Science Initiative Group
Encyclopedia
The Science Initiative Group (SIG) is an international team of scientific leaders and supporters dedicated to fostering science in developing countries. SIG was formed to facilitate the Millennium Science Initiative (MSI)
.
As of 2011, SIG's major project is the Regional Initiative in Science and Education (RISE). RISE prepares PhD and MSc-level scientists and engineers in sub-Saharan Africa through university-based research and training networks in selected disciplines. Its primary emphases are on training new faculty to teach in African universities and on upgrading the qualifications of current faculty. Currently, 5 RISE networks are supported:
AMSEN, the African Materials Science and Engineering Network
involving: University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
; University of Nairobi, Kenya
; University of Namibia
; Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
; University of Botswana
RISE-AFNNET, the African Natural Products Network
involving: Makerere University, Uganda
; University of Nairobi, Kenya
; Sokoine University, Tanzania
SABINA, the Southern African Biochemistry and Informatics Network
involving: University of Malawi
; University of Namibia
; University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
; University of Pretoria, South Africa
; University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
; CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), South Africa
; Tea Research Foundation of Central Africa, Malawi
SSAWRN, the sub-Saharan Africa Water Resources Network
including: Rhodes University, South Africa
; Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; University of Botswana
; Makerere University, Uganda
WIO-RISE, the Western Indian Ocean Regional Initiative
including: Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
; School of Marine & Coastal Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; Oceanography Department, University of Cape Town, South Africa
SIG is governed by a six member board consisting of three scientists from developing countries, two leading US scientists and an entrepreneur. SIG is administered by a small staff based at the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton, New Jersey .
SIG's work is supported by grants from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation
, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
and Carnegie Corporation of New York
.
Millennium Science Initiative
The Millennium Science Initiative , a project of The World Bank and the Science Initiative Group, is an international initiative to build capacity in science and technology in the developing world. Inaugurated in Chile in 1998, the MSI now has a major presence in Chile, Brazil, and Uganda, and also...
.
As of 2011, SIG's major project is the Regional Initiative in Science and Education (RISE). RISE prepares PhD and MSc-level scientists and engineers in sub-Saharan Africa through university-based research and training networks in selected disciplines. Its primary emphases are on training new faculty to teach in African universities and on upgrading the qualifications of current faculty. Currently, 5 RISE networks are supported:
AMSEN, the African Materials Science and Engineering Network
involving: University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
; University of Nairobi, Kenya
University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in...
; University of Namibia
University of Namibia
The University of Namibia is the national university of Namibia, located in the Pioneers Park district of Windhoek. Established by an act of National Assembly on 31 August 1992, UNAM includes Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Economics & Management Science Education, Humanities and...
; Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
Federal University of Technology Akure
The Federal University of Technology Akure was founded in 1981 under a drive by the government of Nigeria to create universities that specialised in producing graduates with practical as well as theoretical knowledge of technologies...
; University of Botswana
University of Botswana
The University of Botswana, or UB was established in 1982 as the first institution of higher education in Botswana. The university has four campuses: two in the capital city Gaborone, one in Francistown, and another in Maun. The university is divided into six faculties: Business, Education,...
RISE-AFNNET, the African Natural Products Network
involving: Makerere University, Uganda
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
; University of Nairobi, Kenya
University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in...
; Sokoine University, Tanzania
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Sokoine University of Agriculture is a university in Tanzania, specializing in agriculture.-Introduction:INTRODUCTION TO SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE...
SABINA, the Southern African Biochemistry and Informatics Network
involving: University of Malawi
University of Malawi
The University of Malawi is an educational institution established in 1964 and composed of five constituent colleges located in Zomba, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. Of the five colleges, the largest is Chancellor College in Zomba. The name of the school is abbreviated to UNIMA. It is part of the...
; University of Namibia
University of Namibia
The University of Namibia is the national university of Namibia, located in the Pioneers Park district of Windhoek. Established by an act of National Assembly on 31 August 1992, UNAM includes Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Economics & Management Science Education, Humanities and...
; University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
University of Dar es Salaam
The University of Dar es Salaam is a university in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. The university was born out of a decision taken in 1970 to split the then University of East Africa into three independent universities; Makerere University , University of Nairobi and University of Dar es...
; University of Pretoria, South Africa
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
; University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
; CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), South Africa
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is South Africa's central and premier scientific research and development organisation. It was established by an act of parliament in 1945 and is situated on its own campus in the city of Pretoria...
; Tea Research Foundation of Central Africa, Malawi
SSAWRN, the sub-Saharan Africa Water Resources Network
including: Rhodes University, South Africa
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
; Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; University of Botswana
University of Botswana
The University of Botswana, or UB was established in 1982 as the first institution of higher education in Botswana. The university has four campuses: two in the capital city Gaborone, one in Francistown, and another in Maun. The university is divided into six faculties: Business, Education,...
; Makerere University, Uganda
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
WIO-RISE, the Western Indian Ocean Regional Initiative
including: Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
University of Dar es Salaam
The University of Dar es Salaam is a university in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. The university was born out of a decision taken in 1970 to split the then University of East Africa into three independent universities; Makerere University , University of Nairobi and University of Dar es...
; School of Marine & Coastal Sciences, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique; Oceanography Department, University of Cape Town, South Africa
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
SIG is governed by a six member board consisting of three scientists from developing countries, two leading US scientists and an entrepreneur. SIG is administered by a small staff based at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
in Princeton, New Jersey .
SIG's work is supported by grants from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is a private foundation that provides grants to not-for-profit organizations. It was created in 1964 by David Packard and his wife Lucile Salter Packard. Following David Packard's death in 1996, the Foundation became the beneficiary of part of his estate...
, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation of New York City and Princeton, New Jersey in the United States, is a private foundation with five core areas of interest, endowed with wealth accumulated by the late Andrew W. Mellon of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the product of the 1969...
and Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
.
SIG Board Members
- Phillip A. Griffiths, Chairman; Professor and former Director, Institute for Advanced StudyInstitute for Advanced StudyThe Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
- Bruce AlbertsBruce AlbertsBruce Michael Alberts is an American biochemist known for his work in science public policy and as an original author of the Molecular Biology of the Cell...
, Editor-in-Chief, ScienceScience (journal)Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals.... - Mohamed H.A. HassanMohamed H.A. HassanMohamed Hag Ali Hassan is a scientist. He has published articles in various fields, mostly applying mathemathics in the physical sciences. He has been active as professor of mathematics and as dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Khartoum, until 1986...
, Executive Director, Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) - J. Tomas Hexner, Entrepreneur, Development Consultant
- Jacob PalisJacob PalisJacob Palis, Jr. is a Brazilian mathematician and professor. Since 1973 he has held a permanent position as professor at Instituto Nacional de Matemática Pura e Aplicada in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was director of the same institute from 1993 until 2003...
, Professor and Director Emeritus, Instituto Nacional de Matemática Pura e Aplicada (IMPA) - C.N.R. RaoC.N.R. RaoChintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao, also known as C.N.R. Rao ) is an Indian chemist who has worked mainly in solid-state and structural chemistry.-Education:...
, National Research Professor, Honorary President, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research