African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI) VI Conference

Date: 09-10 November 2010 

Venue: The Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West, South Africa 

Theme: Improving Access to Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa

•  Download full conference announcement and registration form here.

Conference Date, Venue, and Theme

The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) will host the sixth African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI) conference which will focus on Improving Access to Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa at the Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West, Western Cape from 9 to 10 November 2010.

 Address of Venue:

Conference Aim

This ASADI VI conference seeks to find ways of improving access to energy, especially in the sub-Saharan Africa region. Some of the topics that will be focused on are traditional versus modern forms of energy; who has access to energy; bridging the gap between rural and urban areas in terms of energy access; affordable and sustainable access to energy; and energy as a universal supply for economic development.  These evidence-based solutions will be shared with policy-makers from African governments and the public. A policy-makers’ advisory booklet on improving access to energy will be launched at the conference.

About ASSAf

The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) was inaugurated in May 1996 in the presence of President Nelson Mandela, the Patron of the launch of the Academy. It was formed in response to the need for an Academy of Science consonant with the dawn of democracy in South Africa: activist in its mission of using science for the benefit of society, with a mandate encompassing all fields of scientific enquiry in a seamless way, and including in its ranks the full diversity of South Africa’s distinguished scientists. The Parliament of South Africa passed the Academy of Science of South Africa Act (Act 67 in 2001) which came into operation on 15 May 2002. This has made ASSAf the official Academy of Science of South Africa, recognized by government and representing South Africa in the international community of science academies.

 The Academy in its unique position is tasked with providing direction, investigating and generating evidence-based advice on issues of public interest as they relate to scientific research. ASSAf regularly publishes its findings and recommendations and also acknowledges the achievements of South African scientists in order to develop the intellectual capability of the nation and promote innovative scientific thinking. The Academy enjoys regular interaction and knowledge exchange with other national science academies throughout the African continent as well as the global scientific community.

 For more information visit: www.assaf.org.za

 About ASADI

The African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI) was launched in 2004 by the U.S. National Academies and is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. ASADI is a 10-year effort aimed at strengthening the capability of African science academies to provide independent, evidence-supported advice to inform African government policy making and public discourse related to improving human health. The initiative also aims to foster a deeper appreciation on the part of African governments for the benefits of decision-making based on evidence and analysis -with a view toward building the demand for Academy-led efforts.

The grant supports intense capacity-building efforts with the science academies of Uganda, South Africa, and Nigeria – competitively selected on the basis of their potential to develop an effective and sustained policy-advisory process, the receptivity of their governments to seek advice from the scientific community, and the existence of a critical mass of scientific talent willing to serve as participants in policy-advisory activities. Collaborative partnering with these academies has helped to develop infrastructure, personnel, relationships between the academy and its government, and rigorous procedures for providing policy advice. The grant also provides modest support to the academies of Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Kenya, and the regional African Academy of Sciences for strategic planning efforts.

Complementary to the efforts to build capacity at the national level, an annual regional conference -held annually over the 10-year life of the project – is intended to enhance cooperation among African science academies, strengthen relationships among representatives of the academies and the policy making community, and foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the value of evidence-based policy advice.

 For more information visit: http://www.nationalacademies.org/asadi/  

 Participation

The conference will provide an opportunity for professionals, NGO’s and those in academia interested in energy matters, globally and within the continent, to interact with global energy leaders and other speakers who will address the conference. Participation is encouraged of young scientists, researchers, and professionals in the field of energy.

Conference Fees

The conference registration fee is:

• R1000 for both days
• R700 for a one day attendance

The conference fee will cover the daily conference package, conference bag, conference material and dinner on 9 November 2010

 ASSAf Banking Details

The ASSAf banking details are as follows:

Registrants are requested to make payments through cash deposits, cheques, credit cards, and online wire transfer. Payments should be effected by Friday 15 October 2010.

Those using cheques should indicate their names and surnames as per the registration at the back of their cheques, while those using the other modes of payment should use their names and surnames as per the registration form as reference.

Registration

The attached Registration Form must be completed in all its parts and returned to the ASSAf Secretariat in Pretoria by Friday 15 October 2010. A formal invitation letter will be sent to applicants, which will confirm the receipt of registration forms as well as payment of the registration fee. There are a limited number of seats available.

Travel and Accommodation

Participants should make their own travel and accommodation arrangements to the conference. 

Official Language

The official language at the conference will be English.

Address for Correspondence and Further Details

Contact Person: Dorothy Ngila

Phone: +27 12 349 6607

Fax: +27 (0) 86 576 9517

Email: mutheu@assaf.org.za

Professor Jill Farrant FRSSAf 

Molecular and Cell Biology Department, University of Cape Town

entitled 

 “Resurrection plants: unique Southern African plants that enable understanding of extreme water deficit (drought) tolerance” 

Most plants are highly sensitive to even slight water loss for short periods of time. Resurrection plants are highly unusual in that they can lose 95% of their cellular water, remain viable for prolonged periods and recover full metabolism on rehydration.  There are only ca 350 species of angiosperms with such vegetative desiccation tolerance, the majority of them endemic to Southern Africa. My research is aimed at gaining a comprehensive fundamental understanding of this phenomenon with the ultimate aim of utilizing key protectant systems identified to produce drought tolerant crops.  A systems biology approach is utilized in which molecular studies identify genes, proteins and metabolites that might be involved in protection; biochemical and physiological studies determine where and how such protection works and this is related to how plants cope in drought prone environments (ecophysiological studies). In my talk I will show you some of the amazing tricks used by resurrection plants to cope with water deficit stress.

Date:     Wednesday, 15 September 2010

Time:    17:00 (Tea will be served from 16:30)

Place:   South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) Auditorium, Observatory Road, Observatory* 

*Directions to SAAO Auditorium : Coming from the N2,turn off to the M57 – Liesbeek Parkway; turning in the direction of Cape Town and continue to the traffic lights with Hartleyvale (hockey and football) on your left. Turn right at traffic lights into Observatory Road, pass the River Club; the S A Astronomical Observatory is next on the left. Once through the security gates bear left following the SALT signs to the last building on the left (white with stoep & ramp).

ALL WELCOME, INCLUDING NON MEMBERS 

 For further information http://www.royalsocietysa.org.za ; Email: royalsociety@uct.ac.za

This Prize is exclusively for researchers whose activity is permanently exercised in such countries.

The Christophe Mérieux Prize (500,000 Euros) will be allocated as follows:

• 100,000 Euros as personal reward to the Prize winner having the scientific responsibility of the team
• 400,000 Euros earmarked for the development of the team’s research.

Click here to download the full call.

• Download full document here.

This Call for Applications covers long-term and short-term training opportunities in the USA only. There are four categories of training available in the USA as follows:

Category 1A: Post-doctoral traineeship in Epidemiology or Biostatistics at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

Category 1B:  Post-doctoral traineeship in Social Science or Public Health or Research Ethics at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University

Category 2A:  Short-term HIV and/or TB Basic Science skills training in HIV and TB laboratories in the USA

Category 2B:  Short-term HIV and/or TB Social Science and Public Health Ethics training in the USA

The closing date for receipt of applications is 20 September 2010.

1) Each year, up to twenty International Climate Protection Fellowships are awarded to prospective leaders from threshold or developing countries who are working on questions of climate protection and resource conservation in academia, business, government or nongovernmental organisations. They come to Germany for a year to conduct a project dedicated to the sharing of knowledge, methods and techniques together with a host. This encourages the creation of a network in which German and foreign experts collaborate on a sustainable, international basis to develop solutions for climate change and its global consequences. The fellowships are funded under the Federal Environment Ministry’s (BMU) International Climate Protection Initiative. The application deadline for the current application round is December 15.

The attached information leaflet offers further information on the programme. See also: www.humboldt-foundation.de/ICF

2) The Georg Forster Research Fellowships allow excellent scholars and scientists from emerging economies (excluding China and India) and developing countries to spend an extended time of research (6-24 months) with a host and collaborative partner in Germany. Postdoctoral and experienced researchers, who work on a research question with relevance to development, are eligible to apply. Apart from this, there are no quota – neither for specific subjects or country of origin. Applicants select their academic host in Germany themselves and agrees with the host on a research project. Applications can be submitted directly to the Foundation any time.

For further information also see the attached document or: www.humboldt-foundation.de/georgforster

Agricultural biotechnology, specifically genetic modification (GM) technology, can be one of the most vital tools for addressing the chronic food shortages in sub-Saharan Africa maintains a new report released by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). This report has been published as the result of a forum study in which ASSAf convened a series of expert workshops aimed at engaging African scientists in assessing the current challenges, opportunities and risks associated with the use of GMOs.

Africa is the only continent where food production per capita is decreasing and where hunger and malnutrition affect at least one in three people. Crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa have hardly changed over the past 40 years and cereal production has been steadily declining over the past four years.

The report suggests that GM technology can contribute to the resolution of the African food shortage, provided it is carried out within a framework of appropriate biotechnology policy with sufficient financing for human capital development, the construction and equipping of the necessary laboratories, and the use of rigorously planned, results-oriented GM food research. Research results have shown the possibility of increasing crop yields, improving the storage potential of harvested crops, improving the protein content of starchy foods, biofortification of local foods, and improving the functional potential of local foods.

Despite widespread scepticism surrounding the value of GM crops, this application of biotechnology is gradually finding its niche across the globe. A decade after GM crops were introduced into the world, their production has grown to approximately 125 million hectares globally.
The use of GM technology and its products are still in their infancy in Africa, and while South Africa remains the continent’s leader in the field, other African countries have begun to produce biotechnology products for commercial use. South Africa is one of three countries on the continent (along with Egypt and Burkina Faso) producing commercial GM crops. Despite most African countries having ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), only a few African countries have functioning biosafety legislation that allows field trials of GM products (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania).

To allow developing countries to derive the full potential benefits of biotechnology crops, technology developers should also consider factors such as the relevance and accessibility of a particular technology to ensure sustainability, not only in their post-release safety but also in terms of their potential socioeconomic impacts within developing countries, which to date have usually only been considered at a very late stage of product development.

Ongoing biotechnology research in Africa focuses largely on attempting to solve local problems associated with food production, health and the environment. Locally focussed biotechnology can play a role in increased global crop productivity to improve food, feed and fibre security in sustainable crop production systems that also conserve biodiversity. It can contribute to the alleviation of poverty and hunger, and the augmentation of traditional plant breeding, and can reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture, mitigate climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the cost effective production of biofuel.

The study was undertaken in collaboration with the Union of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) and the Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS).

Professor Heinrich Schwoerer, Laser Research Institute, Physics Department, University of Stellenbosch

entitled ‘The power of light – remarks on the occasion of the 50th birthday of the laser’

50 years ago the first laser was built, a small and weak source of red light out of an exotic crystal. The exceptionally elegant theory behind this device was developed already half a century before by Albert Einstein. I will introduce the peculiarity and the beauty of laser light, briefly mention our daily benefits from this technique, but then focus on future developments of lasers sources in the context of energy security, medical treatment, very fundamental science, and as an ideal educational tool on the way to a knowledge based society.’

Date:     Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Time:    17:00 (Tea will be served from 16:30)

Place:   South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) Auditorium, Observatory Road, Observatory*

 *Directions to SAAO Auditorium : Coming from the N2,turn off to the M57 – Liesbeek Parkway; turning in the direction of Cape Town and continue to the traffic lights with Hartleyvale (hockey and football) on your left. Turn right at traffic lights into Observatory Road, pass the River Club; the S A Astronomical Observatory is next on the left. Once through the security gates bear left following the SALT signs to the last building on the left (white with stoep & ramp).

 ALL WELCOME, INCLUDING NON MEMBERS 

 For further information http://www.royalsocietysa.org.za ; Email: royalsociety@uct.ac.za

In this year, Joint research project proposals shall be submitted to the relevant authorities in both countries for evaluation (the National Council for Science and Technology in Kenya and the National Research Foundation in South Africa). Evaluation will be done according to the following criteria:

• Scientific and technical merit;
• Impact on bilateral science and technology relations;
• Significance for both countries;
• Potential for creating research and development capacity;
• Quality and clarity of project presentation;
• Methodology; and
• Suitability and feasibility

 For the purposes of this call, research projects falling within the following areas/disciplines will be considered:

• Biosciences (food, agriculture biotechnology, health and indigenous knowledge)
• Space Science (Astronomy & earth observation)
• Water management (Harvesting, purification and water resource mapping)

Successful projects will be funded up to a maximum amount of R300, 000 (Ksh 3,000,000) per project of which R150 000 should be the SA budget component and (R150 000 in Kenyan Shillings), the Kenyan component for a period not exceeding two years. Researchers should therefore note that two separate budgets would be required from each side. Researchers should take note that they will be responsible for their own international travel, subsistence and accommodation.

Funding may only be utilized for the following items:

• Flight tickets;
• Accommodation;
• Subsistence;
• Consumables; and
• Publication costs

The joint application for funding must include two Principal Investigators. Researchers. The SA applicant must be employed at a recognised higher education or research institution such as a university, university of technology or science council in South Africa. Researchers from both countries must be in possession of a PhD. The Principal Investigators will be responsible for the scientific and financial reporting, as well as other technical and administrative co-ordination of the project. They will also be required to submit an annual and final report to their respective funding agencies upon completion of the project. Researchers employed at private companies will not be allowed to apply under this programme.

Application forms for proposal submission may be obtained from the National Council for Science and Technology (www.ncst.go.ke) for Kenyan applicants and from the National Research Foundation in South Africa (www.nrf.ac.za) for our South African applicants. Submissions should include Curriculum Vitaes of the Principal Investigators and. must be received by 18^th September, 2010 via e-mail. Signatures may either be signed electronically or scanned. Please ensure that the partner’s signed page is attached which may be a faxed or scanned copy.

Electronic copies must be submitted to the e-mail addresses below, to the respective country of the researcher. The SA application, together with the scanned signature page must be emailed directly to Seymour@nrf.ac.za

No Kenyan application will be accepted in SA.

Kindly note that budget availability and proposals with a high evaluation rating are extremely important factors in determining the success of an application. No hard copies will be accepted.

Researchers must ensure that applications have been submitted in both countries. Applications that do not adhere to this criterion will be disqualified.

For further information, please contact:

The Secretary,

National Council for Science and Technology
P.O. Box 30623-00100

NAIROBI

Website: www.ncst.go.ke

E-mail: stifund@ncst.go.ke

Research Grants Division

Mr Said S. Hussein

Telephone: +254 20 2241349

Fax: +254 20 2213215

Email: husaid59@yahoo.com

AND

National Research Foundation (NRF)
PO Box 2600
0001 PRETORIA
South Africa

NRF website: www.nrf.ac.za

Programme related enquiries

Mr Michael Nxumalo
E-mail: michael@nrf.ac.za
Tel: +27 12 481 4011
Fax: +27 12 481 4044

Grant and technical related enquiries

Ms Lee-Anne Seymour

E-mail: seymour@nrf.ac.za

Tel: +27 481 4121

Fax: 0866 399 571

Download the call here.

Download the application form here.

Applications (Hard copies and full package) for this award should be sent to:

For any further enquiries please contact the Secretariat e-mail: scientific-awards@africaunion.org or visit the AU Commission official website for this programme.

Download complete rules and procedures.

Download application form.      [English]      [Français]