American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

EurekAlert!

As part of its outreach efforts, AAAS operates the global news service EurekAlert!—an online portal through which universities, medical centers, journals, government agencies, corporations, and other organizations engaged in research can deliver news on science, medicine, and technology to the media and the public. Launched in 1996, EurekAlert! serves approximately 5,500 reporters working in 60 countries and about 5,000 public information officers (PIOs), typically people who perform the tasks of a media relations or public relations officer.

EurekAlert! provides news in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Chinese. In addition to posting traditional news releases, PIOs can also upload digital images, audio files, and video files to an online multimedia gallery to augment printed news materials.

The public can freely access the searchable database of EurekAlert! for breaking news stories and in-depth information resources on scientific, technological, and medical topics.

To help research institutions with science-news story placements, EurekAlert! offers communication [Page 41]seminars that afford PIOs and public relations managers the opportunity to glean insights from reporters representing a wide range of media organizations—including print, online, and broadcast outlets—on what they seek in science-news stories.

Annual Meeting

Each year, at the AAAS Annual Meeting, science and technology professionals—from across disciplines and around the world—gather to discuss new research, emerging trends, and the interaction of science and technology with society. The AAAS Annual Meeting is one of the most widely recognized interdisciplinary scientific events of its kind, encompassing the breadth of the sciences, education, engineering, and technology.

Over the course of 5 days, upward of 10,000 scientific experts, entrepreneurs, educators, and policymakers attend the meeting. Hundreds of symposia are presented in addition to plenary and topical lectures. A variety of special events designed to engage schoolchildren and the public are also presented. Audio and video recordings of topical lectures, symposia, and public town halls from past meetings are available as an educational resource.

The AAAS Annual Meeting draws upward of 1,000 newsroom registrants. These include reporters (print, broadcast, Web), freelance writers, editors, producers, PIOs, science journalism professors, and students.

Dozens of daily briefings are provided to newsroom registrants about breaking research news presented at the annual meeting. Newsroom registrants have access to copies of speaker presentations and background materials via an on-site “papers room.” Embargoed news releases pertaining to research presented at the meeting are available on-site and also in advance via EurekAlert! Much of this material is prepared by PIOs in support of their researchers' presentations at the AAAS Annual Meeting.

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