TWAS Plus - Vol. 11 No. 1 - February 2025
Speakers and participants in the Senegal workshop (Photo: G. Ortolani/TWAS).

TOP STORY

TWAS welcomed Brazilian physicist Marcelo Knobel, an experienced academic leader and strong advocate for science communication and higher education, as its new executive director. More

TWAS OPPORTUNITIES

PhD opportunities in China
Up to 40 students and scholars from developing countries may apply for an ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO scholarship to pursue a PhD in China, in nine scientific fields and in the social and economic sciences. Deadline: 15 February. More

PhD opportunities in Brazil
A full-time PhD curriculum at institutes in Brazil is available to young scientists from other developing countries, under a joint TWAS-CNPq programme. Deadline: 21 February. More

Opportunities for early-career African scientists
Young scientists from African science- and technology-lagging countries identified by TWAS may apply for financial support to develop high-level research projects under the BMBF-supported SG-NAPI programme. Deadline: 27 March. More

TWAS-CAS Young Scientists Award for Frontier Science
Talented young scientists living and working in a developing country may be nominated to receive the TWAS-CAS award for their scientific achievements in the Physical Sciences (including physics and chemistry). Deadline: 14 March. More

TWAS-Samira Omar Innovation for Sustainability Award
The TWAS-Samira Omar Innovation for Sustainability Award honours scientists from Least Developed Countries for their impactful results on the environment and biodiversity, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Deadline: 14 March. More

TWAS-Abdool Karim Award in Biological Sciences
Women scientists with impressive results in biology may be nominated for the TWAS-Abdool Karim Award in Biological Sciences. Female scientists must be from an African Least Developed Country and be no older than 45. Deadline: 14 March. More

TWAS-Fayzah M. Al-Kharafi Award
TWAS is seeking nominations to assign the 2024 TWAS-Fayzah M. Al-Kharafi Award in Medical Sciences. Candidates are women scientists from the science- and technology-lagging countries identified by TWAS. Deadline: 14 March. More

TWAS-Atta-ur-Rahman Award in Chemistry
The call is open for the 2025 edition of the TWAS-Atta-ur-Rahman Award in Chemistry. TWAS members, science academies, and institutions may submit a nomination. Eligible candidates should be no older than 45 and a national of a science- and technology-lagging country identified by TWAS. Deadline: 14 March. More

TWAS NEWS

TWAS grants: A force for African science
Use a new interactive tool to learn how TWAS is building science throughout Africa. Hover over the research grantees' profile to see how the grants supported by Sida and BMBF have transformed their career. More

Editorial: Science is our greatest hope for a brighter future
TWAS is a beacon of hope for scientists in the developing world, wrote TWAS Executive Director Marcelo Knobel in the Academy's latest newsletter editorial. "Together, we will champion scientific research, education, and diplomacy in developing countries", he wrote. More

Cutting-edge technologies for better health
Sri Lankan chemist Imalka Munaweera received the 2023 TWAS-Atta-ur-Rahman Award for nanotechnology work tied to medicine, agriculture, food supply chains, and water supplies. Her outstanding contributions in nanotechnology allowed the creation of advanced drug formulations, targeted at cancer therapy and drug delivery. More

Walking the path to healthy ageing
Economics professor Yaohui Zhao has provided a better understanding of the Chinese labour market and the economic impact of healthy ageing. For her pioneering studies aimed at understanding the roots of poverty, she has received the 2024 TWAS Siwei Cheng Award in Economic Sciences. More

TWAS YOUNG AFFILIATES NETWORK (TYAN) NEWS

Advancing scientific research and sustainable development
The 3rd TYAN Hands-on School held in Santiago, Chile, from 11–15 December 2024, underscored the importance of regional collaboration, providing a platform for participants to establish networks that will influence the scientific landscape of Latin America and beyond. More

TYAN hands-on training
TYAN is seeking proposals to set up short courses focused on agro-industry and environmental science. The event is the 4th TYAN-TWAS Hands-on School, to be held in La Paz, Bolivia (6–10 October 2025). Deadline: 28 February. More

ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS

IAP

How science shapes public policy
How are science-driven recommendations and governmental priorities intertwined? Read the findings of a 10-year analysis presented at a IAP webinar on 14 January. More

IAP at the Urban Health Summit 2025
From 9–11 April, IAP, with the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy and the Volkswagen Foundation, will co-host the International Urban Health Summit in Hanover, Germany. International experts, decision-makers, and young scientists—among others—will examine the most urgent urban health challenges. More

Building Resilient Cities: IAP on climate and health
IAP chapter included in the publication Building Resilient Cities links urbanization, climate risks and health, offering resilience pathways. IAP's opening chapter is authored by Robin Fears, Peter McGrath, and Montira Pongsiri. More

STEM master’s degrees available in Türkiye
In the second round of OWSD WISDOM scholarships, 14 refugee and displaced women scholars were awarded to pursue STEM master's at Istanbul Aydin University, Türkiye. More

Postgraduate fellowships at ICTP
The ICTP-Arab Fund Programme has opened a call for postgraduate fellowships at ICTP in physics and mathematics. Deadline: 28 February. More

STEP Programme opens a call
ICTP's STEP Programme has opened a call for applications from students in developing countries who are enrolled in a PhD course at their home university. Deadline: 28 February. More

Postgraduate Diploma Programme
ICTP's one-year Postgraduate Diploma Programme is now accepting applications for the 2025–2026 programme. Deadline: 15 March. More

TWAS REGIONAL PARTNERS NEWS

Spotlight on climate change
From 10–12 December 2024, TWAS-CASAREP Regional Partner held the Young Scientist Meeting on 'Climate Action: Addressing Causes and Impacts', at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, in collaboration with the Divecha Centre for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, both in Bengaluru. More

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Screenshot of Stephen Moore, awardee of the Sida-supported TWAS Research Grants Programme.

Stephen Moore is an expert in Artificial Intelligence, and senior lecturer at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He is an awardee of the Sida-supported TWAS Research Grants Programme, and in November 2024 he joined the TWAS Skill Building Workshop in Dakar, Senegal. In this video, he shares how he combines mathematical models with machine learning techniques to study disease spread.  

"Without science we have no future. It is science that can give us the tools to fight climate change, biodiversity loss and new and old diseases."

TWAS Executive Director Marcelo Knobel

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