Science writers will gather in North Carolina's Research Triangle this November, marking the first time the joint science writers' conference returns to the site of a previous ScienceWriters meeting. The weekend of in-person professional development, career networking, and science events will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center and Raleigh Marriott City Center Nov. 8-11, organized by the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW), with generous contributions of on- and off-site events and volunteer support from the Science Communicators of North Carolina (SCONC).

NASW will also host a virtual-only component on Oct. 17-18, ScienceWriters2024 "Early Access."

And Welcome to the Research Triangle!

SCONC is proud to welcome all science writers to “The Research Triangle” of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In addition to its three major research universities, this vibrant area is home to the Research Triangle Park, housing private sector science and technology giants like IBM, Syngenta and BASF as well as government research institutes of the EPA and NIH. 

But this area of North Carolina’s Piedmont isn’t just all science and technology. 

We’re also home to an inventive food scene, including James Beard Award winning chefs and finalists as well as places to sample our famous barbecue (insist on Eastern Style), and taste our craft brews and distilled spirits. The arts are alive and well in the Research Triangle; from Raleigh to Durham to Chapel Hill you can find artist communities as well as plenty of live music and entertainment any day of the week.

The Research Triangle is a family-friendly place with plenty of kid-oriented parks, like Pullen Park, Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh and the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. If being outdoors makes your day, we have plenty of trails to keep you happy, especially our accessible greenways. The Mountains to the Sea trail goes right through Raleigh and Durham, and the area boasts several beautiful state parks, including William B. Umstead Park, Eno River State Park, and Schenck Forest.

Two free state museums—the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and the NC Museum of History—are both within walking distance from the hotel/conference center. Learn about North Carolina’s spectacular biodiversity from alligators to boreal forest, and soak in some of the state’s rich culture and history. Just a short Uber from the hotel you can also visit the North Carolina Museum of Art, where the permanent collections and a 164-acre outdoor sculpture park are always free, and rotating shows require a paid ticket. Special shows during your visit are “Seeing Red” and “Forever and Never,” the photographs of Dan Estabrook. 

Science Communicators of North Carolina

Established in 2007, SCONC supports science communicators by creating community networks and opportunities for professional growth to promote and strengthen careers in effective science engagement.

In the last decade, SCONC has become an important force in science communication—both regionally and nationally. In 2012, SCONC facilitated the coalition of three universities (Duke University, NC State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) to host ScienceWriters2012 in the Research Triangle Park. Since then, SCONC has hosted a Regional Climate Change Conference for reporters and meteorologists and created a statewide science writing award, the SCONCIES, to celebrate excellence in science writing across the region. In 2022, SCONC created a paid internship program to place underrepresented students from HBCUs into science communication roles around the Research Triangle.

SCONC is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that partners with national organizations such as CASW and NASW to support and promote science communication locally, regionally and nationally. SCONC collaborates with other regional science writer groups across the U.S. as part of #SciWriCongress.