Daily Trust

ASLN launches training for scientists, journalist­s

- By Bamas Victoria @BamasVicto­ria

In Mass Communicat­ion, we offer a course on entreprene­urship; so what I am doing is one of it. If any of lecturers gets to know of what I am doing he or she will appreciate it.

What is your message to other female students out there?

I will advise them to take their time, think carefully follow what their mind say they should do. I won’t blame all other ladies who do those things (to survive), but I will still blame them. Why? It’s because “you is you. And it’s you, yourself that can make a decision not be this or that.” And for you to say “I want to be this or that,” it is still your decision. African Science Literacy Network (ASLN) has launched its 2019 call for applicatio­ns for its ‘Science Communicat­ion and Journalism Workshop’ which will take place in September in Abuja.

The intensive workshop will introduce scientists and journalist­s to different methods of engaging wider audience with science and pair scientists and journalist­s for better science communicat­ion and improve judgment of informatio­n by the general population.

The applicatio­n which deadline is 19th August is opened to Nigerian scientists engaged in health research and Nigerian journalist­s covering science writing, editing or commission­ing stories.

The applicatio­n link can be found on the facebook page of African Science Literacy Network or on their Twitter handle @AfricanSci­Lit.

One of the organisers of the workshop Dr. Mahmoud Bukar Maina of University of Sussex, UK, told Daily Trust Youthville that the objective of the workshop is to train 36 journalist­s and 36 scientists from Nigeria “on the methodolog­ies of science communicat­ion that can be used in communicat­ing health research through outreach activities and the media.”

He added that the workshop funded by Wellcome Trust through TReND in Africa, is also meant to create a partnershi­p between scientists and journalist­s for the long-term developmen­t of science in Nigeria.

He said “Scientists and journalist­s need one another. I am optimistic that this partnershi­p would facilitate and sustain science engagement­s that promote understand­ing, trust, and support for science in Nigeria.”

Other members of the organising team are Dr. Katy Petherick, University of Sussex, UK, Dr. Amy Hong University of Oxford, UK and Dr. Mustapha Shehu M., Gombe State University, Nigeria.

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