WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE PROGRAMME
The overarching theme of the conference is “Science journalism and social justice: journalism that builds understanding and resilience”. Wellbeing for people and the planet; the state of the profession; the art of communication; and misinformation, disinformation and fake news are also considered on the programme, through sessions and workshops.
The full programme, including dates and times, will be released nearer to the conference.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Here are some sessions around the theme of social justice:
The lithium paradox: green energy at what cost?
What’s the true cost of powering a green future? This panel dives into the untold stories of lithium mining—where climate goals collide with local realities. Drawing on diverse perspectives—from science journalism and environmental communication to local community voices and policy analysis—this session will examine how narratives around “clean energy” often overlook the costs borne by vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
Reporting on localised health technologies for Africa, by Africans
It is important to localise technologies or develop new interventions that consider local contexts, including poverty, climate threats, access to care and inequality, and unique genetics. In this session experts will share examples of the diagnostics, cancer treatments, and cell lines for pharmaceutical testing they are developing to ensure better health outcomes for African populations. They will engage with journalists on why public discourse and understanding is needed on localised medical and agricultural interventions, as well as the role of the media in keeping authorities and communities informed and accountable on these issues.
Bringing social justice into ocean science reporting
The world’s oceans are facing grave threats from climate change, overfishing, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Emerging industries such as deep-sea mining and marine geoengineering are adding further pressure. As well as ensuring that reporting on these topics is scientifically accurate, journalists must ensure that the voices of those most impacted are included. Journalists on this panel are from Australia, South Africa, India and the USA. Each journalist will focus on a different vulnerable community – women, those in the global South and those in the Mediterranean, which is one of the world’s fastest-warming regions.
Covering vulnerable communities affected by climate change
Reporting on climate change is increasing, and many reporters are approaching affected communities. This roundtable will discuss the challenges of covering communities vulnerable to climate change, and highlight lessons learnt in the process. It will facilitate a discussion on best practices and ethical dilemmas that reporters might face.
Carbon credits: how to make communities’ voices heard
Can the climate crisis be solved with a single click? This question is at the heart of the global debate surrounding carbon offsetting through the purchase of carbon credits. Learn how journalists told the stories of carbon projects in the Congo Basin set up by international companies by including community voices.
Science as tool to report on African water sources – to the benefit of communities and the planet
A panel of experienced journalists from Eastern, Southern, and Western Africa will share their firsthand experiences of reporting on critical water science issues and how such work contributes to the wellbeing of people and the planet.
When industry endangers health and ecosystems
Can science journalism fight environmental injustice? In this session, learn how journalists safely expose polluters, turn data into evidence, and amplify marginalised voices. Through real cases and tools, the panelists will show how media can drive policy change and reduce pollution inequalities.
Constructive Journalism as a catalyst: new narratives for science
Journalism, including the science beat, often leans heavily on narratives of crisis and despair—particularly in the Global South. Audiences are avoiding news like never before. But hope is a story too; communities and individuals – scientists and citizens – are constantly working to make their world a better place. This session will explore how constructive and solutions journalism can reframe coverage of public health, climate, and innovation in ways that highlight resilience, agency, and progress.
All in a day’s work
The floor will be open to journalists to share how their reporting has impacted social justice in their country or community. It is in line with the overarching theme of WCSJ 2025: “Science journalism and social justice: journalism that builds understanding and resilience”.
THE ART OF COMMUNICATION
The subtheme of “The art of communication” is covered through sessions such as:
Radio as a Lifeline: The Importance of Radio in Risk Communication
Radio journalism continues to thrive in a changing media landscape to serve a broad range of audiences, sometimes literally offering a lifeline in times of crisis. Experienced journalists will discuss how radio is uniquely placed for risk communication, drawing on examples such recent floods and power outages in Spain.
Critique of Science: How to teach that skill
Journalism training often does not acknowledge the skills needed for rigorous reporting on the climate, health, technology and other sciences, and why it is important to society. Science journalists from four continents will share tools, experiences and resources on how they train other reporters on how tackle science better.
Who gets to tell the story? Science journalism and research collaboration
This session is set to be a conversation on power, equity and accountability in global politics and science – and the role of journalism in shaping the story. From “parachute science” to science diplomacy, questions will be asked about equitable research collaboration, and about whose role it is to shape the story. In a climate of distrust in science and journalism, this session explores how contextual reporting can rectify imbalances, amplify marginalised voices and promote social justice by tracking shifts in global science partnerships.
Showing, not telling
Words are not always enough. This session will explore ways in which visuals, sound and other alternative methods of storytelling can have a greater impact than a catchy headline.
Science journalism and traditional medicine – is there a match?
Science journalism is supposed to be based on scientifically proven facts. But what is a journalist to do when faced with traditional medicine, which often lacks scientific proof, but which has testimonies to its effectiveness and benefits?
How scientific data can kickstart investigations into endangered species
Panelists will discuss how journalists can use scientific data as a springboard to uncover complex stories about endangered species—sometimes leading all the way to law enforcement operations. Case studies include that of Europe’s largest land mammal, the wisent (bison), and the illegal eel trade whose smuggling routes extend into North Africa.
Children and science communication: creating new formats for this curious audience
A puppet show, a field exploration logbook; a science TV show, and the linking of popular songs to science link this session together to show the enticing ways that journalists from South American and Europe use to attract children to science and to foster a lifelong interest in science information.
Will Africa ride (or miss) the quantum wave?
Africa simply cannot afford to miss out (again) on the progress and economic development brought about by revolutionary technologies such as the current quantum wave sweeping over the world. What are its quantum science capabilities to ride this wave successfully? Do science journalists and science communicators have the skills to tell this story? This session will include contributions from quantum physicists working in South Africa.
Dragons’ Den pitch session
Enter the Dragon’s Den and pitch your ideas to a panel of international commissioning editors. Get instant feedback on how to hone and refine your pitch, and maybe even get a commission!
STATE OF THE SCIENCE JOURNALISM PROFESSION
Find out more about sessions being presented around the state of the science journalism profession, such as:
AI – Friend or Foe?
Artificial Intelligence is transforming journalism – supercharging investigations while enabling sophisticated deepfakes and automated disinformation that challenge both newsroom survival and editorial integrity. This session examines how journalists are fighting back, turning AI’s analytical power against digital manipulation and disinformation networks while maintaining trust in an era where seeing is no longer believing.
Journalist, take care of thyself
Reporting on one epidemic, environmental disaster or funding cut after the other can have a dire effect on a journalist’s mental health. In this panel, journalists and experts will share how they cope with “climate fatigue”, post-traumatic stress and burnout. This multi-faceted discussion will touch on ways to better report on mental health issues.
Reporting under fire: science journalism in conflict zones and authoritarian regimes
This session offers strategies for resilience and highlights the role of journalism in defending scientific truth and social justice. In regions where war, political repression, or disaster intersect with scientific misinformation, science journalists face grave risks. This session explores how journalists from Yemen, Lebanon and Nigeria confront censorship, security threats, and digital suppression to still report on public health, climate, and tech stories.
Show Me the Money: How Global South journalists are thriving in new media
Do you have what it takes to thrive in the new media economy of TikTok, Substack and brand collabs? A panel of Global South journalists will spill the beans on how they’ve reached new and traditionally under-served audiences, all while injecting science journalism in unexpected places.
Navigating conflicts of interest in African science reporting
Join diverse African science journalists as they unpack challenges relating to conflicts of interest—from handling per-diem practices and donor-funded reporting to navigating international publications’ rigid COI policies. Discover practical strategies for maintaining journalistic integrity while working within complex economic and structural constraints of African media landscapes.
Reporting on the intersection of health and environmental sustainability while science is under siege
As global health financing experiences its greatest disruption yet, and threats to science–and science journalism–continue to mount, this roundtable bring researchers and media trainers together to explore how One Health, planetary health and global health coverage can better shed light on the under-reported impacts, hold policymakers accountable for their actions, and also illuminate the solutions and stewards of One Health more effectively.
From local to global: pitching regional stories to international outlets
Successfully landing a pitch about a regional issue in an international outlet can be challenging. Many stories may have local relevance, but also have global stakes that may interest editors. Hurdles such as language barriers, the tailoring of a pitch to pique larger interest, and the difficulty of building relationships with editors will be discussed. Editors will speak on how they pick international stories.
Ethical challenges of mental health reporting
Journalists are often faced with ethical dilemmas when reporting on mental health issues. This session will provide tips, strategies and guidelines on ethical storytelling, how to sensitively engage with sources and contextualizing research within broader socio-political frameworks.
Step out of the office to learn more
This session will take participants to research residencies, science cafes and even a bootcamp in the Himalayas. Panelists will discuss different opportunities through which journalists can improve their knowledge of the sciences – without having to first follow a university degree.
Between watchdogs and wordsmiths: navigating relationships between science journalists and science communicators
Who tells the science story—and who gets to shape it? This WCSJ 2025 panel explores the evolving, sometimes uneasy relationship between science journalists and institutional communicators. Join us as we unpack tensions, spotlight collaborations, and ask what ethical, independent science reporting looks like in a time of spin, speed, and scrutiny.
When things go wrong
Remember that one assignment when everything just went wrong, from one moment to the next? Or how you completely misunderstood what a researcher was explaining to you? Are you brave enough to share your worst professional bloopers during this open session, just for a laugh?
MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS
The subtheme of misinformation, disinformation and fake news are tackled in various sessions and workshops. Among these are:
Challenging times: Communicating about climate change when politics promotes denial and misinformation
The World Meteorological Organization confirmed 2024 as the warmest year on record, yet a cocktail of fake news, narratives without evidence, and economic interests are promoting climate change denialism. What role has science journalism to play in countering this trend and dismantling such narratives?
The misinformation crisis: What are we missing?
We are often told that “fake news is everywhere,” and that its oversupply should be addressed by prebunking, debunking and fact checks. But are these strategies really the only way to address the problem? This session will challenge common assumptions and discuss often-neglected aspects to develop solutions enriched with on-the-ground examples from the Global North and South.
The age of bias and censorship
Science journalists reporting from conflict-affected regions in the Global South often face severe challenges—ranging from censorship and editorial restrictions to online harassment and self-censorship. Meanwhile, scientific narratives from these regions are frequently underreported or framed through biased global media lenses. This panel brings together experienced journalists from the Middle East’ North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa to share firsthand accounts of reporting science under such conditions, and highlight the urgent need for better support systems, editorial freedom, and solidarity across borders.
WELLBEING FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET
Here are some sessions around wellbeing for people and the planet:
Covering Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Lesson from Asia and Africa
Rapid deforestation has increased the chance of human-wildlife encounter across the tropics. How are journalists in Asia and Africa, two continents known for their animal diversity and environmental degradation, covering this important topic? How could journalists create an impactful narrative that delicately balance the wildlife and human perspectives?
Silent storms: communicating brain and behaviour science from the Global South
Neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and depression are rapidly emerging public health challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa — yet they remain poorly understood, under-reported, and heavily stigmatised. This panel, which includes researchers, explores what it takes to communicate brain and mental health science effectively in African contexts where silence, stigma, and low literacy persist.
People, planet, and possibility: systems science meets journalism for wellbeing
Through a speed-networking format, this session will connect journalists with researchers – and in the process empower them to unpack the science behind planetary health, equity, and sustainability. This session is hosted by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).
The Energy Dilemma: Journalism’s Role in Balancing Security and Sustainability
How can journalists cover the global energy crisis without oversimplifying complex trade-offs? This panel explores how to report on energy security, clean energy transitions, and geopolitical disruption with clarity and depth. It offers tools to ground stories in data, elevate local voices, and navigate this urgent global issue.
Why report on the past if there’s so much to write about in the present?
While presenting notes on their current projects, archaeologists will also consider the value of their discipline today, and how it contributes to knowledge about the planet and its people.
The Silent Surge: why the Indian Ocean deserves louder headlines
This session explores how science journalists can bridge gaps in Indian Ocean reporting through emerging research, cross-border collaboration, and storytelling that turns complex marine science into compelling, actionable narratives.
Science as tool to report on African water sources – to the benefit of communities and the planet
A panel of experienced journalists from Eastern, Southern, and Western Africa will share their firsthand stories of reporting on critical water science issues and how such work contributes to the wellbeing of people and the planet.
Telling the stories of astronomy in Africa
Africa has become a key player in global astronomy, with South Africa hosting the largest share of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), as well as the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) and other projects. This session explores the major strides made since the early days of optical astronomy in South Africa, and what it means for international science reporting. Speakers will examine the challenges of covering “big science” projects, the politics of funding, and how to make cosmic research accessible to broad audiences. Experts will provide context on the latest developments in astronomy in Africa. Conversations will circle to how science journalism can bridge local contexts with global discoveries, ensuring that communities around megaprojects are part of the story.
Genes and germs: Metagenomic approaches to emerging pathogens
Learn how metagenomics is enabling nimble, speedy responses to human disease outbreaks and pandemic preparedness, as well as offering a deeper understanding of novel viruses harbored by Madagascan fruit bats and by rodent and python species in Malawi.
Covering the effects of social and environmental health challenges on the lives of children
Children are central figures in most families and communities, but are often left out of coverage of major events happening around the world. Climate change, migration, violent conflict and health challenges are intersecting to affect their lives. What can journalists do to improve their coverage of these stories?