SESSION
Representation of women in the media
Women in science continue to face systemic challenges compared to their male colleagues, including limited visibility of their work in the media. Gender inequality in science journalism remains a persistent concern, with male voices still featuring more prominently in major publications. This panel debate will explore the causes of this imbalance and consider practical ways to address it. The discussion will highlight the importance of recognising the gender dimension of research, the barriers women scientists encounter when interacting with the media, and the need to strengthen gender representation within journalism.
This session is hosted by SciDev.Net with support from Elsevier. Several panellists are recent recipients of the OWSD Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World.
Ogechi EkeanyanwuSession producer and moderator | CABI / SciDev.Net | Nigeria
Ogechi Ekeanyanwu is the regional coordinator and editor of the English edition of SciDev.Net for Subsaharan Africa.
Halima TwabiSpeaker | University of Malawi | Malawi
Dr Halima S. Twabi is a biostatistician and associate professor at the University of Malawi, where she also earned her PhD. Her work focuses on causal inference, multivariate methods, and advanced longitudinal and survival modelling, with applications in public and global health, especially maternal and child health. She is a 2025 OWSD Elsevier awardee in health and well being, a past recipient of the L’Oréal UNESCO Young Talent Award for Sub Saharan Africa, and a Young Affiliate of The World Academy of Sciences. A fellow of the DELTAS SSACAB programme and a founding member of the Gi STEAM network, she is committed to promoting gender equity in science. She currently serves as Malawi country lead for the project Strengthening Women’s Research Network and Capacity to Address Women’s Health in Sub Saharan Africa, funded through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Grand Challenges.
Eugénie KayitesiSpeaker | University of Pretoria | Rwanda
Prof Eugénie Kayitesi is a Rwandese researcher and academic with expertise in agricultural, food, and nutritional sciences. The core of her research is around the improved use of indigenous and under utilised African plant-based foods, emphasising readily available and affordable crops to ensure food and nutrition security for all. She has received prestigious awards, including the 2023 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award (category: food security), for her significant contributions to food security research. She was recently elected as a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (FAAS).
Augustina AlexanderSpeaker | University of Dar es Salaam | Tanzania
Dr Augustina Alexander is a senior lecturer and the director of internationalisation, convocational and advancement at the University of Dar es Salaam. She is an active member of several national and international professional networks including, IHP-Tanzania NC, ERB-TZ, OWSD, FRIEND, IAHS and WaterNet. Dr Alexander is the 2024 recipient of the OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Award for Early Career Women Scientists (categoriy: water, sanitation and hygiene).
Domiziana FrancesconSpeaker | Elsevier Foundation | The Netherlands
Domiziana Francescon serves as the Elsevier Foundation’s Partnerships Director, where she works with partners around the world to establish collaborations that advance inclusive research and health – supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She also serves as Program Director for Elsevier’s corporate responsibility partnerships, especially focusing on sustainability and Inclusion & Diversity spaces. Additionally, Domiziana is the Co-Chair of the Marketing & Communications team of Research4Life, a UN-publisher partnership to bridge access gaps for researchers and doctors in the Global South – and is actively involved in fundraising initiatives for the partnership.