SciDev.Net Podcast: Geojournalism, the world’s largest radio telescope and more

This month’s podcast takes a closer look at the world’s largest radio telescope, a new approach to informed consent in developing countries, the expanding higher education frontier in Sub-Saharan Africa, and ‘geojournalism’.
 
First we travel to the semi-desert region of the Karoo in South Africa — to a construction site for the Square Kilometre Array, which will give scientists unprecedented access to the stars. Jon Spaull talks to Kyle Henderson, a local high school student who is now benefitting from this new science infrastructure.
 
Next we hear about 'rapid ethical appraisal' from Professor Melanie Newport of Brighton and Sussex Medical School, United Kingdom. She shares her approach to ensuring that medical study participants in developing countries are giving genuine informed consent. We also hear about her Footwork initiative to eradicate podoconiosis, a disease affecting more people in Ethiopia than HIV. 

Then we consider Africa’s knowledge economy, and take a look at how Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu of the University of Ghana is building on the experience of professors from Africa’s diaspora to improve local PhD programmes.
 
Finally, we hear from SciDev.Net editor Kaz Janowski about how journalists such as William Shubert of the Earth Journalism Network are breaking new ground with their ‘geojournalism’ movement. The network's Geojournalism Handbook includes free tutorials for anyone keen to incorporate more data into their environmental reporting.