Betty Kituyi
8 February 2009
opinion
Kampala — NOW more than ever, Ugandans are beginning to talk about science and technology and its influence on our lives. At the community around the Entebbe Virus Research Institute, locals engage scientists and ask questions about the advancement in the HIV virus vaccine.
It is the community wanting to know what science has for them at the Virus Research Institute that prompted a young researcher, Partrice Mawa, to start a café scientifique in Entebbe, the first of its kind in Uganda in July 2007.
In Entebbe, Kampala, Kasese, Arua similar cafes exist. Science conversations are held in such places and people leave with information on health and science issues.
Café scientifique is one of the most popular and new approaches of the public being in touch with science information.
The Cafes started in France about 12 years ago and eventually in UK before spreading to the rest of Africa. World over, there are about 250 cafes in over 40 countries holding regular events.
The newly completed science and public engagement meeting held at the African Centre for Health and Population studies in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, was held on December 2nd and 5th 2008 and attracted scientists in the medical and science communication fields. Uganda, Kenya and South Africa (the only three countries in Africa) where café scientifique exist sent representatives for the meeting.
Uganda is the only country in Africa that has won a three year grant from the Welcome Trust (UK), a leading funder of projects on biomedical research and science and public engagement programmes, to introduce and set-up junior café scientifique meetings in secondary schools around the country.
In junior cafes, also popularly know us café sci, students will be guided to identify science and technology topics of interest to them and engage in informal discussion with the scientist.
It is hopes that these will stimulate students interest in science subjects outside the academic curriculum and also broaden their understanding of the cutting issues in science and technology.
Through these café's students will develop in their communication and leadership skills as they organise the café meetings and become informed young citizens on science subjects that are a part of their lives.
The junior cafés will start operating officially at the beginning of the first term in early February 2009 and events will be organised around the school calendar.
Both the junior and the adult café meetings are for everybody irrespective of whether one is a scientist, an artist or an ordinary Ugandan with or without education.
The public is called upon to look out for a scientific café around your community, school or start one to bring science in our conversation culture. Those who are practising scientists are encouraged to use cafés to share views about their research findings with the public.
The writer is a co-ordinator Café Scientific Uganda
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