From 2012 to 2019, I had the great honor and immense pleasure to chair the board of the Swiss Association of Science Journalism. A fantastic project in itself, this association is the uniting body of science journalists in Switzerland, for which we organized a variety of activities.
Founded in 1974, the Swiss Association of Science Journalism (SASJ) is a professional association uniting current and former science journalists in Switzerland. It has presently around 350 members. Of these, 180 are «ordinary members» working either as science editors/reporters for newspapers, magazines, websites, radio and television shows, or as freelancers. The other approximately 170 «extraordinary members» hold jobs with media- and information-groups of private companies or scientific institutions.
Main goals
The goals of the SASJ include strengthening quality, independent and transparent science journalism in the Swiss media landscape, developing a network between it members and members of other similar associations, and in general fostering valuable and accurate information exchange between the scientists, the policymakers and the lay public.
To reach those objectives, the SASJ provides its members with a rich website, a bulletin with articles about science journalism good practices, and a weekly newsletter. It organises various annual workshops, training courses, seminars, excursions and study trips on science and science journalism issues. Ordinary members can also apply twice a year for a grant in investigative science journalism to help them achieve their project. SASJ members are regularly invited through its network to science and journalism events of interest in Europe and abroad.
A distinguished board
Having a board of eight recognized science journalists, SASJ is a full member of the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ). It serves as the unique responding entity about science journalism issues in Switzerland. Its members are regularly asked to take part in juries, festival boards and other event committees about science journalism and communication.
The SASJ activities are financed by its members’ fees, by e-commerce actions appearing in the newsletter (jobs, events announcements, etc) and by external donors, albeit SASJ has clear and strict rules to ensure the full and sole independence of action of its members in any of its events.
–> Swiss Association of Science Journalism website.
My role, during my duty as President (2012-2019)
- Chair a board of eight colleagues from Switzerland
- Represent Switzerland as the swiss delegate at the Word Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ)
- Represent Switzerland at the European Union of Science Journalists Associations (EUSJA)
- Represent swiss independant quality science journalism in many events in Switzerland
- Co-founding the European Federation for Science Journalism (EFSJ)
- Raise funds to support the activities of the Association (seminars, workshops, field&lab visits)
- Help organize the events of the Association
- Co-organize study field trips abroad (Brazil 2014; Jordan 2016)
