Application Deadline: June 30 2014
The African Union and TWAS offer support for African countries to institute awards for young African scientists. This programme is for science academies, research councils or high-level research organizations in developing countries.
TWAS, the African Union (AU) and national ministries of science and technology are entering into partnership with national science academies, scientific research councils and high-level research organizations in Africa to institute ‘AU-TWAS Young Scientist National Awards’. The awards are designed to recognize scientific excellence in their countries. In each participating country, two USD5,000-prizes will be awarded each year in the categories of:
- ‘Life and earth sciences‘, and
- ‘Basic sciences, technology and innovation‘.
Procedure
- African organizations intending to award AU-TWAS Young Scientist National Awards in their respective countries are required to sign an agreement of collaboration with TWAS, the AU and their national ministry of science and technology that outlines the rules and regulations governing the scheme.The scheme is then managed by the participating organization while TWAS and the AU provide the prize money.
- Candidates eligible for the prizes should be no older than forty years of age at the time of winning the prize; hold at least a Master’s degree; have a good record of research publications in internationally recognized journals; be living and working in the country of the awarding organization for at least the previous three years.
- Nominations of women scientists are particularly encouraged.
- The closing date for nominations is 30 June each year: Africa Scientific Renaissance Day.
- A committee of eminent scientists in the country — including TWAS members, where applicable — should be formed for selecting the prize winners. Names of committee members should be sent to TWAS for information.
- The awarding organizations should send a complete profile of the selected nominees to TWAS, providing details on their achievements together with curriculum vitae and list of publications. Approval of TWAS and the AU is required before announcing the names of the winners.
- The prize should be presented to the awardees by a high-ranking public figure (e.g., head of state/government, minister of science and technology) at a special ceremony held each year on 9 September: Africa Union Day.
Participating Organizations To date, TWAS and the AU have signed agreements with ministries of science and technology and participating organizations in 14 countries. The participating organizations are:
- Benin: Centre Beninois de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CBRST)
- Burkina Faso: Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique et Tecnologique (CNRST)
- Cameroon: Cameroon Academy of Sciences
- Egypt: Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT)
- Ghana: Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Guinea: Organisation Scientifique National de Stimulation de la Recherche en Guinee
- Kenya: Directorate of Research Management and Development (DRMD), Kenya
- Lesotho: Department of Science and Technology
- Malawi: National Commission for Science and Technology
- Nigeria: Nigerian Academy of Sciences
- Senegal: National Academy of Science and Technology (ANSTS)
- South Africa: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
- Sudan: Sudan Institute for Natural Sciences (SIFNS)
- Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences
AU-TWAS Young Scientist National Awards ICTP Campus Strada Costiera 11 34151 Trieste Italy Fax: +39 040 2240 7387 E-mail: prizes@twas.org For More Informartion: Visit the Official Webpage of the AU-TWAS Young Scientist National Awards for Africans