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Forrest J Ackerman used the term "sci-fi" at UCLA in 1954.[12] As science fiction entered popular culture, writers and fans active in the field came to associate the term with low-budget, low-tech "B-movies" and with low-quality pulp science fiction.[13][14][15] By the 1970s, critics within the field such as Terry Carr and Damon Knight were using "sci-fi" to distinguish hack-work from serious science fiction,[16] and around 1978, Susan Wood and others introduced the pronunciation "skiffy". Peter Nicholls writes that "SF" (or "sf") is "the preferred abbreviation within the community of sf writers and readers".[17] David Langford's monthly fanzine Ansible includes a regular section "As Others See Us" which offers numerous examples of "sci-fi" being used in a pejorative sense by people outside the genre.[18]

from WikiP: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction

Maybe I'm older than you? When I was involved in organizing conventions a decade or two ago, this was the feeling.

Edit: Ha! I just looked at your profile, and not only are you older than me (by a smidgeon) but you're a male and for some reason I thought you were a female. You certainly have more geek/nerd credentials than I do, but I was always taught not to use "scifi" when I was actively involved in fandom.