Today, Science Careers launches a new beta of our Facebook application, which allows science (and Science) fans to give the gift of science — for free! If you’re not familiar with Facebook gifts, they’re little virtual objects — like ‘Viva la Evolucion!’, an animated picture of a monkey evolving to a modern man; and ‘Positive reaction’ featuring a bubbling beaker. Kind of like those little Valentine candy hearts, but with science and, well, without the sweetness. Or the hearts.
The best thing about these gifts is that they come from Science Careers. The next best thing is that they’re kind of cute. After that, the next best thing is that they’re free. The only bad thing is that you have to be a member of Facebook to send or receive them, which is inevitable since Facebook is the only place they really exist.
Science Careers has been active in social media at least since 2007, when I dedicated my personal profile on Facebook to Science Careers. Since then we’ve grown our presence in social media, building a Facebook fan page with some 6,100 fans and a Twitter feed with more than 600 followers. Science Careers editor Jim Austin has just set up a new Twitter feed, @SciCareerEditor, offering his followers a sort of mini editorial page focused on careers in science, with commentary and information on scientific careers in 140 characters or less. It’s just a day old, and he desperately needs followers!
Oh, and please try out our new Facebook gift application. Send Science Careers gifts to your friends and colleagues. And let us know what you think.