SASA Programs
Conferences Program
SASA has held annual international scientific conferences since 2013:
2013 Inaugural Meeting and 1st International Scientific Conference: University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa, April 25 – 28, 2013
Theme: Advancement of Science in Africa
2014 2nd International Scientific Conference including a joint Collaborative Colloquium with the Global Knowledge Initiative:
Pennsylvania State University, Osaka University, Sri Siddhartha University, Muni University, Gulu University;
Kampala, Uganda, May 6 – 10, 2014
Theme: Science Innovation for Economic development
2015 3rd International Scientific Conference: Sri Siddhartha University, Gulu University, University of Toronto,
Toronto, Canada, August 28 – 31, 2015
Theme: Science Research and Education in Africa
2016 4th International Scientific Conference:
United Nations Environmental Program, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya, August 22-26, 2016
Theme: Advancing Africa’s Sustainable Development Through Science, Technology and Innovation
Young African Researcher Program – Research Excellence and Fellowship (REFA) Award
SASA honors excellence in research conducted by undergraduate and graduate students through merit-based awards that recognize highly competitive abstracts submitted and presented during International Scientific Conferences approved by SASA. Student REFAs are one way in which SASA promotes and supports the advancement of scientific research in Africa by investing in highly talented students engaged in research in Africa. Awardees are selected by the SASA Awards Committee and volunteer judges based on abstract and presentation scores. Awardees are selected for three award categories (Gold, Silver and Bronze). The value of the award is determined yearly based on the nature of the conference, distance travelled to attend the conference, generosity of donors/sponsors and/or availability of SASA resources.
SASA-University Collaboration and Brain Circulation Program
There are three components to this program:
- Lectures Program
- Researchers Program
- African diaspora Scholars program
The Lectures Program is designed to facilitate the transfer to Africa, of advances in scientific knowledge and educational methodology, and promoting ethical conduct and academic integrity in doing science in Africa. In institution-to-institution collaboration, experts in the relevant area would travel, from North American academic institutions to African academic institutions, or within African academic institutions and deliver lectures on topics in the broad areas mentioned above.
The Researchers Program is designed to facilitate individual international researcher participation and/or collaboration in a research project in/or with an African university or research institution. In an institution-to-institution collaboration, researchers would travel or send graduate students, from North American academic institutions to African academic institutions to participate or collaborate in a specific research project with an African academic institutions or research institution.
The Africa Scholar Brain Circulation (ASBC) Program is premised on the understanding that within the African scientific and research diaspora are eminent academics with considerable collective scientific and research knowledge. The ASBC program is designed to tap into this knowledge resource and facilitate return of talent and expertise to Africa.
Interested diaspora academics are encouraged and facilitated to travel to participating African academic institutions and communities to share and disseminate their talent and expertise by holding a series of lectures, town hall talks, workshops, or community outreach events on various and diverse topics (ex. research methodology for nurses, disease epidemics in Africa, community citizen science in Africa, in addition to academic lectures at universities and colleges.)
The ASBC program is not meant to be one way; it is designed to circulate brain power. In that regard the other segment of the circulation will involve the travel of African academics in Africa to North American, European, or Asian academic institutions. Since 2011 the ASBC program has been disseminated extensively to both diaspora and Africa based scientists, academics, and researchers. This extensive and sustained outreach effort by SASA has inspired in its wake various initiatives in Africa and outside of Africa. Many have copied SASA’s ideas. Recent initiatives such as the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship, or CADF, program started in 2013 and the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) started in 2015 are notable examples of ideas inspired by the ASBC and/or copied from SASA.
Publications
Beginning with the 2015 SASA International Conference at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, August 28-September 2, 2015, SASA has been and will be publishing conference and Workshop proceedings annually. This facilitates dissemination of knowledge and advances in Science. The 2015 conference proceedings have been published by Cambridge Scholars and the 2016 Conference proceedings are in the process of preparation for publication.
Science Fairs for Students
The purpose of the science fairs is to encourage participation of youth in science activities to generate an interest in science careers. SASA will organize at least 1 and a maximum of 4 local, national and regional school science fair competitions for students across Canada on an annual basis. The science fairs may take place during SASA’s annual conference. Winning schools will earn a certificate of recognition and will be invited to select two of the school’s team members to attend SASA’s upcoming annual conference. SASA conference registration fees and other incidentals will be waived for the selected team members. Details of SASA Science fairs are posted on the SASA website. www.sasascience.org
