Casa de Oswaldo Cruz (COC / Fiocruz) has just partnered with the Italian SISSA Medialab, based in Trieste, for publishing JCOM América Latina, the Journal of Science Communication for Latin America.

Casa de Oswaldo Cruz is Brazil’s leading center for research, teaching, documentation, and communication in the history of health and science. It is part of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), a federal institution focussing on science and technology in the health field.

SISSA Medialab is a company that facilitates the production of scientific knowledge, its dissemination, and the dialogue between scientists and citizens.

JCOM América Latina is a diamond Open Access, peer-reviewed journal aimed at journalists and academics in media and communication, sociology, science, and technology, as well as museum professionals, scientists, and other multidisciplinary perspectives. 

The journal’s h-index is 10.

In addition to academic articles, the journal also publishes essays, practical insights and reviews on topics related to science communication in the region, including misinformation, communication between science and citizens and within the scientific community itself, the relationship between science and social institutions, as well as science communication policies and communication on topics such as the environment and health. JCOM América Latina also contributes to consolidating a common identity among academics from different disciplines, adopting a policy of free information circulation, and uniting communities that work in fields where theoretical reflection and concrete action are interconnected.

Created in 2018, the journal is the Latin American branch of the renowned Journal of Science Communication (JCOM), one of the leading in the field, operating for over 20 years. and also published by SISSA Medialab.

Luisa Massarani, editor-in-chief of JCOM América Latina, a researcher at Casa de Oswaldo Cruz and coordinator of the National Institute of Public Communication of Science and Technology of Fiocruz (INCT-CPCT), believes that this partnership is an essential step for the area of science communication in the continent: "We launched the journal in 2018 as a response to the growing literature in the field of science communication in Latin America. The partnership with Fiocruz formalizes what has been happening, and it is of great importance for the scholar and professional community of science communication in Latin America".

Aldo Rampioni, CEO of SISSA Medialab also celebrates the agreement: "The partnership with Fiocruz is strategic for SISSA Medialab to radicate and strengthen JCOM América Latina, improving the global impact of the Latin American research community. It does lay the foundation to make the journal grow further in a sustainable and open way."

According to Marcos José, director of Casa de Oswaldo Cruz, the partnership consolidates the institution's commitment to scientific publishing: "This partnership is another chapter in Casa de Oswaldo Cruz's long-standing relationship with scientific publishing and Open Access, in addition to strengthening our goals of internationalization."

Cristiana Prever, head of publishing at SISSA Medialab, shares her satisfaction for the partnership agreement: “We look forward to the new opportunities offered by our partnership with Fiocruz as a very important step for the growth of the journal and the whole Science Communication community of Latin America.

For Fiocruz’s deputy director of Research and Education, Magali Romero Sá, the signing of the agreement reflects the central role that science communication currently has at Fiocruz. “This partnership, which reaffirms our commitment to research in science communication, will contribute to the development of the field in Brazil and in the region,” she says.

“The partnership between SISSA Medialab and JCOM América Latina will pave the way to reaching the goal of offering an increasingly inclusive platform to both scientists and practitioners to better disseminate knowledge in the scicomm field.”, adds Beatrice Biggio, member of the journal’s Editorial Office which provides expert and informed assistance to the journal’s users and readers.

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