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This collection contains slide presentations and audio/video recordings not provided for elsewhere. This includes events/activities/participation in special day, special week, special month and special year celebrations, as well as science festivals and thematic weeks, e.g. National Science Week, Science Engagement and Open Access Week.
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Item Annual National Scholarly Editors’ Forum (NSEF) Meeting(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022-11) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)ASSAf’s Scholarly Publishing Programme (SPP) hosted its annual National Scholarly Editors’ Forum (NSEF) two-days meeting on 21 and 22 November 2022. The NSEF annual meeting is an opportunity for scholarly journal editors to interact on issues pertaining to scholarly journal publishing in South Africa. This year’s meeting was themed ‘The latest trends and challenges in the rapidly changing world of scholarly publishing’.Item Health Research and its contribution to South Africa’s democracy(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022-08) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Freedom of speech encompasses freedom of research and is an important component of any democracy. Health research, and communication around this research, have contributed to strengthening South Africa's democracy. Generally, COVID-19 research has been well disseminated and discussed openly, between scientists, civil society and government. To this extent, COVID-19 related health research can be said to have strengthened the functioning of our democracy. However, the pandemic has bought to the forefront important questions about the role of health research in a democracy. This webinar explored: 1) The extent to which the discussion around health research during COVID-19 excluded other research voices from the mainstream. 2) The extent to which health research should be a matter of discussion amongst non-specialists? Should there be limits on information shared/discussions held? 3) In an environment of the free flow of information, does the way in which health research information is shared enhance or undermine our democracy? 4) How does the dissemination of health research information affect the relationships between scientists, government and civil society?Item National Scholarly Book Publishers’ Forum (NSBPF) Conference: Local content, global reach: the value of South African scholarly publishers(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)ASSAf’s Scholarly Publishing Programme (SPP) hosted its National Scholarly Book Publishers’ Forum (NSBPF) conference on 25 July 2022. Scholarly book publishers present the foundational research that is drawn upon by policymakers, journalists, authors and researchers across the globe. ASSAf’s NSBPF is a representative body of publishers dedicated to the promotion of the scholarly book publishing sector in South Africa. The conference aimed to raise awareness of the contribution made by South Africa’s scholarly publishing sector to its national research mission to promote an understanding of the rigour of its processes, and to create a better understanding of the need for resource allocation to ensure its ongoing survival.Item Mental Health and the role of traditional healers(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Webinar presented on 8 July 2022 by the Academy of Science of South Africa. The provision of treatment, care and rehabilitation services for people with Mental, Neurological and Substance use (MNS) disorders is a multisectoral responsibility. Traditional healers have a unique role to play, especially in resource-limited settings. It is estimated that there are about 200 000 traditional healers as compared to 975 registered psychiatrists – who mostly practise in urban areas and the private sector. Traditional health practitioners and those linked to faith-based organisations play a significant role in providing services for people with MNS disorders. These are often an entry point into systems of care. These providers, therefore, could play a significant role in identifying people with such disorders, and in some cases, have worked cooperatively with health services in providing for the mental health and spiritual needs of individuals. There is a need to understand the role of traditional health practitioners in mental health care. This webinar seeks to understand the role, knowledge, attitude, and practice of traditional healers in mental health care with the aim to encourage their participation in terms of the treatment, care and rehabilitation of people with MNS disorders.Item Priorities for child and adolescent mental health research and services in South Africa(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Children and adolescents under the age of 18 years comprise 34% of the population, and child and adolescent Mental, Neurological and Substance Use (MNS) disorders are common and an important cause of disability and distress. Providers at all levels should be competent to screen for and identify common childhood mental disorders, which usually present with developmental delay, emotional and/or behavioural symptoms and/or learning difficulties. Given the burden of disease, the fact that many mental disorders begin in childhood, and that early intervention is most effective in childhood and adolescence, it is essential that effective promotion, prevention, treatment, care and rehabilitation interventions should be provided for children and adolescents. In this webinar, hosted by the Academy of Science of South Africa, leading experts in child and adolescent mental health will presented their priorities for child and adolescent mental health services and research in South Africa.Item Understanding the scourge of predatory journals and conferences in academia(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Presented as part of Science Forum South Africa 2021. This presentation highlights some of the key emerging findings and recommendations of an InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) study “Combatting predatory academic journals and conferences” which will report in early 2022. IAP is the global network of over 140 national academies of science, engineering and medicine who work together on policy issues of vital importance. Predatory journals and conferences are pervading the research enterprise: they are driven entirely by profit and involve some form of deception, such as the false promise of rigorous peer review - a hallmark of academic research. What is more, their tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated and that it is becoming more difficult to distinguish fraudulent practices from low quality or questionable ones. This means that poor science can find its way into the knowledge base and good science can be overlooked when it appears in low credibility journals: if left unchallenged, the implications are profound. The IAP study has been informed by a unique survey of the global research community in which over 1,800 researchers participated. The survey gives a concerning insight into the extent and impact of these predatory practices across the world, what drives them and motivates researchers to use them. By understanding these dynamics and the relative vulnerabilities and exposure to predatory outlets, the survey can help identify the most impactful ways of combatting them. African members of the international working group leading this work provide a preview of the study's findings, including (i) emerging recommendations for key stakeholder communities who play their part in the knowledge ecosystem, such as researchers, research funders, publishers, academic leaders, libraries and indexing services; and (ii) a new spectrum tool designed to assist many of them. An African perspective is prominent in the discussions. The session explores the following key questions: 1. What are predatory journals and conferences? 2. Why are they on the rise? 3. Why are they important? 4. What can be done to curb them? 5. What resources are available to help researchers and others minimise their risk?Item The role of language in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Webinar hosted by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) on 4 November 2021. Presented by Dr Rethabile Mawela, Rhodes University, South Africa. The 4IR as a concept can only be meaningful if articulated in a language that is familiar to the reader. The concept 4IR, for instance suggests that there were three other revolutions before it, and that each ended when the next one began. Language lands itself at the centre of both the articulation and analyses of these revolutions and what they mean to society. The 4IR has seen the developments in artificial intelligence, genetics, nanotechnology, 3D printing, biotechnology and smart systems, to name but a few that are amplifying and supporting each other. This has lay a very strong foundation for a more comprehensive and all-inclusive revolution than ever imagined. The introduction of smart- homes, farms, grids, and cities make service delivery to be easier, faster, and efficient even in dealing with problems beguiling the system. It allows people to share the economy and monetize everything. While there are positive gains, there are negatives as well. The patterns of production, consumption and employment created by the 4IR pose major challenges that require adaptation and adoption of new ways of doing things. The 4IR brings with it broader socio-economic, demographic, and geopolitical drivers of change whose intersectionalities influence and intensify each other. There is a need for industry adjustment and personal skills development to prepare for the opportunities availed by this change and to avoid career dislocation. To fully participate in the 4IR, individuals need to access information in a language they feel comfortable with and competent in to engage and understand. In this webinar we will initiate a conversation of language as an enabler and a positive supporter of 4IR through deep understanding of text that supports the creation of meaning and personalisation of information for meaningful involvement. The opposite is also true - technology and innovation can be used to understand and master language. This webinar explores the extent to which language is a boon or bain to the 4IR.Item Launch of Essential facts about Covid-19 Booklet(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The booklet titled "Essential facts about Covid-19: the disease, the responses, and an uncertain future. For South African learners, teachers, and the general public" was launched as part of this webinar. View the launch video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07kIfuHZztY&t=7s. The booklet itself can be accessed at http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/194. The following presentations formed part of this webinar: Introduction to Booklet - Prof Anwar Suleman Mall, University of Cape Town; Vaccines and Variants - Prof Ed Rybicki, University of Cape Town; HIV and Covid-19 - Prof Quarraisha Abdool Karim, University of KwaZulu-Natal; Covid-19 and Hospitals - Prof Marc Mendelson, University of Cape Town. The first cases of a new coronavirus (SARS CoV 2) were identified toward the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China. Over the following months, this virus spread to everywhere in the world, and by now no country has been spared the devastation from the Covid-19. During this book launch event some of the authors will highlight selected current issues relating to this pandemic: the role and future of variants, the effectiveness of vaccinations and challenges of vaccinating a sufficient fraction of the population worldwide, and more generally the relation to HIV and hospital care in South Africa.Item ICT in Science – Towards empowered South African Citizens(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Science engagement plays a pivotal role in bringing trusted information to the public, however, not all communities are accessible in South Africa and science engagers are in short supply. Alternative ways need to be explored as to how to empower citizens and equip them with knowledge to make informed decisions. Informed and knowledgeable citizens can in turn contribute to a more developed citizenry, where the concept of development involves several dimensions of transformation, including the creation of wealth (that is, rapid and sustained economic growth) and its distribution in a fashion that benefits a broad spectrum of people rather than a small elite (that is, a reduction in social inequality) (Shrum, 2001). This webinar tried to address the following questions: • Can ICT assist in making trusted scientific information accessible to all? • Which challenges does the country face in achieving success in this regard? • Are there any success stories on how ICT has positively impacted on a more scientifically engaged citizenry? • What needs to change if we want to succeed in utilising ICT for increased science engagement?Item ASSAf and NHREC POPIA Stakeholder Engagement with the RECs, 18 May 2021(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC)ASSAf is facilitating the process to develop a Code of Conduct for Research under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), having hosted three stakeholder events that were attended by scientists and researchers from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. ASSAf has set up a Steering Committee to oversee the process of developing a Code of Conduct for Research, as well as a Drafting Committee who are drafting the document. At the last virtual consultation forum hosted on 3 May 2021, presentations were offered on the process of developing a Code of Conduct, as well as on thematic areas of interest, including consent, genomics research, information matching programmes and the use of social media data in research. Stakeholders were given an opportunity to share insights and provide comment on the development of the Code of Conduct. The stakeholder engagement with members of the RECs aims to take a deeper dive into considerations of the POPIA Code of Conduct for Research in the Ethics Review. The intention is to better understand the concerns of REC members and what would be most useful to their work in understanding the risks related to personal information of research participants. The Discussion Document published on 3 May in the South African Journal of Science provides background on the deliberations of the Committees and can be consulted for further information. The Code of Conduct remains under further discussion as the broader community provides their inputs. There will be several addendums to the Code of Conduct, and we will specifically ask for inputs that would strengthen these documents and make them more practically useful to the research community.