George Claassen
George Claassen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949 (age 75–76) |
| Nationality | South African |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, Writer, Academic |
| Parent(s) | Petronella Claassen (née Theunissen) George Nicolaas Claassen |
| Relatives | Wynand Classen (Brother) |
| Awards | SAASTA South African Science Communicator of the Year Award |
| Academic background | |
| Education | PhD |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria (BA, MA) UNISA (PhD) |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | Beeld HSRC Pretoria Technikon Stellenbosch University Die Burger Media24 SABC |
| Notable ideas | Founder of Sceptic South Africa |
| Writing career | |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Notable works | Geloof, bygeloof en ander wensdenkery (on beliefs) Kwakke, kwinte & kwale (on quackery) |
| Website | |
| George Claasen on CENSCOM | |
George Claassen is a South African journalist who was the head of department of journalism at Pretoria Technikon and Stellenbosch University. Claassen was the first academic in the field of journalism to develop a course in science and technology journalism and can rightly be called the "father of science communication in Africa"
In 1997 he developed and established the first university course in science and technology journalism at an African university.
He became science editor for the Afrikaans daily newspaper, Die Burger and is the founding director of Sceptic South Africa. He is occasionally referred to as the "South African Richard Dawkins."
Claassen is the director of the Centre for Science and Technology Mass Communication (CENSCOM) at the University of Stellenbosch and is the ombudsman of Media24's Community Press. He also serves as science correspondent for the SABC.