In the nation's capital, freelancing means more than magazines. Government agencies, non-profit groups, trade associations and out-of-town publications all call on freelances living in (or just savvy about) Washington. Writers who make the most of DC will share tips for scouting new markets and finding stories, while a federal official offers an inside look at landing government contracts.

• Beryl Lieff Benderly (organizer), freelance writer
• Daniel Greenberg, founder and editor, Science & Government Report
• Pat McNees, consultant, The World Bank
• Jill Wechsler, Washington DC editor/correspondent for Pharmaceutical Technology and Applied Clinical Trials
• John Cousins, procurement analyst, Program Support Center, US Department of Health and Human Services.
• Linda Danley, small business progam manager, Program Support Center, US Department of Health and Human Services.

When it comes to science, how would you decide to spend $75 billion? If you wanted to stop spying, would you give scientists working in nuclear weapons labs lie detector tests — even if you knew some will quit in protest? And would you allow cells harvested from aborted fetuses to be used in research — knowing that your support might cost you pro-life votes and the next election? These are the kinds of questions Congress and federal officials face every year when it comes time to carve up taxpayer spending on science, write new research regulations, and take stands on thorny policy and ethical questions. Of course, with so much money and knowledge at stake, there is bound to be conflict, backstabbing, skullduggery, and general mayhem. Indeed, for reporters covering the politics of science, there is never a dull moment in this vastly undercovered area. Come find out how some Beltway insiders get a grip on their slippery stories — and how you can spice up your reporting with a policy slant!

• David Malakoff (organizer), reporter, Science
• Jeff Mervis, deputy news editor, Science
• Colin Macilwain, senior us correspondent, Nature
• Michael Stephens, biomedical lobbyist, Van Scoyoc & Associates
• Skip Stiles, former senior aide to the late Rep. George Brown (D-CA)

It's coming. Convergence, enhanced TV, interactive TV, broadband — the "next technology wave" in media. Hear what trendsetters say about what could be a dramatically new way of engaging audiences with your stories or what could be all wet. Learn how enhanced TV can be used in documentaries. See pioneering examples from the wild side of reporting.

• Jane Stevens (organizer), a multimedia journalist reporting for the New York Times and other media
• Charlene Laino, MSNBC.com
• Jody Sutter, content director, Veon
• Erik Olsen, producer, ABCnews.com
• Randy Rieland, Discovery Channel Online
• Louis Barbash, senior program officer, Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Show them the product: The message, as editors and advertisers know, is more than the snappy headline and the inviting copy. It's also the image that sells. In the past, PIOs were at a disadvantage in the timely distribution of arresting pictures and graphics, relying on overnighting to get art to the media. Now, with the World Wide Web at our command, graphics can be delivered as easily as text. But how do we prepare graphics for on-line distribution, and how do they fit into the office work flow? What hardware and software do we need, and how do we go about learning to use it? What types of graphics do media outlets want from us, and how do we make it easier for them to get what they want? More important, perhaps, is it necessary to hire a techie in order to offer these services? Looking to the future, will we routinely be serving full-motion video files and holding live webstreamed press conferences?

• David Brand (organizer), senior science editor, Cornell University
• Bill Steele, technology editor, Cornell News Service
• Lori Cuthbert, senior producer, Discovery Online
• Gail Porter, web coordinator, National Institute for Standards and Technology
• Felice Frankel, project director, Envisioning Science, the Edgerton Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Mark R. Holmes, vice president for programming & content development, nationalgeographic.com

The freelance's essential primer on copyright — from the law's history to the negotiations that rile publishers and worry writers today. Why should you retain the copyright to your work? How can you react to a lousy contract? Which publications are changing copyright policy — and what can you do to protect your work in the multimedia years to come? Our panel of experts will share advice and answer your questions.

• Joel Shurkin (organizer)
• Sallie Randolph, legal consultant, American Society of Journalists and Authors, and head of the University of Buffalo School of Law's copyright project
• Kay Murray, associate director and general counsel, Authors Guild

This workshop will offer strategies and tips for science writing for young consumers of print and broadcast news media and books. In addition, panelists will discuss the importance of writing for this audience and how it can introduce kids to science in a way that will nurture their curiosity and understanding.

• Kelli Whitlock (organizer), director of research communications at Ohio University
• Conrad Storad, director of research publications at Arizona State University and author of nine children's books on science and nature.
• Bob Hirshon, project director of Media Programs at AAAS and executive producer of Kinetic City Super Crew, a weekly radio drama for children, and Science Update
• Diana Lutz, editor of Muse, a nonfiction magazine for children 8 to 14 that is jointly published by the Cricket Magazine Group and Smithsonian Magazine.