It turns out that not only does WordPress make blogging pretty simple, but also that the WordPress blogging community are pretty damn supportive.
Amazingly enough people are reading, liking and even following a science communication blog – THIS science communication blog to be exact.
Thanks Jonny from sci.casual and The Biology Yak for nominating me!
The rules attached to this award are that you have to:
- Show the award on your blog
- Thank the person that nominated you
- Share 7 different facts about yourself
- Nominate 15 blogs of your choice
- Link your nominees and let them know of your nomination
So here a little about about me:
- I do “real” science too. I have a Bachelor of Sustainable Environments, an Honours degree in Environmental Science and am currently working through a PhD in Environmental Science… can you see a trend?
- My current research is all about urban food production (urban agriculture). I’m actually about to launch the Edible Gardens project (more on this soon) where people can sign up to collect data on their own gardens! The project will investigate both the social value and the productive capability of urban food gardens.
- “Quiero aprender Espanol” – I want to learn spanish. Or several languages, that would be cool too. Duolingo has been helping.
- I love art and at various times can be found painting, drawing, embroidering, sewing, planting things in patterns and collecting (artistic) junk.
- I was a complete daydreamer, reader and tree climber as a kid…. not a lot has really changed – I just tend to pack waaaay more into my days.
- I want to help change the world. For this I blame my parents, who always told me that I could and would… funny how it seemed like such a simple easy idea as a kid!
- Living on Mars would be incredible. But I also know I would miss some pretty important things – like feeling wind, and rain, and being able to go outside when ever I want without having to put on a big ole’ spacesuit.
The next trick is to nominate 15 other blogs for this award. I think I follow at least 15 blogs… ah well here are my favourites:
Emily, Stephanie, Anna and guests (@wildlifesnpits) If you’re interested in seeing some amazing wildlife photos, in addition to reading great posts on conservation, communication and new research then this is a blog for you.
Yanhao and Harvey (@thenexusscience) – just reading their About page made me laugh. They write about some very cool and complicated (made not complicated) topics.
Heather (@heatherstuffnthings) – besides having a brilliant post about how you (yes you) can better keep up to date with science communication research, she also writes about public understanding and the impacts of public perception.
Dr Kirsty MacLeod (@kjmacleod) – She has a photo of herself with a Meerkat on her head (Do I really need to convince you anymore?). Read all about her fieldwork, research travels, publications and (@realscientists) connections.
Matt Shipman (@sciencecommunicationbreakdown) – Matt writes both about the science of science communication, and the practice of science communication. I greatly appreciate the distinction.
Meandering Matt (@bordersandbackpacks) – thanks Matt for letting me vicariously travel through your posts! Brilliant photos, stories and reviews.
The South African Young Academy of Science (@SAYASblog) – They have a collective page for the most recent posts from winners of their 2016 contest to find the best PhD bloggers in South Africa. Read away!
Natalie (@butwhy) – I love the idea of questioning everything. “Why?” is the simplest and most powerful question out there. (Don’t worry Natalie I know you’ve already been nominated for this!)
Matteo (@matteofarinella) – Here is a wonderful comic journal with some of the best illustrations. I wish all science infographics could look like these amazing images.
So thanks to everyone who follows/reads/occasionally likes this blog – it is a wonderful feeling to try to contribute to a topic and know that someone is listening.
Cheers! – Georgia the Urban Ag. Scientist
P.S Both my grandmothers in the featured image thank you too.
Dr Georgia Csortan - The Urban Ag Scientist 
I’ve always wondered, though, if certain urban areas are more amenable to small-scale urban agriculture, like rooftop farmers. I would imagine cities with more green space areas per capita would be better for it, like Ottawa.
Imagine farming co-ops in a CBD…
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Also, I like to believe that people are actually interested in science and all the goings-on in it. They don’t think they know anything of it because of bad grades, bad school experiences, and wibbly-wobbly jargon, but they know something – they have an understanding of the world, enough to enter scientific discussions that could impact our highly-globalized society.
People like you (and Matt Shipman – you follow him too?) are there to make sure they’re better prepared for it.
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Yes I agree – I think people are curious about the world and about science. My research is part of the Discovery Circle here in Adelaide. They run citizen science events which always have great turnouts from interested people and families.
Thanks for the comments Jonny!
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Some cities are really pushing for urban agriculture like Vancouver with their Food Strategy, or are even working hard to develop it as almost a new industry – like Detroit who even have an urban agriculture (UA) zoning ordinance which accepts UA as a legitimate land use!
The amazing thing is that people / businesses / cities are starting to do this… but without really widespread solid data to base a lot of it on! So they’re more game than me 🙂
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