2010 Conference

Forum on Regional Networks in Africa and RISE Student Scientific Conference

Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre
Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa
October 5–8, 2010
University World News Coverage of the Conference
RISE: Science Fosters a New Generation of Leaders
Africa: Opening Academies to Young Scientists
RISE: Strengthening Higher Education in Africa
SciDev.Net Blog Posts from the Conference
What's Next for RISE?
Seaweeds of Zanzibar, Herbal Treatments of the Samburu, Malawi's Drought-Proof Tea
Reform Science Academies to Benefit Young Scientists
What Went Wrong at ICSU?
Are Universities and Networks Good Bedfellows?
Finally, Some Students!
Who Networks the Networks?
Tax-Free Science - A Boon to Africa?
Catching Up WIth Tanzania
The RISE Networks 101
Touching Base With the RISE Networks
Tuesday, October 5
8:30 – 9:15 Welcome and introductions
Phillip Griffiths, Science Initiative Group (SIG)
Jane Morris, RISE-SABINA; ACGT/CSIR
John Griffith, Embassy of the United States, Pretoria, South Africa
9:15 – 11:00 About RISE: Presentations by RISE Network Leaders
9:15 RISE-AFNNET: African Natural Products Network
John David Kabasa, Makerere University
9:30 SABINA: Southern African Biochemistry and Informatics for Natural Products
John Kalenga Saka, University of Malawi 
9:45 WIO-RISE: Western Indian Ocean Regional Initiative
Margareth Kyewalyanga, Institute of Marine Sciences, UDSM
10:00 SSAWRN: Sub-Saharan Africa Water Resources Network
Denis Hughes, Rhodes University
10:15 AMSEN: African Materials Science and Engineering Network
Lesley Cornish, University of the Witwatersrand
10:30 Discussion
11:00 – 11:30 Tea/Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:30
Panel on the Role of Governments
Panel Chair: Tom Hexner, Science Initiative Group (SIG)
Evelyne Mbede, Director of Science and Technology, Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, Tanzania
Ben Durham, Director: Biotechnology, Department of Science and Technology, South Africa
Andrew Kaniki, Executive Director of Knowledge Management and Strategy, National Research Foundation, South Africa
Marilyn Pifer, Senior Program Manager and Senior Technical Advisor, CRDF Global
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30
Panel on Regional Associations and Related Initiatives
Panel Chair: John Butler-Adam, Ford Foundation
Tichaona Mangwende, Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio)
Sibusiso Sibisi, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
15:30 – 16:00 Tea/Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:30
Moderated Discussion
Focus on Exploration of Potential Collaborations Among Initiatives
Moderator: Peter Sundin, International Science Programme (ISP)
18:30 Cocktails and Dinner
Wednesday, October 6
8:30 – 9:00
Welcome Message to RISE Students; Short Introductions
9:00 – 9:40
Student Talks
9:00 Mr. Raphael Tshimanga, A physically based approach to the Pitman hydrological model calibration for the Congo Basin (SSAWRN)
9:20 Mr. Fialho Nehama, Modelling freshwater dispersal in the Indian Ocean (WIO-RISE)
9:40 – 10:00 Tea/Coffee Break
10:00 – 11:00
Panel on Science Academies and Young Scientists
Panel Chair: Burton Mwamila, NM AIST-Arusha, Tanzania
11:00 – 13:00
RISE Universities Panel
Panel Chair: Matthew Luhanga, University of Dar es Salaam and Tanzania Academy of Sciences
Yunus Ballim, DVC Academic, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Peter Clayton, DVC for Research & Development, Rhodes University, South Africa
Anton Ströh, Dean, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa
13:00 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 15:30
Student Talks
14:30
Ms. Pelly Malebe, Molecular markers for drought tolerance in tea (SABINA)
14:50
Mr. Stephan Coetzee, Preliminary phase analyses of the Ni-Ru-V system (AMSEN)
15:10
Ms. Irene Kamanja, Clerodendrum myricoides (hoechst) vatke as used among the Samburu community (AFNNET)
15:30 – 16:00
Tea/Coffee and Poster Session
16:00 – 17:00 Plenary Session
18:30 Dinner
Thursday, October 7
9:00 – 10:00
Student Talks
9:00
Mr. Joseph Erume, Water-borne disease microbes contaminating shallow ground water sources for human use in selected areas of Uganda (SSAWRN)
9:20 Ms. Grace Mutia, Distribution and nutritional composition of selected seaweeds utilised as marine fishing baits in basket traps in Kenya (WIO-RISE)
9:40 Mr. Nicholas Mphangwe, Identification of molecular markers linked to important traits in tea (Camellia sinensis) (SABINA)
10:00 – 11:00 Tea/Coffee and Poster Session 
11:00 – 12:00
Student Talks
11:00 Mr. Edigio Govate, Vulnerability analysis and design of protection zone of Nhartanda and Matundu Aquifer - Tete City, Mozambique (SSAWRN)
11:20 Ms. Kathryn Jolly, Aspects of the biology and fishery of the blue shark (Prionace glauca) in South African waters (WIO-RISE)
11:40 Mr. Francis M. Mwonjoria, Aspects of biology, ecology and fishery of the bigfin squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana (Lesson 1830) (WIO-RISE)
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 14:30
Student Talks
13:30 Ms. Jane Namukobe, Phytochemical and antiplasmodial activity of selected medicinal plants used by humans and chimpanzees in and around Kibale National Park (AFNNET)
13:50 Ms. Secilia K. Ilonga, Screening for anticancer and antioxidant compounds from selected indigenous plants from the Oshikoto region (Namibia) (SABINA)
14:10 Ms. Faith Mabiki, The ethnomedical potentials of synadenium glauscescence pax from Tanzania (AFNNET)
14:30 – 15:30 Tea/Coffee and Poster Session
15:30 – 16:50 Student Talks
15:30
Mr. Justin Omolo, The isolation of bioactive anti-HIV Natural Products from Tanzanian medicinal plants (SABINA)
15:50 Mr. Joseph Nguta, Ethnodiagnostic skills of the Digo community for malaria: a lead to traditional bioprospecting? (AFNNET)
16:10 Mr. Adushan Pillay, The synthesis of anti-tumour naphthoquinones (SABINA)
16:30 Ms. Gaymary Bakari, Anthelmintic and antimicrobial effect of Commiphora swymnneronii in local chicken (AFNNET)
18:30 Dinner
Friday, October 8
9:00 – 9:30 TWAS Fellowship and Grant Opportunities
9:30 – 10:10
Student Talks
9:30
Ms. Jane Tanner, Quantifying interactions between groundwater and surface water using the Pitman hydrological model (SSAWRN)
9:50 Mr. Isaac Popoola, Computational study of noble metal alloys (AMSEN)
10:10 – 10:30 Tea/Coffee Break
10:30 – 11:30
Student Talks
10:30 Mr. Graham Bathgate, The continuous production of carbon nanotubes by means of a swirled fluid chemical vapour deposition reactor (AMSEN)
10:50 Mr. Nqobizitha Siziba, Implications of seasonal flooding of the Okavango Delta floodplains on microinvertebrates and juvenile fish production (SSAWRN)
11:10 Mr. I.O. Oladele, Development of sisal fibre reinforced polyester composites (AMSEN)
11:30 – 11:50 Tea/Coffee Break
11:50 – 12:30 Student Talks
11:50 Ms. Charine Collins, The Comoros Gyre - a modelling approach (WIO-RISE)
12:10 Mr. Kenneth Njoroge, A multi-scale dislocation model applied to metal plasticity (AMSEN)
12:30 – 13:00 Closing Remarks
13:00 Meeting Adjourned; Lunch
The Science Initiative Group gratefully acknowledges project and conference support from Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the David & Lucile Packard Foundation.