Africa Science Week in Tanzania
The Next Einstein Forum (NEF), an initiative of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in partnership with Robert Bosch Stiftung, today announced the launch of NEF Africa Science Week in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Aneth David, NEF Ambassador, who is a scientific academician and researcher at University of Dar-es-Salam (UDSM), together with local academic, science and technology champions, will lead the event.
“The NEF Africa Science Week is the first coordinated science week across Africa. Our primary objective is to develop tomorrow’s scientists and technologists by engaging children and young people in scientific activities like science caravans and hackathons. Our activities will also demonstrate the critical impact of science to the general public. By bringing together key stakeholders from all sectors, we hope to catalyse investment in research and development and discuss best practices for attracting and retaining young people, especially girls and women, in the sciences,” said Thierry Zomahoun, AIMS President and CEO and NEF Chair.
Africa Science Week in Tanzania will witness exciting sessions such as engaging students in active learning of Chemistry, Technology and Engineering using interactive science kits. Students will also participate in physical activities and science projects competition followed by an award ceremony.
“The weeklong signature event will also strengthen research networks and communities of scientists across Africa and we hope that the next few editions will see technology facilitate coordinated regional activities. We would like to thank our partners in the public, academic and private sector for supporting this initiative. Africa will only compete globally if there are coordinated sustainable investments in building the pipeline of researchers and innovators,” said Mr. Zomahoun.
Africa Science Week in Tanzania is the first of a 13-country series. Looking to the future, the NEF will expand the reach of its Africa Science Week to 30 countries in 2018 and all 54 by 2020. Beyond numbers, the NEF hopes that Africa Science Week will grow to include major activities in schools and universities, and result in concrete collaboration between the research community and private sector.
“Africa Science Week is the only platform bringing together actors passionate about science and technology. This is the best opportunity for the Tanzanian youth to learn more about what science can achieve and how it changes life. I am proud to be part of this first edition.”, Said Aneth David, NEF Ambassador in Tanzania.
In line with the NEF’s Dakar Declaration, issued at the first biennial NEF Global Gathering, held in in Dakar, Senegal in March 2016, Africa Science Week will place public engagement at the heart of advancing Africa’s scientific agenda. The next edition of the NEF Global Gathering will be held in Kigali in March 2018 under the patronage of H.E. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda.
Africa Science Week is funded by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Google and local sponsors in the each country.
About the Next Einstein Forum
Launched in 2013, the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) is an initiative of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in partnership with Robert Bosch Stiftung. The NEF is a platform that connects science, society and policy in Africa and the rest of the world – with the goal to leverage science for human development globally.
The NEF believes that Africa’s contributions to the global scientific community are critical for global progress. At the centre of NEF efforts are Africa’s young people, the driving force for Africa’s scientific renaissance. The NEF is a unique youth-driven forum. Our headline biennial scientific events, NEF Global Gatherings’ participants are 42 or younger. Far from an ordinary science forum, the NEF Global Gatherings position science at the centre of global development efforts.
The next NEF Global Gathering will be held in March 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda. In addition, through our Communities of Scientists, we showcase the contributions of Africa’s brilliant youth to Africa’s scientific emergence through its class of NEF Fellows who are Africa’s top scientists and technologists, all under the age of 42 and NEF Ambassadors who are the NEF’s 54 science and technology Ambassadors on the ground.
The NEF is also working, together with partners such as the African Academy of Sciences, Ministers’ of Education, Science and Research across Africa and other global scientific and private sector companies, to build an African scientific identity. By bringing together key stakeholders, the NEF hopes to drive the discussion from policy to implementation by leveraging buy in and best practice results from Africa and the world. Have a look at our benchmark Dakar Declaration.
Finally, the NEF is telling untold stories of scientific research and innovation across the continent through our various platforms. We want to recalibrate what ‘innovation’ means in Africa. We want to make the link between science and technology, even basic sciences, to everyday life. We believe the next Einstein will be African.
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