Latest Publications

Recess: Science Workshops is a science communication program at a public university in Mexico that has organized, since 2023, in-person interdisciplinary workshops for girls, boys, and adolescents in situations of social vulnerability, residing in or attending group homes and special care centers in the metropolitan area of Xalapa, particularly in Banderilla, Coatepec, and Xalapa. Over four cycles (2023–2026), more than thirty university departments, science communication collectives, and external institutions collaborated to offer educational experiences in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts, adapted to diverse populations, including people with multiple disabilities. This article describes the program's design, implementation, and lessons learned from a reflective-practice perspective, identifying methodological, logistical, and institutional challenges, as well as lessons that may guide similar initiatives. It argues that science communication grounded in a human rights approach requires flexible methodologies, solid institutional alliances, sustained accompaniment, and a culture of critical evaluation.

Public Communication of Science (CPC) can be understood as a strategic dimension of university life. This study investigates how researchers from the Institute of Physics at the Federal University of Uberlândia, in Minas Gerais (Brazil), perceive and practice CPC, highlighting institutional tensions, institutional initiatives, and the role of university mechanisms. Based on interviews with nine professors and seven postgraduate students, results indicate a clear recognition of CPC’s social relevance. However, participation remains irregular and reactive, alongside a lack of awareness regarding existing institutional initiatives. We advocate for an institutional ecosystem that strengthens engagement and the social role of the university.