13 April 2011

Australian Science Festival shuts down

| johnboy
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The website for the Australian Science Festival reports the sad news that the festival will from the end of April be singing in the choir eternal:

It is with deep regret that we would like to inform you that the Australian Science Festival will not take place this year due to circumstances beyond our control.

We would like to sincerely thank all our partners and participants for the wonderful support they have given the festival and the ASF Limited over the past 19 years.

We have delivered an amazing number of inspiring events and become a beacon for science communication in the ACT and in Australia.

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creative_canberran11:44 am 14 Apr 11

Deref said :

🙁 Imagine what it could be if all the money wasted on the sports industry was spent on the Science Festival!

The irony of course is now more than ever, its science that is building Athletes than the raw hard work and determination once required. Science developing crazy detailed dietary plans for athletes, to the point of testing athletes weekly to analyse nutrient balances. Science develops clothing and accessories to enable high performance and stamina, the the point of being banned.

What’s science ever done for us, anyway? 😉

Deref said :

🙁 Imagine what it could be if all the money wasted on the sports industry was spent on the Science Festival!

Heard the Chief Minister on the radio this evening saying the festival was allocated around $1 million for three years and the organisers didn’t want to go through a government procurement process. I’d like to bid please – in fact I’ll do it for half that.

johnboy said :

Nah they had daleks for last year’s science festival!

And the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that…. In fact they have pulled out the same old props for every science festival I can remember.

“due to circumstances beyond our control.” usually means one of two things – they couldn’t get insurance or the major sponsor pulled out. Given the fairly lacklustre festivals of the past couple of years I would speculate that it was the later.

georgesgenitals4:16 pm 13 Apr 11

alaninoz said :

Deref said :

🙁 Imagine what it could be if all the money wasted on the sports industry was spent on the Science Festival!

+1 I’m all for support of sports that encourage public participation as it may improve the health of the population, but government funding of professional sport just encourages people to become spectators. An understanding of science, in the broad sense, is important as it underpins a lot of economic success. Something that may spark an interest in science should be supported.

+1. Well said.

Deref said :

🙁 Imagine what it could be if all the money wasted on the sports industry was spent on the Science Festival!

+1 I’m all for support of sports that encourage public participation as it may improve the health of the population, but government funding of professional sport just encourages people to become spectators. An understanding of science, in the broad sense, is important as it underpins a lot of economic success. Something that may spark an interest in science should be supported.

EvanJames said :

What a shame. That festival grew from nothing to something amazing due mostly to the hard work of the people behind it. In fact, from dim memory, it was one lady?

My wife is into science a bit & we have been to Stromlo observatory a couple of times for the open night. It was great, the people were friendly & quite talkative. Pity it was in August…….

What a shame. That festival grew from nothing to something amazing due mostly to the hard work of the people behind it. In fact, from dim memory, it was one lady?

RedDogInCan said :

“due to circumstances beyond our control.”

Dr Who finally tracked down the Darleks that had been hiding in Canberra?

Thats the Sci Fi Freaks festival……….

Nah they had daleks for last year’s science festival!

🙁 Imagine what it could be if all the money wasted on the sports industry was spent on the Science Festival!

“due to circumstances beyond our control.”

Dr Who finally tracked down the Darleks that had been hiding in Canberra?

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