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90% of readers believe that mobile technology and increasing online access make social media an ideal platform for attracting younger generations of South Africans to SET fields of study. |
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5% of readers say they are not sure. |
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5% of readers say that this time and money could be better spent on outreach projects. |
Exoplanet extraordinaire… Only a few weeks into the new year and already four new exoplanets have been discovered. An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star in a solar system other than that of the earth. It looks as though 2012 is going to be a year filled with discovery.
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IN THE NEWS
Media and scientists get talking
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Scientists and journalists seen at the recent five-day media workshop at Stellenbosch University. |
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A recent workshop at the University of Stellenbosch had scientists and journalists gaining insight into one another’s worlds and where those worlds overlap, and confirming the belief that working together simply is better.
The Department of Journalism at Stellenbosch University, in association with the South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF) and the South African Science Journalists’ Association (SASJA), hosted a five-day workshop in November last year for scientists and journalists. Sponsored by SAASTA and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the aim of the workshop was to encourage and equip participants with skills to promote the public understanding of science.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, addressed the workshop on the third day. He highlighted the importance of science communication and improving public perceptions of science, in light of the fact that science seeks to provide solutions to the major challenges such as HIV, the looming energy crisis, and climate change.
The workshop generated a lot of interest and was well attended by 45 scientists and 35 journalists. The first two days addressed scientists only and focused on understanding the media. Both scientists and journalists attended the third day, with interactive discussions linking the science and media fields. The final two days were aimed at journalists to provide a better understanding of the scientist’s world and scientific methods. This enabled each group to gain insight into each other’s environment and facilitated discussion on how to work together more closely.
The initiative proved a huge success, evident in a comment from one of the attendees, Celeste Naude, who stated: “The workshop improved my understanding of the journalistic process and the functioning of news rooms and the media in general. This perspective and insight should help to advance communication between me as a scientist and the media.”