Café sci East Africa: Talking with young people about science and technology

Mukhalu, Betty Kituyi; Grand, Ann

Abstract

When Café Sci started in Ugandan schools in 2009, it was rare for scientists to visit schools to talk about their research. Former students might speak at career days and the National Council for Science and Technology set up occasional school visits by scientists but the visits seldom focussed on the students’ interests in science and technology.
The aim of Café Sci is to support informal, but respectful and rational, conversation between scientists and young people. With the support of the UK’s Wellcome Trust, the British Council and the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports, the Café Sci project began in Ugandan secondary schools, primarily in the area
around Kampala and Mbale, in 2009. By the time the project finished in 2012, Café Sci had established itself in 35 schools as an effective route for scientists to meet young people to discuss issues in science and technology that came from the students’ interests. We ran about 400 cafés, as well as three conferences where students were able to share their experiences.

• Journal Article Type: Note
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 6, 2019
• Journal: Science Progress
• Electronic ISSN: 0036-8504
• Publisher: Science Reviews 2000
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 98
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 189-191
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3184/003685015X14309161574830
• Keywords: cafe scientifique, Wellcome Trust, science cafe, East Africa, Uganda
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/833711
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3184/003685015X14309161574830