May Issue No.006 In this issue, you will find: The message from the Director General: P1 COSTECH cerebrates the May Day: P2 Innovation continues at COSTECH: P2 IST-Africa Conference successfully done: P3 DTBi proves its existence: P4 Did you ever know: P5 UK Parliamentarians visit the COSTECH: P6 TanBIF launches its Checklist: P7 Brain drain: A blessing or a curse: P8 COSTECH awards the innovators: P9 PSCI visits the COSTECH: P10 Scientific research report: P11 Pictorial: P12 The newly-COSTECH employees: P13 Upcoming Events: P14 The Message From The Director General It is my delight to share with you about some of the new directions being taken at the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), for the Month of May. This month, I attended the board meeting for the Dar es Salaam Teknohama Business Incubator Limited (DTBi). In this meeting, various issues were discussed, but the very important thing was on how the COSTECH and DTBi can continue to work together in order to support local Information and Communication Technologists (ICTs) with high growth potential and youth with creative ideas and innovation grow. We needed to make sure that the DTBi projects get going and I am certain that what were discussed at the meeting coincide fully with the COSTECH mission and vision together with the nation’s Development Vision 2025. I am thankful to the visit paid by the Members of UK’s House of Commons. To fulfill its mandate, COSTECH also needs to partner with the outside world. The British government, being one of the prominent donors to Tanzania, sent the Science and Technology Parliamentary Committee to familiarize themselves with the COSTECH, and also to see how the Commission is committed to promoting evidence-based decisions pertaining to the development of science and technology in Tanzania. My presence at the UN Commission on Life Saving Commodities for Women and Children meeting made a great contribution on how the world can prevent millions of women and children from deaths caused by preventable diseases. Affordable, effective medicines and health supplies often do not reach the women and children who need them most. A lot of issues related to medical technology transfer and innovation, particularly for Tanzania, were discussed. This time around, I am convinced that the method of using mobile phones to monitor drug requirements in Tanzania will be made effective. This month, the COSTECH was able to award the grassroots innovators who have exhibited some signs of innovation spirits. As our commitment to science, technology and innovation, we provided the innovators with different equipments that will add value to their missions of making life easy for the Tanzanian community. I hope that by effect ively using these equipments, innovators will also be able to create employment opportunities to fellow Tanzanians. I am also thankful to the visit paid by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Infrastructure. Despite their familiarization with some of the activities that are carried out by the COSTECH, the Committee also provided us with invaluable comments, suggestions, contributions and challenges that we have to work on. Other activities that were being carried out by the COSTECH for the month of May include: hosting the IST- Africa Conference and Exhibitions, meeting visitors from Malaysia, the launching of Nokia mobile phone applications, and the launching of the ICT policy. Finally, I would like to thank the people who have worked tirelessly in preparing this newsletter and would like to invite1 all of you to contribute to it in the future issues. Best Regards, Dr. Hassan Mshinda. On May 1, 2012 the COSTECH employees joined hands On May 18, 2012 the Tanzania Commission for with other employees in the country to participate in Science and Technology (COSTECH), through its the May Day cerebrations that took place at the Center for Development and Technology Transfer Mnazi Mmoja Grounds. The national level May Day (CDTT) hosted a presentation from Alfred Kayombo, cerebrations were marked in Tanga where President from Songea, who claimed to have invented the Jakaya Kikwete was the guest of honour. technological system made up of a combined lever system capable of increasing mechanical advantage The May Day processions started at Kidongo and efficiency a hundred per cent. Chekundo and ended at the Mnazi Mmoja Grounds where the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Said The objective of his presentation was to demonstrate Mecky Sadick was the guest of honour on how one can generate free energy and environmental friendly source of energy for current and future use and basically to do the general review of laws of energy especially by challenging the thermodynamics laws. Mr. Kayombo claimed that he can use the notion of perpetual motion to generate indefinite energy that can be used to run electric power plants so as to curb the shortage of electricity that is troubling the country. Fig. 1: A portion of the COSTECH staff poses for a group photo at the Mnazi Mmoja grounds on May Day. Workers from private and public institutions matched past the guest of honour’s shade, carrying banners and posters with different messages. In almost all the banners, the employees urged the government to improve workers’ welfare, saying that they are unhappy with the current situation, especially with the current pay and working Fig. 2: Mr. Kayombo demonstrating on how a little energy can be applied environment. Among issues raised at the cerebrations to generate huge impact. included low salaries, inflation, high taxes and a low pension that is unsustainable at retirement. Speaking after the presentation, Dr. Dugushilu Mafunda, the Acting Director at the Directorate of Most employees were carrying banners with the Center for Development and Transfer of Technology messages that alert the government to ensure the (DCDTT) said that the Commission is searching for current conditions are improved, especially by paying people like Mr. Kayombo who have innovative ideas the workers’ salaries they deserve and control so that it can assist them in making their dreams inflation to curb commodity prices, especially basic come true. He added, “If his work will be approved by food items. the panel, and the panel sees that his ideas is worth promoting, Mr. Kayombo will be sent to any of the Mr. Sadick said that he is aware of the current technical institutes for further technical studies in situation and will make sure that the workers’ plights order to improve his ideas on science, technology and are received by the president. Mr. Sadick also urged innovation.” the workers to work hard and continue to trust the government to solve the workers’ problems. 2 On May 9-11, 2012, the Government raised awareness of African research Plenary Sessions and 48 parallel of Tanzania through the Tanzania capacity, promoting participation of scientific sessions featuring over 180 Commission for Science and African organizations in the ICT presenters from government, Technology (COSTECH) hosted the Theme of FP7 (FP7-ICT), ACP-ICT and industry and research organizations prestigious Innovation, Science and ACP-ST Calls and identified co- in 39 countries. The Conference & Technology in Africa (IST-Africa operation opportunities in fields of Exhibitions provided opportunities 2012) Conference and Exhibitions in mutual interest. IST-Africa 2008 was for Tanzanians and people from Dar es Salaam. hosted by Government of Namibia around the world to showcase through Ministry of Education in Information Society and The IST-Africa 2012 is part of the IST- Windhoek, 07 - 09 May 2008 Information, Communication and Africa Initiative, a strategic and IST-Africa 2009 Conference was Technology (ICT). More than 400 partnership between International hosted by Government of Uganda senior representatives from leading Information Management through the Ministry of ICT in government, industry, research and Corporation Ltd (IIMC), from Ireland, Kampala, 07 - 09 May 2009. civil society organizations in 45 and 19 African Governments. The countries around the world were IST-Africa is supported by the brought together to share ideas on European Commission (EC) and research, ICT and innovation. African Union Commission (AUC) and co-funded under Framework The goals of the IST-Africa Programme 7 (FP7). Conference series are to showcase Innovation in host countries, Speaking during the Press community building to facilitate Conference, Paul Cunningham, The international research cooperation, IIMC Director, noted that the IST- and knowledge sharing between Africa Initiative is an active and government, industry and research growing partnership, founded by institutions to exploit research IIMC, Ireland in 2002. During 2005 - results and stimulate socio- 2007 with European Commission Fig. 3: A portion of the IST-Africa economic development. funding under the IST Programme of participants attending one of the plenary Framework Programme 6 (FP6), IST- sessions at the conference. During the conference, delegates Africa has trained over 1,000 proposed and discussed solutions to government officials and During 2010 - 2011 the IST-Africa bridge the Digital Divide by sharing researchers in Botswana, South partnership expanded to include 14 knowledge, experience, lessons Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania in African countries. IST-Africa has learnt and good practice and key areas including eGovernment, undertaken a review of ICT policy, discussed policy-related issues eHealth, eLearning and organized ICT Initiatives and research related to Information Society and two very successful international priorities. IST-Africa in cooperation ICT. The IST-Africa 2012 focused on research conferences in Africa; IST- with LLiSA has authored a White the Role of ICT for Africa's Africa 2006 (304 delegates from 38 Paper entitled Supporting the Development and specifically on countries) hosted by the Evolution of Sustainable Living Labs Applied ICT research topics Government of South Africa through and Living Labs Networks in addressing major societal and the Department of Science & Africa. IST-Africa 2010 (19 - 21 May) economic challenges.