Casa Árabe, present at the “Ellas investigan” event
The First Conference on Women, Science, Technology and Research in Africa was recently held
December 02, 2014
MADRID
On December 2, Casa Árabe attended the First conference on Women, Science, Technology and Research in Africa, “Ellas Investigan,” organized by the “Women for Africa” Foundation and the Ramón Areces Foundation, with the cooperation of Spain’s Advanced Scientific Research Center (CSIC), National Center for Cancer Research (CNIO), Institute of Photon Sciences (ICF), National Biotechnology Center (CNB), Severo Ochoa Excellence and Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII).
During this Day, the program “Ellas Investigan” was presented, having been developed by the “Women for Africa” Foundation and the collaborating centers of research excellence. It seeks to build bridges between female African and Spanish scientists, as well as promoting and placing greater value on the contributions by women scientists in Africa. The program, whose scientific committee met the preceding day, will begin its activity with a pilot exchange project for female scientists who are directors or hold management positions at African research centers, so that they may complete research stays at the four participating research centers (Spain’s National Center for Cancer Research, Institute of Photon Sciences, National Biotechnology Center and Carlos III Health Institute), in three areas in particular: 1) health, 2) energy, water and climate change, and 3) agriculture and food security.
The event was officially opened by the State Secretary for Research, Development and Innovation, Carmen Vela, and the president of the “Women for Africa” Foundation, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, along with two new patrons of the Foundation, Ana Botín, president of Banco Santander, and Dimas Gimeno, president of El Corte Inglés. The welcoming was given by the director of the Ramón Areces Foundation, Raimundo Pérez-Hernández.
Taking part in the event were the members of the Scientific Committee of the “Women for Africa” Foundation, which consists of women and men scientists from Spain, the United States, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia, as well as international experts in the fields of research, industry and scientific policies. They debated over the most direct and inclusive paths towards improving the quality and impact of research and innovation.
Participating in the round table discussion on “Scientific and Technological Development in Africa: Engine for global progress” were Faouzia Charfi, a Tunisian physicist and politician, as well as her country’s Secretary of State in the Ministry of Higher Education after the revolution in Tunisia and throughout the governments of Mohamed Ghannouchi and Béji Caïd Essebsi. She is also the author of the book “La science violée” (“Veiled Science”).
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