AMWA sponsors local networking event in Dunedin

Late October’s “Literature and Lager” at the Captain Cook tavern in Dunedin provided an opportunity for AMWA members to network and meet other local writers.

The evening was well attended by approximately 70 people. Students, academics and family of the graduating class of nonfiction writers from the University of Otago mingled between readings.

A highlight was Emma Harcourt, perhaps our most recent AMWA member, presenting an entertaining excerpt from her work “Bloody Women and the Bears they Attract”.

The take-home message being that many people are surprisingly willing to believe that menstruation is a powerful and malevolent force. Mark Caswell introduced AMWA and fellow members Blair Hesp and Chris Booker to the crowd.

The readings were concluded by Jesse Bering reading a piece he had published in Scientific American on the possibility that animals may laugh and Lloyd Davis read a touching excerpt dedicated to local ornithologist John Darby. “

By Mark Caswell (AMWA Executive Committee Member)
Editor (Acting)
Best Practice Advocacy Centre

Upcoming Webinar - Statistics for Medical Writers

AMWA is pleased to bring you the first webinar of 2026. Presented by Dr Richard Kay, this webinar will give you a clear, logical structure for thinking about statistical methodology in pharmaceutical R&D. You'll be introduced to methods used in different settings, which are driven by the endpoint type, with a particular focus on binary (odds ratios, relative risks) and time to event (Kaplan-Meier curves, hazard ratios) endpoints. Ideas behind p-values, confidence intervals, and powering a study to detect important levels of effect will be covered. Each concept will be illustrated with case studies.