New Book | A Voice for Science in the South | edited by Daniel Schaffer

A Voice for Science in the South

Edited by Daniel Schaffer. World Scientific Publishing, 2015, hardcover, 252 pages, ISBN: 9789814740425.

About the Book

Science in the developing world has experienced historic change over the past 30 years. Nations that lacked resources for even basic science have since developed world-class research centres. Men and women who previously had no chance of pursuing scientific careers in their own countries now thrive in home-grown universities and laboratories dedicated to scientific excellence.

The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) has been front and centre during this remarkable transformation. A Voice for Science in the South tells the story of TWAS through the eyes of 11 eminent scientists associated with the Academy. They speak of the organization's challenges and triumphs, and describe what TWAS has meant for their careers and the careers of thousands of scientists in the developing world. They also explore the challenges that lie ahead for TWAS and, more generally, for science in the South. It is a story of unprecedented global change and an account of what must be done to ensure that all nations can share in the benefits that emerge when science is woven into the fabric of society.

Table of Contents

Foreword: TWAS, Past and Future (Bai Chunli)

Introduction: The Vision of Abdus Salam (Daniel Schaffer)

Present in the World (José I Vargas)

A Centre for Excellence (C N R Rao)

Fulfilling the Promise (Jacob Palis)

Making It Happen (Mohamed H A Hassan)

Minding the Gaps (Ana María Cetto Kramis)

Opening Doors (Adnan Badran)

Full Engagement (Zakri Abdul Hamid)

The Odds of Success (Keto Mshigeni)

A Life of Change (Yu Lu)

Moving Ahead Together (Roseanne Diab)

For Generations to Come (Maria Corazon A De Ungria)

Further Details

More About this Book | by Edward W. Lempinen | TWAS Newsletter

Key TWAS leaders reflect on the history of science in the developing world – and the history and future of TWAS – in a new book. In 11 inspiring essays, TWAS leaders detail the Academy's triumphs and challenges in advancing science for the developing world.

Thirty years after the first TWAS General Meeting, a new book explores the Academy's past and future in a series of essays by TWAS leaders and prominent Fellows from the developing world. "A Voice for Science in the South" serves as window into one of the most significant changes of our era: how nations once trapped in poverty have invested in science, technology and education to drive development and improve human conditions. The book "will serve as a lasting reminder of the commitment that motivated Abdus Salam, Paolo Budinich and the others who founded the Academy and guided its work for the first 30 years," writes TWAS President Bai Chunli in the Foreword. "Though the world may change, their ideals remain constant. At the same time, this volume reminds us of the hard work and creativity that will be required to build on their legacy, so that TWAS remains an effective leader and advocate for science in the service of human progress."

"A Voice for Science in the South" was edited by Daniel Schaffer, the former TWAS public information officer, and published by Singapore-based World Scientific. In an introductory essay, Schaffer reflects on the vision and commitment of Salam, the Pakistani physicist who founded the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in 1964 and won the Nobel Prize in 1979. Following that reflection are essays by four pioneering TWAS leaders: former Presidents José I. Vargas of Brazil; C.N.R. Rao of India; and Jacob Palis of Brazil; and longtime Executive Director Mohamed H.A. Hassan of Sudan. "A Voice for Science in the South" also features essays by:

• TWAS Fellow Ana María Cetto Kramis of Mexico, who has played a globally influential role in supporting women in science;
  
• TWAS Fellow Adnan Badran, who served as prime minister of Jordan during a distinguished career of scholarship, political engagement and diplomacy;
  
• Zakri Abdul Hamid, a TWAS Fellow who serves as science adviser to the government of Malaysia, a member of the UN Secretary-General's Science Advisory Board, and founding chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services;
  
• Keto Mshigeni, a TWAS Council vice president and one of Africa's preeminent natural scientists, known for his research into seaweed and mushrooms as food sources; 
  
• TWAS Fellow Yu Lu, a renowned Chinese physicist who served as the first permanent member of the ICTP scientific staff;
  
• Roseanne Diab, a TWAS Fellow and executive director of the Academy of Sciences of South Africa; and 
  
• TWAS Young Affiliate Maria Corazon A. De Ungria of the Philippines, head of the DNA Analysis Laboratory at the University of the Philippines.

Further Details