| (1)Conference Theme |
| Seeking Trends in Science & Technology Journalism for the 21st Century |
| (2)Conference Purpose |
| Even while science and technology advances, concern about environmental destruction increases as the Earth's population continues to expand. What will happen to society and the environment in the 21st Century? Will there be enough food, natural resources, and energy? Will the problems of exploitation and poverty in developing countries be resolved? Ahead of our advances in medicine and the information society stretches an unknown world. The new century demands that solutions to these problems be found through science and technology; thus the role of the science and technology journalist, whose job is to observe and report such innovations, will undoubtedly grow.
For these reasons, the International Conference of Science & Technology Journalists was held jointly by the Japanese Association of Science and Technology Journalists, which had long endeavored to monitor and raise the quality of science and technology journalism, and the Japan Science and Technology Corporation, the basic role of which is to promote science and technology through such endeavors as increasing the general public's understanding of science and technology. The International Conference of Science & Technology Journalists explored science, technology, and communication for, and the role that science and technology journalism and journalists must play, in the new century. Together with scientists, researchers, and members of the general public, science and technology journalists from over ten countries around the world attended this conference. In addition to the special lectures, the public seminar, and the four sessions, the program included an evening session in which science and technology journalists from throughout Japan participated in a free discussion. The conference also featured an exhibition of science and technology newspapers and magazines from countries throughout the world. The exchange of opinion at this conference provided an excellent opportunity to reawaken awareness of the importance of science and technology and reporting, not only for science and technology journalists, but also members of the mass media, scientists and researchers, students, and the many people upon whose shoulders the future of science and technology lies. |
| (3)Date and Venue |
| Wed. October 24 to Fri. October 26, 2001 National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Nippon Kagaku Miraikan) 2-41-3, Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo |
| (4)Organizers |
| Japanese Association of Science and Technology Journalists (JASTJ) Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST) |
| (5)Management |
| This conference was planned and decided by Japanese Association of Science and Technology Journalists and Japan Science and Technology Corporation. Based on the decision, a steering committe was organized to discuss conference management. Administrative operation for the conference was made by Japan Science Foundation who was entrusted by the organizers. |
| (6)Science Channel |
| The public seminar "Science in Society",
held from 14:00-17:00, on Friday October
26, was broadcast live by Skyperfect TV!
765 and Science Channel through the cable
TV station. The seminar content is presented
on the web site of the Science Channel (http://sc-smn.jst.go.jp/). The special lectures of Wed. October 24 will be broadcast as follows:
15:30-16:00, Sat. January 19, 2002 |
| (7)Participants | |
| Number of participants General Steering Committee Members Invited Speakers Japanese Non-Japanese Total |
287 16 18 15 336 |