TWAS Plus - Vol. 12 No. 5 - October 2026

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TOP STORY

Trieste Next highlighted the role of science diplomacy through a TWAS-IAP-OWSD round table on how international networks promote cooperation across borders. Lamberto Maria Moruzzi of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stressed the growing importance of science diplomacy in foreign policy and praised Trieste as an international hub for scientific collaboration. The event also featured the Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus exhibition, showcasing Peruvian photographer Musuk Nolte’s award-winning essay Planting Water. More

TWAS OPPORTUNITIES

TWAS-TYAN webinar - Ethics by design: responsible AI, real-world impact 

TWAS and the TWAS Young Affiliates Network (TYAN) are hosting its second event in the TWAS-TYAN Joint Seminar Series, which brings together distinguished experts and emerging scientific leaders to explore how science can address global challenges. It will feature UNICAMP Professor Sandra Avila, a Brazilian expert in responsible AI use. The event will take place via Zoom on 14 October at 3 p.m. CEST. Free registration here.

TWAS-SISSA-Lincei: three-month research visits at Italian centres of excellence 

UNESCO-TWAS, in partnership with the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) and the Lincei Academy, offers young scientists from UN-identified Least Developed Countries the opportunity to spend up to three months at leading research institutions in Trieste or Udine, Italy. Deadline: 31 October. More

Postdoctoral research in Brazil with TWAS-FAPESP 

Researchers from developing countries can apply for TWAS-FAPESP Postdoctoral Fellowships in the natural, applied, and social sciences. Fellowships support up to 12 months of research at host institutions in São Paulo, Brazil. Deadline for preliminary proposals: 1 November. More

TWAS Research Professors in LDCs 

Research groups and scientific institutions in UN-identified Least Developed Countries can invite TWAS Fellows and TWAS Young Affiliates/Alumni to serve as TWAS Research Professors. During the one-year appointment they may spend two-to-four weeks visiting the host institution. Eligibility is limited to TWAS Fellows, Young Affiliates, and Alumni. Deadline: 23 November. More

TWAS Visiting Expert Programme 

The TWAS Visiting Expert Programme supports visits by internationally renowned scientists to institutions in developing countries, particularly UN-identified Least Developed Countries. The programme helps research groups build long-term international collaborations, strengthen scientific capacity, and expand global research networks. Deadline: 23 November. More

TWAS is now on Instagram 

TWAS is expanding its storytelling on Instagram. Visit our page and follow us to discover the people and science behind TWAS’s mission. 

TWAS NEWS

Planting Water: award-winning photography by Musuk Nolte on view in Trieste
From 26 September to 8 October 2026, the Sala Comunale d'Arte in Trieste hosted Planting Water, a photographic project by Peruvian photographer Musuk Nolte, winner of the inaugural Through Southern Lenses: Science in Focus international photography award. Taken in the Peruvian Andes, the photographs document communities that have revived ancestral hydraulic systems to address water scarcity and adapt to climate variability. More

Strengthening global South voices in climate science 
Watch the video about the TWAS Climate Workshop 2026. Throughout the workshop, experts led sessions on climate science, adaptation strategies—particularly in under-resourced and vulnerable contexts—policy engagement, and strengthening the science–policy dialogue to support more effective climate action. More

Beyond connectivity: explainable and robust AI for 6G control systems 
The fourth TWAS Distinguished Speaker Webinar featured Professor Sinem Çöleri, the founding director of Wireless Networks Laboratory (WNL) and director of Ford Otosan Automotive Technologies Laboratory. The event took place on 8 September. Watch the video here.

Profiles of new TWAS Fellows added to online directory 
The Academy has officially added its 2026 class of Fellows to the TWAS Directory. The 63 new Fellows live and work in 26 different countries. Of them, 23 are women (36.5%), 57 are from the global South, and six from science- and technology-lagging countries identified by TWAS. More

Science to enhance preparedness for the next emergency 
Building scientific capacity is essential, but so is creating the trust, partnerships, and channels of dialogue that allow knowledge to inform collective action. Read the editorial in the latest TWAS Newsletter by TWAS President Quarraisha Abdool Karim. More

TWAS annual report 2025 now available  
Read the foreword to TWAS's annual publication by TWAS President Quarraisha Abdool Karim, depicting 2025 as a year of strengthening STI partnerships towards sustainable futures for all. More

ASSOCIATED ORGANIZATIONS

IAP

IAP welcomes the 2026 Young Physician Leaders 
IAP has welcomed its 2026 cohort of Young Physician Leaders (YPL), bringing together 23 physicians from 22 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. They will meet in Berlin from 9–11 October, for leadership development at ESMT Berlin and engage with peers and established leaders in global health. More

New milestones in IAP science education 
The IAP Science Education Programme continues to strengthen science education through a combination of local action and international collaboration. This latest programme updates highlights three important developments. More

IAP-ISSE 2026 to convene global leaders in science education 
The InterAcademy Partnership will host the IAP-ISSE 2026 International School of Science Education at the Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture in Erice, Italy, from 16–19 October 2026. This high-level, invitation-only meeting will bring together senior scientists, educators, and academicians to engage in strategic dialogue on strengthening science education. More

OWSD

OWSD and UNESCO open new call for Countries to join GenSIS initiative
Building on the implementation of the Gender-inclusive Science Institutions and Systems (GenSIS) initiative in seven countries across the global South, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World, in partnership with UNESCO, has opened a new Expression of Interest for a further cohort of up to five countries. Deadline: 30 October. More

2026 OWSD–Elsevier award winners honoured at SDEWES conference
The five winners of the 2026 OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Award for Early-Career Women Scientists received their award during the opening ceremony of the 21st SDEWES Conference in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and took active roles across its scientific programme, from chairing sessions to joining expert panels. More

ICTP

ICTP Associateship Programme: apply today 
ICTP's Associates Programme enables individual scientists at different stages of their careers to maintain long-term formal contacts with ICTP's stimulating scientific environment. Researchers who hold a PhD and are working in developing countries are eligible for the programme. Successful applicants will be able to visit ICTP starting in 2028. Deadline: 31 January 2027. 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

TWAS Central and South Asia Regional Partner (TWAS-CASAREP)

Conference on Smart Solution of a Green Future: AI in Ecosystem and Climate Action 
The international conference Smart Solution of a Green Future: AI in Ecosystem and Climate Action will take place in Karachi, Pakistan, from 27–29 October 2026. The focus will be on applying smart technologies to environmental challenges. Deadline: 10 October. More

TWAS-CASAREP Special Session at the 12th Nepal Geological Congress 2026
TWAS-CASAREP will host a special session for young scientists on “Climate Change and Associated Risks in Mountain Systems” on 19 November 2026 during the 12th Nepal Geological Congress in Kathmandu, Nepal. Registration opens soon. More

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Scholar Rescue Fund fellowship for at-risk scholars 
The IIE Scholar Rescue Fund supports threatened professors, researchers, and public intellectuals offering temporary academic appointments at host institutions worldwide, enabling them to continue their work. Applicants should have a PhD (or equivalent), a proven experience in teaching and research, and have experienced threats or forced displacement. Deadline: 11 October. More

World Science Forum Türkiye 2027
The World Science Forum Türkiye 2027 (WSF2027) is inviting scientific organisations worldwide to propose side events that examine the role of science in navigating global crises, opening dialogue across divides, and finding common ground in an increasingly fragmented world. Side events are an opportunity to bring new questions, critical perspectives, and fresh conversations. Deadline for proposals: 12 October. More

Fourth Call for Initiatives: UN International Decade of Sciences
The International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033) has launched its Fourth Global Call for Initiatives. Proposals are invited for projects that generate, translate or apply actionable scientific knowledge to address sustainable development challenges and deliver measurable impact. Deadline for submissions: 20 October. More

WHO launches new biorisk assessment tool 
The new WHO Biorisk Implementation and Evaluation Tool (BRIET) helps institutions and countries assess and strengthen biorisk governance. The tool identifies gaps and measure capacity, providing tailored actions to support a safe and responsible use of the life sciences. More

AI ethics in practice: an UNESCO online course 
UNESCO launched a Massive Open Online Course on Artificial Intelligence Ethics. It is a free, globally accessible course on Coursera that can help professionals translate the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI into practice, helping learners go beyond seeing AI ethics as mere theoretical principles. The ten-module course is free of charge. Enroll here.  

Call for papers from global South and indigenous researchers 
The Royal Society journal Open Biology invites researchers in molecular and cellular biology from the global South and indigenous communities to propose papers for the special feature Beyond Boundaries: Celebrating Global South and Indigenous Contributions to Molecular and Cellular Biology. The initiative will highlight innovative research, diverse biological perspectives, and community led approaches from regions and groups underrepresented in mainstream publishing. Deadline: 31 December 2026. More

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Speaking: Kleinsy Bonilla, researcher and consultant in development economics and science diplomacy, visiting scholar at the Economic Development Observatory, University of the Valley of Guatemala, Guatemala. Seated: Samiya Abi Jaoude, neurosurgeon at the Adolphe de Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris. (Photo: G. Ortolani/TWAS)

“Networks linking the global South and the global North must also address power imbalances. Too often, some countries set the agenda while others simply take it. Science diplomacy is about changing that.”

Kleinsy Bonilla, a Guatemalan researcher and consultant in development economics and science diplomacy, and a panellist at 2026 Trieste Next.

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