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John Timmer - Dec 4, 2012 5:30 pm UTC

Every fall, the science news world takes a moment to shift its focus to Sweden, as the Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics, and physiology or medicine are handed out. The actual awarding of the prizes, which happens in December, rarely attracts as much attention. The organizers are looking to change that a bit this year, however. The first-ever Nobel Week Dialog, a one-day meeting of past winners and subject matter experts, is timed to lead off the week's festivities.

Given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the prize awarded to Watson, Crick, and Wilkins for the discovery of the structure of DNA, the inaugural dialog will be focused on that topic's modern descendants: the Genetic Revolution and its impact on society. And they've invited Ars to take part in the dialog.

So, this weekend, I'll be getting on a plane and heading for Stockholm. Part of my time there will be spent writing about the discussions that will be taking place at the Dialog itself. This will include coverage of some of the talks and panels that will be taking place in Stockholm; I'll also have the opportunity to interview some of the participants. (I'm currently trying to arrange a meeting with Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Svante Pääbo, the man who has helped lead the sequencing of the Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes.)

The material that comes out of this will be appearing in a blog section on the Nobel website itself (my introductory perspective is already up there). We'll also be able to host these articles at Ars, though we'll be sure to note the source of the material when we do.

There's a potential conflict of interest here, as I'll be acting as both a reporter and a participant at this meeting; the organization behind the event is also paying for my travel. But, we decided that the Nobel Prizes don't really need to use me for publicity; they look pretty good on their own. And we don't expect the organization to exert any editorial control over what appears on Ars Technica.

In addition to reporting on the events in Stockholm, I'll also be a participant. The lunch break at the event will be an active one, as there will be a series of panel discussions focusing on topics relevant to the overall theme. I'll be part of a panel entitled "Science for the Public and the Role of Communication." It's a very appropriate topic. The developments in genomics have been promoted as a potential game-changer for the public's health, but the public probably doesn't fully understand how that might work out. Unlike some other fields, the public understanding of genetics hasn't become politicized, so this is a real opportunity for science communicators to have a positive impact.

So, I'm heading six time zones away, and close to the Arctic circle just about a week before the shortest day of the year. I'll be there for only 48 hours, and leaving town long before any of the hardware is handed out or the King of Sweden shakes any hands. But I'm still looking forward to the trip. And, hopefully I'll be able to get some information that will make you happy I went.

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