Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World

Last updated
Logo Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD).png
Logo

The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organisation that provides research training, career development and networking opportunities for women scientists throughout the developing world at different stages in their career. It was founded in 1987 and was officially launched in 1993. The organisation was formerly known as the Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS). It is a program unit of UNESCO and based at the offices of The World Academy of Sciences in Trieste, Italy. [1]

Contents

The organisation aims to unite eminent scientists from the developing and developed world with an objective of supporting their efforts in the development process. It also aims at promoting the representation of its members in the sphere of scientific and technological leadership. It does so through different programs like memberships, fellowships, and awards. [2]

Objectives

Scientific research and advancement is important to generate knowledge and products aimed at solving problems faced by society. The generation of such knowledge is especially important in the developing countries which face numerable problems like poverty, food scarcity, disease, climate change, and many more. Scientific innovation is not only important to find solutions to these problems but can also contribute to local economies. The inclusion of women in this innovation process provides a unique perspective on the local problems. In many developing countries, women have daily needs and routines oriented to their roles as main care-givers to the elderly and children. Women make up the majority of agricultural workers too, growing and harvesting food for their families, as well as collecting fresh water for drinking. If women are included as both participants in scientific research and as the beneficiaries of scientific research, the impact on children, on the elderly and on local communities will be direct and highly effective. [1]

OWSD aims to pursue the following objectives:

a. Increase the participation of women in developing countries in scientific and technological research, teaching and leadership;

b. Promote the recognition of the scientific and technological achievements of women scientists and technologists in developing countries;

c. Promote collaboration and communication among women scientists and technologists in developing countries and with the international scientific community as a whole;

d. Increase access of women in developing countries to the socio-economic benefits of science and technology;

e. Promote the participation of women scientists and technologists in the sustainable and economic development of their country; and

f. Increase understanding of the role of science and technology in supporting women's development activities. [3]

History

The idea for OWSD was first raised at a conference on The Role of Women in the Development of Science and Technology in the Third World in 1988, organized by the World Academy of Sciences, where more than 200 leading women scientists from 63 developing countries participated. A study group consisting of top women scientists and experts was formed to explore the possibility of creating an organization that would champion the experience, needs and skills of women scientists in the developing world. At a further meeting in Trieste in 1989, the Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS) was established and a constitution adopted. TWOWS was officially launched four years later in 1993, at the First General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt. [4]

Name change

On 29 June 2010, at the organisation's Fourth General Assembly in Beijing, China members voted to adopt the name Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD).

Funding

OWSD is funded by external donors.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has supported OWSD financially since 1998 and provides full funding for the postgraduate fellowship programme.

Since 2010, the Elsevier Foundation has provided funding for the OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early Career Women Scientists, given to five women scientists from the developing world each year.

In 2017, an agreement was signed with Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to fully fund a new OWSD fellowship for Early Career Women Scientists.

National chapters

OWSD has national chapters in 30 countries. National chapters organize regional conferences, seminars and workshops, lead national and regional initiatives for women in science, and provide OWSD members with networking opportunities.

Programmes

PhD fellowships

OWSD PhD fellowships are offered to women from selected science and technology-lagging countries in the developing world to undertake PhD research in the natural sciences, including engineering and information technology, at host institutes in another developing country. [5]

These scholarships cover all costs related to undertaking research in a host country that are not covered by the host institute, including travel, visa and health costs, tuition and bench fees as well as a monthly stipend for the awardees' board, accommodation and living expenses. The fellowship also includes additional funding for each PhD fellow to travel to international workshops and conferences of relevance.

The fellowship is offered as either a full-time (up to four years) or sandwich option, in which the fellow is a registered PhD student in her home country and undertakes a maximum of 3 research visits at the host institute for minimum 6 up to 20 months.

More than 250 women scientists have graduated from the fellowship programme with PhDs since 1998.

The programme is funded by Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Early career fellowships

The OWSD Early Career fellowship is a prestigious award of up to US$50,000 offered to women who have completed their PhDs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and are employed at an academic or scientific research institute in selected science and technology-lagging countries in the developing world. Early career fellows are supported to continue their research at an international level while based at their home institutes and to build up research groups that will attract international visitors. [6]

The Early Career fellowship programme is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada.

The first cohort of Early Career fellows was awarded in 2018.

OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early Career Women Scientists

The OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards are an annual prize given to reward and encourage women scientists working and living in developing countries who are in the early stages of their careers. Initially launched in 2010, the Awards are presented to five scientists each year, one from each of the four OWSD regions plus an additional exceptional winner from any region. The eligible scientific disciplines for the Awards rotate between the biological sciences, physical sciences and engineering. Each winner receives US$5,000 and presents her research during a special awards ceremony at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting. [7]

Awardees must have made a demonstrable impact on the research environment both at a regional and international level.

Membership

OWSD has more than 8,000 members from 137 countries.  Over 90% of OWSD members are women living and working in developing countries who have master's or doctorate degrees in scientific subjects. [2]  

Leadership

OWSD is governed by an executive board, composed of a president, four regional vice presidents and four regional members. All the members of the executive board are elected by the members of the general assembly who vote out of the shortlist of candidates which were selected through an online voting system. All members are invited to attend the general assembly and have the right to participate in its discussions but only full members have the right to vote. [3]

List of presidents

Impact

Since its inception in 1987 and launch in 1993, OWSD has grown manifolds in both scope and impact. The organisation celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018 and released its first Annual Report. The report highlighted the membership of over 7,100 scientists from more than 150 countries. It also detailed the work of the organization through its headquarters in Italy and the 20 other national chapters in developing countries across the globe. [8]

OWSD's flagship programme has been the South-to-South PhD fellowship programme, which aims at supporting the mobility of women scientists. The fellowship provides support to women from scientifically- and technologically-lagging countries (STLCs) to undertake PhD research at a host institution of recognized research excellence in another developing country. In the past ten years, a total of 314 fellowships have been awarded. By 2018, 251 fellows had successfully graduated and a further 193 were enrolled and completing their studies. [5] [8]

In 2018, OWSD launched an Early-Career fellowship program. This fellowship is funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and greatly increases the impact of the organization. It expands the scope of OWSD's programmes by providing fellowships to scientists in the early stages of their career. The first cohort included 19 candidates from 11 different countries. [8] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Science Foundation Ireland</span> Statutory research funding body

Science Foundation Ireland is the statutory body in Ireland with responsibility for funding oriented basic and applied research in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with a strategic focus. The agency was established in 2003 under the Industrial Development Act 2003 and is run by a board appointed by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. SFI is an agency of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The World Academy of Sciences</span> Merit-based science academy

The World Academy of Sciencesfor the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) is a merit-based science academy established for developing countries, uniting more than 1,400 scientists in some 100 countries. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in developing countries. It was formerly known as the Third World Academy of Sciences. Its headquarters is located on the premises of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Centre for Theoretical Physics</span> Research center in Trieste, Italy.

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) is a research center for physical and mathematical sciences, located in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards</span> Scientific award

The L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards, created in 1998, aim to improve the position of women in science by recognizing outstanding women researchers who have contributed to scientific progress. The awards are a result of a partnership between the Foundation of the French company L'Oréal and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and carry a grant of $100,000 USD for each laureate. This award is also known as the L'Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European University Institute</span> Teaching and research institute

The European University Institute (EUI) is an international postgraduate and post-doctoral research-intensive university and an intergovernmental organisation with juridical personality, established by its founding member states to contribute to cultural and scientific development in the social sciences, in a European perspective. Its main campus is located in the hills above Florence in Fiesole, Italy.

The International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO) is a non-profit organization, based in Strasbourg, France, that funds basic research in life sciences. The organization implements the Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) and is supported by 14 countries and the European Commission. Shigekazu Nagata is the HFSPO President and Chair of the Board of Trustees since 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francisca Nneka Okeke</span> Nigerian professor & physicist

Francisca Nneka Okeke is a Nigerian physicist. She is a Professor of Physics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and first female head of a department in the University.

Qudsia Tahseen is a Professor of Zoology at Aligarh Muslim University and teaches Animal Ecology as well as Nematology to the students of the Masters programme. Her areas of research include taxonomy and developmental biology of terrestrial and aquatic nematodes. Her thrust areas are Biodiversity, Taxonomy, Ecology and developmental biology of soil and fresh water nematodes. She is a fellow of two national science academies of India.

Nashwa Abo Alhassan Eassa is a nano-particle physicist from Sudan. She is an assistant professor of physics at Al-Neelain University in Khartoum.

Joseph H. Hulse (1923–2013) was a Canadian biochemist, food technologist, writer, and the president of the International Union of Food Science and Technology. He chaired the Committee of the Canadian chapter of the Freedom From Hunger, presided over the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology and was the assistant director of nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organization, besides serving as the vice president of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). He was the author of several texts and monographs on nutrition and allied sciences, including a 991-page treatise, Sorghum and the Millets: Their Composition and Nutritive Value. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2008, for his contributions to Science and for his humanitarian activities in India.

Rabia Salihu Sa'id is a Nigerian physicist, professor of atmospheric and space-weather physics, and a researcher at Bayero University Kano. She conducts research in atmospheric and space weather physics, particle physics, and electronics. Sa'id is an advocate and mentor for young women in science with the Visiola Foundation and Peace Corps; she co-founded Nigeria's Association of Women Physicists. She is an advocate and mentor of Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and is a facilitator for the British Council's Active Citizens' Programme.

Lubna Hamid Tawfiq Tahtamouni is a Jordanian biologist known for her work in developmental biology and cancer research. She is the head of the Department of Biology and Biotechnology at Hashemite University in Zarqa, Jordan. She has won multiple awards for her work on breast cancer, and is known as an advocate for allowing young women in the Arab world to choose a career in science. In 2016, she was named one of BBC's 100 Women.

Science and technology in Armenia describes trends and developments in science, technology and innovation policy and governance in Armenia.

Science and technology in Uzbekistan examines government efforts to develop a national innovation system and the impact of these policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priscilla Kolibea Mante</span> Ghanaian neuropharmacologist

Priscilla Kolibea Mante is a Ghanaian neuropharmacologist, a researcher and lecturer from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, currently based at the Kumasi campus. Her research work focuses on alternatives of plant-based therapeutic options to manage drug-resistant epilepsy and the neglected tropical disease neurocysticercosis. In her work, she mostly explores the anticonvulsant activity of the plant alkaloid cryptolepine and its solid-lipid nanoparticles in the management of neurocysticercosis-induced epilepsy. Her goal is to identify a way to help cryptolepine permeate more efficiently into the central nervous system to reduce the risk of convulsion, helping patients to manage their condition as effectively as possible. Aside from her studies of epilepsy, Mante has also worked toward new therapies to alleviate pain, anxiety, and depression.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marian Asantewah Nkansah</span> Ghanaian scientist

Marian Asantewah Nkansah is a Ghanaian environmental chemist. Her research work focuses on finding solutions to environmental problems associated with levels and fate of toxic substances such as heavy/trace metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in food, water, soil, rocks, sediments and other environmental samples. She also researches on the interaction of these pollutants with each other in the environment. In 2016, together with some scientists from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, she led a research which led to the confirmation that edible white clay poses potential cancer risk. In 2016, she became the first scientist to win the Fayzah M. Al-Kharafi Prize, an annual award that recognises exceptional women scientists from scientifically and technologically lagging countries. She and Collins Obuah, another scientist from the University of Ghana, were the two scientist selected to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting in 2017. In 2021, she was among five women recipients in developing countries of the OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards. She received the 2022 Africa Role Model Overall Female Personality Award, and was inducted as a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes Concepcion</span> Filipino social scientist

Mercedes B. Concepcion is a Filipino social scientist who was named a National Scientist of the Philippines in 2010. Concepcion was also dubbed the "Mother of Asian Demography" because of her contributions in population studies and policy within the region. In 2002, she was named the "First Filipino Demographer" by the Philippine American Foundation. A few years later, she won the 2005 United Nations Population Award for her outstanding work in population studies on social and economic development, urbanization, and public health and welfare. Concepcion is currently the Vice President of the Executive Council of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and is a Trustee for both the Philippine Center for Population and Development (PCPD) and Foundation for Adolescent Development, among several other roles.

Alice Norah Nabatanzi, is a Ugandan researcher and academic scientist at Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and largest public university, where she earned a doctorate degree at age 28.

References

  1. 1 2 "What is OWSD? | OWSD". owsd.net. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  2. 1 2 "Membership". OWSD. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  3. 1 2 OWSD Constitution (August, 2018)
  4. ↑ "History". OWSD. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  5. 1 2 "PhD Fellowship". OWSD. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  6. 1 2 "Early Career Women Scientists (ECWS) Fellowships". OWSD. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  7. ↑ "Awards". OWSD. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  8. 1 2 3 OWSD Annual Report (2018)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.