Session AA01: V: Science Communication to Bridge Communities

Lightsources.org: Engaging the global light source community

Silvana Westbury is the Project Manager for Lightsources.org, the collaboration of science communicators representing 23 synchrotrons and 7 free electrons around the world.

Lightsources.org was formed in 2004 and held its first in person meeting at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory in May of that year. Twenty years on, much has been achieved through a successful website that receives over 55,000 visitors per year, an active social media presence and a host of collaborative campaigns and sponsorships. The goals being to raise the profile of the facilities, support early career STEM professionals and present ‘One voice for the brightest science’.

In this talk, Silvana will cover the history of Lightsouces.org and how it supports both the communications professionals based at the member facilities and the wider community of staff, external researchers, industrial partners, stakeholders, students and the general public.

Campaigns such as #LightSourceSelfies, #My1stLight and #BestViewFromALab will be outlined to illustrate how creative communications can successfully highlight the diversity and talent that exists around the world and, at the same time, make new connections and create new opportunities for collaboration and professional development.

To mark the 20 th Anniversary of Lightsources.org, the collaboration is organising a number of special activities and the launch of a 10 Year Vision and Strategic priorities plan. These will be outlined during the talk to give attendees an insight into how Lightsources.org plans to serve this amazing community going forward.

Silvana’s background:

Silvana studied on one of the first Public Relations degree courses in the UK and graduated from Leeds Beckett University in 1994. She is a communications specialist with over 25 years’ experience in marketing communications across a range of sectors including brewing, property and scientific research. Having been PR Manager at Diamond Light Source, the UK’s synchrotron science facility, between 2004 and 2016, she took up the role of Project Manager for Lightsources.org in November 2020.   

Bridging the divide between science and communities for sustainability

Science has been a monster to the general public, while it is the source of all civilization, leading to peace or wars. The economic dispensation that drives life has its foundations in scientific innovations of different technologies. Creating a permanent bridge between science and daily life will result in UN SDGs achieved. Moving from envelope to email, from landline to mobile phones, is the bridge needed to reduce climate change, and consequently address pandemics, energy, water and food. Herein, I will present the achievements of communications to help communities to take ownership of the world given as a spaceship to enjoy life.