title: Developing Science Communication in Africa: Undergraduate and Graduate Students should be Trained and Actively Involved in Outreach Activity Development and Implementation.
abstract: Despite recent improvements in scientific research output from Africa, public understanding of science in many parts of the continent remains low. Science communication there is faced with challenges such as (i) lack of interest among some scientists, (ii) low availability of training programs for scientists, (iii) low literacy rates among the public, and (iv) multiplicity of languages. To address these challenges, new ways of training and motivating scientists to dialogue with non-scientists are essential. Developing communication skills early in researchers' scientific career would be a good way to enhance their public engagement abilities. Therefore, a potentially effective means to develop science communication in Africa would be to actively involve trainee scientists (i.e., undergraduate and graduate students) in outreach activity development and delivery. These students are often enthusiastic about science, eager to develop their teaching and communication skills, and can be good mentors to younger students. Involving them in all aspects of outreach activity is, therefore, likely to be a productive implementation strategy. However, science communication training specifically for students and the involvement of these students in outreach activity design and delivery are lacking in Africa. Here, we argue that improving the training and involvement of budding scientists in science communication activities would be a good way to bridge the wide gap between scientists and the African public.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK;; Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK;
authors.forename: Thomas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Karikari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana;
authors.forename: Nat Ato
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Yawson
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana;; Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quansah
keywords: Africa; Science communication; public engagement in science; science literacy; science outreach