From Research to Stage;University of Nairobi Harnesses Storytelling to Bring Maritime Science to the Public

How do you move research from academic papers to public action?This question is shaping an innovative approach to research communication at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP), University of Nairobi Faculty of Law, where researchers, legal scholars and theatre practitioners are collaborating to transform scientific evidence into stories that inspire dialogue, reflection and action.

On 30 July 2026, CASELAP officially launched the creative phase of the Environmental Maritime Governance in Kenya (EMG-K) Science Engagement Project through a Workshop and Devising Session that brought together the EMG-K research team and the University of Nairobi Travelling Theatre (UNTT).

The workshop marked the beginning of a journey to translate three years of research on Kenya's environmental maritime governance into a stage production that will engage communities, policymakers and the wider public through the power of storytelling. 

The production, A Seat at the Table: Inclusion and Exclusion in Kenya's Environmental Maritime Governance, seeks to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and public understanding by demonstrating that research can be communicated not only through journals and policy papers, but also through creative arts that make knowledge accessible, relatable and memorable.

Universities have traditionally communicated research through peer-reviewed journals, books, policy briefs and academic conferences. These remain essential channels for advancing scholarship, informing policy and generating new knowledge.

However, for research to create lasting societal impact, it must also reach the communities whose lives it seeks to improve.

The EMG-K Science Engagement Project embraces storytelling as an innovative approach to research communication. Rather than replacing conventional academic outputs, theatre complements them by bringing research into public spaces where audiences can engage with scientific evidence through characters, lived experiences and dialogue.

Through storytelling, complex concepts such as maritime governance, environmental justice, climate policy and inclusion become more accessible, encouraging conversations that extend beyond academia into communities, institutions and policy spaces.

The initiative reflects the University of Nairobi's growing commitment to science engagement strengthening the connection between evidence, policy and society by ensuring that research informs not only decision-makers but also the public.

Opening the workshop, Prof. Collins Odote, Associate Dean Faculty of Law and Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP), described the initiative as the culmination of three years of research and highlighted the central question that now forms both the foundation of the research and the heart of the stage production.

"Built on three years of research, the project examines who is included and who is excluded from environmental maritime governance in Kenya, asking a fundamental question: Who gets a seat at the table when decisions about our marine environment are made?"

That question captures the essence of the Environmental Maritime Governance in Kenya (EMG-K) project and provides the dramatic thread that will guide A Seat at the Table, inviting audiences to reflect on participation, representation and environmental justice through storytelling.

The workshop immersed members of the University of Nairobi Travelling Theatre in the scientific foundations of the research before inviting them into the creative process. Participants explored Kenya's environmental maritime governance framework, the Blue Economy, International Maritime Organization (IMO) processes, MARPOL Annex VI, maritime air emissions and environmental justice, providing the context upon which the production will be developed. 

The workshop also introduced participants to the findings of the EMG-K research project, presented by Dr. Elvin Nyukuri.

Drawing on three years of research, the project explores inclusion and exclusion within Kenya's environmental maritime governance systems, examining participation in international maritime climate negotiations, national governance structures and implementation at the local level.

The research reveals that while Kenya has emerged as an increasingly active participant in international maritime governance, important questions remain about participation in environmental decision-making. It highlights how seafarers, port workers, coastal communities and other stakeholders who experience the impacts of maritime environmental policies are often the furthest removed from the spaces where those decisions are made. 

These findings form the evidence base upon which the theatre production will be built.

Following the research presentations, the workshop transitioned from scientific evidence to creative exploration.

Led by the University of Nairobi Travelling Theatre, researchers and performers participated in collaborative devising sessions that used story circles, improvisation and scene development to identify the themes, characters, relationships and dramatic tensions emerging from the research. The sessions marked the first step in transforming scientific findings into compelling human stories that audiences can connect with emotionally and intellectually. 

The collaboration illustrates the unique role of theatre in science engagement.

While research explains evidence, storytelling enables people to experience it.

Policy debates become conversations between characters. Research findings become lived experiences. Scientific concepts are explored through human relationships, making complex governance issues understandable to audiences regardless of their academic background.

The creative process will continue through a field immersion along Kenya's coast, where the production team will engage directly with maritime stakeholders whose experiences will inform the development of the script.

At the centre of the Science Engagement Project is A Seat at the Table, a stage production inspired by the voices, experiences and evidence generated through the EMG-K research.

The play seeks to humanise environmental maritime governance by placing people not policies at the centre of the conversation.

Through the experiences of policymakers, researchers, regulators, seafarers, port workers and coastal communities, audiences will explore how decisions about the marine environment are made, who participates in those decisions and whose voices remain unheard.

Rather than presenting maritime governance as a technical subject reserved for specialists, the production invites audiences to consider its real-world implications for livelihoods, environmental justice and sustainable development.

In doing so, the play seeks to stimulate dialogue between researchers, policymakers and communities while demonstrating the value of storytelling as a powerful tool for science engagement.

The EMG-K Science Engagement Project is a collaboration between Copenhagen Business School, the University of Nairobi's Centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP) and the Institute for Law and Environmental Governance (ILEG), with the Science Engagement component being delivered in partnership with the University of Nairobi Travelling Theatre.