TWAS Plus - Vol. 12 No. 2 - April 2026
One of the awarded pictures. (Photo: Musuku Nolte)

TOP STORY

More than 300 women scientists from across Central Asia convened in Tashkent for SheSCIENCE 2026, a regional forum held to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. TWAS Executive Director Marcelo Knobel and TWAS Vice-President for the Arab Region Sabah AlMomin presented on the Academy and its programmes. More

TWAS OPPORTUNITIES

Cooperation visits in Germany
Postdoctoral researchers living and working in sub-Saharan Africa may apply for a three-month research stay at a German institute through the TWAS-DFG Cooperation Visits Programme-SSA. Deadline: 15 April. More

Cooperation visits in MENA Countries
Are you a postdoctoral researcher living and working in the Middle East and North Africa region? You may benefit from the opportunity offered by the TWAS-DFG Cooperation Visits Programme-MENA to spend three months at a German institute. Deadline: 15 April. More

TWAS-CSIR Postgraduate Fellowship Programme
Do you wish to pursue research abroad in India toward a PhD in emerging areas of science and technology? The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of India and TWAS have established fellowships for foreign scholars from developing countries, with facilities available at CSIR laboratories and institutes. Deadline: 6 May. More

MENA Grants for Transformative and Collaborative Research
With support from German BMFTR, TWAS provides grants for promising and competitive research projects by young scientists from selected MENA countries. Project should be in key areas relevant to Germany’s High-Tech Agenda. Extended deadline: 14 May. More

TWAS NEWS

Strengthening ties with farmers through hands on field visits
Pakistani plant scientist Nudrat Aisha Akram is working to strengthen her country’s agriculture by identifying practical ways to make crops more resistant to climate-related threats. She also collaborates closely with farmers to better understand the challenges they face in the fields. More

Through Southern Lenses announces winner of inaugural edition
Musuk Nolte, from Peru, has won the first international photography prize—launched by the Conrado Wessel Foundation (FCW) in partnership with TWAS—for his essay ‘Planting Water’. He will receive the US$ 20,000 prize at an award ceremony to be held in May at the Brazilian Embassy in Rome. More

Brazilian ecologist Luisa Maria Diele-Viegas awarded for her impactful studies
TWAS Young Affiliate Luisa Maria Diele-Viegas has received the 2026 Alliance of World Scientists Planet Earth Award for her work that integrates ecological research, climate science, and traditional knowledge to promote conservation strategies. More

TWAS Fellow Laurencin receives the Blaise Pascal Medal
The European Academy of Sciences has bestowed the Blaise Pascal Medal upon 2006 TWAS Fellow Sir Cato T. Laurencin, a University of Connecticut professor of chemical engineering, materials science and engineering, and biomedical engineering, and a pioneer of regenerative engineering and biomaterials. More

TWAS Fellow Babalola elected to the American Academy of Microbiology
An accomplished Nigerian microbiologist, Olubukola O. Babalola has made significant contributions to food security and sustainable agriculture. In recognition of her outstanding scientific achievements and original research in microbiology, she was elected an AAM Fellow. More

Brazilian TWAS Fellow Paulo Artaxo awarded for climate studies
Brazilian physicist and climatologist Paulo Artaxo has received the 2026 Alliance of World Scientists Planet Earth Award for his research on the processes linking the Amazon rainforest to the regional and global climates. More

MAECI Minister Moruzzi visited TWAS, IAP and OWSD
The meeting, held on 29 January, offered a chance to exchange ideas on how to better support researchers in developing countries and strengthen science diplomacy efforts. More

Knobel: Enhancing scientific dialogue for peace
TWAS Executive Director Marcelo Knobel recently appeared on The Bibliotheca Alexandrina Podcast to discuss topics relevant to science in the developing world, including climate change, education, and public engagement in science. Watch the video

Abdus Salam’s grandson reflects on the mission of TWAS
Moazzum Bajwa, the grandson of TWAS founder Abdus Salam, attended the 17th TWAS General Conference in Rio de Janeiro and offered a rare blend of personal reflection and generational perspective on how TWAS continues to embody his grandfather’s mission, four decades after its founding. More

TWAS YOUNG AFFILIATES NETWORK (TYAN) NEWS

TYAN online seminar series
Covering topics from sustainable pest control to global health diplomacy and the shifting geography of research, three upcoming TYAN webinars scheduled in April will explore how science is evolving to meet today’s challenges. Participation is free. More

Neuroscientists from the global South gathered in Trieste
Scientists from Brazil, Chile, Ghana, and Kyrgyzstan met in Trieste for the TWAS Young Affiliates Network workshop on Emerging Themes in Neurobiology. Held at SISSA, the event explored cutting-edge advances in brain science, fostering scientific exchange, collaboration, and new perspectives on the rapidly evolving frontiers of brain research. More

ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS

IAP

IAP 2025 Highlights for Policymakers is available
The InterAcademy Partnership has published the 2025 Highlights for Policymakers, showcasing its global efforts to advance science, health, and policy. Download the report to gain a broader perspective. More

Wildfire modelling report released
A new InterAcademy Partnership report explores how wildfire modelling and AI can improve preparedness and response. It highlights the need to link models to real-world planning and to strengthen global collaboration and data standards. More

Report on gender equality in science released
The InterAcademy Partnership, in collaboration with ISC and SCGES, presents a global assessment of gender equality in scientific organizations. The report notes progress but highlights persistent gaps in leadership and recognition. More

Outstanding scientists honoured
Five early-career women scientists from the global South were honoured with the 2026 OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Award for Sustainable Energy for their outstanding work in physics, engineering, and chemical sciences. More

Effective presentations and communications skills rewarded
Through a dynamic three-minute format, outstanding OWSD women communicators presented their research in the framework of the Short Talks Big Impact finale. Learn about the three winners, selected from a shortlist of 12. More

Sustaining knowledge during crises
Participate in the Sustaining Knowledge during Crises: Gender and Displacement in Science OWSD conference (23–24 April) organised at the Italian Accademia dei Lincei as part of the WISDOM project, which supports displaced female students and researchers. Both in-person attendees and remote participants are equally welcome. More

Learning to make accurate and safe diagnoses at ICTP
The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and the University of Trieste have launched the world's first master's degree in radiation metrology, a two-year course designed to provide students with the managerial and technical skills needed to become qualified radiation metrologists in the global South. More

TWAS REGIONAL PARTNERS NEWS

TWAS Regional Partners’ key role
The TWAS Regional Partners are a vital part of the Academy’s global network. They nominate candidates for TWAS awards, select TWAS Young Affiliates, and help raise awareness of TWAS and its programmes, especially among scientists in their respective regions. More

Shavkat Ayupov appointed vice-president of Asian Academy of Sciences
Shavkat Ayupov, a 2003 TWAS Fellow from Uzbekistan who also serves as the president of the Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, has been elected vice-president of the Asian Academy of Sciences for 2026. More

Embracing complexity in research
During a popular lecture that CASAREP organised on 26 March, Daniel Henryk Rasolt, founder and chief editor of The InterPlex, highlighted the importance of embracing complexity in scientific research, promoting nuanced science communication, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. More

Sankar K. Pal named ANRF prime minister professor
Indian distinguished scientist Sankar K. Pal, elected to TWAS in 1998 and president and emeritus professor of the Indian Statistical Institute, has been selected as an ANRF prime minister professor by the government of India and will be hosted at IIIT Bhubaneswar, Odisha. More

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Nominations are open for the 2026 VinFuture Prize
To recognize impactful breakthroughs in science, technology, and engineering, the VinFuture Foundation is calling for nomination for the 2026 VinFuture Grand Prize, which awards US$3 million for an already proven impact, and three Special Prizes of US$500,000 each for potential impact expected to manifest within a few years. Deadline: 17 April. More

Google.org launches global open call on AI impact
Submit your high-impact research project and participate in the Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Science, a $30 million global open call designed to accelerate scientific breakthroughs that improve human health and build climate resilience. Deadline: 17 April. More

How is AI shaping science?
The Austrian Academy of Sciences invites scholars from all disciplines to submit an essay on the question: How is AI changing your scientific field? Share your perspective and contribute to this cross-disciplinary reflection. Deadline: 30 April. More

KFAS Al-Sumait Prize for African Development
The Al-Sumait Prize for African Development 2026 is seeking for nominations. The best studies, scientific projects, applied research, and initiatives with high impact in the African continent will be rewarded. Deadline: 30 June. More

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Priscilla Mante during the TYAN workshop. (Photo: G.Ortolani/TWAS)

TYAN Alumna Priscilla Mante is following the presentations
at the three-day TYAN workshop Emerging Themes in Neurobiology, 
held in Trieste, Italy, on 17–19 March. (Photo: G.Ortolani/TWAS)

"I have had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of some cutting-edge technologies, which I can use to diversify the techniques
I am already applying in Ghana."

TYAN Alumna Priscilla Mante,
a professor of pharmacology at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana.

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