Crastina is a platform for the exchange of experience, knowledge and inspiration regarding both scientific peer-to-peer communication and science dissemination

What? An international network of (mostly young) people who love to communicate science & tech.
Why? We think science needs to be communicated with more passion and professionalism.
Where? On our website with interviews & resources + on social media + on Skype and IRL.
Who? A content group (the Crew), a think tank (the Academy), + lots of friends & contacts.
When? Right now – as a matter of fact, we’ve just geared up.

Prof Christophe Bernard eNeuro Chief Editor – A video interview

This video used automatic subtitles and may not be completely accurate. How to keep innovating and improving the academic publishing system? Those are the questions we asked Prof Christophe Bernard, Professor at INSERM in…

Interviews

Turning frustration into change: Jean-Sébastien Caux, founder of SciPost

The scientific publishing industry depends heavily on the people that write, review and edit scientific articles. In effect, these people have the power to shape the future of scientific publishing. So, what will they make of it? Prof. Jean-Sébastien…

Interviews

Seeking Sustainable Open Access Publishing Models – Danielle Padula’s Perspective

Open access publishing has grown over the years prompted by concerns about the accessibility of science to the general public. However, publishing is not free, whether materials are needed for print or servers are needed to keep repository…

Our current theme: “SciComm in Africa”

Pearl Osirike: “The beginning of a new era: science communication in Africa”

A Crastina Column by Pearl Osirike, Ph.D. student at West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana.

Read the Crastina Column

This time, we will learn more about SciComm activities emerging from a geographical area which is often overlooked in the general discussion about science and its communication: Africa.

On the one hand, it is true that African academia has to cope with persistent challenges like poor funding, inadequate infrastructure, staff shortages and recruitment problems. The everyday struggle of experimental scientists is hard to imagine for those who work in labs in Europe and North America. For example, the difficulty of transporting tissue samples and biomolecules sometimes add weeks and months to projects – parcels are lost, frozen samples become thawed and are ruined on the way, et cetera.

On the other hand, anyone who studies the websites of African universities and research institutes will be met by an impressing vitality and optimism. Innumerous projects are ongoing across this vast continent, and many of them include SciComm activities which all provide a lesson for anyone ready to read, ask and reflect.

We have rarely felt such anticipation when initiating a theme here at Crastina; we are confident that we all – authors and readers have much – to learn.

For The Crastina Crew

Olle Bergman, Project Leader