Skills Development Archives - Page 2 of 2

Tshiamo Takes Home the 2017 FameLab SA Title

It is with great excitement that we congratulate Tshiamo Legoale on her FameLab SA win at Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Johannesburg. Tshiamo delivered three minutes of science communication excellence with her presentation on using wheat as a gold hyperaccumulator from mine tailing dumps, or literally growing gold from wheat!

Tshiamo was one of 10 finalists who progressed from their local heats through to today’s FameLab SA final, competing for an all-expenses paid trip to represent South Africa at the FameLab International Final at the Cheltenham Science Festival taking place from 5-9th June this year. She also walks away with R 5000 cash.

FameLab is an incredible opportunity for young scientists to develop lasting connections with public audiences. The Jive Media Africa pre-heat training covers everything from understanding the importance of public science communication to structure and storytelling to eye contact and body language, empowering participants to share their science with confidence and passion in the heats and beyond.

Thank you to our partners, the British Council and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), for helping us make this event possible for the 5th year in a row.

We wish Tshiamo the best of luck and brilliance as she joins national winners from all over the world this winter in an attempt to bridge the gaps between science and society.

From left: Dr Sheetal Silal, senior lecturer and researcher in the Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Ms Nanji Sheni, Engineer-in-Training at Mintek, Dr Jabu Nukeri, Managing Director at SAASTA, Ms Tshiamo Legoale, scientist at Mintek (Small Scale Mining and Beneficiation division).

April 19, 2017/by Jive Media

Science Communication Training, Skills Development, Training and Mentorship

Jiving in Mauritius: Science communication training for the island’s first FameLab

You never quite know who you’re talking to… Last year’s FameLab SA final saw an audience member express her immense enthusiasm for the FameLab ‘talking science’ project, hosted by Jive Media Africa in partnership with the British Council and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement. It turns out that Mrs Ameenah Gurib-Fakin is not only a celebrated woman in science – with numerous academic accolades and leadership positions to her name. In addition, she is the president of the Republic of Mauritius.

Her Excellency subsequently approached the British Council to implement FameLab in her own country. One year later, Jive Media Africa is at the British Council offices in Rosehill, delivering a science communication training program in preparation for Mauritius’ first FameLab.

Jive Media Africa’s engaging training program explores why science communication is so crucial and the differences between communicating research to scientists and to the public. Trainees are equipped with skills for radio and television and to deliver short science presentations maintaining audience interest with expert storytelling and physical performance techniques. The 38 participants included prospective FameLab participants, drawn from research organisations and universities across Mauritius. They are joined by local science educators who wish to improve their communication methods.

Our team is also providing strategic support to the British Council in Mauritius for the inaugural FameLab event. If you are interested in getting involved in FameLab, or would like to engage world-class science communication training within your own organization, please get in touch with us via our contact form.

April 12, 2017/by Jive Media

Skills Development, Training and Mentorship

Practical Training at Wits Centres of Excellence

Jive Media Africa is thrilled to be working with three Centres of Excellence for this year’s FameLab season. At a recent training held at the University of the Witwatersrand, young CoE scientists and researchers spoke passionately about their particular focus areas and searched for ways to make them accessible and exciting to public audiences.

The CoE programme is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation and aims to “concentrate existing research excellence, capacity and resources, to enable researchers to collaborate across disciplines on long-term projects that are locally relevant and internationally competitive”. Science communication skills development is a key part of this.

The Centres of Excellence in Palaeosciences, Strong Materials, and Mathematics and Statistical Sciences have all seen the importance of growing these skills – and brought together a group of fired-up researchers to learn from one another and the Jive team.

During the training, Jive facilitated practical exercises and group discussions and engaged the participants around videos of other great science talks – to give them the confidence and creativity to share their Science on the FameLab stage!

Want to get involved? Visit www.britishcouncil.org.za/famelab

Jive Media Africa provided practical science communication training for researchers from University of Witwatersrand’s Centres of Excellence

Putting Jive’s training into practice

FameLab ® is an initiative of the Cheltenham Festivals. The British Council in collaboration with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) and Jive Media Africa deliver the FameLab competition in South Africa. Find out more about FameLab South Africa at www.britishcouncil.org.za/famelab

March 7, 2017/by Jive Media

Science Communication, Science Communication Training, Skills Development, Training and Mentorship

Nozipho made us proud!

Nozipho Gumbi , a PhD candidate in nanotechnology and water at the University of South Africa, has represented South African science on a world stage! Nozipho – you are an inspiration to us all.

Nozipho’s FameLab journey started last year with her first speech at the UNISA student showcase in Pretoria. She proceeded to calmly and confidently win round after round, at the UNISA heat and in Cape Town at the British Council hosted Going Global conference. After winning the South African leg of the competition Nozipho, who is currently studying in Germany, made her way to The Times Cheltenham Science Festival in the United Kingdom. After delivering a speech on how carbon nano-tubes can be used to remove micro-pollutants in our water systems, Nozipho secured herself a place in the finals.

Nozipho, you have made us proud. You are a truly inspiring role model for young scientists and for woman in science everywhere.

Congratulations to Abhi Veerakumarasivam from Malaysia who was crowned FameLab 2016 champion for his winning talk on our individual responsibilities when it comes to fighting cancer.

Find out more about FameLab at www.britishcouncil.org.za/famelab

June 10, 2016/by Jive Media

Science Communication, Skills Development, Training and Mentorship

Nozipho Gumbi wins FameLab South Africa 2016

The International FameLab Competition has chosen its South African Winner: Nozipho Gumbi from Eshowe (KZN), a PhD candidate at the University of South Africa in the Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability Research Unit
The final of the South African leg took place in front of a capacity audience at the glittering Cape Town International Convention Centre – venue of the British Council Going Global conference.

The finalists presented to the high-profile audience and judges, who included Dr Tollulah Oni (UCT school of Public Health) Dr Carolina Odman (Universe awareness Programme) Koki Selepe (Department of Science and Technology) and John Wade Smith (British High Commission. Quentin Cooper of the BBC and FameLab International played the role of MC.
Runners up were Claude Moshobane from Limpopo, currently working with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), and Savannah Nuwagaba from Uganda, currently at Stellenbosch University. Moshobane discussed alien invasive plants and how they disrupt the ecosystem, while Nuwagaba spoke about how mathematics is used to predict possible changes in animals’ body size, depending on changes in their eating habits.

But the star of the show was Nozipho Gumbi from Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal, who is currently studying nanotechnology at UNISA. Gumbi was the overall favourite as she dazzled the audience and the judges with her engaging talk on water filtration using carbon nanotubes.
Nozipho Gumbi’s journey has only just begun. She will soon be packing her bags and jetting off to the United Kingdom for the FameLab International Finals hosted by Cheltenham Festivals to go up against 30 country winners for the international title. Humble, yet confident – Gumbi acknowledged the other candidates saying “each and every one of you could have been the winner tonight”. Congratulations once again to all the contestants and we wish Nozipho all the best for the International finals.

May 5, 2016/by Jive Media

Skills Development, Training and Mentorship

International “talking science” competition picks its South African winner

FameLab South Africa has a winner! Stevie Biffen from the University of Cape Town will represent South Africa in the UK in June.

Biffen, a Masters student from the University of Cape Town was one of 16 young scientists who arrived in Grahamstown in March 2015 to hone their communication skills and share their science with the public at Scifest Africa. Runners up were Edgar Phukubje, a microbiologist from the University of Limpopo and Natasha Botha, a mechanical engineer from the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research.

They were part of the international FameLab competition – a “pop idols for scientists” that seeks out and nurtures science communication talent. Engagement between scientists and society is essential to grow a critically informed society and ensure that science remains relevant and responsive to societal needs.

Topics ranged from novel drug delivery systems using engineered particles so small they can enter cells to release their contents, to better understanding neural responses affecting wellbeing and happiness – the subject of the winning talk. Energy saving window coatings, super bacteria and satellite imaging to monitor scarce water resources were all presented for the judges.

The 16 had emerged as the top speakers in a month-long series of heats around the country. The heats took place at diverse venues including science centres in Cape Town and Limpopo, universities including UNISA in Pretoria and the University of KwaZulu Natal in Pietermaritzburg and science organisations like the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB).

Masterclass training provided by UK based science presenter Dr Emily Grossman and Robert Inglis from Jive Media Africa helped them to hone their messages and prepared them for media engagement. The training was supported by the British Council which encourages the strengthening of links between South African science and that in the UK.

Speakers were judged on the content, clarity and charisma of their talks and had just 3 minutes to convey their science topic. The judges included Sarah Wild, Science Editor for the Mail and Guardian, Dr Sandile Malinga, CEO of the South African National Space Agency, and Professor Robin Grimes, Chief Science and Technology Advisor to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK.

The Final was live streamed on grahamstown.tv and you can find out more on www.facebook.com/jivemedia. Biffen travels to the UK in June. The international final will be live streamed – watch www.britishcouncil.org.za/famelab and www.jivemedia.co.za for updates.

Click here to view a gallery of photographs.

The final results are as follows:

Winner:

Stevie Biffen – University of Cape Town

Runners up:

Edgar Phukubje – University of Limpopo, and

Natasha Botha – Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Finalists:

Kishen Mahesh – University of Pretoria

Karmani Murugan – University of the Witwatersrand

Itani Given Madiba – iThemba Labs and UNISA

Bibi Fatima Choonara – University of the Witwatersrand

Thrineshen Moodley – University of kwaZulu Natal

Oupa Malahlela – South African National Space Agency (SANSA)

Maropeng Nematanzhela – UNISA

Semi-finalists:

Thembisile Mahlangu – Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Yonela Mkono – University of Fort Hare

Adwoa Awuah – University of kwaZulu Natal

Tshegofatjo Bridget Marindi – University of Limpopo

Brent Harrison – University of Cape Town

Electdom Matandirotya – South African National Space Agency (SANSA)

FameLab(R) is produced by Cheltenham Festivals (all rights reserved). The competition is run collaboratively in South Africa by Jive Media Africa – an independent communication agency specialising in science communication, the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) and the British Council.

For more information visit:

www.britishcouncil.org.za/famelab

www.jivemedia.co.za

www.saasta.ac.za

#FameLabSA #TalkingScience

Feature image: Dr Jabu Nukeri, MD of the South Africa Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) -extreme left – and Colm McGivern, Country Director of the British Council in South Africa – extreme right – congratulate the winners of FameLab South Africa 2015: Stevie Biffen from the University of Cape Town (centre), Natasha Botha from the CSIR – left and Edgar Phukubje from the University of Limpopo – right

March 25, 2015/by Jive Media

Science Communication, Science Communication Training, Skills Development

Media and Science Communications Training – CSIR

Jive Media Africa has been appointed to run a series of science communication and media training workshops for the CSIR (Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research) at their various research centres around the country. We are looking forward to working with scientists at the cutting edge of their disciplines. By collaborating with a number of well-known science journalists and media experts, our aim is to strengthen relationships between scientists and the media, a powerful channel to public audiences.

December 15, 2014/by Jive Media

Skills Development, Training and Mentorship

Exciting final for FameLab South Africa

Forget what you think you know about scientists.

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The FameLab finalists intrigued and entertained the audience and judges with their science talks at the national final at SciFest Africa in Grahamstown. Nine phenomenal finalists took to the stage but there could only be one winner and it is… Raven Motsewabangwe from the North-West University in Mafikeng. Raven impressed the judges with his talk on viral infections and conveyed information to the audience about medical responses through vaccines and antivirals.

The runners-up were Gugulethu Mabuza from the University of Johannesburg/CSIR and Cornelis van Niekerk from the University of Pertoria.

FameLab is an international competition which was brought to this country by Jive Media Africa in order to grow the discipline of science communication. The competition is delivered in South Africa by Jive Media Arica, the British Council with generous support from the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement and a number of other partners.

The 2014 winner, Raven, will represent South Africa in the international final in the United Kingdom in June this year. Stay tuned for more news.

March 24, 2014/by Jive Media

Science Communication, Science Communication Training, Skills Development, Training and Mentorship

Famelab

FameLab® is an initiative of the Cheltenham Festivals.

Jive Media Africa in collaboration with The British Council has brought the international FameLab® competition to South Africa in 2013.

And the winners are…

From left: Prof Janice Limson (Judge), Lorenzo Raynard (SAASTA/ Judge), Robert Inglis (Director, Jive Media Africa), Febe Wilken (runner up), Barend Jansen van Vuuren, Christopher Maxwell, Ntokozo Shezi, John Woodland (runner up), Ahmed Seedat, Charlotte Hillebrand, Michelle Knights (overall winner), Charmaine Drury, Prof Albert Modi (UKZN Dean, Judge), Remo Chipatiso (British Council), Prof Himla Soodyall (Judge).

Nine finalists took to the stage at Scifest Africa in Grahamstown for the FameLab South Africa 2013 final. In front of a capacity crowd, the finalists presented a range of interesting and diverse 3 minute talks. The audience cheered on their favourites, but ultimately only one contestant could be named FameLab SA 2013 winner. The prize went to Michelle Knights, a SKA student from Cape Town who was named the first ever South African FameLab winner. She receives a R10 000 cash prize as well as a trip to the UK to compete in the International FameLab final in June 2013. Runners-up were John Woodland also from Cape Town and Febe Wilken from Johannesburg who both receive a cash prize. The event generated much excitement and brings new perspectives on science in South Africa.

Regional Heats and Regional Finals took place at:

• SciBono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg 21 February 2013

• Gateway Science Centre in Durban 26 February 2013

• Cape Town Science Centre 28 February 2013

Regional winners walked away with great prizes and the opportunity to hone their presentation skills with leading UK-based trainers before competing in the National Final at SciFest Africa 2013 in Grahamstown.

FameLab® is an international competition dubbed “Pop Idols for scientists”. It seeks out new voices in science, technology, engineering and maths – developing science communication skills and profiling role-models to inspire the next generation of scientists. Since its inception at the Cheltenham Science Festival in 2005 it has spread to 23 countries around the world.

Let’s work together to excite and inspire South Africans with a new vision for science and technology!

Robert Inglis

Director, Jive Media Africa

Cell: +27(0)84 357 7333

Tel: +27(0)33 342 9382

Remo Chipatiso

Head: Projects and Partnerships Team British Council

Cell: +27(0)82 809 9989

Tel: +27(0)11 560 9322

March 18, 2013/by nobulart

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