Dr. Yabebal Fantaye and Dr. Amna Abdalla, Co-Chairs of the NEF
Community of Scientists on behalf of the NEF Community of Scientists
Executive Committee
We would like to read and grow accustomed to news of the following
nature in the not so distant future: “Scientists in Rwanda have
published a new breakthrough in quantum computing. Their work has
demonstrated the possibility of building general-purpose quantum
computers”; “The South African led international team claimed that
using the recently built Square Kilometre Array ( SKA ) telescope in the
Karoo desert in South Africa, they detected a radio signal originating
from a nearby star that strongly suggested life outside our solar
system”; “A Nigerian based research team announced new genetically
modified rice seeds that are believed to be effectively starting the new
green revolution. Nigeria is now in a position to produce all of its
rice needs domestically in the coming decade, saving about $2bn annually
from rice import”.
How do we achieve this vision for Africa? The task is multifaceted but
well within reach. To achieve it, first, a resolute commitment by
African governments to support cutting-edge research and funding
excellence centers in their countries has to be in place. National and
continental policies must be conducive enough to create an environment
where local brilliant minds are retained and external ones are
attracted. These policies should further foster the transfer of basic
research, inventions and innovations to technology to form a
knowledge-based economy. Last but not least, the public should be well
informed to embrace and even demand innovative products and services.
Perhaps a more important role in the scientific transformation of Africa
has to be played by the continent’s young brilliant minds. It was in
this vein that the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) founded the Community of
Scientists (CoS). The NEF CoS, as one of the four pillars of NEF, was
created to facilitate a unified African scientific identity, the
existence of which would drive a science-backed Africa’s socio-economic
transformation, realizing the continent’s potential and bringing it back
to the front line of global technological transformation.
The NEF Community of Scientists is a dynamic network of past and present
NEF Fellows and Ambassadors, and other leading scientists within Africa
and abroad including fellows from the Africa Research Excellence Fund
(AREF). The goal is to create a brain-bank by bringing-together and
harnessing Africa’s rich pool of young talent to catalyze growth towards
a knowledge-led economy. The NEF CoS is the brainchild of the NEF
Fellows and Ambassadors after participation in NEF activities in 2017.
Such activities included the NEF Fellow tours in Rwanda, Ethiopia and
Mauritius, coordinated Africa Science Weeks in 13 African countries and
round-table discussions on precision health and energy storage in
Rwanda, South Africa and Davos. The community’s vision is to support
NEF’s directive to position Africa as a leader in science globally and
drive knowledge-based economies locally, by fostering an environment for
innovative scientific discoveries. The NEF CoS will be formally
launched in March 2018 during the second edition of the Global Gathering
in Kigali, Rwanda.
Its objectives include:
- Fostering Scientific Excellence
- Foster scientific collaborations among and between Africa’s brilliant minds and outside the continent
- Encourage evidence based scientific reporting and assessments through paid consultations and Pan-African projects
- Participate in developing cutting-edge and innovative STEM education
- Acknowledge and give visibility to young and talented African scientists
- Maintain a respected scientific journal
- Mentoring and Public Outreach
- Inspire young Africans to pursue career in STEM
- Identify and mentor forward-thinking and advanced young scientific minds in Africa
- Encourage and support more women to join STEM fields and the ones joined to stay in the field
- Facilitate the integration of scientific thinking into society through various activities and events
- Policy Advocacy
- Influence policy makers, institutional and industry leaders using research and innovation as well as policy consultations
- Organize roundtables across Africa on key topics to bring together researchers and innovators with government , business and other stakeholders
The NEF CoS has selected six executive members to direct its
activities during its soft launch in Kigali at the NEF meeting in
September 2017.
Meanwhile, Africa continues to produce innovations that are slowly changing the world, making it a better place. Recently South African inventors
produced a revolutionary plastic heart valve that can replace open
heart surgery and is thus poised to save millions of lives. A
Cameroonian engineer Arthur Zang
invented Cardiopad, a 4 touch screen medical tablet which can be used
as a classical electrocardiogram (ECG) device. Using this invention
health workers can make ECG reading at remote, rural locations and send
the results to heart specialists far away. Arthur will present his work
at the NEF Global Gathering 2018. A Kenyan researcher Alex Chika Ezeh
produced critical information for sustainable development in Africa in
an extensive population demographic, health and education study. Such
examples demonstrate that African scientists have much to offer. The NEF
CoS provides a platform to empower African minds to help solve some of
Africa’s biggest challenges. We sincerely hope that you will join us in
this endeavour!