E&H Professor Plans International Conference on Science, Media
E&H Professor Plans International Conference on Science, Media
An Emory & Henry College professor of mass communications is heading up plans for a large international conference on science and the media, to be held July 9-12 in Lusaka, Zambia.
Dr. Twange Kasoma expects hundreds of delegates from across the globe to attend this timely conference, the first of its kind on the African continent.
The Kasoma Media Foundation in Zambia will convene the conference in conjunction with the Global Communication Association, and the Media Institute of Southern Africa.
Thus far, the proposal for the conference has been endorsed by, among other organizations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, the Food and Agricultural Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Others include two German organizations, Die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and Die Friedrich Ebert Stiftung; Zambia’s Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, and Tourism, University of Zambia, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and Emory & Henry College.
“The popularity of this conference has grown out of the general lack of science-related academic forums on the African continent,” Kasoma said. “We hope this conference will spark an ongoing discussion about science and the media across Africa.”
The conference will focus on science journalism and the media as it presents information on a range of other topics, including African politics and environmental issues. The conference will bring together diverse scholars, researchers and experts in the areas of environmental studies, science, journalism, the media and politics to address challenges facing the continent and its people.
Kasoma and other organizers of the conference hope it will foster a collaboration among major universities in Africa to initiate a wide range of projects, such as symposiums, seminars, study abroad programs, and faculty-student exchange programs.
“This has the potential to be a landmark conference in that it could engage scholars and leaders from across the globe in an ongoing examination of solutions to African problems, especially those related to science and the environment, and how the media can play a role in advancing this discussion,” Kasoma said.
Among the many presenters expected at the conference will be Dr. Samir Saliba, an E&H professor of political science with expertise in international studies.
Among the many topics to be discussed at the conference include: climate change and natural calamities, food security, health communication, interactive environmental journalism, media and political economy, and the African perspective on globalization and the media.
