The University of Western Australia

Assoc/Prof Nancy Longnecker

Science Communication Program Coordinator
School of Animal Biology

Contact details

Address

School of Animal Biology
The University of Western Australia (M092)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone

6488 3926

Fax

6488 8640

Email

nancy.longnecker@uwa.edu.au

Location

39 Meyer St, Crawley

Biography

Assoc Prof Nancy Longnecker is coordinator of the Science Communication Program at the University of Western Australia. She loves working in science communication because it involves working with creative, enthusiastic and curious people.

Nancy’s original research training was in plant nutrition. She studied botany at a liberal arts college, the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee and then did her postgraduate studies in soil science and crop physiology at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and postdoctoral studies at University of Adelaide and University of Western Australia.

In 1994, Nancy took responsibility for the education program of a cooperative research centre. This provided the opportunity for a gradual move into the emerging discipline of science communication. Her current research interests include informal education, social capital and interaction between scientists and policy makers.

Nancy has authored 50 books, book chapters, research papers and web sites, obtained funding of over $2.5 million for 22 research, education and communication grants and supervised 26 student research projects and 16 staff.

Key research

science communication

science education outside of the classroom (informal education)

interaction between scientists and policy makers

teaching science communication

Publications

Refereed Publications
Venville, Grady, Mary Oliver, Nancy Longnecker and Léonie Rennie. 2010. Selecting Science Subjects: Why Students Do, Why They Can’t! Teaching Science 56(3):19- 26.
Rifkin, W, N. Longnecker, J. Leach and L.S. Davis, Students publishing in new media: Eight hypotheses – a house of cards? IJISME. Accepted.
Jennifer Fong Ha and Nancy Longnecker. 2010. Doctor-Patient Communication: A Review. The Oschner Journal. 10(1): 38-43.
Nancy Longnecker. 2010. “Science in Australia” In: Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication (Susanna Priest, ed) Sage. (in press).
Venville, G., Bickford, S., Oliver., M., Longnecker, N., & Rennie, L. 2010. Science careers outreach: One size doesn't fit all. A paper presented at the Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA) annual conference, Shoal Bay, NSW.
Bickford, S., & Longnecker, N. 2010. Maximising benefits of field trips and guest speakers in secondary science education. A paper presented at the Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA) annual conference, Shoal Bay, NSW.
Venville, G., Oliver, M., Longnecker, N., & Rennie, L. 2010. Improving students' attitudes towards science: A case study of one high school defying the odds. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Philadelphia, PA.
H.A.J. Mulder, N. Longnecker and L.S. Davis. 2008. The State of Science Communication Programs at Universities around the World. Science Communication. 30(2): 277-287.
S. S. Yadav, N. Longnecker, F. Dusunceli, G. Bajiga, M. Yadav, Aqeel H. Rizvi, Murli Manohar and A. Reddy. 2007. Uses, Consumption and Utilization of Chickpeas. In: Chickpea Breeding and Management (SS Yadav, B Redden, W Chen, B Sharma eds), CABI, UK. pp. 72- 100.
Nancy Longnecker, Sally Edwards and Elizabeth Moore. 2005. Caring for Places; National parks in south-west Western Australia. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth, WA. Educator and student resource – Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence. ISBN: 0 7307 5558 4.
Jan Dook, Nancy Longnecker and Tim McGrath. 2004. Development of a risk perception Web portal and training tool. Proceedings of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. SPE Paper Number 86840.
Zeba Mohammed, Sharon Chan, Jordan Choo, Kelong Liu and Nancy Longnecker. 2004. The role of heritage web sites in heritage tourism. Proceedings of the Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE), Brisbane. 12: 510- 518.
Nancy Longnecker "Legumes and Pulses" The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History. Ed. Joel Mokyr. Oxford University Press, 2003. University of Western Australia.
D.J. McDougall, N.E. Longnecker, S.P. Marsh and F.P. Smith. 2001. Attitudes of Pulse Farmers in Western Australia Towards Genetically Modified Organisms in Agriculture. Australasian Biotechnology. 11: 36- 39.
Nancy Longnecker. 2000. Passion for Pulses: Health benefits of pulses and why Australians should eat more of them. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia. 24: 191- 195.
Nancy Longnecker. 1999. Passion for Pulses: A Feast of Beans, Peas and Lentils from Around the World. UWA Press, Nedlands, Western Australia. 128 pp. ISBN: I 920694 29 3. (11,000+ copies sold to date)
Jeff Richert, Nancy Longnecker and Janet Paterson. 1999. The Nodule Module: A Teaching Resource for Years 8- 10. CLIMA Publication. ISBN: 0 86422 945 3. 87 pp.
Haq, Krys, Nancy Longnecker and Ruth Hickey. 1999. The Bean Files; Judging the effectiveness of an internet-based primary science and agriculture educational package. Investigating 15: 14- 18.
Deborah Pritchard and Nancy Longnecker. 1998. Should agricultural courses at university only be targeted at rural students? Teaching and Learning Forum: ‘Teaching and Learning in Changing Times’. 1998. University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia.

Non-refereed publications
Bartle, E, N Longnecker and M Pegrum. 2010. Can creating podcasts be a useful assignment in a large undergraduate chemistry class? Uniserve, Sydney.
Rifkin, W., N Longnecker, J Leach and L Davis. 2010. Blogging Biology & Podcasting Physics: Authentic Learning via Student Creation of New Media. Uniserve, Sydey.
Nancy Longnecker. June 2009. Sharing Science with Better Communication. Issues 87: 37-40.
Nancy Longnecker. April 2008. Science Network WA. Opinion piece: All science graduates should study science communication. www.sciencewa.net.au.
Nancy Longnecker, Melanie McKenzie and Jenni Metcalf. 2007 (Feb). ASC Survey Results – Instalment Two – The Changing Face of Science Communication Training and Education available from www.asc.asn.au.
Nancy Longnecker, Jenni Metcalf and Melanie McKenzie. 2006 (Dec). ASC Survey results – Profile of Science Communication in Australia. SCOPE, Newsletter for Australian Science Communicators, available from www.asc.asn.au.
Longnecker, Nancy. 2004. Pulses and Diabetes. Heartwise Journal. 21(1): 10- 11.
Longnecker, Nancy. 2004. It’s a fact… Beans and peas are good for your heart. Heartwise Journal. 22(1): 10- 11.
Nancy Longnecker, 2004 (23 August). Communicating with the public: Why bother? The Last Word. UWANews.
Longnecker, Nancy, Rachel Kelly and Sonya Huang. 2002. The lentil lifestyle: Health benefits of lentils and their uses in diets. Proceedings, Lentil Focus 2002. Horsham, Vic.
Mike Perry, KHM Siddique and Nancy Longnecker. 2002. CLIMA Strategic Plan.
Longnecker, Nancy. 2001. Health benefits of eating chickpeas and their use in Australian diets. Proceedings, Chickpea Focus 2001. Goondiwindi, QLD. 14- 19.
Amir Abadi, Mike Ewing and Nancy Longnecker. 2001. An Assessment of the Impact of CRC Investment in CLIMA. Internal CLIMA publication. 53 pp.
Nancy Longnecker. 1997. ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go?’ Women in Science and Engineering Network.
Joanne Barton and Nancy Longnecker. 1997. Staff Contributions to Research and Decision-Making at CLIMA. Report for Action Leadership Project, UWA, 61 pp.

Roles, responsibilities and expertise

Assoc Prof Longnecker coordinates the Science Communication Program at the University of Western Australia. This has involved development and delivery of the program from its origin in 2002, including administrative organisation, curriculum development, lecture, laboratory and tutorial development and delivery, mentoring, enrolment and career advice. She is responsible for coordinating both the undergraduate and postgraduate courses and teaching a number of units, including Science Writing, Communication Strategies for Change, Science and the Media and Displays and Exhibits. She also coordinates the research program and supervise research projects.

Funding received

Current grants:
1.Measuring the Effectiveness of Specialist Science Enrichment Programs 2010- 2012. Co-investigators: Prof David Blair, Prof Grady Venville, A/Prof Nancy Longnecker, A/Prof David Coward, A/Prof Mario Zadnik (Curtin). ARC-Linkage in partnership with Gravity Discovery Centre and Polly Farmer Foundation.
2.Motivating science students with new media. 2009- 2011. Australian Learning and Teaching Council. Co-investigators: Dr Will Rifkin (UNSW), Dr Joan Leach (UQ), Prof Lloyd Davis (Otago).
3.Beyond the Beaker: Maximising the Impact of a Science Centre Program on High School Students’ Engagements with Science. 2009- 2011. Co-investigators: Prof Grady Venville and Prof Leonnie Rennie (Curtin). ARC-Linkage in partnership with Scitech and Chevron.

Memberships

Australian Science Communicators

Honours and awards

2007-08 UWA Teaching Fellowship
2006- 07Nominee: UWA Student Guild Excellence in Teaching
1988- 89Barley Research Council Post-doctoral Fellowship
1981-85Cornell University Saltonstall Fellowship
1980- 81Cornell University Agronomy Teaching Assistant of the Year
1978- 80Cornell University Graduate Fellowship
1976-78University of the South Wilkins Scholarship
1974-78University of the South National Merit Scholarship

Teaching

Coordinator:Science Communication Program
The program offers a major in the BSc, Honours, Graduate Certificate and Diploma (Science Communication), MSc (Science Communication), Master of Science Communication and Education and PhD

Unit coordinator:Science Performance (COMM3322)
Unit coordinator: Sci Comm- Specialist Research Topics (COMM7402)
Unit coordinator:Sci Comm – Writing (COMM3324/7701)
Unit coordinator:Sci Comm – Displays and Exhibits (COMM3319/7702)
Unit coordinator:Science and the Media (COMM3321/7703)
Unit co-coordinator:Sci Comm for Change in Industry and Community (COMM3303)
Unit co-coordinator:Nanotechnology – Professional Practice (SCIE2231)

Current external positions

Consultant to Friends of Bold Park Bushland, Inc, Coordinated inaugural training program for Bold Park volunteer guides

Useful links

communicatingscience.org

Research profile

Research profile and publications