NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION / SOUTH AFRICAN AGENCY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT (NRF/ SAASTA)
The South Africa Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) is a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF) with the mandate to advance public awareness, appreciation and engagement of science, engineering, innovation and technology in South Africa. The fundamental principles of SAASTA’s success in advancing a culture of engagement with science in South Africa lie in its synergistic approach. Science, through research, has a crucial role to play in the growth of South Africa’s economy. Active dialogue and engagement between science and society ensure that scientific research findings are easily translated into relevant, appropriate and beneficial innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities. Research findings should also impact policy and social conditions in a country. This can only be achieved when science becomes a daily dialogue and discourse.
In line with one of their strategic areas of focus; Science Communication, through which science and technology achievements are shared with the public to build up an appreciation for the benefits of science, we were tasked with the creative overhaul of the NRF’s multimedia communication tools included a website and email newsletter, GetSETgo, and the subscription base required expansion to optimise its reach.
We designed a fresh, vibrant, interactive and responsive digital tool, a website and an e-newsletter to promote this strategic focus by infusing brand and user experience. The e-newsletter is distributed via email to a database of 3500+ and is linked directly to the official SAASTA website. With each edition of this digital publication, current developments and debates within the STEM community were captured, further elevating the platform’s user experience and interactivity values.