Latest Publications

Jul 15, 2024 es Review
Why communicate and take ownership of science? Answers from university extension

by Juan Ignacio Legaria

“Compartir las ciencias. Comunicación y apropiación de conocimientos en la extensión universitaria” invites us to think about the place of Public Communication of Science (CPC) and Social Appropriation of Knowledge (ASC) in university extension practices. Through a case study - Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos-, it goes through different historical developments of the CPC, the ASC and the different conceptions of university extension in Latin America.

Volume 7 • Issue 02 • 2024

Jul 01, 2024 pt Article
Profile of Women Researchers in Science Communication Productivity Grants in Brazil

by Gabriela Ferreira, Rodrigo Arantes Reis, Emerson Joucoski and Camila Silveira

This qualitative, documentary research analyzed the profile of recipients of Productivity in Research (PQ) grants in Science Communication (DC) from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in Brazil. Data were collected from calls between 2013 and 2021 and curricula from the Lattes platform. The results indicated that women are the majority among PQ grant holders in DC. Most of them hold PQ-E grants, are concentrated in the Southeast, and have diverse educational backgrounds. The field of DC does not follow the trend of the PQ system, revealing a gender parity situation with a slight female advantage. However, this does not imply a favorable position for female researchers due to prevailing gender prejudices.

Volume 7 • Issue 02 • 2024

Jun 17, 2024 pt Article
Public communication in the context of disinfodemic and political crisis: Fiocruz ‘in the eye of the hurricane'

by Cristiane d'Avila and Adriana Cavalcanti de Aguiar

We question, from the perspective of public communication, how the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Brazil) responded to COVID-19. The question, asked to communication professionals at the institution two years after the start of the pandemic, sought to identify challenges and elements of institutional learning and understand the possibilities and limits of communication in the context of disinfodemic and political crisis. Qualitative research of an exploratory nature carried out through semi-structured interviews and, alternatively, the use of documentary sources indicates that Fiocruz recognizes public communication (science and health) as a process under construction and a strategic and structuring factor for the full implementation of its Communication Policy.

Volume 7 • Issue 02 • 2024

Jun 03, 2024 pt Article
What if there is still no vaccine? The importance of media behavior in adherence to non-pharmacological interventions (npis) during covid-19 in brazil

by Wladimir Gramacho, Mathieu Turgeon and Michelle Fernandez

This article investigates the role of media behavior in the adherence of Brazilians to the three main non-pharmacological measures (NPIs) endorsed by global health organizations against COVID-19: the use of face masks, social distancing, and frequent handwashing. Following the outbreak of a pandemic when vaccines are not yet available, the adoption of these behaviors may be the only effective measure against the threats of a new disease. Grounded in social cognitive theory, we examine the behavioral determinants of adherence to these measures in Brazil, a middle-income country marked by significant economic and informational inequalities. Brazil, one of the countries most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, was led by former President Jair Bolsonaro, who showed little regard for the use of face masks and encouraged large gatherings at political events. Our findings, based on an online survey administered to a sample of 2,771 individuals, indicate that media-related determinants such as knowledge about COVID-19, the use of social and traditional media, and belief in a conspiracy theory regarding the origin of the coronavirus play a significant role in explaining adherence to preventive measures. In contrast, other determinants such as political preferences, sociodemographic characteristics, and environmental factors play a secondary role.

Volume 7 • Issue 02 • 2024

May 13, 2024 es Editorial
Environment and science communication

by Luisa Massarani, Ana Claudia Nepote, Carina Cortassa, Martha Marandino and Susana Herrera

The environmental dimension goes through different aspects linked to health, biodiversity, well-being and sustainability of human and non-human life. Although these are manifested in several regions of the world, Latin America has been particularly affected. In this context, science communication becomes even more necessary, but also challenging. It was this context that motivated us to make the call for this special issue of JCOM Latin America on the environment and science communication, which we present in this editorial.

Volume 7 • Issue 01 • 2024 • Medioambiente y divulgación de la ciencia / Meio ambiente e divulgação da ciência

May 06, 2024 pt Article
Brazilian climate crisis researchers and their understanding of the communication processes with society

by Vanessa de Cássia Witzki Colatusso and Myrian Regina Del Vecchio-Lima

In this article, we address the interdisciplinary problem of climate
change, with emphasis on the interface between Science, Environment and
Communication. We understand that climate crisis researchers are important
to making their studies understandable to society and conveying information
about the urgency of the issue. In 2021, we interviewed 15 researchers to
understand how they perceive themselves as disseminators of their knowledge and
understand communication actions to cope with the situation. The
interpretative analysis was operationalized by thematic categories. The
results point to a lack of scientific dissemination practices by researchers,
who prefers to be mediated by communication professionals.The results also point to an instrumental understanding of the communication processes.

Volume 7 • Issue 01 • 2024 • Medioambiente y divulgación de la ciencia / Meio ambiente e divulgação da ciência

Apr 29, 2024 pt Article
Child participation in science communication about biodiversity

by Marcelo Kei Sato and Alessandra F. Bizerra

This study examines the regulations and modes of child participation in the co-production of radio and audiovisual media within the framework of a conservation project for the Vinaceous-breasted Amazon parrot, involving various local stakeholders. Drawing upon Cultural Studies and with a focus on participatory actions, audiovisual records of co-creation activities and their outputs were analyzed. Four main modes of child participation emerged: (1) contextualized, (2) symbolic, (3) technical-aesthetic, and (4) identity-related. This research represents a significant, albeit initial, step in systematizing a dialogue among the fields of participatory science communication research and practice, childhood studies, and biodiversity conservation.

Volume 7 • Issue 01 • 2024 • Medioambiente y divulgación de la ciencia / Meio ambiente e divulgação da ciência

Apr 08, 2024 pt Article
De que formas temas complexos como biodiversidade e conservação são abordados em exposições de imersão?

by Maria Paula Correia de Souza and Martha Marandino

Biodiversidade e conservação são termos muito populares que envolvem diferentes conteúdos, e cuja abordagem em contextos educativos, é desafiadora. Assumimos a importância de promover o acesso a definições e conteúdos mais complexos sobre tais temas, contribuindo para ampliar o repertório confiável de termos e de ideias multifacetadas, além de estimular o engajamento nas questões ambientais. Neste artigo discutimos a forma como esses temas são representados em duas exposições de imersão em Jardins Botânicos. Para isso, utilizamos o modelo do Discurso Pedagógico de Basil Bernstein, com ênfase à relação entre os discursos de diferentes áreas do conhecimento e/ou saberes (interdisciplinaridade). Considera-se que o maior grau de interdisciplinaridade potencializa mensagens mais multifacetadas e complexas sobre biodiversidade e conservação. Os achados revelam que a expografia exerce papel importante para a ampliação da interdisciplinaridade, bem como há importante influência do contexto de inserção e produção das exposições, contribuindo diferenciadamente para dar acesso à complexidade das ideias sobre os temas.

Volume 7 • Issue 01 • 2024 • Medioambiente y divulgación de la ciencia / Meio ambiente e divulgação da ciência

Mar 25, 2024 pt Article
Environmental Education Activities in a non-formal space in the context of Science teacher training

by Cristiane Miranda Magalhães Gondin, Alessandra dos Santos Olmedo and Vera de Mattos Machado

This article presents an analysis of activities at the Odilza Fernandes Bittar Environmental Education Center, through observation of a guided tour carried out with teachers in Campo Grande-MS, Brazil. This is a qualitative research based on the Anthropological Theory of Didactics. It highlights the integration of Science and Environmental Education knowledge into the school curriculum. The space is a valuable resource for addressing socio-environmental issues, contributing to scientific dissemination. However, it pointed out the need for planning actions with schools, due to the limited time on guided visits, which makes the approach difficult as pointed out by theoretical assumptions.

Volume 7 • Issue 01 • 2024 • Medioambiente y divulgación de la ciencia / Meio ambiente e divulgação da ciência

Mar 18, 2024 es Article
Environmental Journalism from a Local Perspective in Mexico: Perspectives, Needs, and Challenges

by Isaac Comonfort-Galindo and Ana Claudia Nepote

The present study mapped local media outlets in Michoacán, Mexico, prioritizing science and environmental topics. The work was conducted from February to July 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-two digital media outlets were identified that regularly address environmental and/or science approaches. A survey was conducted with communication and journalism professionals in Michoacán to understand perspectives on specialized journalism in the region. Addressing the challenges requires the reactivation of collaboration networks and medium- to long-term financing strategies to allow for the consolidation of existing initiatives.

Volume 7 • Issue 01 • 2024 • Medioambiente y divulgación de la ciencia / Meio ambiente e divulgação da ciência

Mar 11, 2024 es Practice Insight
REMARCO network: science and communication in addressing marine-coastal stressors.

by Laura Brenes-Alfaro and Daniel Carrasco-Palma

This article presents the experience of collaborative and interdisciplinary work between scientists and communicators, in the framework of the Marine-Coastal Stressors Research Network in Latin America and the Caribbean (REMARCO), created in 2018. It reflects on the actions achieved since its creation, and the dynamics established between the scientific and communication groups. It is concluded that the collaborative work has allowed scientists to learn how to disseminate the results of their research, while communicators acquire technical knowledge on the problem of marine-coastal stressors, achieving synergies for the benefit of scientific dissemination; with improvement areas that should be solved soon.

Volume 7 • Issue 01 • 2024 • Medioambiente y divulgación de la ciencia / Meio ambiente e divulgação da ciência

News and Highlights

PCST: round table on "Diversity and inclusion in academic research in science communication"
Periodismo científico: un estudio en la prensa chilena - Jornalismo científico: um estudo na imprensa chilena
El camino para un museo nacional de ciencia y tecnología en Peru
Proposta para avaliar a comunicação pública de ciência e tecnologia
A divulgação científica brasileira em mídias digitais: os perfis de divulgadores científicos

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