Briefing to the Portfolio Committee of the DST 17th August 2011 Presenter: Dr Jimmy Adegoke & ACCESS Delegation

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A An overview of the ACCESS Center of Excellence (CoE)

• Background and context • ACCESS Purpose • ACCESS Goals • Integrated Portfolio Approach • Progress to date • Education and Training (e.g. Habitable Planet Workshops) • Research and Services (e.g. Southern Oceans Research) • A Grand Plan for a Grand Challenge (Resourcing ACCESS) •The role of the DST PC

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A What is ACCESS ?

sci ence & technology Department: Unprecedented Collaboration Opportunity Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Global Change Grand Challenge Architecture

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Understanding a Reducing the Adapting the Innovation for changing planet Human way we live Sustainability Footprint

1. Observation, 1. Waste 1. Preparing for 1. Dynamics of transition monitoring and minimization rapid change at different scales - adaptive methods and and extreme mechanisms of management. technologies events innovation and 2. Dynamics of the 2. Conserving 2. Planning for learning oceans around biodiversity sustainable 2. Resilience and southern . and urban capability 3. Dynamics of the ecosystems development 3. Options for greening complex internal services in a South the developmental earth system. 3. Institutional African state 4. Linking the land, integration to context 4. Technological the air, and the manage 3. Water security innovation for sea. ecosystems for South sustainable social- 5. Improving model and the Africa ecological systems. predictions at services they 4. Food and 5. Social Learning for different scales. offer fibre security sustainability, 4. Doing more for South adaptation, innovation sci ence with less Africa and resilience. & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESS PURPOSE

ACCESS is an integrated and end-to-end research and education, services and training programme with outputs and outcomes related to the opportunities and challenges emanating from a varying and changing environment.

Delivering a new scale of intervention in Earth Systems Science which will do justice to the globally unique opportunity that the southern African Earth system provides us with.

ACCESS has been mandated to develop and implement a programme on a national and regional (and eventually continental) scale that will provide us with the means to address challenges and harness opportunities at this scale, as a means of producing a new generation of scientists and technically trained people for deployment in the knowledge economy.

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESS GOALS

The paucity of appropriately trained people is the primary limitation to development & dealing with global change

We recognize four obstacles to transforming the SET Education and training footprint in the country: interest and attraction to science, funding, preparedness of students and post-graduate supervisory capacity. ACCESS will address each of these challenges.

ACCESS aims to make a significant contribution to changing the status quo and producing the people needed to tackle the Global Change Grand Challenges and exploit opportunities it offers in transforming our economy. This will take time, commitment and funding.

With this mandate, ACCESS has developed the partnerships, the plan and the governance structures designed specifically to deliver on the GCGC vision. ACCESS aims to change the way science and education and training in ESS is done and to deliver not just the technical products for application in the economy, but the people to manage it.

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ANAN AFRICANAFRICAN PERSPECTIVEPERSPECTIVE ONON GLOBALGLOBAL EARTHEARTH SYSTEMSYSTEM ISSUESISSUES

Globally critical and poorly studied region (our region) in the global climate system

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESS Advisory Board CSIR (Hosts), ACCESS Director DST, NRF ACCESS Elective Members Secretariat • Director •Operations Manager •Education Manager ACCESS Steering Committee •Support Staff One vote per contracting institution

Scientific Committee Education Committee

Ad hoc Committee Ad hoc Committee sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESS BOARD

Dr Anthony Nyong Ms Tasneem Essop Dr Anthony Nyong Dr Thulani Dlamini

Dr Andrew Kaniki Prof John Field Prof Brian O’Connel

Dr Linda Makuleni Dr Hassan Virji Dr Jimmy Adegoke

Prof George Philander Mr Bheki Hadebe Mr Justin Ahanhanzo

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A 2010/11 Highlights & Achievements

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESSACCESS PortfoliosPortfolios

E

d o ii u ll c o ff a tt tt rr i io o o n P

& s & e e T c ii rr v a rr ii n e ii S n ACCESS g & Thematic P h o c r rr r Sub-Programmes tt a ff e o ll s ii e o R

Transformation & Interventions sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A 20112011--20182018 PLANSPLANS && TARGETSTARGETS

Within this initial phase of the ACCESS programme we aim to: • Produce a cohort of 300 M Sc graduates (3 cohorts of 100 Msc Students in 7 years, thereby doubling the number of Earth Systems MSc graduates currently produced) and 200 PhD graduates (2 cohorts of 100 PhD students in 7 years or which 50% will be trained internationally, thereby doubling the number of Earth Systems PhD graduates currently produced),

• Reach a new and previous un‐accessed pool of undergraduates and put support in place for the development of young and emerging researchers (80% black South Africans)

• This target will be the key means by which research and applications of ES knowledge will be generated and delivered and skilled ,broadly trained, work ready people developed .

• Robust and active engagement of partners at Historically Black and rural Universities, and by augmenting existing or introducing new training programmes.

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A HIGHLIGHTSHIGHLIGHTS && ACHIEVEMENTACHIEVEMENT

To date, 14 institutions and agencies have signed up for ACCESS and others are preparing to join. In summary, ACCESS has in the last two years:

• Implemented a preliminary research programme • Funded 30 graduate students and put over 200 undergraduates through HPW • Implemented a career development programme at school level • Run several symposia and technical workshops • Implemented the first “Early Career workshop” with 20 young professionals • Implemented two international programmes (Japan & Norway) • Represented the Earth Systems Science community in several national and international forums and meetings • Produced several new publications • Formalised a governance systems and collaboration among several partners • Developed relationships with entities in the region & continent (e.g. , AfricaArray) • Developed the ACCESS Brand

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Edgar Neluvhalani

ACCESS EDUCATION AND TRAINING PORTFOLIO - National Planning Commission’s report

“Skills acquisition is out of line with the needs of a modernising economy. Higher education institutions are not producing the number of skilled personnel that the economy requires” and “In- depth studies on factors that contribute to poor school outcomes for learners in [conclude that] learners possess inadequate subject knowledge and lack basic pedagogical ability, especially in subjects such as languages, science and mathematics”. sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A SUMMARY OF THE 2GCNRP HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Contribution to NSI:

D 450+ new scientists, Objective 1 C H increased access and & s retention; increased m e Public and private sector t s research and learning links & work integrated y S capacity for GC learning system g n ni innovations and (e.g. R&V Atlas & district r a Municipalities HCD) e resilience L l ia oc S ge Objective 2 n ha C l a Community‐ b based social lo G C learning & : a r r i e resilience e ha r

C G I u H id C a R n A c S e

sci encee 3 &i vtechnology ct je Department: b Science and TechnologyStrategic Partnerships to ensure that existing initiatives are leveraged O REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Responding to the GCGC’s HCD Goals a sustainable human capital development system for global change research and knowledge development as part of the National System of Innovation by 2018 • Expand research and research supervision capacity for the Global Change National Research Plan Knowledge Challenges and ACCESS Research Themes • Increase access to, and graduation levels in Global Change study fields particularly at Masters and PhD level in the areas of Earth System Sciences and Sustainability. • Strengthen Global Change knowledge, capacity and social learning in the Human Capital Development pipeline.

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESS EDUCATION AND TRAINING PORTFOLIO

A robust, creative, innovative and productive end-to-end Education & Training Portfolio: Implementing the scaffolding for the development of knowledgeable, confident & skilled people

• Pipeline Programme • Post Graduate Programme Career Education Research Bursaries School & Student programmes Post-graduate Workshops (Inter-institutional) Media programme Post-grad participation programme Adopt a school class Adopt an Undergraduate Post-grad teaching programme Co-supervision programme • Undergraduate Programme Habitable Planet Workshops • Young Professional Programme Student participation programme Early Career Workshops Adopt a school programme Post-doc teaching programme Inter-institutional exchanges Research tools curriculum

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Implementing the multi-institutional Masters Degree Innovation Programme InstitutionalInstitutional AccreditationAccreditation FundingFunding SupervisionSupervision SupportSupport && CaCapacitypacity DevDev Niche 1: Niche 2: InternationalInternational CC Water LinksLinks Adaptation Sciences Niche 3: Student Niche 5: Student Sustainability ExcExchhange/ange/ Spatial Modelling SharedShared CoreCore TwinningTwinning Economics ConferenceConference Modules & E- e.g.e.g. PennPenn StateState ModulesN & E- learningN UU MissouriMissouri Niche 4: learning Niche 8: library Biodiversity library Additional Work Work Sciences Specialisations PlacementsPlacements StaffStaff CapacityCapacity Niche 7 Niche 6 BuildingBuilding Complexity & Marine & SupportSupport Coastal Resilience WorkWork IntegratedIntegrated Management Learningsci ence Learning& technology Department: Science and Technology CrCrossoss TeachingTeaching REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A BursariesBursaries ExampleExample ofof thethe HabitableHabitable PlanetPlanet SeriesSeries

™ More than 200 graduates for HPW ™ W Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, E Cape (Namibia) ™ Participants from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda ™ Earth Career Expo ™ Recruits to Research Programmes

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Carl Palmer & Students HPWHPW MotivationMotivation

• South Africa is failing to attract students to Science. • Southern Africa Æ Extremely beautiful & scientifically interesting physical environment. • Current climate change-related winter schools tended to focus on very specific topics – This only appeals to those already interested. sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A HPWHPW GuidingGuiding PrinciplesPrinciples

• The Rainbow Nation does not just extend to people.

• Pride in South Africa, not fear for the future. • Need to identify symbols

Democratise Science

• Elitist and exclusive Æ Open and inclusive

• Inspire young disadvantaged South Africans

sci ence & technology Habitable Planet Workshops Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESS HPW Eastern Cape Student perspective Key themes: •Incredible networking & Idea exchange

•Hands on experience

•Exciting, inspiring and relevant learning and understanding

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ACCESS HPW Pretoria: An African perspective on Global Climate Change……

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Neville Sweijd ACCESSACCESS RESEARCHRESEARCH && SERVICESSERVICES PORTFOLIOPORTFOLIO Implementing a globally enviable platform for harnessing our unique knowledge assets and learning potential

Biogeochemical cycles Climate Variability Hydrology & Land Use / Cover catchment dynamics

The inner circle represents the geographical focus of the ACCESS Research and Services Portfolio. A conceptual and numerical coupled model will be the centrepiece of the study of why we are in a special place in a special time!

Information for governance applications

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A 20112011--20182018 PLANSPLANS && TARGETSTARGETS

Call for 45 CNs > Concept 7 Notes for 30 local & Thematic ACCESS / Intl Areas GCGC Res partners Plan

Overall Evaluation & planning of next phases mid‐phase review mid‐phase review Yr1 Yr2 Yr3 Yr4 Yr5 Yr6 Yr7 Yr8

Evaluation & planning Evaluation & planning

A SPECIAL PLACE IN A SPECIAL TIME GCGC Research Plan (theme reference) SEASONAL / INTER‐ANNUAL CLIMATE PREDICTABILITY A4 & A5 ECOSYSTEM SERVICES & LIVELIHOODS B2 LONG TERM CLIMATE & IMPACTS A3, A4, A5, C1‐C5 WATER RESOURCES A3, A4, C3 URBAN & RURAL LANDCOVER & LANDUSE A1, B2, B3, C2 BIOGEOCHEMISTRY / PALEOCLIMATE & ES MODELLING A2‐A5 MARINE & COASTAL, ESTUARINE SYSTEMS A2, A4, A5 sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Thematic areas + icon A whole that is bigger than the sum of its parts……

SAWS CSIR UWC UZULU ARC WRC JAPANESE PARTNERS

SAWS / ACCESS Seasonal Climate Prediction Dissemination Workshop 5/6th of April 2011 National Seasonal Climate Outlook Forum SATREPS project (4.5M Equipment from JICA) sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Sandy Thomalla Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observatory Research and Activities

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Why CO2 ? • Changes in the Earth's climate result from both internal variability and external forcing, such as the emission of anthropogenic gasses • CO2 is a greenhouse gas (absorbs outgoing longwave radiation warming the atmosphere) • Present day CO2 levels are higher now than at any time in the past 650 000yrs

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A WhyWhy thethe oceans?oceans? The global carbon budget, 1990-1999 Flux PgC/y* Increase in atmosphere 3.2+ 0.1 Emissions from burning fossil fuels 6.4+ 0.3 Ocean to atmosphere -2.2+ 0.5 Land to atmosphere -1.0+ 0.5 Land use change 1.6 Land sink -2.6

Prentice et al 2001, IPCC TA R Ch 3, Denham et al 2007 IPCC 4AR ch 7

• The ocean is the most significant sink for anthropogenic CO2 • Globalsci enceincentive to decrease the uncertainty & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A WhyWhy thethe SouthernSouthern Ocean?Ocean?

• The Southern Ocean takes up ~50% of anthropogenic CO2 • The only part of the ocean where CO2 rich deep waters exchange CO2 directly with the atmosphere • Mode Water and Intermediate Water formed in the Southern Ocean supplies nutrients to low latitudes that drive > 75% of ocean productivity •The Southern Ocean has the capacity, in response to anticipated climate change, of becoming a CO2 source rather than a sink, posing serious risks to the effectiveness of projected global emissions cuts

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A ScientificScientific ApproachApproach Southern Ocean problematic as few ship opportunities needs specific approach

In Situ Observations

• Ship based biogeochemical measurements • Sustained long term observations • Process studies

Remote Sensing

• measurements • SST, SSH, ocean colour products, sea ice, PAR, wind • Algorithm developments

Modelling

• Physics – Biogeochemistry coupling

• Oceansci ence productivity and CO2 Flux & technology • SensitivityDepartment: experiments Science and Technology • ImpactREPUBLIC OF SOUTH of AFRIC climateA change Thato Mtshali Southern Ocean Research: Importance of Iron • Southern Ocean plays a vital role in Earth’s climate through control of

atmospheric CO2 concentration.

• Solubility pump (CO2) and Biological pump (phytoplankton productivity). • Phytoplankton – 40% of marine productivity – Plays a significant role in global climate.

• Iron (Fe) – important components of this system. • Fe is a key micronutrient for phytoplankton growth (occurs in different metabolic processes) • It’s scarcity (pico- or nanomolar) - limit essential biogeochemical processes and fertility of phytoplankton. • Fe exerts major influence – “Carbon Cycle and Climate Change” - Promoting phytoplankton

growth/bloom - removes CO2 - air into the deep ocean through photosynthesis (Biological pump: as POC).

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A • Big question

• Little is known about the specific mechanisms behind variability in the biological

pump - how its ability to sequester CO2 will change as atmospheric level continue to rise.

• Thus, it is important for us to understand how phytoplankton bloom and what sort of conditions are required for their growth. • In order to make accurate predictions about the future of the global carbon cycle and climate.

• Culture experiments: provide us a way to examine these issues in a ‘controlled’ experimental environment and can: • provide better estimates of the factors limiting phytoplankton growth and production in the Southern Ocean now and in the future..

• DFe observations in the Southern Ocean: how much DFe is bioavailable for phytoplankton uptake. sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Fe Biogeochemistry in the Southern Ocean

Two Research Themes

• Distribution of [DFe] and [PFe] in • Phytoplankton Culture Experiment the Southern Ocean and Modeling • Long-term Ocean Observations • Long-term Laboratory experiments

• HCD – Honours, MSc and PhD students – Attract international Scientists - Post Doc. sci ence & technology • Collaboration - International lead scientists in this field (Australia, France and US). Department: Science and Technology • New ship – 2012 – Trace Metal Clean van – Trace Metal Rosette REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Back to Jimmy RESOURCINGRESOURCING ACCESSACCESS

Scale of intervention is big and ambitious – SALT / SKA / COP17 (GC Science & Technology in Africa needs this).

Several years of planning and co-ordination – we are ready to deliver on the expectations of the GC scientific community and to the youth of the country.

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A RESOURCINGRESOURCING ACCESSACCESS

Investment in ACCESS:

• R50M Programmatic Investment (newly sourced funding) • R50M per year co-funding 2012 – 2018

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A RESOURCINGRESOURCING ACCESSACCESS ACCESS is DST’s national programme – a strategic initiative for significant DST achievement to put SA on the world science map and with outcomes for the transformation of SA Economy.

CORE FUNDING FROM GOVERNMENT IS CRITICAL

Parliamentary & Cabinet level support (this is a national project): • DHE – Education and Training • DEA – Climate Change

International Leverage: • UN system (UNDP, UNEP, GEF) • AU / NEPAD / SADC Endorsement • Bilateral Programmes • FP7 Grants (e.g. CCA) • Other mechanisms

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A RESOURCINGRESOURCING ACCESSACCESS

“Applied Centre for Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS), the body at present central to global change research in South Africa”

‐Minister Naledi Panddor (13/07/2011)

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A Thank You

sci ence & technology Department: Science and Technology REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIC A