Can you explain it to your granny? AWARMN Scholar embarks on a Science Communication Journey

Participants at the recent GlobalSCAPE science communication workshop were from different research institutes across South Africa, as well as one participant from Botswana.
Participants at the recent GlobalSCAPE science communication workshop were from different research institutes across South Africa, as well as one participant from Botswana.

Research outputs and scientific discoveries usually end up in journal. While the academia appreciates the credible source of knowledge, a layperson such as your granny, the local people in the study area or a colleague in an unrelated field may not under the complex scientific terminology and is unlikely to appreciate this credible source of knowledge.  

Mary Chibwe a PhD candidate at Rhodes University under the African Water Resources Mobility Network (AWARMN) is passionate about Science communication. She is currently part of a science communication one year study by GlobalSCAPE, an EU funded project. This is a longitudinal diary study with science communicators in 10 countries across the world. The Science communicators share day-to-day experiences, challenges, and professional decisions as they embark on sharing scientific knowledge beyond the academia. Recently she was awarded a GlobalSCAPE mobility scheme and received training in science communication on 9th September, 2022.

“Working under GlobalSCAPE project is helping me develop science communication skills. I am learning how to effectively share scientific findings beyond the academia and also learning from experiences from other science communicators in different parts of world. My passion is to make science more inclusive. The problems we address in research affect the day to day lives of people but often times we limit our research findings to the academia. We are speaking to ourselves as researchers”. 

“In addition to contributing to the body of scientific knowledge, my research findings and those of other researchers have to be relevant, appreciated and easily understood by the local people.  I hope to work with fellow scholars under AWARMN and ensure that we communicate our research findings beyond the academia”  

In this era where information is on our fingertips, science communication is cardinal, scientists, especially those involved in water research, must take a key role in disseminating their research findings to the general public. Water issues affect everyone so research outputs must be made available to the general public in a manner which is easily understood.

“Science is not finished until, it is communicated” Mark Walport, 2017