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Nation’s Biggest Science Communications Conference Back on at CU Anschutz, Boulder

Written by Guest Contributor | March 15, 2023

After being postponed in 2020 and 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, ScienceWriters2023 is on track for Oct. 6–10 at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

The annual conference is the nation’s premier science communications gathering and is organized by the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) and the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) in coordination with a different research institution each year. This year, the event is co-sponsored by CU Boulder and CU Anschutz.

The 2023 conference is expected to attract at least 600 in-person attendees and as many as 500 virtual attendees for several days of meetings, workshops, talks, tours, networking and, of course, fun.

“Our organizations are thrilled to be able to offer engaging experiences for a diverse group of science journalists and communicators,” said Rosalind Reid, CASW executive director.

“ScienceWriters2023 will provide attendees an opportunity to update and expand their skills, network with colleagues, and learn about new research and issues at the intersection of science and society. We look forward to meeting faculty and getting a close-up look at the extraordinary work underway at these two campuses.”

Throughout the week, attendees will participate in:

  • Panels and sessions featuring top scientists from around the world — including the CU system
  • Interactive lab tours and field trips
  • “Lunch with a Scientist” sessions that allow a more casual learning experience
  • Professional development sessions

The event serves as the annual meeting for NASW and includes CASW’s New Horizons in Science program, in which top-ranked researchers from around the globe report on seminal advances in a wide array of scientific disciplines. CASW’s New Horizons briefing was presented in Boulder once before, in 1988.

“We are excited to be able to showcase the incredible research taking place on our campuses and highlight the innovative work we are doing to positively impact humanity around the world,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano.

While the conference headquarters will be at CU Boulder, shuttles will transport in-person participants to the CU Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, which is the largest health sciences center in the Rocky Mountain region.

“ScienceWriters2023 offers a tremendous opportunity to highlight top talent in diverse fields and share some of the truly boundary-pushing work taking place on our campus. We look forward to connecting with those who take vital scientific discoveries to the forefront of public conversations,” said Donald Elliman, chancellor of CU Anschutz Medical Campus.

Faculty at the four-campus CU system attracted $1.46 billion in sponsored research funding and gifts during the 2022 fiscal year, mostly at CU Boulder and the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.

The CU Anschutz Medical Campus encompasses six health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals that treat more than 2 million patients each year. The campus offers a dynamic innovation ecosystem and is a recognized leader in transformative biomedical research and development, contributing to the CU system’s ranking among the top 20 universities in the world for U.S. patents.

CU Boulder is nationally recognized as one of only 35 Association of American Universities public research universities. Established in 1876, CU Boulder is a tier 1 public research university with five Nobel laureates and nine MacArthur “genius” fellows. It is the No. 1 public university recipient of NASA awards.

CU Boulder is a leader in many fields, including aerospace engineering, physics and environmental law. The school partners with many notable federal research labs, including the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Visit the ScienceWriters2023 website for details and updates, and watch the #SciWri23 hashtag on social media.