Filter by keyword: Science communication in the developing world

This study examines the degree of institutionalization of Public Communication of Science (PCS) in Mexico based on a sample of 83 research centers belonging to the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), and the Public Research Centers coordinated by the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI). Using a structured questionnaire grounded in the multilevel model proposed by Entradas and Bauer, the study identifies budgetary inequalities, the predominance of one-way activities, and partial progress in policies and professionalization. The findings place the Mexican case within a broader Latin American process of transition towards the consolidation of PCS as a strategic function of the scientific system.

This paper investigates and analyzes the motivations of high school women students from Campeche, Mexico, to ingress in the “Taller de Ciencia para Jóvenes Campeche” (TCJ, Science Workshop for Young People in spanish), an initiative aimed at promoting scientific careers. Using the qualitative technique of content analysis, we infer how their experience in this workshop leads them to consider a scientific career in the future.

UNESCO Global Geoparks are geographical areas with sites and landscapes of international geological importance, conceived for the conservation and sustainable use of geological heritage and as settings for sharing Earth Sciences’s knowledge. We chose four geosites of the Comarca Minera geopark in Hidalgo, Mexico, that are managed by the communities, to observe Social Appropriation of Knowledge strategies. We describe different practices and the participation of different actors in them. The more involved the communities and their knowledge are, the greater the social appropriation of knowledge and the possibilities of offering specialized tourism such as geotourism, with a territorial, comprehensive approach. It is observed that current tourism in the geopark is largely focused on the search for extreme and ephemeral experiences, without a deeper connection to the environment. Through co-created strategies for social appropriation of knowledge, this model can be reversed towards a geotourism vocation, more sustainable and consistent with the geopark dessignation.arque.

The “Trupe Naturalista” is a group of Brazilian science communicators that operates on the social network Twitter, creating content and interacting with the public. The present study aimed to investigate whether interaction with these communicators can alter the perception of followers about arthropods. To this end, followers answered an online questionnaire informing about their profile, interests, motivations, interactions, use of the platform and perceptions about these stigmatized animals. The results indicate that the contact with the science communicators was able to positively change the behavior of the respondents regarding arthropods, reducing their aversion, and increasing their interest in nature.

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.

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.

In this article, we carry out a bibliometric analysis of studies carried out in Latin America and the Caribbean on environmental disinformation. Our corpus consisted of 51 articles, identified in the Scopus, Web of Science, Dimensions and Scielo databases. The results show continued growth in the production of scientific articles on misinformation and the environment after 2016, with climate change as a recurring theme. They also point to an increase in interest in the topic in the area of Communication & Information. It can also be seen that the field is in an early stage of development, however, it has an international and interdisciplinary character.

The world population ages coincidentally with a critical environmental situation due to climate change which threatens vulnerable populations, including many older adults. An exercise to communicate the risks of climate change is presented, based on detecting from a survey the knowledge and attitudes of this population on the subject. This survey was the basis from a workshop to promote self-care in the face of environmental risks faced by the elderly. The workshop was useful to reduce ignorance about the subject and to promote self-care and social responsibility. These aspects will be incorporated in museographic script adaptable to different contexts and needs

We investigated main points about Alzheimer's disease in Brazilian science blogs. Main subjects were explanations about the disease, besides fighting and preventing it. More scientific communication activities on the subject are recommended.