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.

Designing better graphs, part 2: Bar charts — simple but effective

In science, engineering and health communication data are often displayed through charts. The choice of the graphic form is far from rigid. For example, to show a percentage one can use both a pie chart and a bar chart. The choice depends on…

Interviews

Felix Breyer — cell signalling student, handball player & coach

Felix Breyer, who studies cell signalling in Dundee, is passionate about handball. Apart from being a top-level player he has also spent innumerable hours as leader and organiser.

Opinion & Reflection

Science communication is no joke. But it should be (Dean Burnett, September 2015)

Some people in the scientific community think that humour shouldn’t be involved in communicating science. Here, Dr. Dean Burnett—who is a neuroscientist, stand-up comedian and belongs to the blog team of The Guardian–explains why they are wrong.

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