Dr. Jean Kebere is a Doctor of Social Science Graduate. He holds a Bachelor and Master degree in Arts and Communications from the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso as well as an M.Phil. in Business Research from Monarch Business School Switzerland. He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Relations and Multimedia Technology from the University of Maryland at College Park, USA. He holds further specialization certificates in English from the University of Arizona-Tucson and in Biotechnology and Biosafety Communication from Michigan State University.? He has completed training in negotiation skills and techniques with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
At present, Dr. Kebere works as the Regional Communications Officer at the African Union Development Agency – NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) in the Dakar Office. In this capacity, he coordinates in particular the African Biosafety Communication Network which strives to build a critical mass of media practitioners specializing in biotechnology and biosafety in the continent. He also administers an online professional biotechnology and biosafety training platform which aims to equip African regulators and stakeholders with in-depth knowledge and skills in the biosafety area. Previous to this position, Dr Kebere worked as the Communications Officer at AUDA-NEPAD in Burkina Faso, Communication and Media Manager at OXFAM-Burkina Faso, Communications Manager at the Christian Children?s Fund of Canada (CCFC/Children Believe) as well as West Africa Information Officer at TREE AID. He has also been a volunteer with the American Red Cross.
Through the professional experience gained in International NGOs and Institutions, Dr Kebere developed a particular interest in communication for development and science communication in the African context. His academic interests focus on the development of a science communication model based on trust and ethics which may be engaging and inclusive in complex initiatives and polarized contexts.? He explores the nexus between communication, trust and ethics in communicating science, technology, and innovation in the African continent.
Dr Kebere is an award-winning writer who has authored a novel in Burkina Faso. He also authored and co-authored articles in particular on biotechnology and biosafety communication and regulation in Africa. He is fluent in English and French as well as in several local West African languages.