Role of communication in conservation

18th September 2020

By: Creamer Media Reporter

     

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Rendani Nenguda, a conservation researcher, argues that conservation efforts will not achieve the intended outcomes unless practitioners master the art of communicating science

The role of the Research and Conservation division of Oppenheimer Generations is to support, fund and facilitate national and international researchers to conduct cutting-edge research that is focused on the natural sciences.

This role is a crucial component of the Oppenheimer family’s vision, which is to develop the next generation of researchers.

Conservation is geared towards finding better ways to support the life of people, plants and animals on the planet in a way that is most beneficial and harmonious to all who occupy it. I am passionate about research and conservation efforts and believe that, for environmental scientists to make a significant impact, they need to master how to communicate their findings to scientific and nonscientific audiences alike. In doing so, they can have a greater impact in terms of creating more sustainable behavioural practices. When people understand why they need to change, they will be more willing to adopt the changes and practise them daily.

In the field of science, issues such as gender inequality and promoting the empowerment of women must be addressed. From national governments to local community groups, women are vastly underrepresented in decision-making. For instance, according to UN Women, women comprise fewer than 25% of all national Parliamentarians around the world. This underrepresentation extends to national environmental decision-making, where women hold only 12% of top Ministerial positions in environment-related sectors worldwide.

Research and experience increasingly show the transformational power of inclusive decision-making. Gender and racial diversity allow for different stakeholders to combine their lived experiences with their academic knowledge in a way that ensures successful environmental programming and sustainable development of South African biodiversity.

I always had an interest in the biological sciences, but I do not think I truly understood how vast the career paths were until I was at university. It is therefore important that we continue educating our youth on the options available for study and celebrating our stories to showcase the purpose and need for more researchers and conservationists.

Making science, as a field of study, more available and accessible will allow for engagement from beyond the scientific community. If we can shift people’s perceptions, we could crowd in funding for important research, attract talent and work towards making our industry more inclusive.

The Oppenheimer Research Conference

One important component of my work since joining Oppenheimer Generations has been contributing to the planning of the Oppenheimer Research Conference (ORC).

The yearly ORC conference, now in its eleventh year, is one way in which Oppenheimer Generations aims to shift the needle and address some of these pertinent issues. This impactful platform aims to communicate scientific research through the voices of some of the best scientists on our continent.

Unlike most research-orientated conferences, the ORC exposes delegates to a diverse group of subject matter and educational formats relating to environmental sciences, research and conservation. For delegates who attend the conference, one thing they will notice is that, as much as it has a huge focus on research and conservation, this focus often delves into spaces they would not have expected.

For instance, we have movie screenings and virtual reality (VR) sessions, during which delegates are given a VR headset to watch a short clip where they experience animals in their natural habitat. These added features make the conference exciting and aid in finding different ways to ensure that the delegates leave with so much more than the knowledge gained from the high-standard presentations on offer.

The aim of this conference is ultimately to change the conversation around conservation, to expose delegates to different scientific fields and to enable networking opportunities. It is geared towards addressing some of the most critical issues and serves to encourage further research and collaboration in the scientific community.

To register for ORC 2020, click on the link: https://og.flockplatform.com/ep/?event= 11th-Oppenheimer-Research-Conference

About ORC

The ORC brings together select individuals and organisations operating in and/or interested in the fields of natural and environmental science. It is an academic research conference that offers a diverse and multidisciplinary programme.

By creating an inclusive and encouraging platform for high-quality presentations, discussions, networking and collaboration, the conference aims to contribute to the conservation of ecosystems biodiversity and heritage through:

  • profiling research excellence associated with Oppenheimer properties and/or support;
  • promoting new research opportunities, enhancing research and outcomes and guiding action; and
  • supporting the next generation of academics, researchers and conservation/environmental stewards.

Nenguda is a conservation researcher at Oppenheimer Generations, where she works under the guidance of the head of Research and Conservation, Dr Duncan MacFadyen

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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