ScienceOnlineDC is one of several local satellites of ScienceOnline, a nonprofit organization that facilitates conversations, community, and collaborations at the intersection of science and the Web. Our goal is to bring together science journalists, bloggers, federal and private research scientists, policymakers, and other science enthusiasts in the DC metro area for dynamic discussions about how science is carried out and communicated online. My co-organizers are Geoffrey Hunt of the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow Jamie Vernon, and Hannah Waters of the Smithsonian Institution.

Our first event will focus on federal agencies’ social media policies – how does government transparency influence the social media activities of scientists and communications staff? Here’s the panelist lineup:

Jamie Vernon, moderator

Gretchen Goldman, analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists (check out her post about Wednesday’s event)

Megan McVey, communications coordinator, United States Global Change Research Program

Sarah Dewitt, communications officer, NASA, Office of the Chief Scientist

John Ohab, public affairs specialist, Naval Research Laboratory

One of the hallmarks of ScienceOnline events is the unconference format. Sure, we’ve rounded up some experts to put in the front of the room, but most of the conversation will be driven by the attendees, both in person and online. Even if you can’t be there in person, chime in via the livestream and twitter (#sciodc). Should be a great discussion.

Of course, you may be wondering why I’m pitching this event to an audience of chemists, most of whom are not in the DC area. I’ll tell you why. Because it’s important for chemists to be involved in these conversations. Because many of you are already having such conversations on twitter and each other’s blogs. And some of those conversations include pondering who could be the chemist version of Neil deGrasse Tyson. But chemistry doesn’t need one deGrasse Tyson; it needs several. So, let’s move those discussions out of the chemistry inner circle and into Science, writ large. Chemistry is the central science, after all.

And you can start by attending any gathering with other people in your community who are interested in how science is communicated. As I said earlier, ScienceOnlineDC is only one of several satellites. Others with regular events include Seattle, Vancouver, and the Bay Area. There are SpotOn events in London and New York. Attend a local #SciTweetUp or Science Cafe. Or participate in the livestreams and twitter conversations that often accompany these events.

And if you are in DC on Wednesday, c’mon by. We’d love to have you.

UPDATE, 5/6: Doh! How could I leave out ScienceOnlineBeantown???

Something I have learned: you only complete one project by ignoring a whole bunch of other projects for a while.

— Kate Clancy (@KateClancy) April 26, 2013

No, Google! Cobalt (II) chloride (CoCl2) and Phosgene (COCl2) are not the same thing. Switching to #Bing? #realtimechem

— Eric Popczun (@ePopczun) April 22, 2013

To the network:

Cleantech Chemistry: Solar Boom in Japan, with Battery to Match

Grand CENtral: Guest Re-post: “In defense of chemphobia” by Andrew Bissette

Newscripts: Amusing News Aliquots and In Print: ACS Member Finds Success On ‘Jeopardy!’ And Millipedes Light Up and 19th-Century Medicine In New Orleans

Terra Sigillata: The Cinnamon Challenge: On Being Charged with #Chemophobia

The Safety Zone: Preliminary hearing for Patrick Harran in #SheriSangji case: Motion to dismiss or reduce the charges and CSB releases interim report on Chevron refinery fire

The Watch Glass: Celebrating DNA’s 60th and 21st birthdays, the state of marine drug research in 1972, long-term health effects of chemical tests on Army soldiers (1983), and Earth Day back in 1970

To the network:

Just Another Electron Pusher: #ChemMovieCarnival – The Absent-Minded Professor

Newscripts: Chemistry of the Bar: Amaretto 101 and #ChemMovieCarnival: Dramatic Acid-Base Chemistry in Fight Club and Amusing News Aliquots and In Print: Mosh Pit Simulator

Terra Sigillata: Why Chemistry Should Care About Humanities Higher Education

The Safety Zone: Friday chemical safety round up and Stony Brook chemistry incorporates lab safety into Research Day celebration and Ripped from the pages: DHS lagging on chemical security, CSB has offshore jurisdiction, and hydrofluoric acid concerns

The Watch Glass: Talking about global warming in 1989, chemical forensics trace threat agents, pheromone lures control beetles, a book review of “African American Women Chemists,” and plutonium weighing helped open the atomic age

HULK INTERVIEWED BY PUNY @sophialcai FOR PUNY @cenmag. HULK PLEASED THAT HULK WORDS NOT TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. NO NEED FOR CRUSHING.

— CHEMIST HULK (@ChemistHulk) April 10, 2013

I know, I know. There were a plethora of #ACSnola gems to choose from. But I wouldn’t want to make CHEMIST HULK angry…

To the network:

Newscripts: In Print: Science Models and CHEMIST HULK Smashes Questions, But Protects Identity and Amusing News Aliquots and Terrence Howard Isn’t A Doctor, He Just Plays One On TV

The Haystack: Liveblogging First-Time Disclosures of Drug Structures from #ACSNOLA

Thumbs down to the death of Roger Ebert, Thumbs up for his life and his career. Although we all have different taste, you saved us from duds

— Daily Brew (@D_B_Connect) April 5, 2013

I’m baaaaack! Many thanks to Carmen for both overlording in my absence and agreeing to co-overlord in my return. Today we’re mourning the loss of film critic Roger Ebert, but we’re also celebrating the birthday of Terra Sig owner and ubermensch, David Kroll!

To the network:

Artful Science: Gold gilding, ancient amber and a mysterious hidden sculpture: A new cultural heritage journal launches! and A brief hiatus: Onwards to Uzbekistan

Grand CENtral: C&EN Picks for ACS New Orleans #ACSNOLA

Just Another Electron Pusher: Why some women may choose not to enter STEM careers and ACS Webinar: Chemists at U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Newscripts: GZA Drops Verse (And Science) On The Schools and In Print: Chemistry Labs Sound Like Music and Four Tips for Getting the Best Beer Foam and Amusing News Aliquots

The Haystack: Liveblogging First-Time Disclosures of Drug Structures from #ACSNOLA (bookmark this link for next week)

The Safety Zone: Chemical and laboratory safety at #ACSNOLA

The Watchglass: Macromolecules at will and 1980 employment outlook and a glass bulb demonstrates critical opalescence and the state of inorganic chemistry back in ’79

Cleantech Chemistry: Fulcrum Promises 75 Cent Ethanol

Grand CENtral: Talkin’ About Climate Science

Newscripts: Chemistry, Gangnam Style (it was only a matter of time) and Amusing News Aliquots

On a side note, this will be my last stint with the roundup for a while, as I’m due to go out on maternity leave, oh, any day now. In my stead, the fabulous Carmen Drahl will take over the helm of Grand CENtral and keep you informed of happenings on CENtral Science.

Cheers!

Shakhashiri also has an essay about the toolkit in today’s issue of C&EN. In both the blog post and the ACS Comment, Shakhashiri explains that the toolkit is intended as a resource for all ACS members to help them provide a basic understanding of climate science to members of the public.

The Toolkit is out just in time for the UN Climate Change Conference that’s in full swing at Doha, Qatar.

Cleantech Chemistry: Fast Food Fight Over Biofuels, Energy Crops: the sweet and the sour, and Advanced Biofuels Makers Thankful for RFS

Newscripts: Amusing News Aliquots and the infamous 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

Terra Sigillata: Criminal Poisoning Arrest at a Hometown Chemical Company, “Food That Doesn’t Contain Any Chemicals” – Guardian Science, and Video: Why Do Leaves Change Color?

The Safety Zone: Recaps of Days 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Patrick Harran’s preliminary hearing in the Sheri Sangji case

Sweet Stuff (because there is nothing wrong with starting with dessert)

Newscripts: Easy As Pie Crust – #foodchem carnival: Beth Halford shares her family’s oil-based crust recipe.

The Finch & Pea: Pumpkin Pie: More pie! The science behind a good pie crust. (I’m eager to see a crust-off between Ben and Beth.)

Chemistry World: Food chemistry carnival – the sweet, gooey world of caramel: Phillip Broadwith’s indignation of the Great British Bake Off’s bad sugar science.

Update, 11/26: Elemental: The Chemical Cook: Deborah Blum may have been late to the carnival, but she brought some sweet words and the Derby pie. Thanks, Deb!

Seasonings & Condiments

Just Like Cooking: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and…Moringa?: Injecting a little Simon & Garfunkel into this carnival, See Arr Oh distills the healing powers of parsley, saaaaage, rosemary, and thyyyyyyyme, plus newcomer herb, moringa.

The Stoichiometric Equivalent: #Foodchem Carnival: I am most thankful for table salt this Thanksgiving: The science of salt preservation and flavoring.

It’s the Rheo Thing: Is Ketchup Really Thixotropic? And Does it Matter?: The rheology of ketchup. Why is it slow to flow in the bottle until it suddenly ends up all over your burger and fries?

Smorgasbord

Sciencegeist: #FoodChem Thanksgiving Blogging Carnival: Keeping the faith in the glory of starch, which is, to many of us, the holiest of Thanksgiving chemicals.

Organic Chemistry Tips and Techniques: The Mighty Egg-White: Need to filter fine particles from solvated compounds? Try an egg white. Bonus: Find out how to determine an egg’s age.

Lost in Scientia: The intersection of food and fuel chemistry – #foodchem carnival: Find out how much biodiesel can be produced from a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Mmm, doughnuts…

Sciencegeist: Tryptophan and Sleepiness: Bonus quickie contribution from Sciencegeist. Couldn’t have a Thanksgiving-timed foodchem carnival without mentioning tryptophan, could we?

Spirits

The Haystack: #FoodChem Carnival: A bit o’ science on your Thanksgiving tippling: If you’re gonna be late to the carnival, at least bring the booze. Lisa Jarvis brings the science of champagne.

Sentimental

The Second Criterion: Growing up with Kitchen Chemistry (and my abiding love for Harold McGee): A lovely homage to “On Food And Cooking”

Grand CENtral: Should #foodchem lovers work as food chemists? Maybe not: Guest poster Coulombic Explosion talks about growing up with and making career choices based on a love of food and chemistry.

Chemjobber: #foodchem: Secret ingredients, secret recipes: CJ discovers that perhaps the secret ingredient to carefully-guarded recipes is simply the comfort they provide.

Food of the Future

Cleantech Chemistry: Soon You’ll be Thankful for #foodchem Microbes: Microbiologists and chemists are ready to come to the rescue of cooks (and food makers) who love spices but don’t want to break the bank.

Just Another Electron Pusher: Visions of a fictional #foodchem future: Glen give us lots of video goodness from movies that imagined food of the future.

Artful Science: Star Trek Replicators, Dystopian Futures, And The #foodchem Carnival: Sarah gets a second chance at comparing note-by-note cuisine with Star Trek food replicators and shares some extra tidbits from her story in C&EN.

Honorary participants

Slate’s BrowBeat blog: Food Explainer: Why Does Steam Make Bread Light and Crusty?: Odds are good Slate didn’t intend to participate in our humble carnival. But the post topic fit so perfectly, how could we not include it?

NPR’s All Things Considered: Enjoy Thanksgiving Sprouts Without The Stink: Chemist Shirley Corriher offers tips on how to conquer the hydrogen sulfide gas of Brussels sprouts.

Lots of good stuff keeps coming in for the #FoodChem Carnival happening right now. Here’s what the CS bloggers have contributed:

Artful Science: Star Trek Replicators, Dystopian Futures, And The #foodchem Carnival

Cleantech Chemistry: Soon You’ll be Thankful for #foodchem Microbe

Grand CENtral: #Foodchem carnival: mid-point(ish) round-up and Should #foodchem lovers work as food chemists? Maybe not. (guest post)

Just Another Electron Pusher: Visions of a fictional #foodchem future

Newscripts: Easy As Pie Crust – #foodchem carnival

The Haystack: #FoodChem Carnival: A bit o’ science on your Thanksgiving tippling

And back to our normally scheduled programming:

Artful Science: A Fun Video About Photo Conservation And The History of Photo-making and The military borrows from cultural heritage science.

Cleantech Chemistry: Giant Gobs of Algae Coming From Solazyme and What the Election Means for Climate, Energy & Cleantech

Just Another Electron Pusher: Now it’s official—it’s not a pretty picture out there

Newscripts: Amusing News Aliquots (11/16), Navel Gazing: You Might Be Surprised By What’s Living In There, The Facebook of Chemical Elements, Amusing News Aliquots (11/8), and Announcing Flame Challenge 2

Terra Sigillata: Okay, Who’s Huffing Vicks VapoRub?, Thoughts on the “Doctoral Glut Dilemma” Webinar, Today: Solutions to the “Doctoral Glut Dilemma”, and Helping Schools Hit By Sandy

The Safety Zone: Friday chemical safety round up (11/9)