SESSION
Who gets to tell the story? Science journalism and research collaboration
This session we explore how reporting on global research collaboration can promote social justice. How can journalists help keep science accountable to society?
Desmond ThompsonSession proposer, producer and moderator | Freelancer | South Africa
Desmond Thompson is an experienced South African freelance journalist who reports on higher education and science across the continent. He has worked for various titles within the Media24 stable, held corporate communication roles at Stellenbosch University, and contributes regularly to University World News and Nature Africa.
Lise KorstenSpeaker | African Academy of Sciences and the University of Pretoria | South Africa
Lise Korsten is the president of the African Academy of Sciences and co-director of the Centre of Excellence in Food Security in South Africa. She is also a professor of Plant Health and Food Safety at the University of Pretoria, and champions interdisciplinary collaboration that advances equitable research partnerships and science diplomacy in Africa.
Thandi MgwebiSpeaker | National Research Foundation | South Africa
Dr Thandi Mgwebi serves on the executive of South Africa’s National Research Foundation. Previously, she was deputy vice-chancellor of research at Nelson Mandela University and Tshwane University of Technology. She is an internationally recognised leader in higher education and research, known for advancing equity, strategic partnerships and science diplomacy through global collaboration.
Candice BaileySpeaker | The Conversation Africa | South Africa
Candice Bailey is a journalist and editor with 22 years of experience, currently serving as the strategic initiatives editor at The Conversation Africa. A postdoctoral research fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand under the SA-UK Bilateral Chair for Political Theory, her studies focuses on democracy, citizenship, and participation. She sits on the board of Health-E News and is a co-author of We Were Always Here: Stories of Black Inventors Across the African Diaspora.
Tinsley DavisSpeaker | National Association of Science Writers | USA
Tinsley Davis has led the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) as executive director since 2008 and helped organise the 10th World Conference of Science Journalists in 2017. She was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2020.