The U.S.-Africa Frontiers Program- Catalyzing Collaborations in Science, Engineering and Medicine
Abstract
The objective of this award is to hold a series of webinars in tandem with the second US-Africa Frontiers symposium in order to catalyze US-Africa collaborations in science, engineering, and medicine. The reasons AFOSR and other DoD would like to engage with African researchers is to learn who researchers what and where the state of the art is. The US-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine program brings together outstanding young scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from the United States and the African continent for yearly symposia to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in their fields. This symposium will be hosted by l Academie Hassan II des Sciences and Techniques and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on 16-18 January 2024, in Rabat, Morocco. The symposium has three objectives- (1) Enhance scientific dialogue and exchange among young researchers in Africa and the United States; (2) Encourage and strengthen scientific collaboration and the transfer of techniques and approaches across disciplines within and beyond the continent; and (3) Empower young researchers to assume leadership roles. The meeting will focus on advances in Human-Technology Interaction, Sensing Technologies, Green Technologies for Climate Adaptation, Vaccine Manufacturing, and One Health. This multidisciplinary approach in similar programs has been proven intellectually stimulating and generates a cross-disciplinary dialogue considered key for scientific innovation; further, it allows DoD to speak and engage with a broad audience who may be interested in collaborations or submitting individual proposals. The previous year s symposium, which included local university visits, concluded with white papers from across the continent, and has lead to some DoD-funded efforts and launched some ongoing conversations. During the symposium, these exchanges on cutting-edge scientific knowledge among US and African attendees take place through five plenary sessions covering the above topics; poster presentations by each attendee; educational exhibits; and informal discussions throughout the event. ONRG and ARL DEVCOM will fund the conference. The objective of this award is to organize a series of webinars before and after the symposium to share opportunities for research collaborations with the attendees. These will include, but are not limited to, opportunities within AFOSR, DOD and the broader USG. The goal is to prepare researchers for engaging with DoD, familiarize them with DoD funding and procedures, and then catalyze follow-up SandT collaborations between U.S. and African researchers. This award would be an extension to a previous award, 22RT0800. Per rules on additional work actions and cost thresholds, it is not possible to extend the existing award, but rather it is a requirement to go through the award process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310650
Entities
People
- Dalal Najib
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- National Academy of Sciences
- United States Air Force