An academic citizen is anyone who is part of the higher education community. They are engaged in pedagogy or research or both, and are committed to furthering knowledge, education and the advancement of society from their disciplinary position.
An academic citizen sees their work in higher education as a public project, both in terms of being partially funded by taxpayer money, and in terms of the contributions they wish to make to the world around them.
Although citizenship implies an exclusive form of belonging, here we use it to signal the role of academic work in collective life in a non-exclusionary way, and to anchor it in a public project to which all humanity belongs.
We create knowledge not only for our individual benefit but for the benefit of all.
The Academic Citizen is an independent podcast series produced and funded in its second iteration by the South African Research Chair in Science Communication in 2022. It was originally supported by the Academic Staff Association of Wits University (ASAWU) when it was first established in 2016.
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An academic citizen is anyone who is part of the higher education community. They are engaged in pedagogy or research or both, and are committed to furthering knowledge, education and the advancement of society from their disciplinary position.
An academic citizen sees their work in higher education as a public project, both in terms of being partially funded by taxpayer money, and in terms of the contributions they wish to make to the world around them.
Although citizenship implies an exclusive form of belonging, here we use it to signal the role of academic work in collective life in a non-exclusionary way, and to anchor it in a public project to which all humanity belongs.
We create knowledge not only for our individual benefit but for the benefit of all.
The Academic Citizen is an independent podcast series produced and funded in its second iteration by the South African Research Chair in Science Communication in 2022. It was originally supported by the Academic Staff Association of Wits University (ASAWU) when it was first established in 2016.
Marion Island may be thousands of kilometres from the South African mainland, but it buzzes with activity: tiny, and large fluttering, crawling, nesting, scurrying movements. In this episode, we dig deeper into the island’s living world to explore the extraordinary creatures that inhabit this subantarctic terrain. From insects smaller than a fingernail to birds that undertake vast journeys across the Southern Ocean, and even the mice whose presence has altered the ecosystem, we examine some of the animals that live in this harsh environment.
Why are these species important? What makes their survival so exceptional? And what insights are scientists gaining about biodiversity, adaptation, and ecological vulnerability at one of the planet’s most remote research locations? Using vivid descriptions, expert knowledge, and field observations, this episode explores the diverse life forms coexisting on this windswept island and the vital research aimed at protecting them. We start with the tiniest inhabitants and gradually broaden our focus to include some of the feathered and furry creatures that define life here.
We thank the following guests on this episode:
-Ms Camilla Smyth, Mr Chandler Patel, Mr Andile Khuzwayo, Ms Janu Rau, Ms Rhiannon Gill and Ms Eleanor Weideman from the South African Polar Research Institute.
-Dr Daniela Monsanto from the University of Johannesburg
-Ms Naomi Monk from the University of Pretoria
-Dr Keith Springer from Mouse Free Marion
For more information on the work discussed in this episode, visit:
-BirdLife South Africa and Peter Ryan’s book
-Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment
-Mouse Free Marion
-South African National Antarctic Programme
-South African Polar Research Infrastructure
This season is funded by the NRF-South African Research Chair in Science Communication, located within the Centre for Science Communication at Stellenbosch University. Prof Mehita Iqani is the Chairholder. | www.imidibaniso.co.za
The Academic Citizen
An academic citizen is anyone who is part of the higher education community. They are engaged in pedagogy or research or both, and are committed to furthering knowledge, education and the advancement of society from their disciplinary position.
An academic citizen sees their work in higher education as a public project, both in terms of being partially funded by taxpayer money, and in terms of the contributions they wish to make to the world around them.
Although citizenship implies an exclusive form of belonging, here we use it to signal the role of academic work in collective life in a non-exclusionary way, and to anchor it in a public project to which all humanity belongs.
We create knowledge not only for our individual benefit but for the benefit of all.
The Academic Citizen is an independent podcast series produced and funded in its second iteration by the South African Research Chair in Science Communication in 2022. It was originally supported by the Academic Staff Association of Wits University (ASAWU) when it was first established in 2016.
