2024 Election Results
The 2024 election to the Board of Directors to the World Federation of Science Journalists has been conducted by the Election Nominating Committee, which is independent of the Board of Directors. It comprises three former board members Lisbeth Fog, Colombia; Diran Onifade, Nigeria and Pallab Ghosh, UK. Here are their results in alphabetical order of surnames:
Debbie Ponchner from Costa Rica 13
Jelena Kalinić, Bosnia Herzegovina 5
Agatha Ngotho, Kenya 11
Subhra Priyadarshini, India 13
Aleida Rueda, Mexico 12
Gülsen Saray, Turkey 8
Astrid Viciano, Germany 10
The 2024 Election Nominating Committee finds that Debbie, Subhra, Aleida and Agatha are duly elected as Directors to the new Board. Many congratulations to them!
They will join Joseph Mbeng Boum from Cameroon, Lesley Evans Ogden from Canada, Jean Marc Fleury from Canada, Chhatra Karki from Nepal and Ben Deighton, acting President, from the UK to form the WFSJ’s next Board of Directors.
The turnout for the board election was exceptional – 59%, demonstrating a high degree of engagement and providing a strong mandate for the new Board. Nineteen out of 32 eligible associations voted. One of these votes was received one day after the deadline and was not included in the count. The Nominating Committee also rejected one vote from an ineligible association which had no record of paying its fees and a vote from an individual voting on behalf of an association without authorisation.
Our commiserations to the candidates who were not elected. They would have all made excellent Directors. We hope Jelena, Gülsen and Astrid continue to play a leading role in the Federation’s activities.
The new Board of Directors will now begin to plan more World Conferences, set up ambitious new projects and develop further initiatives to increase collaboration among members and to raise the standards of critical science journalism across the World.
We believe there is much to be optimistic about for the future course of the Federation. If the level of engagement the membership has shown in these elections continues, there can only be greater success for WFSJ.
Good luck to the new Board and our members in your future endeavours.
Work together, be brave and be ambitious!
Lisbeth, Diran and Pallab
Nominating Committee, 2024.
Agatha Ngotho
I am a Science Writer at The Star Newspaper, a division of Radio Africa Group, based in Nairobi, Kenya. I have over a decade of experience in science journalism, I specialize in reporting on agriculture and climate change. I am passionate about the power of information in addressing challenges related to food security, climate change, agriculture, water, sanitation, and environmental sustainability.
Aleida Rueda
I am convinced that professional science journalism is necessary and relevant to any society. And I am confident that the WFSJ is a vehicle to join common efforts and organize initiatives that benefit science journalists from all over the world, specially those who live in developing countries. I am very aware of the challenges faced by my colleagues in Mexico and Latin America, especially those early in their careers, at the same time, we are all faced by global problems that require nuanced journalistic coverage.
Subhra Priyadarshini
My journey in science journalism, spanning more than 25 years, has been committed to making science accessible, engaging, and impactful for diverse audiences. I bring a strong foundation of editorial leadership, global collaboration, and advocacy for inclusive science communication, which I believe echoes the Federation’s purpose and mission. My vision for WFSJ is rooted in expanding access to quality science journalism in the Global South.
Debbie Ponchner
I represent the region of Latin America. For over 25 years — my entire professional life — I have devoted myself to science journalism. I have worked as a writer and editor of a national newspaper — La Nación, in Costa Rica (1999-2014) — as a freelancer for international publications, and as an editor for science publications for the Spanish-speaking audience — Scientific American en español (2014-2017) and Knowable en español (2022-present).
Thanks to all the candidates
The Nominating Committe is very grateful to the candidates who were not elected. Thanks to their interest in the Federation, there was an election and members voted. Astrid Viciano, Dr. Gulsen Saray, and Jelena Kalinić would have all made excellent Directors. We hope Jelena, Gülsen and Astrid continue to play a leading role in the Federation’s activities.
Astrid Viciano
With over two decades of experience in science journalism, my professional journey has spanned various roles, media outlets, and international collaborations, positioning me as a strong advocate for the core values of the WFSJ: international collaboration, and the promotion of scientific literacy on a global scale. As a Board member of the German WPK and as the Secretary of the European Federation for Science Journalism, I have had the opportunity to learn and engage in national and I have had the opportunity to learn and engage in national and international science journalism organizations during the past years.
Dr. Gulsen Saray
As an active science journalist, I am a full member of WFSJ, a Board Member of the BNSJ, and temporal associate member of EFSJ. I am fluent in Turkish, English and German at an academic level, and quite familiar with French with an international (40 countries), European (Germany), and regional (Turkey) experience. I am a Science Journalist (Ph.D.), Political Scientist (M.A.), and a Civil Engineer (B.Sc.), having a direct academic contribution both to engineering and social sciences as an exclusive first-hand study. I have attended the Knight Center for Journalism seminars on various subjects.
Jelena Kalinić
As a science journalist and communicator with over a decade of experience, I am deeply committed to fostering scientific literacy, enhancing the quality of science reporting, and contributing to the growth of a new generation of science journalists. I believe my skills and experiences align well with the goals of WFSJ, and I would be honored to contribute to its mission. Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to ensuring accurate, accessible, and engaging science communication, particularly in regions where scientific literacy remains underdeveloped.