What is a Science “Zine”?

Imagine a mini-magaZine you make yourself. Now make it smaller – nope, smaller still! From a single 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper you can make an 8 page booklet that fits in the palm of your hand. You’ll be amazed how much entertaining science can be packed into a zine and shared with the world!

Curious how to participate? Just follow these four simple steps–

1. Choose a topic and theme.

(You can zine about anything in science — from pigeons to earthquakes to neutrinos — but we are going to ask you to align it with one of our YoS themes.)

2. Design it!

(Here’s a template.)

3. Fold it!

(These instructions make it easy.)

4. Submit it!

(Complete the online submission form here.)

What is the contest deadline?

All submissions must be postmarked by November 1, 2009.

Click for more tips on creating a great zine and examples on the Small Science Collective Web site.

What might you win?

Your zines will be read by a panel of scientists, artists, and students from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum of Natural History. There are three entry levels by age: Youth (8-12 years), High-School (13-17), Adult (18 and older) and there are twelve themes … so there will be 36 different awards! Each winner will receive prizes donated by YoS partners and:

• One top zine contributor will receive a $500 grand prize!
  The grand prize is generously provided by Shodor: A national resource for computational science education
• Two prize winners will receive a $250 prize each.
  These two awards, sponsored by UnderstandingScience.org, will be given to the zine authors who best reinforce the process of science in their design and text (see Understanding Science.org for ideas and information)

Selected zines will also be highlighted and shared through the Year of Science 2009 website & the Small Science Collective.

What would happen if you gave some teens control of a radio station? In our experience, very good things.

Youth Radio was founded in 1990 on the deeply held belief that underserved youth, ages 14-24 years old, have the creativity, technical skills and entrepreneurial spirit to become leaders in the multi-media industry and the community and to serve as mentors to other youth.

Each year Youth Radio introduces diverse groups of students to a broad spectrum of media-related careers and state-of-the-art technology. Its program goals are to strengthen basic life-skills, motivate them to graduate from high school and attend a two or four year university and prepare them for multi-media and other careers in the 21st Century Marketplace.

Youth Radio currently trains 1,300 youth each year to develop core competencies in audio, video, web and print and to produce the highest quality original media for the widest range of mainstream outlets. Its reporters are heard worldwide through radio, video and the Internet and through print media.

Check out this great piece, made in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences, on how citizen scientists are making a big difference in cleaning up the toxic conditions of many local aging schools.

Citizen Science: Air Quality Near Schools from Science in Action on Vimeo.

Governor Schwarzenegger took a little time out from NOT solving the budget crisis to proclaim 2009 a Year of Science in California. It’s a huge victory for our grassroots movement to celebrate science throughout the year.

As both the state and federal administration push for job development in new “green” fields, it will be more and more important for the public to understand the science behind these fields.