Page 56 - Thola Issue 17

54 Ntombela-Player Lecture
ABOVE: Allison Ruiters speaking at the Ntombela-Player lecture. LEFT: Tanya Abrahamse receives a gift from Thembinkosi Ngcobo.
Science will have to look at the way it works, how it communicates, how it engages with end-users, and its relevance to transforming the lives of people and overcoming poverty...
crippling inequality. In this way, science must be transformative, universal
and much better co-ordinated and integrative.
In my view, for the value chain of science into policy into society to work efficiently and effectively and to be relevant, the following needs to be examined and emphasised.
SCIENCE NEEDS TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE
The perception of science is that it
is exclusive and elite. So we need to reflect on:
• How we do science;
• Who we include in the activities of
science;
• How we communicate science; • Who we include in the question,
design and outcome;
• How we harness knowledge and
information; and
• How relevant our scientific
endeavour for human actions and well-being is.
All the above needs to be reviewed while maintaining the ideals of science: that of being evidence and knowledge- based, unbiased, verifiable, and frank and honest.
Over the last few years, I have had the honour of being part of a global task team to grapple with these very issues, the result of which is a new way of doing and funding science research called ‘Future Earth’. Future Earth is the new global platform for earth sciences research that aims to co-design and co-produce research from a range
of scientists, including economists, sociologists, environmentalists, biologists, geographers, etc. In addition, Future Earth is committed to being
thola: VOLUME 17. 2014/15