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Marina Joubert

Science Communication Researcher, Stellenbosch University
Dr Marina Joubert is a senior science communication researcher at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. In addition to presenting an online science communication course with a focus on Africa, she teaches public engagement with science as part of MPhil and PhD programmes on science and technology studies. Her research interests focus on scientists’ role in public communication of science, online interfaces between science and society and the changing policy environment for public communication of science in Africa. In July 2015, she won the SA National Science and Technology Forum Award for her contribution to promoting science communication in the country. In October 2018, she was amongst the first recipients of a “Media Excellence Award” in recognition of top media commentators and newsmakers at Stellenbosch University.

Five golden rules for effective science communication – perspectives from a documentary maker

Sep 21, 2023 01:39 am UTC| Science

Over the past three years, people from all walks of life have learned a great deal about different branches of science. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many of us to information about virology and vaccine production....

South African media treat fire as foe – its ecosystem benefits get lost in the blaze

Mar 27, 2022 14:24 pm UTC| Politics

Fire can destroy infrastructure and livelihoods, and claim lives. Yet fire is inevitable and has helped to shape ecosystems over millennia. In South Africa, fire plays a part in shaping savannas, grasslands and...

False information fuels fear during disease outbreaks: there is an antidote

Feb 09, 2020 23:45 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

False allegations and rumours about the coronavirus outbreak have been running riot on social media and in some mainstream media. Misinformation is rampant and conspiracy theories have added to the confusion. Examples...

Economy

Google's TurboQuant Sends South Korean Chip Stocks Tumbling Amid AI Memory Demand Fears

South Korean equities took a sharp hit Friday as mounting concerns over reduced artificial intelligence memory demand dragged the KOSPI index to its lowest point in more than two weeks. The benchmark fell nearly 3% to...

Bank of Japan Faces Rate Uncertainty Amid Middle East Oil Shock

The Bank of Japan is bracing for significant inflation volatility as the ongoing Middle East conflict reshapes the global economic landscape, according to Kazuo Momma, a former BOJ executive now serving as chief economist...

Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Dollar Stays Firm Amid Middle East Uncertainty

Global currency markets remained largely subdued on Friday, with most Asian currencies showing minimal movement as the U.S. dollar held firm. Investors continued to weigh geopolitical developments in the Middle East and...

U.S. Praises Kurdistan's Role in Oil Markets Amid Iran War Fallout

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a significant diplomatic call Thursday with Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, signaling Washingtons commitment to regional energy stability as conflict...

Oil Prices Slip as Middle East Tensions Ease, Heading for Weekly Loss

Oil prices declined during Asian trading on Friday, putting both major benchmarks on course for a weekly loss of more than 4%, as signs of diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran reduced the geopolitical...

Politics

Russia Accused of Helping Iran Target U.S. Forces, European Powers Tell G7

European nations have formally accused Russia of providing military intelligence and drone technology to Iran to help target American forces in the Middle East, raising the issue directly with U.S. Secretary of State Marco...

Trump Signs Executive Order to Pay TSA Workers Amid Airport Security Crisis

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will sign an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees receive their pay,...

Iran Allows Oil Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz Amid U.S. Negotiations

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has notably increased in recent days, appearing to validate statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran permitted a number of oil tankers to pass through the...

US Military Eyes 10,000 Troop Surge to Middle East Amid Iran Nuclear Tensions

The Pentagon is reportedly considering deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing Department of Defense officials familiar with the planning. The...

California Renames Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day Following Sexual Abuse Allegations

California lawmakers have officially voted to rename Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day after multiple women came forward with sexual abuse allegations against the late labor rights leader. Both the State Senate and...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Federal Judge Blocks Pentagon's Blacklisting of AI Company Anthropic

A federal judge has temporarily prevented the Pentagon from enforcing its designation of Anthropic as a national security supply-chain risk, dealing an early blow to the Trump administration in a growing dispute over...

SMIC Allegedly Supplies Chipmaking Tools to Iran's Military, U.S. Officials Warn

Chinas top semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC (Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation), has reportedly been transferring chipmaking equipment to Irans military industrial complex, according to two senior Trump...

Google's TurboQuant Algorithm Sends Memory Chip Stocks Tumbling

Major memory chipmakers took a significant hit on Thursday after Google researchers introduced a groundbreaking compression algorithm that threatens to reduce artificial intelligence demand for memory chips. Samsung...

Reflection AI Eyes $25 Billion Valuation in Massive $2.5 Billion Funding Round

Nvidia-backed artificial intelligence startup Reflection AI is in advanced discussions to secure $2.5 billion in fresh funding, with negotiations pointing to a staggering pre-money valuation of $25 billion, according to a...

Nanya Technology Shares Surge 10% After $2.5 Billion Private Placement from Sandisk and Cisco

Shares of Taiwan-based memory chip manufacturer Nanya Technology soared to their daily limit of 10% on Thursday morning following the companys announcement of a major $2.5 billion private placement deal backed by prominent...