Comments for Blog Agora

Comment on Toward eco-responsible agriculture by Alejandra Bravo

Alejandra Bravo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:31:03 +0000

I think that there are different kinds of OGM and we cannot generalize since the characteristic of each of them depends on the trait that they express. Each one of them should be analyzed carefully but taking into account the alternative technology used in the case of non-OGM that are used today.

I think that in the case of Bt-plants, that are the OGM resistant to insect attack because they express the insecticidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis, are safe in comparison to the use of chemical insecticides. This is a clean and powerful technology to control insect pest in agricultural fields. We need to take in account that Insects can cause 20 or 30% of crop loses and therefore they must be controlled.

Actually what is normally used are chemical insecticides that causes many problems in humans as cancer, immune-system diseases and allergies.

Also chemical insecticides kill non-target insects. These chemical-insecticides are also polluting the environment since they do not degrade easily and remain in the soil for many years.

In contrast Bt toxins are specific to kill only few insects, do not have any effect in humans and are completely biodegradable in few weeks. Then Bt toxins are a much better alternative than chemical insecticides, and OGM named Bt-plants are not toxic to humans or cause any problem in the environment.

“Does your research will have consequences on OGM ?”

Yes in the future, since we are producing better Bt toxins that could be expressed in plants in order to control specific insect pests and to kill insects that become resistant to normal Bt toxins.

Comment on Toward eco-responsible agriculture by KRESSMANN

KRESSMANN — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:47:21 +0000

Que pense Mme Bravo des OGM ? Ses travaux auront ils des conséquences sur les OGM ?

Comment on Toward eco-responsible agriculture by Angeles Cancino

Angeles Cancino — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:36:50 +0000

Felicidades Alejandra, es un privilegio trabajar contigo y aprender de tu forma de hacer Ciencia.

Comment on Ethiopia: What Went Wrong? by KLEPAC PETRA

KLEPAC PETRA — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:59:47 +0000

Excellent article, Mestawet. I agree that aid is essential as immediate relief, but sustainable use of natural resources is the only long-term solution. The same measures you list here as means to prevent drought and hunger, would also help maintain biodiversity, and protect nature. Furthermore, controlling population growth, fighting malnutrition, and having access to clean water would also decrease the incidence of many diseases. I find it interesting how things are connected across many scales, and how the same measures would help many different problems. One can’t help but wonder why those measures are so hard to implement in practice.

Comment on About the roles of scientists and policy makers by NG'ANG'A LIZ

NG'ANG'A LIZ — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:45:45 +0000

Hello Petra,

I am so delighted to read this posting. I recently submitted a proposal to research the Role of Communication in Science Policy in Africa. As you might be aware there have been increased attention on science and its interlinkage to poverty eradication in Africa. This goes back to the Lagos Plan of Action of 1980, when heads of state pledged to allocate 1% of their gross national product to research and development. Unfortunately, close to 30 years later, at the AU Summit of January 2007, dedicated to science and technology, African Heads of State found themselves making the same exact pledge, which has to date not been achieved. During this latter forum, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda wondered about ‘the gap between intentions and reality…and why the fine words from the top are not being transformed into action’. I think the main reason, as you rightly point out is the lack of a concerted communication process; one that would create a constituency in Africa that believes in science and therefore demands for it. This is what I want to reach: how can scientists be more alert and involved in what is going on around them; how can they find a place in the extremely tedious policymaking process, especially in Africa? How can they involve the media, the civil society and other groups to make a case for science? I would very much like to look at infectious diseases as part of that study…

Liz Ng’ang’a, Nairobi, Kenya

Comment on The Importance of Role Models to Girls’ Educational Choices by Mr. François Christiaens

Mr. François Christiaens — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 14:22:00 +0000

Dr. Joan Steitz’s experience is of particular interest especially because it began several years ago and shows how people think differently now. In addition, the need for good role models to girls’ educationnal choices is highlighted too.

Hollywood movies can be considered, in a given extent, as showcases that would invite people to enter upon, say, a designer, a soldier or a scientist career. Indeed, popular movies are seen by lots of people, among which young students who may being hesitating to become a scientist. On these students, the impact of the movies can be decisive, because, as Sidney Perkowitz pointed out in an article published in Physics World (http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/19/7/3), “if the movies are to be believed, my fellow physicists are not just smart people. They are also courageous, often saving the world even at grave personal risk; generous, freely giving their valuable research results to humanity [...].” The good role models depicted in the picture may incitate young girls to take up a scientific career.

Yet, (here I quote again Sidney Perkowitz’s article) “Female physicists are rarely presented well in the movies. [...] Thankfully, the film portrayal of female scientists has improved in recent years.” So, why not use the popular movies as “resonance chambers” to attract and encourage more women to study science? One technical solution could be to create dedicated blogs or websites with keywords linked with the latest movies, thus these sites would be highly ranked by the research engines that crawl the Internet and this would increase the probability of females reading about relevant scientific comments on the movie and, by the way, the benefits of studying science.

Comment on Beyond Science Education: Preparing Women for Careers in Science by François Christiaens

François Christiaens — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 13:27:27 +0000

The way to interest children in studying science has been discussed in a paper written by Averil Macdonald (who is a science-education consultant and part-time lecturer in physics at the University of Reading UK) in the June issue of the magazine Physics World. She highlights that showing wonderful experiments is far from enough to get children convinced that science and research is attractive.
Especially about young girls, she writes this:
“[...] there is a theory that successful women are positive role models for girls. This can be true for high-achieving, confident girls. However less-confident girls exhibit success resentment syndrome. This manifests itself as overly loud chatting and giggling to demonstrate their indifferent attitude. Not only do they not aspire this sort of success, they are so convinced that it is beyond them that they actively turn against anyone who is successful.”
Based on these two observations, I would like to emphasize the need to pay special attention to the honesty in the description of a science-related job, which is not easy but can be rewarding. As soon as students realize they can make a contribution, each one according to his/her possibilities, they may be more interesed in joining. This would partly answer to the questions women have to deal in interviews that Anita Krisko mentionned: yes, women may plan to have children, so what?
Here, it may be fruitful to use an argument raised by the French sociologist Bruno Latour, who highlighted that science is different from research. Science may be compared to well-established, multi-checked (”frozen”) knowledge; although research is about studying/exploring the living part of knowledge, assumptions that remains to be confirmed: where everybody can play a significant role, using his/her philosophy and no matter if the student is a male or a female.

François Christiaens
L’Oréal Recherche
Research engineer

Comment on About Higher Education in Science for Women by ALLACH Mariam

ALLACH Mariam — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 19:18:52 +0000

Really, the road of the search(research) is very difficult for the woman seen the mentality of the company(society) which sees that the woman is rather intended for the good to be of her family, me soot in agreement, but and if this woman can make both things at the same time ave a little of help(assistant) and of comprehension of her husband. But this last one can be is afraid of success of the Woman and done everything he can for frees the scientiphique route(course) of his wife it is really a very shameful descrimination, an example to be quoted: the stays which the scientiphique can realize abroad, it is parmis the impossible, seen the imcompréhension of the husband.
But he(it) ya women who try to go farther by neglecting all the obstacles As I made and I speak about my own experience(experiment), and it just to prove that the science belongs to everybody woman and man. And the woman can more resistant and more ambitious.

Comment on Communicating the Joys and Rewards of Science in Africa by TREMBLAY Virginie

TREMBLAY Virginie — Tue, 23 May 2006 16:23:22 +0000

Thank you for this very interesting article!

I believe it is an international dilema to encourage students to pursue their studies in science without diminishing the “arts” students’ enthousiast in their own field. Furthermore, there is still a great deal of work to do with students at every level in both science & arts fields regarding tolerance…

Comment on Beyond Science Education: Preparing Women for Careers in Science by Barbosa Marcia

Barbosa Marcia — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 19:13:48 +0000

Anita Krisko brought up a very important point. Men have been trained since childhood to face the work place, women have not. The American Physical Society (www.aps.org) offers trainning programs for young scientists to learn how to speak in public, how to write a proposal, etc. Making these programs available through internet is a challange that the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics – Working Group on Women in Physics (www.iupap.org) has taken on as its next project. I believe that bringing these courses to different countries will help to fill the gap some women feel.

Marcia Barbosa
International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
Chair, Working Group on Women in Physics