WFSJ Board Directors with member delegates at the AGM in Budapest, Hungary on November 20, 2024 during the World Science Forum. Pictured here are members from 24 countries. Board members (front row: left to right): Jean-Marc Fleury (Treasurer, Canada), Joseph Mbeng Boum (Vice President, Cameroon), Ben Deighton (President, UK), Subhra Priyadarshini (Director, India), Chhatra Karki (Vice President, Nepal), Lesley Evans Ogden (Secretary, Canada). (Missing on this picture: Director Agatha Ngotho (Kenya) and Directors Aleida Rueda (Mexico) and Debbie Ponchner (Costa Rica) who participated online)
Science journalist associations from around the world have unanimously endorsed the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) Board, reaffirming its leadership as it prepares for the 13th World Conference of Science Journalists in Pretoria, South Africa, from December 1–5, 2025.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on November 20 at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest and online, brought together representatives from over 35 associations. Member associations expressed strong support for the Board’s actions and provided input for the Federation’s future direction.
“This unanimous support is truly inspiring,” said WFSJ President Ben Deighton. “It gives the Board a clear mandate to focus on building a successful World Conference of Science Journalists next year.”
The AGM marked a turning point following a leadership transition earlier this year and the election of four new Board members: Agatha Ngotho (Kenya), Debbie Ponchner (Costa Rica), Subhra Priyadarshini (India), and Aleida Rueda (Mexico). These new members shared their vision for the federation during the meeting, which also featured updates on key initiatives such as a project to develop ethical guidelines for science journalism and an African-led proposal to expand science journalism training across the continent.
Delegates from countries including Argentina, Australia, Benin, Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Ivory Coast, Croatia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States participated in the AGM.
WFSJ current Board of Directors are:
• President: Ben Deighton (UK)
• Vice-Presidents: Joseph Mbeng Boum (Cameroon), Chhatra Karki (Nepal)
• Treasurer: Jean-Marc Fleury (Canada)
• Secretary: Lesley Evans Ogden (Canada)
• Directors: Agatha Ngotho (Kenya), Debbie Ponchner (Costa Rica), Subhra Priyadarshini (India), and Aleida Rueda (Mexico)
Founded in 2002 during the 3rd World Conference of Science Journalists in São José dos Campos, Brazil, the WFSJ continues to promote excellence and collaboration in science journalism globally.
For further information, contact:
Ben Deighton, WFSJ President
Email: bdeighton@wfsj.org | office@wfsj.org
Tel: +1 343 554 1393
Associations represented at the 2024 Budapest WFSJ AGM
- Arab Science Journalists Association (Magdy Said)
- Argentinian Network of Science Journalists (Martin de Ambrosio)
- Science Journalists Association of Australia (Jackson Ryan)
- The Brazilian Network of Science Journalists and Communicators (Graciele Almeida de Oliveira)
- Cameroon Science for Life (Line Renée Batongue)
- Association des journalistes scientifiques et communicateurs pour la promotion de la santé (Cameroun) (Marie-Virginie Mbusnum)
- Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (Lesley Evans Ogden)
- Chilean Association of Science Journalists (Andrea Obaid)
- Médias Pour La Science et le Développement (Côte d’Ivoire) (Mamadou Traoré)
- Croatia’s Association of Science Writers (Mico Tatalovic)
- European Science Journalists’ Association (Istvan Palugyai)
- Association des Journalistes Scientifiques de la Presse d’Information (France) (Magali Reinart)
- German Science Journalists’ Association (Astrid Viciano)
- Science Journalists Association of India (Subhra Priyadarshini)
- Society of Indonesian Science Journalists (Malvinas Priananda)
- Irish Science & Technology Journalists’ Association
- Science Writers in Italy (Fabio Turone)
- Japanese Association of Science and Technology Journalists (Shigeyuki Koide)
- Kenya Environment and Science Journalists Association (Duncan Mboyah)
- Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (Kenya) (Agatha Ngotho)
- Mexican Network of Science Journalists (Nelly Toche)
- Nepal Forum of Science Journalists (Chhatra Karki)
- Dutch Association of Science Journalists (Anna Van Kessel)
- The Science Communicators Philippines Inc. (Melvin Calimag)
- Portuguese Science and Technology Communication Network (Vera Novais)
- Rwanda Association for Science Journalists (Patrick Nyiridandi)
- Association of British Science Writers (Benjamin Deighton)
- Swiss Association of Science Journalism (Olivier Dessibourg)
- Association des communicateurs scientifiques (Canada, Québec) (Joël Leblanc)
- National Association of Science Writers (United States of America) (Tinsley Davis)
- Association des Journalistes et Communicateurs scientifqiues du Bénin (Christophe Assogba)
- German Association of Science Writers (Peter Knoll)
- Catalan Association for Science Communication (Miriam Rivera)
- Association des Journalistes de santé et Environnement du Burundi (Jean-Claude Bigirindavyi)
- Journalists and Communicators Association for Health Promotion (Burundi) (Flavien Ndongo)