Intro blabblalbla
SCICOMM IN AFRICA
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
January–March 2018: Science & Music
We all have our personal relationship with music, shaped through years of listening, experiencing, learning and choosing. Ask some people about ther musical preferences, and you will most likely open up a door to their heart. And it’s no wonder – music has an amazing power of carry emotions and meaning and to illuminate the moment. Some of our great experiences in life are often linked to a certain piece of music.
So, how should we harness this powerful tool of communication in science? Today, there are certainly no clear answers to that. However, we have a strong hunch that a lot of science people and their intellectual fellows are working hard on exploring this field. Therefore we will reach out to some people who are passionate about both science and music and ask them what they have found in the intersection of these two fields and how this can put to use for the communication of science.
For the Crastina Crew,
Olle Bergman, communications consultant
June 2016: Using comics in science communication
At Crastina, we hope to provide both the depth and breadth of science communication, maybe sometimes reminding you of another corner of the landscape you may have forgotten exists. Harnessing the fusion of words and image, comics, to communicate science, may not be the most visible topic in science communication, but we think it’s worth delving into.
Science comics embody Crastina’s mission of connecting people. Creating science comics entails artists, scientists, educators, and people somewhere in between, blending their skillsets.
Our Crastina Column writer this month, Matteo Farinella, is a neuroscientist, cartoonist and illustrator, who has authored many science comics as well as the highly successful comic book, ‘Neurocomic’. This fall he is continuing his science comics journey at Columbia University’s Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience, researching the role of visual narratives in science communication. Please use the comment fields of the blog posts to engage in the discussion!
For the Crastina Crew,
Julia Turan, science communicator
May 2016: Working for equality together (with a focus on gender equality)
Ever since the start of Crastina, texts and links associated with gender issues have spurred much interest among followers of the blog and the FB & Twitter feeds. It is apparent that many feel that there is much work needed before we can honestly claim that science offers equal career opportunities for men and women.
Therefore we will dig a little deeper in this subject during May. Our main question will – as this is Crastina – focus on the role of communication and how it can be used to identify the problems, create motivation to solve them and eventually find the solutions. A beautiful thought in this context is that the word communication, stemming from the latin word communis, literally means ‘to make common’.
Our Crastina Column writer this month, Kamila Stępniowska, is one of the world’s foremost networkers in the area of initiatives to promote engineering and software programming among women. Please use the comment fields of the blog posts to engage in the discussion!
For the Crastina Crew
Dr. Dorota Paczesniak, evolutionary biologist
March–April 2016: Creating your professional persona
“Being yourself” is not as straighforward as it may seem – at least not in a professional setting. In our private and personal lifes, we play very different roles, depending on the context.
Therefore, we’ll have a closer look on how you build a professional persona—not only to find a job or position where you thrive, but also feel that you spend time with people who respect you and believe in you.
As an introduction, our Crastina Column writer – career consultant Barry O’Brien – gives an elaborate reply to the ”photo or not in your CV?” question.
Please use the comment fields of the blog posts to engage in the discussion!
- The Crastina Column: The great CV controversy: maybe you are asking the wrong question?
- Photo on your CV or not? – the complete guide
- Terrible or Formidable? You are in charge of how the recruiters perceive you!
- How social platforms like AcademicLabs can make it easier to find the right research partners and aim high
- Advice for a newborn academic: bring your compass!
January–March 2018: Science & Music
We all have our personal relationship with music, shaped through years of listening, experiencing, learning and choosing. Ask some people about ther musical preferences, and you will most likely open up a door to their heart. And it’s no wonder – music has an amazing power of carry emotions and meaning and to illuminate the moment. Some of our great experiences in life are often linked to a certain piece of music.
So, how should we harness this powerful tool of communication in science? Today, there are certainly no clear answers to that. However, we have a strong hunch that a lot of science people and their intellectual fellows are working hard on exploring this field. Therefore we will reach out to some people who are passionate about both science and music and ask them what they have found in the intersection of these two fields and how this can put to use for the communication of science.
For the Crastina Crew,
Olle Bergman, communications consultant
June 2016: Using comics in science communication
At Crastina, we hope to provide both the depth and breadth of science communication, maybe sometimes reminding you of another corner of the landscape you may have forgotten exists. Harnessing the fusion of words and image, comics, to communicate science, may not be the most visible topic in science communication, but we think it’s worth delving into.
Science comics embody Crastina’s mission of connecting people. Creating science comics entails artists, scientists, educators, and people somewhere in between, blending their skillsets.
Our Crastina Column writer this month, Matteo Farinella, is a neuroscientist, cartoonist and illustrator, who has authored many science comics as well as the highly successful comic book, ‘Neurocomic’. This fall he is continuing his science comics journey at Columbia University’s Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience, researching the role of visual narratives in science communication. Please use the comment fields of the blog posts to engage in the discussion!
For the Crastina Crew,
Julia Turan, science communicator
May 2016: Working for equality together (with a focus on gender equality)
Ever since the start of Crastina, texts and links associated with gender issues have spurred much interest among followers of the blog and the FB & Twitter feeds. It is apparent that many feel that there is much work needed before we can honestly claim that science offers equal career opportunities for men and women.
Therefore we will dig a little deeper in this subject during May. Our main question will – as this is Crastina – focus on the role of communication and how it can be used to identify the problems, create motivation to solve them and eventually find the solutions. A beautiful thought in this context is that the word communication, stemming from the latin word communis, literally means ‘to make common’.
Our Crastina Column writer this month, Kamila Stępniowska, is one of the world’s foremost networkers in the area of initiatives to promote engineering and software programming among women. Please use the comment fields of the blog posts to engage in the discussion!
For the Crastina Crew
Dr. Dorota Paczesniak, evolutionary biologist
March–April 2016: Creating your professional persona
“Being yourself” is not as straighforward as it may seem – at least not in a professional setting. In our private and personal lifes, we play very different roles, depending on the context.
Therefore, we’ll have a closer look on how you build a professional persona—not only to find a job or position where you thrive, but also feel that you spend time with people who respect you and believe in you.
As an introduction, our Crastina Column writer – career consultant Barry O’Brien – gives an elaborate reply to the ”photo or not in your CV?” question.
Please use the comment fields of the blog posts to engage in the discussion!
- The Crastina Column: The great CV controversy: maybe you are asking the wrong question?
- Photo on your CV or not? – the complete guide
- Terrible or Formidable? You are in charge of how the recruiters perceive you!
- How social platforms like AcademicLabs can make it easier to find the right research partners and aim high
- Advice for a newborn academic: bring your compass!