News

By Jackson Isdory, CMU

The University of Dar es Salaam Communication and Media Studies Scholar, Dr. Dotto Paul Kuhenga, has been appointed a member of the Climate Action Committee of the prestigious International Communication Association (ICA) for a three-year tenure.

The news of this appointment to serve in one of the standing committees of ICA – a global academic association for scholars interested in the study, teaching and application of all aspects of human and mediated communication or media studies, was communicated by Julie M. Arnold, ICA's Director of Governance and Member Services, on behalf of ICA President Prof. Silvio Waisbord, on 25 July 2024.

“This committee plays a key role in shaping ICA’s future, so we greatly appreciate your time and commitment to the association”, stated the information to Dr. Kuhenga, who is a lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and also UDSM’s Head of Communication and Marketing.

Dr. Kuhenga will serve in the committee alongside other scholars namely EWon Assistant Professor Jiyoung Han of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology-KAIST (Committee chair), Prof. Joyee Chatterjee of the Asian Institute of Technology-AIT, Thailand, Prof. Graig Scott of The University of Texas at Austin, USA and Prof. Melissa Tafoya of the La Sierra University, USA.

ICA Executive Director Laura Sawyer applauded the new appointees and expressed the association's enthusiasm for their contributions. “We are delighted to have you! We believe you have a great contribution to make to our organization and that you will find your service to ICA a rewarding experience. We look forward to working together to create a more successful association”.

The Climate Action Committee is responsible for provision of education on green practices, publishing a newsletter and assessing and providing resources to ICA members and conference attendees enabling them to self assess and offset their carbon footprint. “It suggests to the Board of Directors actions that the committee can take to foster green/sustainable/environmentally friendly practices within ICA and for its members”.

Elevating UDSM’s international standing

UDSM Deputy Vice Chancellor-Research, Prof. Nelson Boniface, commended Dr Kuhenga on the appointment and said it not only elevated UDSM's international standing but also “underscored our commitment to addressing global challenges through academic excellence and impactful research. The University congratulates him on this well-deserved recognition and eagerly anticipates his continued contributions to climate action and communication”.

Dr. Kuhenga, whose PhD studies focused on Communicating Climate Change, expressed his gratitude and eagerness to contribute to the committee's mission. “It is a great honour to be part of this vital initiative. I look forward to collaborating with esteemed colleagues from around the globe to promote sustainable practices and advocate for climate action through communication scholarly works. This position will enhance my career, particularly in teaching, research, and community service as I gain knowledge from distinguished communication scholars globally”.

Dr. Kuhenga, who also holds MA in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University, South Africa, and MA in Development Studies and BA in Journalism, both from UDSM, publishes and conducts consultancies in areas namely, climate change communication, practices of print journalism, strategic communication, media and development, and the role of community media (especially community radio) in Africa in general, and in rural Tanzania in particular.

About ICA’s organs and functions

ICA was established in the 1950s as a small organization of US-based researchers and since then has expanded to become a truly international association that boasts more than 7,000 members in over 85 countries currently. It aims to advance the scholarly study of communication by encouraging and facilitating excellence in academic research worldwide.

This Association has been officially associated with the United Nations as a non-governmental association (NGO) since 2003. It has the Board of Directors, Committees and Task Forces.

Apart from the Climate Action Committee in which Dr. Kuhenga will serve, other ICA standing committees include the Executive Committee, Affiliate Journal Committee, Conference Planning Committee, Division and Interest Groups Mentoring Committee, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Committee, Membership and Internationalization Committee, Nominating Committee, Open Access Open Scholarship Committee, Professional Standards Committee, Publications Committee Regional Endeavors, Affiliate Conferences & Hubs Committee, and Student and Early Career Advisory Committee.