the sciences, at Queens and beyond.

The featured guest is Judith Swan (Assistant Director of Scientific and Technical Writing, Princeton University), who holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from MIT and is a world-renowned expert on science writing who has consulted with university faculty and professional scientists at institutions as diverse the University of Pennsylvania, The Center for Disease Control, and the Japanese Institute of Basic Biology. Swan will conduct a morning seminar with students and faculty, consult individually with student and faculty throughout the day, and conduct a workshop on writing pedagogy for faculty in the afternoon.

We have a variety of aims for the conference: to stimulate cross-disciplinary conversation about teaching science with writing; provide a forum for faculty and students to discuss their concerns about writing; showcase innovative writing pedagogy throughout the Division; stimulate departmental conversations about writing pedagogy and writing-intensive courses; and assemble a working group of conference participants in leadership roles to initiate CUNY-wide conversations on writing and general education—a prospect we have discussed with Judith Summerfield, University Dean of Undergraduate Education.

The primary organizers of the conference are Robert Cowen (Professor, Mathematics) and Jason Tougaw (Assistant Professor, English and Coordinator, Office of College Writing Programs). Other faculty interested in participating include Steven Schwarz (Professor, Physics), Wilma Saffran (Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry) George Axelrad (Professor Emeritus, Chemistry and Biochemistry), Alex Ryba (Professor, Computer Science), John Terilla ( Assistant Professor, Mathematics). .

SCHEDULE

9:00 – 9:30
Coffee and Bagels

9:30 – 11:00
Morning Seminar
Judith Swan will lead a morning seminar for faculty and students, focusing on interconnections between writing and scientific thinking. This will be an interarctive seminar, with participants contributing their knowledge and experience.

11:00 – 12:30
Student Poster Session
This will showcase selected student work, with faculty present to discuss the student projects with students and faculty in attendance.

12:30 – 1:30
Lunch

1:30 – 3:00
Faculty Roundtable
The roundtable is intended to stimulate discussion of the pedagogical and professional possibilities of a spectrum of science writing, including the lab report, the mathematical proof, the peer-reviewed journal article, public weblogs, daily journals, science journalism, and essays on the history or philosophy of science.

3:15 – 4:45
Afternoon Workshop for Faculty
Judith Swan will conduct an afternoon workshop on writing pedagogy, focusing on the classroom implications of the ideas discussed in the morning seminar.

4:45 – 5:15
Coffee and Cookies

5:15 – 6:15
Departmental Working Groups
Faculty will assemble in departmental groups. A faculty member from each department will lead a discussion of the specific implications of the day’s events for their department, with a particular focus on adding more writing to the curriculum. Faculty will complete and discuss surveys about their use of writing in the classroom.