Teaching Researchers How to Communicate their Work with Non-Experts
Mawazo PhD Scholar, Melisa Allela sharing her research at Nairobi Ideas Night: Working On It. November 2019.
Author: Naliaka Odera
The spread of misinformation on COVID-19 is one of the biggest challenges in combating the public health crisis we now face. Misinformation during this pandemic has become so prevalent that the World Health Organization (WHO) coined the term “infodemic” referring to the overabundance of information and the rapid spread of misleading digital content. The consequences of this misinformation, WHO warns, can lead to catastrophic incidents of increased rates of infection, and even accidental deaths due to false beliefs about unproven cures. This situation is one example of the importance of pertinent scientific research being easily accessible and available to the general public. Accessible science information is not only educational, but also imperative for public discourse and informed policy-making by leaders in society. This is why Mawazo spends much of its time not only supporting the ability of African researchers to effectively conduct their research, but also in ensuring that they are able to share this research to non-expert audiences.
One of our partners in this work is The Conversation Africa, a platform providing an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community, delivered directly to the public. The Conversation Africa has also been hub for extensive coverage on the COVID-19 pandemic, helping curb the spread of misinformation by featuring the work of experts with a deep understanding of the issues arising from this unprecedented moment. One such expert is Mawazo Board Chair and Co-Founder, Rachel Strohm, who co-authored an article on the platform discussing how African governments can integrate urban and rural safety nets to soften the economic blow for their citizens.
Given The Conversation’s expertise in science communication, in July, Mawazo partnered with the organisation to co-host a virtual training session for 24 female African researchers on science communication and Op-Ed writing. Drawn from across the continent, our participants, were lecturers, researchers and post-doctoral fellows, from a range of disciplines including social studies, linguistics, animal nutrition, entomology, public health, and agriculture. Led by Candice Bailey, the Head of Academic Relations at The Conversation Africa, the training emphasized the importance of science communication, taught participants how to pitch their research to media publications, and shared tips on how they could incorporate journalistic writing into their work, bringing in new audiences who would not typically connect with their work. Signaling the drastic shift in how we operate as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the training was held virtually.
As Bailey explained after the training, “We have been doing these, [science communication writing classes for universities], for about four years now. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to transform our face-to-face sessions into virtual sessions. These sessions are very different to face-to-face sessions, which are usually more personal. Having said that, we had some good feedback from participants who enjoyed the engagement via zoom too.”
For Mawazo, this was its second such training, with the first one held in 2018 with our inaugural PhD Scholars, who have since graduated from the programme. Dr. Teresiah Njihia, one of the 2018 Mawazo Scholars, who graduated with a PhD in Plant Science and Management from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in 2019, chose to re-take the training in order to refresh her science communication skills. Speaking to her, she cited how important it was for researchers to learn how to communicate outside of their field.
“You get so used to communicating to people within your field, it is so necessary to be able to talk about your work to people outside it,” Dr. Njihia says.
At the end of the training, each of the women were asked to write draft pitches for the editorial team at The Conversation Africa, discussing the importance of their research findings to their communities, and making this case in language that their beneficiaries can understand. The trainers then evaluated these pitches, giving participants constructive feedback and practical tips to encourage them to pitch their ideas in the future.
As Bailey emphasized, “One of our tag lines is democratising knowledge. The main aim of The Conversation is to amplify the work of scientists in Africa so that we can bridge the gap between academia and the general public. Equipping scientists with this skill is an important part of bridging this gap.”
Dr. Macellina Yinyinade Ijadunola, one of the training participants, is a Nigerian MD and Senior Lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital and a CARTA fellow. Her research explores the socio-economic and health challenges of adolescents growing up in households where their grandparents are the primary caregivers. The emphasis on science communication, and the practical skills taught during the sessions raised new questions for her work.
“There are so many important aspects of my research that the wider public should know. Especially when it comes to the social and economic issues that come up when grandparents are raising adolescents. The training really made me think about how to align my research with the general public and make my findings more accessible,” she says.
This point was also emphasized by Bailey who led the training, “Most researchers,” she says, “study phenomena or a pattern of disease or trend to help people improve their lives in some or other way. If people don't know what research you are working on, how would they be informed by your findings?”
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt Africa’s higher education system, leaving many learners outside the classroom, Mawazo intends to continue delivering high quality training of this kind to early-career African researchers who are women, helping them take advantage of the digital migration to grow their professional skills. Our COVID-19 response plan for 2020 is summarised in our statement here, and includes among other things, a pivot to more virtual learning. We are especially excited about the launch of the Mawazo Learning Exchange, a professional development platform for African researchers that will provide dedicated training courses for our target audience, as well as a growing library of resources tailored to the African context.
With this pivot to e-learning, we intend to leverage our existing partnerships with leading players like The Conversation Africa, and other actors in the ecosystem, providing new opportunities for cross-learning and growth. For now, researchers looking for professional development resources can visit our Opportunities Page, which is regularly updated with funding, training, conferences, and other opportunities for African researchers anywhere regardless of age, nationality, or gender. To stay up-to-date on the launch of the Mawazo Learning Exchange, you can sign up for our newsletter.