AMWA's 30th Annual Conference
Conference Workshop Brochure
About the 30th Annual Conference
Our 30th Annual Conference will be held 23-24 August 2013 in Melbourne at Victoria University City Convention Centre, Flinders St, Melbourne.
Theme
Art & science in medical writing
Registration
Online registration available 24 May
Sponsors
Major sponsor: Copyright Agency Ltd Cultural Fund
Gold sponsors: Therapeutic Guidelines, MiTec
Silver sponsors: MEAA Freelance Pro, Melbourne Writers Festival
President's Welcome
Melbourne in winter is about all the indoors. Our 30th anniversary conference features warm welcomes, fine company and a stimulating program. Warm your cockles at Thursday evening's Welcome Reception, where we will stroll down AMWA lane armed only with wine and 30 years' worth of memories. The conference proper kicks off on Friday with the renowned Prof Simon Chapman. Our theme 'Art & science in medical writing' embraces the essence of what we do. The conference committee led by Prof Bruce Waxman has developed a thought provoking and eclectic program, complemented by four new workshops. We look forward to seeing you in Melbourne. Dr Justin Coleman, President
Welcome Reception
The iconic Embiggen Books in Little Lonsdale Street is the venue for the Welcome Reception at 6.30pm on Thursday 22 August. Join AMWA president Justin Coleman and two of the founding members of AMWA, Amanda Caswell and Cal Miller as they talk about 'AMWA now and then'. The Welcome Reception is a great opportunity for conference delegates to meet to renew friendships and make new friends over canapés and refreshments. Your Welcome Reception ticket is included in full conference registration. Extra tickets for guests and friends are available, cost is $50.
Conference Dinner
Our dinner speaker is linguist and popular commentator Prof Kate Burridge. Kate is an entertaining and witty raconteur about all things language. Our venue is Watermark Restaurant, The Promenade, Victoria Harbour, Docklands. The restaurant is a short tram ride on the free City Circle tram, from Flinders St to the tram stop corner Victoria Harbour Promenade and Harbour Esplanade.
What's on in Melbourne in August
From 22 August 22 to 1 September, the 2013 Melbourne Writers Festival will showcase the best of Australian and international writers and thinkers in a diverse program that spans contemporary fiction and poetry, creative non-fiction, journalism, critical analysis, commentary and review, over 11 days of storytelling, conversation and discussion, intellectual debate, educational programs, and live performance, music and art events. Explore the full program of events from Friday 19 July.
The Melbourne Writers Festival is offering all AMWA delegates 10% off all regular sessions*. Tickets go on sale from Thursday 18 July at www.mwf.com.au.
*Does not include Keynotes, Big Ideas, Walks, Workshops and Food and Wine events
Workshops
Four new workshops are offered in 2013. Topics have been selected from members' feedback and comments from previous conferences. Workshops provide current information on using the tools of the trade including new media and a practical approach to issues. Topics are: 'Writing for cross-cultural communication', 'Writing clearly and succinctly', 'Working well with MS Word', 'Blogging for medical writers'. Workshops are held each morning of the conference from 8.30am. See the separate workshop brochure for full descriptions. Workshops are offered at a flat rate for member and non-member. Please note there is a workshop discount offered to conference delegates.
Workshops
Prof Bruce Waxman and the conference organising committee has developed a program of wide interest to medical writers from all areas and the topics reflect the theme 'Art & science in medical writing'. A coup for the Melbourne conference is the engagement of Prof Simon Chapman, Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney, as keynote speaker.
One of the top 100 most influential people, 2012 (SMH survey), Prof Chapman is a renowned commentator on health and media in Australia. His current research involves examining how health and medical issues are covered in the news media; the implications for tobacco control of web 2.0 technology; and characteristics of public health research and its dissemination, which impact on public health policy.
Minister to open conference
We are pleased to announce that the Hon. David Davis, MLC Minister for Ageing and Minister for Health in the Victorian government will open the conference.
With his ministerial responsibilities he is current the Leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council. Previous portfolios and interests included climate change and environment.
Sessions
Conference sessions will explore topics including: 'The message or the messenger' providing an insight into how medical writers can harness new media and its implications, 'The gut of the matter' a specific look at the issues of allergy, obesity and diet links to bowel cancer, 'Reporting issues close to home' an insight to mental health issues, 'New models of work' such as the changing platforms for news delivery and freelance work and 'Clinicians fact and fiction' exploring the art of medical writing and the science of medical writing.
Kate Burridge confirmed as conference dinner speaker
Chair of Linguistics at Monash University and a prominent Australian linguist specialising in the Germanic languages. Her recent publications include:
• "Weeds in the Garden of Words: further observations on the tangled history of the English language" (2005, Cambridge University Press; published 2004 by ABC Books).
• "Forbidden Words: Taboo and the Censoring of Language" (2006, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) - co-authored with Keith Allan.
Professor Simon Chapman confirmed as keynote speaker.
Simon Chapman is Professor in Public Health at the University of Sydney. His current research involves examining policy how health and medical issues are covered in the news media; the implications for tobacco control of web 2.0 technology; and characteristics of public health research (and its dissemination) which impact on public health policy.
Dr Gael Jennings to speak on new media
Broadcaster and author, Dr Gael Jennings is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Masters' program at the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne, and Executive Director of media training consultancy MediaDoc. She is a regular commentator on ABC TV Breakfast, and 774 ABC Local Radio, Melbourne.
Gael's multi-award-winning career spans 25 years at ABC TV news, current affairs and Features, as a reporter and presenter, and as host of 2 ABC 774 daily radio programs. Behind the camera, as Development Producer for ABC TV Specialist Factual and Documentary, she helped develop documentary films with the independent film sector as part of the commissioning process for factual content on ABC TV. She is also well known as a member, from 2004 to 2009, of the 'Brains Trust' on the Einstein Factor, ABC TV
As an award-winning author, Gael has published two non-fiction books: 'SICK AS... Bloody Moments in the History of Medicine', published in 2000 and in 2002 'Beyond Belief: How Five Australian Scientists Changed the World'.
Gael will speak in Session 1, 'The message or the messenger', on the topic, 'Just when you thought you had it covered: new media, a whole new ball game'. She will explore the seismic change happening in media right now, as we experience the greatest revolution in media since the invention of the printing press.