By Allan Mauro V. Marfal, DOST-STII, DOST Media Service
Over the years, the Department of Science and Technology - Science and Technology Information Institute (DOST-STII) has been providing capacity-building activities to students, media practitioners, academic researchers, and other professionals on various skills related to science communication. This is done through the implementation of the Science Journo Ako advocacy program.
It allows them to learn how to popularize science and create engaging content on the practical benefits of various scientific applications and concepts and how they could impact the lives of every Filipino.
This series of activities called Science Journo Ako envisions building a large pool of science communicators, regardless of their profession, to help the DOST, not only in promoting the important role of science but, most importantly, in ensuring that all our decisions are based on science.
On 5-6 October 2023, the Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College-Tagudin campus was the most recent partner of the Science Journo Ako advocacy program. Through its College of Arts and Sciences, the DOST-STII trained 66 students who are taking up Bachelor of Education majors in Science and Mathematics, Information Technology, Psychology, and Public Administration.
With the title "Science Journo Ako goes to Ilocos Sur: The So What? of your Science Stories," the student-participants learned beyond the 5Ws and 1H of creating science stories and dove deep into its relevance to the public.
"We are very grateful for the opportunity given to us by the DOST-STII. Not only for offering us free training but also for opening our eyes that science communication is everybody's business, not only in the media and journalism industry. Our students, who are future math and science teachers and IT professionals, can be instrumental in promoting the culture of science, especially once they possess these communication skills," said Dr. Ederlina M. Sumail, the campus administrator of ISPSC Tagudin campus.
Meanwhile, DOST-STII Director Richard P. Burgos said that it brings him immense joy to know that the various college departments within ISPSC, despite having limited journalistic background, have expressed keen interest in acquiring diverse science communication skills.
"I would like to emphasize that our objective in providing this kind of training to non-journalism or communication majors, like yourselves, is not to persuade you to shift your courses or career paths. Rather, it is to equip and inspire you to create science-related content that is both impactful and accessible, even as you continue to excel in your respective fields of study. This is because science is experienced by all of us every day," said DOST-STII Director Burgos.
Writing Popularize Science Stories
One of the presenters was Krixia Subingsubing, a youthful yet seasoned science-beat journalist from the Philippine Daily Inquirer. She offered valuable insights into uncovering more engaging story angles from a multitude of sources, including scientific journals, technical presentations, and expert interviews.
Subingsubing stressed the importance of selecting a compelling story angle, particularly in the realm of science. She encouraged participants to consider existing issues or challenges that scientific research and technology could address promptly.
"Crafting science narratives involves bridging the gap between experts' proposed solutions and their intended beneficiaries. Amidst the raw data at our disposal, let's extract those crucial details and weave them into our stories," Subingsubing advised.
She also suggested self-evaluation for story ideas by asking key questions: Does it unveil new discoveries? Has this topic been covered extensively? Is it relevant to the public? Would it captivate your family and friends? Are there significant implications?"
Subingsubing emphasized the need for thorough research and critical thinking when reporting on scientific topics, reminding us that our science stories wield influence as they shape decisions in people's daily lives.
"Our science narratives carry significant weight, as the information we convey and how we present it can serve as the foundation for individuals making choices in their everyday existence," Subingsubing asserted.
The dynamic young speaker also shared strategies for conducting interviews with scientists and researchers, ensuring a comfortable atmosphere for them to share essential and captivating data regarding their projects and research.
"Science writing extends beyond the conventional 5Ws and 1H; it delves into the 'so what' of our articles. These narratives present data and discoveries that can impact our lives. Let's transform our science stories into agents of societal change, enabling our readers to make well-informed decisions."
Art of Visual Storytelling
Another resource speaker was Aileene Camille Dimatatac, a seasoned environmental photojournalist and professor at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). Aside from the technical side, she shared various tips and approaches to capture the best angles in their photos, especially covering events and stories related to the environment and science.
Dimatatac said that visual storytelling is more than just taking photos but creating an image with a story, impact and is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes; it is both a technical and creative process, which combines one’s knowledge of the camera and storytelling.
“Practice and practice! Walk and walk! Read and read! This is the key to being a successful photojournalist. Don't stop making visual stories that matter. Remember photography is for all, you are not limited by your course or discipline to excel in this field,” advised Dimatatac to aspiring photographers and photojournalists.
Learning in the Field
To appreciate and apply the principles shared in the lectures, the student-participants visited the Delmendo Rice Mill in Barangay Tallaoen in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur for a workshop session. The student-participants found the opportunity to gather information, conduct interviews, take photos, and apply the knowledge they gained during lectures on science news, feature writing, basic photography, and photojournalism.
After the visit, the participants worked on their science news and feature articles and photos with captions, and some of them were discussed by the resource speakers.
Director Burgos shared that with Science Journo Ako, the DOST-STII aspires to empower a great number of individuals to embrace the art of science communication, a skill so important today in the light of advancements in science and the abundant technological resources available at our fingertips.
"You are probably familiar with the phenomenon of heartthrobs. When a heartthrob passes by, your gaze follows, or you take a second look. Who is that? That's exactly the kind of effect we want to produce when you create compelling science stories, and that's what we hope to achieve at the end of this session," shared Director Burgos.
The Science Journo Ako advocacy program started in 2015, and to date it has already conducted 54 seminar-workshops, the recent activities of which were in Legazpi City in Albay, Dipolog City and Tacloban City. Most of these learning experiences were done in partnership with different institutions, addressing specific gaps and concerns when it comes to science communication.
