Public science communication in Africa : views and practices of academics at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe

Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SISSA Medialab
Abstract
This study of the science communication views and practices of African researchers — academics at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Zimbabwe — reveals a bleak picture of the low status of public science engagement in the developing world. Researchers prioritise peer communication and pay little attention to the public, policy makers and popular media. Most scientists believe the public is largely not scientifically literate or interested in research. An unstable funding environment, a lack of communication incentives and censoring of politically sensitive findings further constrain researchers’ interest in public engagement. Most NUST academics, however, are interested in science communication training. We suggest interventions that could revive and support public science engagement at African universities.
Description
CITATION: Ndlovu, H., Joubert, M. & Boshoff, N. 2016. Public science communication in Africa : views and practices of academics at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe. Journal of Science Communication, 15(6):A05, doi:10.22323/2.15060205.
The original publication is available at https://jcom.sissa.it
Keywords
Communication in science -- Africa, Communication in science -- Zimbabwe
Citation
Ndlovu, H., Joubert, M. & Boshoff, N. 2016. Public science communication in Africa : views and practices of academics at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe. Journal of Science Communication, 15(6):A05, doi:10.22323/2.15060205.