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Year 2024 – Vol. 36 – N.4

Fostering a stronger scientific community

EDITORIAL

Science is our greatest hope for a brighter future

Marcelo Knobel, TWAS Executive Director

The drive to solve problems is one of humanity’s most defining traits. From childhood, we are captivated by the mysteries of the universe and the quest to understand it. For some, this innate curiosity evolves into a lifelong journey in science.

Yet, countless individuals never have the opportunity to pursue these dreams, even as the role of scientists becomes increasingly vital in shaping our shared future.

Today, the world faces monumental challenges: climate change, biodiversity loss, disease outbreaks, resource scarcity, and rising inequality. These issues fuel conflicts and jeopardize progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, one truth becomes starkly evident: without science, our world has no future.

But science is not a singular entity; it is a rich tapestry of disciplines, driven by the collective efforts of researchers from diverse fields and backgrounds. To fully unlock its potential, we must foster collaboration across borders, cultures, and continents.

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS

The skills to help African science flourish

A TWAS workshop in Senegal equipped 62 research grantees with skills to promote sustainable development through scientific research.

A scientific career entails more than producing new knowledge—other skills such as science communication, identifying predatory journals, and research grant proposal writing can make or break a career. Sixty-two researchers from 20 African countries had the chance to develop these abilities during the 2024 TWAS Skill Building Workshop, which took place in Dakar, Senegal, from 5–8 November 2024. Combining presentations, hands-on exercises, and networking opportunities, the event was designed to enhance the potential of African scientists, fostering a stronger scientific community across the continent.

TWAS grants: A force for African science

Use this new interactive tool to learn how TWAS is building science throughout Africa.

Hover over each grantee's portrait and see how the grants have transformed their careers in their own words. You can also sort the cards by selecting the grant programme they benefited from (Research Grant or SG-NAPI) or their scientific field.

Watch the keynote lectures by Moctar Touré and Elizabeth Rasekoala

The 2024 TWAS Skill Building Workshop took place in Dakar, Senegal, from 5–8 November 2024.

At the event, TWAS Fellow Moctar Touré shared insights about his personal life, his scientific career, and the importance of mentorship, while Elizabeth Rasekoala, President of African Gong shared insights about the importance of encouraging women to pursue careers in STEM, science communication, and ensuring that science has an impact on local communities.

Meet grantee Faith Kandie

Faith Kandie is a lecturer and water quality researcher at the School of Sciences and Aerospace Studies at Moi University, Kenya.

She is an awardee of the Seed Grant for New African Principal Investigators (SG-NAPI) Programme, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and in November 2024 she joined the TWAS Skill Building Workshop in Dakar, Senegal.

Meet grantee Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore is an expert in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and senior lecturer at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

He is an awardee of the TWAS Research Grants Programme, supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and in November 2024 he joined the TWAS Skill Building Workshop in Dakar, Senegal.

Marcelo Knobel joins UNESCO-TWAS as executive director

The Brazilian physicist is an experienced academic leader and strong advocate for science communication and higher education.

The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) is pleased to welcome Marcelo Knobel as its new Executive Director. Knobel succeeds ICTP Director Atish Dabholkar, who served as interim executive director from 1 December 2023 until 8 December 2024.

“Marcelo Knobel’s exceptional track record as a scientist, educator, and advocate for science communication makes him a stellar addition to TWAS. His visionary leadership at Unicamp, Brazil, and his commitment to fostering international scientific collaboration will undoubtedly propel TWAS’s mission to new heights. I am confident that under his leadership, TWAS will continue to empower scientists in the global South and champion the transformative power of science,” said UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences Lidia Brito.

TWAS announces 2024 slate of awards

The Academy awarded 25 honours to developing world scientists for their standout accomplishments.

On 14 November 2024, the TWAS Council has announced a new slate of 25 awardees. The Academy’s awards are special distinctions for scientists from the global South designed to bring special recognition to their achievements. These honours are among the most prestigious for research and the application of science and technology to sustainable development in the developing world.

TWAS names 2025 class of Fellows

The Academy names 74 new members to its ranks, its largest class of Fellows yet.

On 14 November 2024, TWAS elected 74 new Fellows, which represent the largest class of fellows in the history of TWAS. Among them are 50 men and 24 women (32.4% women), and 62 are from the global South.

TWAS HIGHLIGHTS

Tapping the potential of ‘Climate Women’

Women are particularly well-placed to tackle climate change in their communities, said Elsevier Foundation Executive Director Ylann Schemm at the CAS-TWAS-Elsevier Foundation workshop on climate action.

Empowering women from developing countries to counter the negative effects of climate change is the scope of a capacity-building programme launched by TWAS and The Elsevier Foundation in 2022. This programme is called TWAS-Elsevier Foundation Project Grants for Gender Equity and Climate Action, or ‘Climate Women’ for short.

TWAS grants give Nepal science a leg up

RIBB in Nepal is an example of how the Sida-funded grants help local science flourish in a Least Developed Country.

TWAS Research Grants not only provide developing world scientists with needed support. They help to develop the research infrastructure so that these scientists may conduct more research and train more scientists in their home countries. An example of this kind of work that stands out is Nepal. Since the grant programme’s founding in 1986, the Academy has awarded over 2,800 TWAS Research Grants, which are financially supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

IN MEMORIAM

Support TWAS

A donation contributes to the advancement of science,
engineering, and technology in developing nations.

The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) works to support sustainable prosperity through research, education, policy and diplomacy.

TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the global South and global North, under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel laureate. As of January 2024, TWAS had 1,416 elected Fellows representing over 110 countries; 13 of them are Nobel laureates. It is based in Trieste, Italy, on the campus of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP).  

Through four decades, the Academy’s mission has remained consistent, namely to:

• Recognize, support and promote excellence in scientific research in the developing world
• Respond to the needs of young scientists in countries that are lagging in science and technology
• Promote South-South and South-North cooperation in science, technology and innovation, and
• Encourage scientific and engineering research and sharing of experiences in solving major problems facing developing countries.

With its partners, it has graduated over 1,100 PhDs and offered hundreds of postdoctoral fellowships to developing world scientists. The Academy also hosts prestigious scientific awards in the global South, has offered numerous research grants, and supports exchange visits for scientists.

TWAS hosts and works in association with two organizations, also hosted on the ICTP campus: the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP).

At its founding in 1989, OWSD was the first international forum uniting women scientists from the developing and developed worlds. Today, the organization has more than 8,200 members. Their objective is to strengthen the role of women in the development process and promote their representation in scientific and technological leadership.

IAP represents more than 140 national and regional science and medical academies worldwide. It provides high-quality analysis and advice on science, health and development to national and international policymakers and the public; supports programmes on scientific capacity-building, education and communication; leads efforts to expand international science cooperation; and promotes the involvement of women and young scientists in all its activities.

TWAS, a programme unit of UNESCO , receives its core funding from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

TWAS NEWSLETTER
Produced quarterly by The World Academy of Sciences
for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS)

Strada Costiera 11, 34151, Trieste, Italy
e-mail: info@twas.org | website: www.twas.org 
 
TWAS Council: https://twas.org/council 
TWAS Executive Director: Marcelo Knobel
TWAS Public Information Unit: https://twas.org/press-room