World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ)

The World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) is an international not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, dedicated to help the public take into account scientific knowledge in its understanding of critical socio-economic issues and play a greater role in the governance of science and technology.

Since the public is mainly educated about science and technology through the mass media, the World Federation aims at strong, critical coverage of issues in science and technology, environment, health and medicine, agriculture, and related fields.

Activities

In order to achieve its mission and objective, the WFSJ promotes and defends the free flow of information and open dialogue essential to the good coverage of science and technology issues.

More specifically, the WFSJ is engaged in the following activities:

designing of teaching materials on how to communicate science and technology:

• the Federation has created the first online course in science journalism; the course includes 10 lessons and all lessons are available free of charge in seven languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish: http://www.wfsj.org/course/;
• o the lessons require no prerequisites and are accessible to all individuals interested in communicating science and technology;

training of journalists and editors on how to communicate science technology in the mass media:

• the Federation has organized training workshops for journalists and editors in several African and Arab countries through its SjCOOP project and is planning to do the same in Asia;
• the Federation has also supported training workshops in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Qatar in the context of the World Conference of Science Journalists;

sharing and promotion of best practices in communicating science and technology to the public:

• the Federation organizes every second year the World Conference of Science Journalists to highlight and share the latest best practices in communicating science and technology to the public;
• World Conferences have been held in Tokyo (1992), Budapest (1999), Sao José dos Campos (Brazil) in 2002, in Montréal (2004), in Melbourne (2007), in London (2009), in Doha (2011), and the next one will be held in June 2013 in Helsinki;
• the Federation shares news and developments in science communication and science journalism through its web site:
• news section: http://www.wfsj.org/
• publications and specialized web sites: http://www.wfsj.org/resources/
• online course: http://www.wfsj.org/course/
• the Federation promotes best practices in communicating science to the public through mass media by organizing competitions;
• there is one ongoing competition which is a partnership with the World Health Summit (Berlin, 21-24 October 2012). Deadline for applications is 1st September 2012.
• see previous competitions at: http://www.wfsj.org/resources/competitionsArchive.php

mentoring in science communication:

• since 2006, the Federation has implemented mentoring in science communication at a distance for science communicators, editors and journalists in 13 Arab countries (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen) and 23 Africa countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Kinshasa), Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania ,Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe;
• the World Federation has published the first guidebook on to mentor in science journalism, written by Kathryn O’Hara, CTV Chair in Broadcast Science Journalism, Carleton University: A Guide to Peer to Peer Mentorship in Science Journalism: Lessons from SjCOOP: http://www.wfsj.org/files/file/resources/documents/MentoringGuideSciJou.pdf
• in collaboration with the Canadian Science Writers’ Association and the Association des communicateurs scientifiques du Québec, the World Federation is planning to support mentoring for Canadians in how to communicate science.
  The WFSJ also provides a forum for its membership, and the wider public, to share advances, achievements, challenges, opportunities, and trends in science journalism internationally and supports science journalism associations and encourages the foundation of new ones.

The WFSJ also provides a forum for its membership, and the wider public, to share advances, achievements, challenges, opportunities, and trends in science journalism internationally and supports science journalism associations and encourages the foundation of new ones.

History

The Federation was founded in November 2002 at the 3^rd World Conference of Science Journalists in São José dos Campos, Brazil, where Canadian science writer and broadcaster Véronique Morin was elected its first president. At the 4^th World Conference in Montréal, in October 2004, more than 600 participants from 58 nations attended, as well as representatives from 30 science journalism associations worldwide, and Australian science journalist and magazine editor Wilson da Silva was elected the Federation's second president.

On 18^th April 2007, during the 5^th World Conference of Science Journalists held in Melbourne (Australia), BBC science journalist Pallab Ghosh became President. On 1st July 2009, Ms. Nadia El-Awady from Egypt was elected as the fourth president during the 6^th World Conference held in London (United Kingdom).

The current President, Mr. Vesa Niinikangas from Finland, was confirmed as president on 29^th June 2011, in Doha (Qatar) on the last day of the 7^th World Conference of Science Journalists.

The Federation is governed by a seven-member international board with representation from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Membership

The WFSJ welcomes three categories of membership:

1.       Full Members entitled to attend, speak and vote at the Annual General Assembly;

2.       Associate Members entitled to attend and speak at meetings but who do not have the right to vote; Associate Members is any organization that shares the objectives of the World Federation and is not a Full Member; and

3.       Honorary Members entitled to attend and speak but do not have the right to vote thereat. Honorary Members are those Organizations and individuals that have rendered exemplary voluntary service or financial contribution to the Federation in support of the object of the Federation. Honorary members are not required to make contributions or pay annual dues.

There are presently 43 Full Members which are national, regional or international associations of science journalists and two Associate Members of the World Federation of Science Journalists:

African Federation of Science Journalist (AFSJ)

Arab Science Journalists Association (ASJA)
Australia: Australian Science Communicators (ASC)
Australiasia: Australasian Medical Writers Association
Argentina: Argentinian Network of Science journalism
Bangladesh: Bangladesh Science Writers & Journalists Forum (BSWJF)
Benin: Association des Journalists and Communicators of Togo (JCS-Togo)
Brazil: Brazilian Association of Science Journalism
Burkina Faso: Association des Journalistes et Communicateurs scientifiques du Burkina Faso (AJSC/BF)

Cameroon: SciLife (Cameroon's Association of Science Journalists and Communicators)

Canada: Canadian Science Writers' Association (CSWA)

Catalonia: Catalonan Association for Scientific Communication (ACCC)
Chile: Chilean Association of Science Journalists (ACHIPEC)

China: Chinese Society for Science and Technology Journalism (CSSTJ)
Denmark: Danish Science Journalists' Association

Europe: European Union of Science Journalists' Associations (EUSJA)

Finland: Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists (FASEJ)
France: French association of science journalists (AJSPI)

Germany: German Science Journalists' Association (WPK)

Germany: German Association of Science Writers (TELI)

International Science Writers Association (ISWA)

Ireland: Irish Science & Technology Journalists' Association (ISTJA)

Italy: Italian Association of Science Journalists (UGIS)
Italy: Science Writers in Italy - SWIM

Japan: Japanese Association of Science and Technology Journalists (JASTJ)

Japan: Medical Journalists Association of Japan (MEJA)
Kenya: Kenya Science Journalists Association (KENSJA)

Kenya: Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA)
Korea: Korea Science Reporters Association
Netherlands (The): Dutch Association of Science Journalists (VWN)
Niger: Association des Journalistes Scientifiques du Niger (AJSN)

Nigeria: Nigeria Association of Science Journalists (NAJS)

Philippine: Philippine Science Journalists Association (PSciJourn)

Québec: Association of Science Communicators (ACS)

Russia: Association of Science Writers and Journalists 'INTELLECT'
Rwanda: Rwanda Association of Science Journalists (RASJ)
South Africa: South African Science Journalists’ Association (SASJA)

Spain: Spanish Association of Science Communication (AECC)
Togo: Science Journalists and Communicators of Togo (JCS-Togo)

Uganda: Uganda Science Journalists' Association (USJA)

United States: National Association of Science Writers (NASW)

United Kingdom: Association of British Science Writers (ABSW)
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Environmental Journalists Association (ZEJA)

Associate Members
Council for the Advancement of Science Writing
The Qatar Foundation

Board and Governance

The World Federation of Science Journalists answers to the Annual General Assembly of its Full Member associations, with each association carrying one vote.

The present Board of Directors is made of the following people:

• Vesa Niinikangas, (Finland) Journalist, author
• Pallab Ghosh, (United Kingdom) Science Correspondent, BBC
• Natasha Mitchell, (Australia) Journalist, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• Christophe Mvondo, (Cameroon) Journalist, La Nouvelle Expression newspaper
• Kathyrn O'Hara, (Canada) Journalism professor, CTV Chair in Science Broadcast Journalism
• Lucy Calderon, (Guatemala) Freelance Science journalist
• Pallava Bagla, (India) Science Editor – New Delhi Television

The Federation’s secretariat is located in Gatineau, Québec, just outside of Ottawa, Canada.