A talk on networking and blogging for life scientists. Part of a science communication seminar series, Diamantina Institute, Princess Alexandra hospital, Brisbane.

1. What can science networking online do for you?
Neil Saunders
School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences
University of Queensland
http://nsaunders.wordpress.com
November 26, 2008
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 1 / 29

2. where were we?
1 why network?
2 “facebook for scientists“
3 blogs: reading and writing
4 microblogging and ”lifestreaming“
5 benefits?
6 summary
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3. science without online networking...
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4. ...and how it could be
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5. still not convinced?
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6. still not convinced?
Wherever you work, most of the smart people are somewhere else
– Bill Joy
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 5 / 29

7. still not convinced?
Wherever you work, most of the smart people are somewhere else
– Bill Joy
It’s not information overload, it’s filter failure
– Clay Shirky
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8. web 2.0 and science
What’s Web 2.0?
A Web where the users create, edit, share and discuss information
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9. web 2.0 and science
What’s Web 2.0?
A Web where the users create, edit, share and discuss information
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 6 / 29

10. where were we?
1 why network?
2 “facebook for scientists“
3 blogs: reading and writing
4 microblogging and ”lifestreaming“
5 benefits?
6 summary
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11. social networks for scientists
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12. social networks for scientists
too many
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13. social networks for scientists
too many
high barrier to entry
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14. social networks for scientists
too many
high barrier to entry
benefits unclear
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15. social networks for scientists
too many
high barrier to entry
benefits unclear
but do give you ”web presence“
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 8 / 29

16. where were we?
1 why network?
2 “facebook for scientists“
3 blogs: reading and writing
4 microblogging and ”lifestreaming“
5 benefits?
6 summary
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17. Questions for you
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 10 / 29

18. Questions for you
weblog / blog?
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 10 / 29

19. Questions for you
weblog / blog?
read?
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 10 / 29

20. Questions for you
weblog / blog?
read?
subscribe?
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 10 / 29

21. Questions for you
weblog / blog?
read?
subscribe?
write?
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 10 / 29

22. Questions for you
weblog / blog?
read?
subscribe?
write?
A blog (a contraction of the term ”Web log”) is a Web site,
usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of
commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as
graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in
reverse-chronological order. ”Blog” can also be used as a verb,
meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
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23. finding science blogs
Search tools
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24. finding science blogs
Search tools
blogsearch.google.com
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25. finding science blogs
Search tools
blogsearch.google.com www.technorati.com
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26. finding science blogs
Aggregators
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27. finding science blogs
Aggregators
scintilla.nature.com
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28. finding science blogs
Aggregators
scintilla.nature.com www.postgenomic.com
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29. finding science blogs
Aggregators
scintilla.nature.com www.postgenomic.com blogs.nature.com
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30. finding science blogs
Collections
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31. finding science blogs
Collections
scienceblogs.com
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32. finding science blogs
Collections
scienceblogs.com network.nature.com/blogs
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33. reading science blogs
Subscribe to RSS feeds
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34. reading science blogs
Subscribe to RSS feeds
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35. using a feed reader
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36. using a feed reader
Google Reader is itself a social tool
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37. writing a science blog
Hosted
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38. writing a science blog
Hosted
wordpress.com
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39. writing a science blog
Hosted
wordpress.com www.blogger.com
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40. writing a science blog
Hosted
wordpress.com www.blogger.com www.vox.com
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41. writing a science blog
Hosted
wordpress.com www.blogger.com www.vox.com
Self-hosted
Numerous options
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42. a (lesser) science blog
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43. have a conversation!
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44. have a conversation!
comments ≡ peer review for blogs
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45. have a conversation!
comments ≡ peer review for blogs
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 18 / 29

46. where were we?
1 why network?
2 “facebook for scientists“
3 blogs: reading and writing
4 microblogging and ”lifestreaming“
5 benefits?
6 summary
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 19 / 29

47. what?
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48. what?
Microblogging = social instant messaging
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49. what?
Microblogging = social instant messaging
Lifestreaming = aggregation of online activity
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50. twitter in action
it sounds ridiculous...
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51. twitter in action
it sounds ridiculous... and yet it works
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52. friendfeed in action
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53. friendfeed in action
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54. friendfeed in action
Enhanced by comments (conversations) and rooms (e.g. life scientists)
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55. where were we?
1 why network?
2 “facebook for scientists“
3 blogs: reading and writing
4 microblogging and ”lifestreaming“
5 benefits?
6 summary
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56. why would I bother to blog?
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57. success stories
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58. success stories
I got a chance to work at MIT - Ricardo Vidal
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59. success stories
I got a chance to work at MIT - Ricardo Vidal
I got the job at PLoS in the comments of one of my blog posts - Bora
Zivkovic
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60. success stories
I got a chance to work at MIT - Ricardo Vidal
I got the job at PLoS in the comments of one of my blog posts - Bora
Zivkovic
I got invited to write an article for Nature, and then got invited to
SciFoo - Richard Akerman
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 25 / 29

61. success stories
I got a chance to work at MIT - Ricardo Vidal
I got the job at PLoS in the comments of one of my blog posts - Bora
Zivkovic
I got invited to write an article for Nature, and then got invited to
SciFoo - Richard Akerman
funding from Submeta, superb collaborators, trip to UK, invitations
to speak at confs, consulting work and just plain fun - Jean-Claude
Bradley
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 25 / 29

62. where were we?
1 why network?
2 “facebook for scientists“
3 blogs: reading and writing
4 microblogging and ”lifestreaming“
5 benefits?
6 summary
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63. in conclusion
networking and blogging:
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64. in conclusion
networking and blogging:
give a voice to you and your work
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65. in conclusion
networking and blogging:
give a voice to you and your work
connect you with the right people
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 27 / 29

66. in conclusion
networking and blogging:
give a voice to you and your work
connect you with the right people
connect you with the right information
N. Saunders (SMMS, UQ) Science networks November 26, 2008 27 / 29

67. in conclusion
networking and blogging:
give a voice to you and your work
connect you with the right people
connect you with the right information
Data finds data, then people find people
– Jon Udell
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68. and we didn’t even talk about...
Social bibliography
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69. and we didn’t even talk about...
Social bibliography
Social bookmarking
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70. and we didn’t even talk about...
Social bibliography
Social bookmarking
Social presentations
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71. and we didn’t even talk about...
Social bibliography
Social bookmarking
Social presentations
Video
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72. and we didn’t even talk about...
Social bibliography
Social bookmarking
Social presentations
Video
Screencast/podcast
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73. and we didn’t even talk about...
Social bibliography
Social bookmarking
Social presentations
Video
Screencast/podcast
Open Notebook Science
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74. thank you
http://www.slideshare.net/neilfws
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