About the organization

Founded by Ophelia Deroy and Jimena Zapata, Terra Cognita is a non-profit organization dedicated to improve direct and concrete engagement with research and science.

We know more and more - but who is "we"? New research need to reach the people who could benefit from it and contribute to it.  The teams of volunteers and members of Terra Cognita use their expertise in psychology, neuroscience, but also philosophy, anthropology, policy and technology to identify concrete and psychological obstacles to knowledge sharing and work towards new solutions, outside the beaten tracks of classic science communication.   

Terra Cognita is funded by donations and complies with the strictest NGO financial management requirements.

Knowledge is common good, but not equally shared and accessible. Education, literacy, physical access, economic or time pressures are commonly seen as major obstacles. We can't always change these, but we can change the way knowledge is communicated and put to better and new uses. 

Our organisation is evidence-based : we bring expertise in psychology, cognitive and computer science to identify knowledge  barriers, find new solutions and evaluate our campaigns. 

Our projects are community-based : we work with people, museums, foundations and NGOs, and local communities to think about better ways to share the science they want to discuss and engage with.

Our projects are inclusive : we help share science and ideas, not ideologies.