To build strong research and development systems, we must build strong communication among the stakeholders. The current situation looks like this; scientists are busy in the lab, the industry is focused on growing profit margins, and the government has priorities other than building systems that work. Not so good, right?

In 2022, I was honoured to be part of the trainees in the Art of Science Communication organized by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). Now, this is not the first training I have had on the subject. But this course was different in a way that brought out the disparities between society, academia, industry, and government. 

In one class, we discussed why scientists do not communicate. One strong conclusion was that scientists must be trained to communicate their science and its value. The inadequacy and inefficiency in communication translate into scientists’ failure to communicate with policymakers and industry leaders. Sometimes, this leads to failure to implement projects or abortion of projects that could benefit our communities.

While I plan to package the information I learned into more meaningful lessons, I would love to suggest that our current training curricula for scientists should include the Art of Science Communication as a course. Such a component in the training phase will enable scientists to influence policy more effectively and help them to develop effective human-centred scientific designs. 

Now, I understand fully well that implementing such projects would need pilot studies for iteration and perfection. That is why I urge institutions like EDEN UNIVERSITY, which currently has a relatively healthy student-to-lecturer ratio and the versatility to adapt, to consider pioneering such a vision.

Tip for Today: Dear young African Scientist, I urge you to consider the power that rests in being able to communicate effectively. We are not just in the age of information; we are in the age of knowledge, and creating a strong value proposition on that knowledge is crucial. Consider the resource I have left in the comment section.