Year 2018 - Vol. 30 - No.1/2 NEWSLETTER A PUBLICATION OF THE WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCES A New Generation, Rising TWAS early-career researchers are emerging as science leaders PUBLISHED WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE KUWAIT FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCES Support TWAS A donation to TWAS directly contributes to the advancement of science, engineering and technology in developing nations. To make a contribution: www.twas.org/support-twas CONTENTS 4 2 Editorial: A promising future for science TWAS Young Affiliates are showing promise – and significant contributions to science. 3 In the news Seaweed in the eastern Caribbean presents problems. A vitamin boost fights child malnutrition. SPECIAL SECTION: A NEW GENERATION 4 Innovation: the next wave A blend of excellent skills, fresh ideas and commitment distinguish TWAS Young Affiliates. 16 10 Q&A: The challenges facing young scientists Three young science leaders reflect on how to support early-career researchers (top) Researchers affiliated with the TWAS Young Academy Network in the South. take samples to study soil biodiversity in Sri Lanka; (below) Attendees at 14 A small grant can change the world the TWAS Research Grants conference in Tanzania discuss how to increase A Kenyan medical researcher uses a TYAN grant to fight drug-resistant their scientific impact. microbes. Cover picture: Kenyan microbiologist Atunga Nyachieo - the recipient of the 16 Strong foundations for a life in research first TWAS Young Affiliates Network grant Building scientific skills was a focus for TWAS Research Grants awardees - and his mentor Dr. Jesca Nakavuma in Tanzania. at College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Makerere, Uganda. 18 Creative water policies help cool tensions Finnish microbial ecologist Merja A shared need for water could help ease tension between Israel, Jordan and Itävaara, far right, at the Yangon University in Myanmar with officials Palestine, said a speaker at the AAAS-TWAS Science Diplomacy Summer Course. from the Department of Research and Innovation in the Ministry of Education; 20 The knowledge to grow sustainably ALARM Ecological Laboratory; and A Finnish microbial ecologist, through the Elsevier Foundation-TWAS Sustainability Yangon University. Itävaara was there as part of the Elsevier Foundation- Visiting Expert Programme, helped Myanmar to develop essential environmental TWAS Sustainability Visiting Expert capacity. Programme. (Photo provided) 22 Royal Society meets TWAS, FIT in Trieste Three long-time partners look forward to future collaborations to advance science. 23 People, Places and Events 20 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 1/2, 2018 1 EDITORIAL TWAS YOUNG AFFILIATES: A PROMISING FUTURE FOR SCIENCE o earn election to The World Academy of found need for improvement in core areas: TSciences, researchers must achieve the scientific training and mentorship; gender highest impact in their fields, with excellence disparities; evaluation processes; and funding. sustained over many years. It is understandable, They urged a scientific culture that provides then, that most of the scientists elected to the fairness and creative research opportunities for Academy are advanced in their careers: They early-career scientists. have proven their skill beyond doubt, and they This suggests that early-career scientists often are leaders of major institutions in science, might be constrained from reaching their full government and business. They are justly potential. This would be a loss for all of us in the considered role models, worthy of emulation. research enterprise, worldwide. But with the wisdom of years, we can see The TWAS Young Affiliates – working through that there also is much to value in our younger TYAN – can provide an important voice in this colleagues: fresh creativity, bold ideas and the global dialogue. The Affiliates represent 67 excitement of early accomplishments. countries, including Bhutan, Costa Rica, Lesotho, TWAS President Recognising the importance of this energy, Papua New Guinea and others where TWAS has Bai Chunli our Academy’s leaders in 2007 created the no other representatives. In 2014, 19% were Young Affiliates programme for accomplished women, but that proportion has risen to 28%. researchers aged 40 and under. The programme Our partners at Lenovo, the global computing has been at work for over a decade now, leader, have provided generous funding to complemented by the creation in 2016 of the support the early years of TYAN. Already the TWAS Young Affiliates Network (TYAN). members are staging events that have a direct As this issue of the Newsletter demonstrates, bearing on science, policy and international these members of our community share a cooperation. remarkable commitment to the TWAS mission: We admire the Young Affiliates’ commitment using science for healthy and prosperous to excellence and impact, and we hope that communities, as envisioned in the United many of them will continue their strong progress Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. At an and in time be elected as TWAS Fellows. Just as early stage in their careers, our Young Affiliates important, we see them as future leaders in their are showing not only promise, but significant institutions, their countries and in global science. contributions to scientific knowledge. Clearly, their early work suggests great TWAS turned 35 years old in 2018, and even promise for the future. in the Academy’s earliest years, founder Abdus Salam spoke of the importance of scientific Bai Chunli, president, TWAS opportunities for young women and men from the developing world. And yet this is a new generation, with access to technology, networks and travel that would have seemed almost impossible back then. Indeed, today’s early-career scientists are making historic advances – but at the same time, they face old challenges. To learn more about the work of the In a 2014 report, “The Global State of Young TWAS Young Affiliates, read their profiles in the new Scientists”, a team at the Global Young Academy TWAS Online Directory at www.twas.org/directory 2 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 1/2, 2018 WORLD NEWS TWAS NEWSLETTER Published quarterly by The World Academy in soils. They are helpful in the decomposition of Sciences for the of waste, producing biofertilisers. Researchers advancement of science IN THE NEWS in developing countries found the distinct composition of cellulose- with support from degrading bacteria specific in two major species the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of earthworm. of Sciences (KFAS). India Water Portal: ICTP Campus Philippines enacts anti-brain drain law www.bit.do/WasteAndWorms Strada Costiera 11 The Philippines has enacted a law that provides 34151 Trieste, Italy tel: +39 040 2240327 assistance to Filipino scientists who intend to fax: +39 040 224559 return to the country. Can insurance protect coral reefs? e-mail: [email protected] website: www.twas.org The new law institutionalizes a 40-year-old Coral reefs, mangroves and even some fish law that had previously helped 567 scientists could soon have their own insurance policies as TWAS COUNCIL return to the country to conduct their research, the insurance industry seeks new ways to boost President Bai Chunli and expands their benefits and compensation. protection for reefs affected by ocean changes Immediate Past President Under the law, a returning Filipino scientist wrought by the climate crisis. Jacob Palis is entitled to a round trip airfare from a Insurance industry experts speaking at Vice Presidents foreign country to the Philippines, relocation the Ocean Risk Summit in reinsurance hub Moctar Toure Mohammed Hamdan benefits for the scientist’s family, as well as Bermuda said so-called “ocean risk” – which Rabia Hussain medical insurance and support in securing job encompasses storms and hurricanes as well Khatijah M. Yusoff Manuel Limonta-Vidal opportunities and a working visa. as marine diseases and declines in fish stocks Secretary-General Asian Scientist: – can present opportunities for insurers if the Ajay K. Sood www.bit.do/PhilippinesBrainDrain risks are modelled correctly. Treasurer Samira Omar Asem Thomson Reuters Foundation: Council Members www.bit.do/InsuranceProtection Robin Crewe Eastern Caribbean is swamped Abdel Nasser Tawfik Habib Firouzabadi by seaweed Bishal Nath Upreti Barbados’s Long Beach, typically a picturesque Mahabir Prashad Gupta vision of white sand and blue water, is buried Ex-officio Council Member Fernando Quevedo beneath a vast expanse of thick, rotting seaweed. It’s a foul nuisance that has turned TWAS Executive Director Mohamed Hassan (interim) deadly. Editor Under normal conditions, floating sargassum Edward W. Lempinen seaweed is a thriving ecosystem and provides Assistant editors Francesca Pettoello a vital habitat and food source in the open Cristina Serra ocean for fish, turtles and crustaceans. But Sean Treacy when it grows too thick, the seaweed washes Design & Art Direction Rado Jagodic ashore and clumps in dense, tangled mats so Vitamin D3 boost helps treat Studio Link, Trieste, Italy expansive and impenetrable that sea turtles child malnutrition Printing and other surface-breathing animals can’t High doses of vitamin D3 can help treat severe Grafica Goriziana Gorizia, Italy break through. child malnutrition, suggesting health officials Hakai Magazine: should revise standard treatments. Unless otherwise indicated, the text is written by www.bit.do/SeaweedSurge A clinical trial in Pakistan’s Punjab province the editors and may be found that vitamin D3 supplements added to reproduced freely with due credit to the source. treatment for malnutrition led to significant Earthworm guts contain a key bacteria improvements in a group of 185 children aged Printed on Fedrigoni Indian scientists have found that earthworms 2-58 months. The eight-week treatment led Arcoprint 1 E.W., a paper made with environment- fill the role as a friend to farmers because their to weight gain and improved motor skills and friendly ECF pure cellulose, guts provide an ideal environment for nurturing learning abilities. FSC certified. a variety of cellulose-degrading bacteria. SciDev.Net: Earthworms are in effect acting as engineers www.bit.do/VitaminD3 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No.