Kenyan Journalist John Riaga has been appointed as regional coordinator of Sub-Saharan Africa for Science Journalism Forum (SJF) 2022.
Riaga will be in charge of arranging meetings with potential partners and associations that are interested in partnering with the Science Journalism Forum.
In an appointment letter dated June 10, 2022, and signed by Executive Director SciComm X Saad Loftey, Riaga is also required to promote SJF22 activities in Africa.
SJF is the largest fully virtual multilingual conference for science journalists all over the world. It attracts more than 2,000 journalists and is organized in five languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and French.
Science Journalism Forum 2022 will be organised from October 29 to November 4, 2022.
Riaga, who is the communications Officer- of Impact Research and Development Organisation (IRDO), welcomed the appointment and pledged to serve diligently.
“I am delighted at this opportunity. It is a huge statement on science Journalism in Kenya. We have made great strides in trying to bridge the gap between scientists and the media in a bid to break down complex science into consumables,” he said.
Riaga stated that the Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA) through which he got the appointment plays a huge role in science communication, not just in Kenya but across the region.
He is also a former vice-chairman of the MESHA board.
He urged the upcoming Journalists to consider specialising in such areas as a good break from politics and the usual stuff.
Riaga is a science communicator with several years of experience in breaking down science for public consumption.
He has worked as a news reporter for Royal Media Services and as a communications officer in various organisations including KEMRI/CDC and consulted for various organisations including the GIZ.
In 2012, he presented a paper on the role of vernacular radio stations in communicating Climate Change at the Climate under Pressure Conference in East London, Excel Institute.
