The attendees were welcomed by SCC president, Kelly Dobos of Sun Chemical, who revealed it had been an excellent year for new members, with over 900 joining in 2019.
The speaker programme opened with the Frontiers of Science Award Lecturer, Timothy Caulfield, PhD, (pictured above) a frequent writer for the popular press and presenter of TV documentaries. In his presentation ‘Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything? When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash’ he spoke with genuine conviction and concern about the unstoppable rise of the social media-fuelled wellness industry, led by Gwyneth Paltrow and her website, Goop. Caulfield began by emphatically stating “This is the age of misinformation,” highlighting the impact of popular culture on the decisions people make aiming to improve their health. Examples included people buying shoes with crystals in them to slow ageing and others seeking ‘vampire facials’ which can expose them to HIV
