Creative Bureaucracy Festival meets Science: Interview Rhona Mijumbi-Deve

So how can scientific breakthroughs reach our administrations and our public offices in a way that actually makes a difference?

The exchange of information and understanding between science and government is a two-way street that needs to turn into a highway. For over 10 years, Rhona Mijumbi-Deve has had a key rolel in building the infrastructure to accomplish this mission. As director of the Centre for Rapid Evidence Synthesis at Makerere University/Uganda, she is at the forefront of ensuring policy and decision-makers have the evidence they need for important decisions the moment they need it. In her interview with Julia Stamm, Rhona not only speaks to the problems the two fields are currently faced with when working together but also offers concrete ideas for improvement. Creating interactive platforms to understand the needs and processes each field faces is key to building better relationships. Although it may be uncomfortable, stepping into someone else’s shoes is often the best way to gain perspective and make meaningful progress and achieve a step-change in connecting science and policy-making.