Executive Summary
The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance (EU SD Alliance) is a collaborative initiativ... more Executive Summary The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance (EU SD Alliance) is a collaborative initiative launched by the Horizon 2020 science diplomacy projects S4D4C, InsSciDE and EL-CSID. The Alliance aims at sustaining the dialogue on EU science diplomacy and cultivating new opportunities to progress theory and practice of science diplomacy in Europe. This position paper summarises the current practice and thinking of Alliance members on science diplomacy capacity building. It is based on a qualitative and quantitative data collection via an online survey among the EU SD Alliance members which was conducted between 7th and 26th of February 2024. The invitation was sent to all members and global networking partners of the Alliance by email (in total 44 recipients). The overall response rate was 55%. This document is therefore not a comprehensive overview of science diplomacy capacity building in general, but specifically sheds light on the current perspectives of EU SD Alliance members and partners. The following text is composed of answers received through the survey. Avaiable at: https://www.science-diplomacy.eu/media/EU-SD-Alliance-Capacity-Building-Position-Paper.pdf
The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a global network of 150 academies of science, engineering, ... more The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a global network of 150 academies of science, engineering, and medicine, compiled global evidence in two 2022 reports to show commonalities within the deteriorat ing health and equity outcomes of climate change, which warrant shared multiagency approaches to identifying and implementing knowledge-based solutions. In follow-up work, the IAP and Save the Children initiated a call for health adaptation case studies to address the integrated challenges of climate and health within the broad context of the Sustainable Development Goals, the progress of which is currently impaired by climate change. Climate change adaptation needs, as well as capacity to cope with climate impacts, are unequally distributed around the world, and this heterogeneity in societal adaptive capacity is often overlooked. This new case studies-based work focuses on underserved groups such as women and children.
The Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines for Codes of Conduct for Scientists are a set of ten principle... more The Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines for Codes of Conduct for Scientists are a set of ten principles designed to promote responsible science and strengthen biosecurity governance. They should be broadly adopted, including being endorsed by the Biological Weapons Convention at its 9th Review Conference in November 2022.
Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect m... more Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.
Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect m... more Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature...
Women remain under-represented in science careers and research all over the world. There are seve... more Women remain under-represented in science careers and research all over the world. There are several reasons for this, including stereotypes about what kind of work women "can" or "should" do; patriarchal attitudes; and a lack of support for women pursuing science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers. How are the world’s science academies and international disciplinary associations doing when it comes to getting – and keeping – women on board as members and leaders. That’s what we set out to examine in our new study. Available at: https://theconversation.com/science-academies-and-disciplinary-groups-have-work-to-do-on-gender-equality-169170
Worldwide, every two seconds, someone is forcibly displaced from their home by conflict or persec... more Worldwide, every two seconds, someone is forcibly displaced from their home by conflict or persecution, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). There are currently some 79.5 million displaced persons in the world, the highest number on record. Of these, 45.7 million are internally displaced, 26.0 million are officially classed as refugees and another 4.2 million are asylum-seekers. The scientific communities of countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen have been deeply affected by war, repression and dislocation. It is the considered view of UNESCO and like-minded organizations that both the global scientific community and governments have a strong interest in understanding the experience of displaced scientists and supporting them, to ensure that their skills and training do not go to waste. To be effective, scientists, engineers and medical doctors must be assisted to stay abreast of advances in their field.
Science Diplomacy - India's Global Digest of Multidisciplinary Science, 2021
In this article, we argue that for the international science community to move concretely towards... more In this article, we argue that for the international science community to move concretely towards sustainable development outcomes, they must work towards developing a practice of Science Diplomacy that is based on three tenets: international scientific knowledge and methods, a local experience which we characterize borrowing James Scott’s notion of metis, and an unwavering commitment to SDG#17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and SDG#10 (Reduced Inequality). By doing so, we can tackle both fast and slow-burn issues in science diplomacy, effectively working towards progress across the SDGs, supporting women in science, and welcoming refugee and displaced scientists.
First report of nectar feeding by Saga pedo. Notable especially because observation was made unde... more First report of nectar feeding by Saga pedo. Notable especially because observation was made under natural/wild conditions. Letter to the Editor: Antenna - Bulletin of the Royal Entomological Society.
Despite remarkable progress on developing viable coronavirus vaccines, several factors could unde... more Despite remarkable progress on developing viable coronavirus vaccines, several factors could undermine the public health value of this effort. In September, IAP published a Communique on the development and distribution of vaccines against COVID-19. It raised three main concerns that could undermine the public health value of the collective vaccine effort. We highlight those concerns here. - Article available here: https://issues.org/public-health-potential-covid-19-vaccines/
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in most countries around the globe, resulting in signif... more The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in most countries around the globe, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality, as well as economic challenges to individuals and nations alike. This global pandemic of a serious, highly transmissible disease poses an ongoing threat for all. COVID-19 anywhere in the world presents risk of COVID-19 everywhere. While public health tools such as physical distancing, wearing of masks and proper hygiene, along with testing and tracing, have been shown to help control the spread, it is widely recognized that vaccines will be essential to our ability to control the current pandemic, protect against likely future outbreaks of COVID-19 and allow populations to return to their daily lives. This communique - signed by the members of the Steering Committee of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) - stresses that any COVID-19 vaccine must be safe, efficacious and accessible to everyone.
Continuing rapid advances in science and technology both pose potential risks and offer potential... more Continuing rapid advances in science and technology both pose potential risks and offer potential benefits for the effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The lack of commonly accepted methods for assessing relevant risks and benefits present significant challenges to building common understandings that could support policy choices. This article argues that qualitative frameworks can provide the basis to structure BWC discussions about potential risks and benefits, reveal areas of agreement and disagreement, and provide a basis for continuing dialogue. It draws on the results of a workshop held in Geneva during the 2019 BWC Meetings of Experts. A diverse group of international experts were given the opportunity to apply 2 qualitative frameworks developed specifically to assess potential biosecurity concerns arising from emerging science and technology to BWC-relevant case examples. Participants discussed how such frameworks might be adapted and put into action to help support the BWC. They also began a discussion of how a comparable framework to assess potential benefits could be developed.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many weaknesses in the interface between scientific research an... more The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many weaknesses in the interface between scientific research and international relations. The pandemic, like other global challenges, is both knowledge-intensive, in that it requires engagement with scientific knowledge for effective policymaking, and cross-border, in that it is not solvable by a single country acting alone. It is an example of what the S4D4C project is tasked with helping Europe to understand and address through science diplomacy. Based on a broad range of case study research, the S4D4C project has identified a number of key aspects that matter for science diplomacy. In this policy brief, we address four of those (narratives, interests, values, and interdisciplinarity) and discuss their relevance in the COVID-19 crisis. Drawing on these insights, we offer five policy recommendations for expanding and improving future science diplomacy efforts: (1) Create interactive spaces, (2) Promote bi-directional science and diplomacy fluency, (3) Engage the full spectrum of science, (4) Ensure open and interpretable science for diplomacy, and (5) Exert bold values-based leadership. In combination , these will create a strong foundation for addressing not only the ongoing issues in this crisis but also other global challenges, both known and unexpected.
PROATED (Trauma and Emergency Update Programme), 2019
Spanish version of the IAP Statement - 'A call for action to declare trauma as a disease'
Availab... more Spanish version of the IAP Statement - 'A call for action to declare trauma as a disease' Available here: https://www.interacademies.org/53599/IAP-Health-A-call-for-action-to-declare-trauma-as-a-disease Drawing attention to the need for a strong paradigm shift, this statement encourages countries not only to control but also to prevent trauma by considering it as a disease with an integrated comprehensive approach in their health agenda.
Description (with photographs) of an attack by Saga pedo (Tettigoniidae) on a pair of preying man... more Description (with photographs) of an attack by Saga pedo (Tettigoniidae) on a pair of preying mantises in natural/wild circumstances.
The research, clinical, public health and health policy areas of the health sector all need effec... more The research, clinical, public health and health policy areas of the health sector all need effective leaders. However, many young professionals learn their leadership skills by trial and error as they advance through their careers. While some countries are making efforts to incorporate leadership training programs into their medical curricula, the provision of such training is available in too few countries. To fill this gap and contribute to building capacity for future leadership among health professionals worldwide, the InterAcademy Partnership for Health launched its Young Physician Leaders (YPL) program in 2011. The program provides a tailored workshop on leadership; the opportunity, via the World Health Summit, to engage with global leaders in the field of medicine and health; a match-making mentorship scheme; and a network of peers with which to share experiences, exchange best practices; and an interactive website to post real time professional information and gain visibility both nationally and internationally. To date, some 107 YPL, nominated by some 30 academies of science and medicine and six other institutions have participated in the scheme. In addition, some 30 YPL alumni from about 20 countries were selected to attend the recent World Health Assembly (WHA69). As well as gaining first-hand experience of the decision making processes of the WHA, the event helped build their individual capacities as they had the opportunity to link with their national decision makers in global health policy. While there is room for expansion of the program, it has been well received as an approach to supporting the leadership development of a new generation of physicians who will eventually lead clinical, educational and research institutions and contribute to their societies and globally to improve health for all.
Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect m... more Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.
Nowadays Einstein’s popular image is one of the absent-minded genius. Someone who lived for his s... more Nowadays Einstein’s popular image is one of the absent-minded genius. Someone who lived for his science – a driving force of creativity and novel ideas that opened up new areas of study for many who have followed him. Indeed, the ramifications of his theory of relativity, published 100 years ago this year, are still being investigated by hundreds of scientists around the globe. But Einstein was more than just a pure scientist – he also understood the implications of his research, as well as the reasons behind and effects of his isolation from his roots in central Europe. “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them,” said Einstein. He may have been referring to his concept of space-time – a new way of thinking that solved some of the problems faced by physicists trying to reconcile the laws of classical mechanics with those of electromagnetism. As we all know, his new way of looking at things became his special theory of relativity. But equally, Einstein could have been talking about political or development issues – about the challenges of addressing the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for example, like ending poverty, ending hunger, or achieving healthy lives for all (sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics). The attainment of the SDGs can be considered the Moonshot, or the Manhattan Project of our times. And if he were alive today, he would surely be turning his attention to attaining the SDGs. I think it is safe to say this because of Einstein’s humanity – based on evidence of his interaction with policy-makers at the highest level. On the eve of World War II, for example, Einstein endorsed a letter to President Roosevelt alerting him to the possibility of developing "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the United States begin similar research. Emerging from this exchange, the Manhattan Project would eventually win the race to develop nuclear bombs. But having seen the power of such weapons, Einstein was also quick to denounce the idea of using them. In 1955, along with nine other eminent persons, including the Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, Einstein joined with Bertrand Russell to sign the so-called Russell-Einstein Manifesto. “We are speaking on this occasion, not as members of this or that nation, continent, or creed, but as human beings, members of the species Man,” says the Manifesto. It continued: “We have not yet found that the views of experts on this question depend in any degree upon their politics or prejudices. They depend only, so far as our researches have revealed, upon the extent of the particular expert’s knowledge.” Such concepts are in full agreement with the role of academies of science today when presenting scientific advice to governments – the role of the ‘honest broker’. That is, the advice should be based on the most up-to-date verifiable scientific evidence and – also important for its credibility – free from political or commercial influence. This is one of the roles played by IAP in the international arena. And Einstein was not shy about straying from the world of science into the world of politics. “My life is divided between equations and politics,” he is reported to have said on several occasions. In particular, he was a dedicated anti-racist. Indeed, he spent a great deal of time defending immigrants and other minorities. Of course, Einstein himself was an immigrant: he happened to be in the US when Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933 and never returned. Although Einstein did not accept many of the honorary degree invitations he received, in 1946 he did accept to go to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, a traditionally black university. In his speech, he said: “The separation of the races is not a disease of the coloured people, but a disease of white people,” adding: “I do not intend to be quiet about it.” (Although he himself did speak up, it is interesting to note that his speech was largely ignored by the press). Also in 1946, four blocks of black-owned businesses were destroyed by white rioters and law enforcement officials in a neighbourhood of Columbia, Tennessee. Along with Eleanor Roosevelt, Einstein co-chaired the National Committee for Justice in Columbia. He also subsequently joined the American Crusade to End Lynching. Another quote from Einstein goes: “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be kept by understanding.” Whether he was referring to the peace between nations, typified by his stance on the use of atomic weapons, or peace between peoples, as typified by his support for immigrants and the repressed, is not clear. What is clear is that the Russell-Einstein Manifesto ends with the words: “In view of the fact that in any future world war nuclear weapons will certainly be employed, and that such weapons threaten the continued existence of mankind, we urge the governments of the world to realize, and to acknowledge publicly, that their purpose cannot be furthered by a world war, and we urge them, consequently, to find peaceful means for the settlement of all matters of dispute between them.” Such words are typical of the emerging field of science diplomacy. As Canadian Daryl Copeland wrote recently in the journal Science & Diplomacy (http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2015/bridging-chasm): “The planet is imperiled by a host of vexing, ‘wicked’ issues for which there are no military solutions. From climate change to diminishing biodiversity, nanotechnology to ecosystem collapse, genomics to cyberspace, these issues share one feature: they are rooted in science, driven by technology, and immune to the application of armed force.” If Einstein were alive today, I propose that he would be a ‘science diplomat’ and his energies would be turned to ensuring a more equitable planet for all – a planet on which 7 billion people live free from poverty and hunger, and free from repression. These are today’s grand challenges – challenges that require new ways of thinking if we are to solve them. See: http://www.interacademies.net/News/29178.aspx
Executive Summary
The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance (EU SD Alliance) is a collaborative initiativ... more Executive Summary The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance (EU SD Alliance) is a collaborative initiative launched by the Horizon 2020 science diplomacy projects S4D4C, InsSciDE and EL-CSID. The Alliance aims at sustaining the dialogue on EU science diplomacy and cultivating new opportunities to progress theory and practice of science diplomacy in Europe. This position paper summarises the current practice and thinking of Alliance members on science diplomacy capacity building. It is based on a qualitative and quantitative data collection via an online survey among the EU SD Alliance members which was conducted between 7th and 26th of February 2024. The invitation was sent to all members and global networking partners of the Alliance by email (in total 44 recipients). The overall response rate was 55%. This document is therefore not a comprehensive overview of science diplomacy capacity building in general, but specifically sheds light on the current perspectives of EU SD Alliance members and partners. The following text is composed of answers received through the survey. Avaiable at: https://www.science-diplomacy.eu/media/EU-SD-Alliance-Capacity-Building-Position-Paper.pdf
The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a global network of 150 academies of science, engineering, ... more The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a global network of 150 academies of science, engineering, and medicine, compiled global evidence in two 2022 reports to show commonalities within the deteriorat ing health and equity outcomes of climate change, which warrant shared multiagency approaches to identifying and implementing knowledge-based solutions. In follow-up work, the IAP and Save the Children initiated a call for health adaptation case studies to address the integrated challenges of climate and health within the broad context of the Sustainable Development Goals, the progress of which is currently impaired by climate change. Climate change adaptation needs, as well as capacity to cope with climate impacts, are unequally distributed around the world, and this heterogeneity in societal adaptive capacity is often overlooked. This new case studies-based work focuses on underserved groups such as women and children.
The Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines for Codes of Conduct for Scientists are a set of ten principle... more The Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines for Codes of Conduct for Scientists are a set of ten principles designed to promote responsible science and strengthen biosecurity governance. They should be broadly adopted, including being endorsed by the Biological Weapons Convention at its 9th Review Conference in November 2022.
Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect m... more Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.
Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect m... more Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature...
Women remain under-represented in science careers and research all over the world. There are seve... more Women remain under-represented in science careers and research all over the world. There are several reasons for this, including stereotypes about what kind of work women "can" or "should" do; patriarchal attitudes; and a lack of support for women pursuing science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers. How are the world’s science academies and international disciplinary associations doing when it comes to getting – and keeping – women on board as members and leaders. That’s what we set out to examine in our new study. Available at: https://theconversation.com/science-academies-and-disciplinary-groups-have-work-to-do-on-gender-equality-169170
Worldwide, every two seconds, someone is forcibly displaced from their home by conflict or persec... more Worldwide, every two seconds, someone is forcibly displaced from their home by conflict or persecution, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). There are currently some 79.5 million displaced persons in the world, the highest number on record. Of these, 45.7 million are internally displaced, 26.0 million are officially classed as refugees and another 4.2 million are asylum-seekers. The scientific communities of countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen have been deeply affected by war, repression and dislocation. It is the considered view of UNESCO and like-minded organizations that both the global scientific community and governments have a strong interest in understanding the experience of displaced scientists and supporting them, to ensure that their skills and training do not go to waste. To be effective, scientists, engineers and medical doctors must be assisted to stay abreast of advances in their field.
Science Diplomacy - India's Global Digest of Multidisciplinary Science, 2021
In this article, we argue that for the international science community to move concretely towards... more In this article, we argue that for the international science community to move concretely towards sustainable development outcomes, they must work towards developing a practice of Science Diplomacy that is based on three tenets: international scientific knowledge and methods, a local experience which we characterize borrowing James Scott’s notion of metis, and an unwavering commitment to SDG#17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and SDG#10 (Reduced Inequality). By doing so, we can tackle both fast and slow-burn issues in science diplomacy, effectively working towards progress across the SDGs, supporting women in science, and welcoming refugee and displaced scientists.
First report of nectar feeding by Saga pedo. Notable especially because observation was made unde... more First report of nectar feeding by Saga pedo. Notable especially because observation was made under natural/wild conditions. Letter to the Editor: Antenna - Bulletin of the Royal Entomological Society.
Despite remarkable progress on developing viable coronavirus vaccines, several factors could unde... more Despite remarkable progress on developing viable coronavirus vaccines, several factors could undermine the public health value of this effort. In September, IAP published a Communique on the development and distribution of vaccines against COVID-19. It raised three main concerns that could undermine the public health value of the collective vaccine effort. We highlight those concerns here. - Article available here: https://issues.org/public-health-potential-covid-19-vaccines/
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in most countries around the globe, resulting in signif... more The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in most countries around the globe, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality, as well as economic challenges to individuals and nations alike. This global pandemic of a serious, highly transmissible disease poses an ongoing threat for all. COVID-19 anywhere in the world presents risk of COVID-19 everywhere. While public health tools such as physical distancing, wearing of masks and proper hygiene, along with testing and tracing, have been shown to help control the spread, it is widely recognized that vaccines will be essential to our ability to control the current pandemic, protect against likely future outbreaks of COVID-19 and allow populations to return to their daily lives. This communique - signed by the members of the Steering Committee of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) - stresses that any COVID-19 vaccine must be safe, efficacious and accessible to everyone.
Continuing rapid advances in science and technology both pose potential risks and offer potential... more Continuing rapid advances in science and technology both pose potential risks and offer potential benefits for the effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The lack of commonly accepted methods for assessing relevant risks and benefits present significant challenges to building common understandings that could support policy choices. This article argues that qualitative frameworks can provide the basis to structure BWC discussions about potential risks and benefits, reveal areas of agreement and disagreement, and provide a basis for continuing dialogue. It draws on the results of a workshop held in Geneva during the 2019 BWC Meetings of Experts. A diverse group of international experts were given the opportunity to apply 2 qualitative frameworks developed specifically to assess potential biosecurity concerns arising from emerging science and technology to BWC-relevant case examples. Participants discussed how such frameworks might be adapted and put into action to help support the BWC. They also began a discussion of how a comparable framework to assess potential benefits could be developed.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many weaknesses in the interface between scientific research an... more The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many weaknesses in the interface between scientific research and international relations. The pandemic, like other global challenges, is both knowledge-intensive, in that it requires engagement with scientific knowledge for effective policymaking, and cross-border, in that it is not solvable by a single country acting alone. It is an example of what the S4D4C project is tasked with helping Europe to understand and address through science diplomacy. Based on a broad range of case study research, the S4D4C project has identified a number of key aspects that matter for science diplomacy. In this policy brief, we address four of those (narratives, interests, values, and interdisciplinarity) and discuss their relevance in the COVID-19 crisis. Drawing on these insights, we offer five policy recommendations for expanding and improving future science diplomacy efforts: (1) Create interactive spaces, (2) Promote bi-directional science and diplomacy fluency, (3) Engage the full spectrum of science, (4) Ensure open and interpretable science for diplomacy, and (5) Exert bold values-based leadership. In combination , these will create a strong foundation for addressing not only the ongoing issues in this crisis but also other global challenges, both known and unexpected.
PROATED (Trauma and Emergency Update Programme), 2019
Spanish version of the IAP Statement - 'A call for action to declare trauma as a disease'
Availab... more Spanish version of the IAP Statement - 'A call for action to declare trauma as a disease' Available here: https://www.interacademies.org/53599/IAP-Health-A-call-for-action-to-declare-trauma-as-a-disease Drawing attention to the need for a strong paradigm shift, this statement encourages countries not only to control but also to prevent trauma by considering it as a disease with an integrated comprehensive approach in their health agenda.
Description (with photographs) of an attack by Saga pedo (Tettigoniidae) on a pair of preying man... more Description (with photographs) of an attack by Saga pedo (Tettigoniidae) on a pair of preying mantises in natural/wild circumstances.
The research, clinical, public health and health policy areas of the health sector all need effec... more The research, clinical, public health and health policy areas of the health sector all need effective leaders. However, many young professionals learn their leadership skills by trial and error as they advance through their careers. While some countries are making efforts to incorporate leadership training programs into their medical curricula, the provision of such training is available in too few countries. To fill this gap and contribute to building capacity for future leadership among health professionals worldwide, the InterAcademy Partnership for Health launched its Young Physician Leaders (YPL) program in 2011. The program provides a tailored workshop on leadership; the opportunity, via the World Health Summit, to engage with global leaders in the field of medicine and health; a match-making mentorship scheme; and a network of peers with which to share experiences, exchange best practices; and an interactive website to post real time professional information and gain visibility both nationally and internationally. To date, some 107 YPL, nominated by some 30 academies of science and medicine and six other institutions have participated in the scheme. In addition, some 30 YPL alumni from about 20 countries were selected to attend the recent World Health Assembly (WHA69). As well as gaining first-hand experience of the decision making processes of the WHA, the event helped build their individual capacities as they had the opportunity to link with their national decision makers in global health policy. While there is room for expansion of the program, it has been well received as an approach to supporting the leadership development of a new generation of physicians who will eventually lead clinical, educational and research institutions and contribute to their societies and globally to improve health for all.
Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect m... more Ebola is just one example of the many emerging and re-emerging diseases that continue to affect mainly the developing world. We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks. In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries. By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.
Nowadays Einstein’s popular image is one of the absent-minded genius. Someone who lived for his s... more Nowadays Einstein’s popular image is one of the absent-minded genius. Someone who lived for his science – a driving force of creativity and novel ideas that opened up new areas of study for many who have followed him. Indeed, the ramifications of his theory of relativity, published 100 years ago this year, are still being investigated by hundreds of scientists around the globe. But Einstein was more than just a pure scientist – he also understood the implications of his research, as well as the reasons behind and effects of his isolation from his roots in central Europe. “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them,” said Einstein. He may have been referring to his concept of space-time – a new way of thinking that solved some of the problems faced by physicists trying to reconcile the laws of classical mechanics with those of electromagnetism. As we all know, his new way of looking at things became his special theory of relativity. But equally, Einstein could have been talking about political or development issues – about the challenges of addressing the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for example, like ending poverty, ending hunger, or achieving healthy lives for all (sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics). The attainment of the SDGs can be considered the Moonshot, or the Manhattan Project of our times. And if he were alive today, he would surely be turning his attention to attaining the SDGs. I think it is safe to say this because of Einstein’s humanity – based on evidence of his interaction with policy-makers at the highest level. On the eve of World War II, for example, Einstein endorsed a letter to President Roosevelt alerting him to the possibility of developing "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the United States begin similar research. Emerging from this exchange, the Manhattan Project would eventually win the race to develop nuclear bombs. But having seen the power of such weapons, Einstein was also quick to denounce the idea of using them. In 1955, along with nine other eminent persons, including the Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, Einstein joined with Bertrand Russell to sign the so-called Russell-Einstein Manifesto. “We are speaking on this occasion, not as members of this or that nation, continent, or creed, but as human beings, members of the species Man,” says the Manifesto. It continued: “We have not yet found that the views of experts on this question depend in any degree upon their politics or prejudices. They depend only, so far as our researches have revealed, upon the extent of the particular expert’s knowledge.” Such concepts are in full agreement with the role of academies of science today when presenting scientific advice to governments – the role of the ‘honest broker’. That is, the advice should be based on the most up-to-date verifiable scientific evidence and – also important for its credibility – free from political or commercial influence. This is one of the roles played by IAP in the international arena. And Einstein was not shy about straying from the world of science into the world of politics. “My life is divided between equations and politics,” he is reported to have said on several occasions. In particular, he was a dedicated anti-racist. Indeed, he spent a great deal of time defending immigrants and other minorities. Of course, Einstein himself was an immigrant: he happened to be in the US when Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933 and never returned. Although Einstein did not accept many of the honorary degree invitations he received, in 1946 he did accept to go to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, a traditionally black university. In his speech, he said: “The separation of the races is not a disease of the coloured people, but a disease of white people,” adding: “I do not intend to be quiet about it.” (Although he himself did speak up, it is interesting to note that his speech was largely ignored by the press). Also in 1946, four blocks of black-owned businesses were destroyed by white rioters and law enforcement officials in a neighbourhood of Columbia, Tennessee. Along with Eleanor Roosevelt, Einstein co-chaired the National Committee for Justice in Columbia. He also subsequently joined the American Crusade to End Lynching. Another quote from Einstein goes: “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be kept by understanding.” Whether he was referring to the peace between nations, typified by his stance on the use of atomic weapons, or peace between peoples, as typified by his support for immigrants and the repressed, is not clear. What is clear is that the Russell-Einstein Manifesto ends with the words: “In view of the fact that in any future world war nuclear weapons will certainly be employed, and that such weapons threaten the continued existence of mankind, we urge the governments of the world to realize, and to acknowledge publicly, that their purpose cannot be furthered by a world war, and we urge them, consequently, to find peaceful means for the settlement of all matters of dispute between them.” Such words are typical of the emerging field of science diplomacy. As Canadian Daryl Copeland wrote recently in the journal Science & Diplomacy (http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2015/bridging-chasm): “The planet is imperiled by a host of vexing, ‘wicked’ issues for which there are no military solutions. From climate change to diminishing biodiversity, nanotechnology to ecosystem collapse, genomics to cyberspace, these issues share one feature: they are rooted in science, driven by technology, and immune to the application of armed force.” If Einstein were alive today, I propose that he would be a ‘science diplomat’ and his energies would be turned to ensuring a more equitable planet for all – a planet on which 7 billion people live free from poverty and hunger, and free from repression. These are today’s grand challenges – challenges that require new ways of thinking if we are to solve them. See: http://www.interacademies.net/News/29178.aspx
The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Annual Report 2021 provides an overview of IAP activities in 2... more The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Annual Report 2021 provides an overview of IAP activities in 2021, with specific sections on activities by affiliated regional networks AASSA, EASAC, IANAS, and NASAC. It also gives evidence of IAP’s focus on providing science advice and promoting cooperation and capacity building among its membership - the world’s merit-based academies of science, medicine and engineering. It also reviews IAP's activities in such areas as science education and biosecurity. You can find it online at https://www.interacademies.org/publication/iap-annual-report-2021
This report is based on overviews by five experts in their fields that were presented during an I... more This report is based on overviews by five experts in their fields that were presented during an IAP Global Webinar ‘Countering Vaccine Hesitancy' (23 March 2021), the aim of which was to introduce the basic concepts of vaccine development and regulation/authorisation; to understand better the reasons why people think and make decisions the way they do, including in response to leaders and the media; to learn how to tackle false and misleading claims by those opposed to vaccines, including some scientists and clinicians; and how to promote a culture of trust in the COVID-19 vaccines.
The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Annual Report 2020 provides an overview of IAP activities in 2... more The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Annual Report 2020 provides an overview of IAP activities in 2020, with specific sections on activities by affiliated regional networks AASSA, EASAC, IANAS, and NASAC. It also gives evidence of IAP’s focus on providing science advice and promoting cooperation and capacity building among its membership - the world’s merit-based academies of science, medicine and engineering. It also reviews IAP's activities in such areas as science education and biosecurity. You can find it online at
The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Annual Report 2019 provides an overview of IAP activities in 2... more The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Annual Report 2019 provides an overview of IAP activities in 2019, with specific sections on activities by affiliated regional networks AASSA, EASAC, IANAS, and NASAC. It also gives evidence of IAP’s focus on providing science advice and promoting cooperation and capacity building among its membership - the world’s merit-based academies of science, medicine and engineering. It also reviews IAP's activities in such areas as science education and biosecurity. You can find it online at https://www.interacademies.org/publication/iap-annual-report-2019.
The IAP Annual Report 20178 contains an overview of IAP activities for the 2018 calendar year, wi... more The IAP Annual Report 20178 contains an overview of IAP activities for the 2018 calendar year, with special focus on activities in the areas of health, science education, science for policy, and biosecurity. Also included are reviews of the activities of IAP's four regional networks, in Africa, the Asia/Pacific region, the Americas and Europe.
The IAP Annual Report 2017 contains an overview of IAP activities for the 2017 calendar year, wi... more The IAP Annual Report 2017 contains an overview of IAP activities for the 2017 calendar year, with special focus on activities in the areas of health, science education, science for policy, and biosecurity.
Also included are reviews of the activities of IAP's four regional networks, in Africa, the Asia/Pacific region, the Americas and Europe.
A review of the 2016 activities of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), including its regional net... more A review of the 2016 activities of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), including its regional networks (AASSA, EASAC, IANAS, NASAC).
Exploring Traditional Medicine: Report of a Symposium, 2017
Since its foundation in 2000, IAP for Health (formerly the InterAcademy Medical Panel, IAMP) has ... more Since its foundation in 2000, IAP for Health (formerly the InterAcademy Medical Panel, IAMP) has developed a track record of interlinking the boundaries between medical practice, medical research, healthcare delivery and policy for the common good. Our regular IAMP Statements, for example, prepared by expert working groups nominated by member academies, provide recommendations to policy-makers based on unbiased, credible and up-to-date scientific information. As with our Statements, the strength of IAP for Health and its programmes relies heavily on the strength of our membership – a network of 78 of the world’s national medical academies and academies of science and engineering with medical sections that is committed to improving health worldwide. When planning this project, ‘Exploring Traditional Medicine’, therefore, we did not hesitate to reach out to our member academies to help us identify not only expert reviewers, but also suitable case studies – the best of which are presented here in this book. "Introduction" (pages 11-13) by P.F. McGrath.
A review of the activities of IAP - the global network of science academies, for 2015, plus early... more A review of the activities of IAP - the global network of science academies, for 2015, plus early 2016 up to and including the formation of the InterAcademy Partnership. Editor: P.F. McGrath
UNESCO Go-SPIN - for science and policy: Global Observatory for Science, Technology and Innovatio... more UNESCO Go-SPIN - for science and policy: Global Observatory for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Instruments. Text box page 81 (116 in pdf download) - Box 9: 'The Importance of Academies of Science' by Peter F. McGrath.
The present publication marks the output of a project designed by TWAS, the World Academy of Scie... more The present publication marks the output of a project designed by TWAS, the World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries, and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Nineteen case studies were initially selected for presentation at the workshop on Cities, Science and Sustainability held in Trieste, Italy, in 2007. These case studies were prepared by scientists involved in the initiatives. Following a subsequent review of the initiatives in 2012, 12 were identified as having stood the test of time and were chosen for documentation.
Editors: Danny Schaffer, Tasia Asakawa, Peter F. McGrath, Kate Willis, Melissa Zhang, Barbara Brewka
IAP is a global network of over 100 science academies, bringing together the world’s best scienti... more IAP is a global network of over 100 science academies, bringing together the world’s best scientific minds. Its goals are threefold:
- to increase the number of high-quality, independent and evidence-based statements prepared by IAP member academies, working both individually and together, that provide advice on critical issues of global significance to governments and society;
- to develop programmes for scientific advisory capacity building, and for the contribution of academies to science education, science communication and other science-related issues of global or regional significance; and
- to forge closer collaboration among science academies and other scientific institutions.
Science academies play a vital role in supporting, promoting and communicating science, influencing national and international policy on science-related matters, and fostering the next generation of young and talented scientists.
Reflecting the principles of its membership – independence and objectivity – IAP strives to be free from national or disciplinary bias to ensure that its actions and decisions are strictly merit-based and reflect the best scientific
evidence available. Consequently, it is one of the leading organizations in the world with the intellectual capacity, credibility and independence to function as an authoritative and impartial adviser on scientific issues of regional and global importance.
This report covers the activities of IAP in 2014, including those of its regional affiliated networks, the InterAcademy Medical Panel and the InterAcademy Council.
An overview of the highlights of the 2014 World Health Summit, Berlin, Germany.
A Global Network ... more An overview of the highlights of the 2014 World Health Summit, Berlin, Germany. A Global Network to Improve Health Pages 72-73 The InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP) is a network of the world’s medical academies and medical sections of academies of science and engineering. Established in 2000, IAMP currently has 73 member academies. P. McGrath with Depei Liu, Eduardo M. Krieger, Carmencita Padilla
The second ISTIC-TWAS volume on Innovations in Science and Technology presents more than case stu... more The second ISTIC-TWAS volume on Innovations in Science and Technology presents more than case studies from developing countries that support an increasingly shared belief: research and technology cannot drive development unless innovation is a specific focus. For a short review, see: http://twas.org/article/innovation-forefront-development Edited by P.F. McGrath and T. Blowers.
The 2013 Annual Report of IAP - the global network of science academies - includes an introductio... more The 2013 Annual Report of IAP - the global network of science academies - includes an introduction from the IAP co-chairs, reports of the IAP conference held in Brazil, as well as reports from IAMP, IAC, the IAP regional networks, and projects undertaken by individual national academies supported by IAP.
Edited by P. McGrath
Our understanding of human origins has been revolutionized by new discoveries in the past two dec... more Our understanding of human origins has been revolutionized by new discoveries in the past two decades. In this book, three leading paleoanthropologists and physical scientists illuminate, in friendly, accessible language, the amazing findings behind the latest theories. They describe new scientific and technical tools for dating, DNA analysis, remote survey, and paleoenvironmental assessment that enabled recent breakthroughs in research. They also explain the early development of the modern human cortex, the evolution of symbolic language and complex tools, and our strange cousins from Flores and Denisova. Published in Italian as 'La scienze delle nostre origini', Rome, Editori Laterza. Translation revised by Peter McGrath
There is no science diplomacy without the substantial involvement of scientists. Scientists know ... more There is no science diplomacy without the substantial involvement of scientists. Scientists know that and have increasingly shown more interests in science policy. However, most traditional scientific training does not prepare scientists to interact outside the academic bubble. Among the many initiatives taken to address this gap, S4D4C’ team member and science diplomacy coordinator at The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Peter McGrath, successfully co-organized several trainings for researchers and also spoke at the session on careers beyond the lab during the ESOF 2020 conference. In this researchers’ voice, we asked him about scientists’ role in science diplomacy and what they can do to get there.
Editorial to go with IAP Communique on COVID-19: http://www.interacademies.org/59487/IAP-Communiq... more Editorial to go with IAP Communique on COVID-19: http://www.interacademies.org/59487/IAP-Communiqu-on-COVID19 The COVID-19 pandemic presents critical global challenges, affecting individuals, families, communities,health services and economies. These are extraordinary times and there is much to be done to collect, validate and use evidence: both to improve preparedness and responsiveness now and to improve our governance systems for the future. Research has already achieved a great deal: in identifying the virus,beginning to understand its epidemiology, characterising its clinical course, and providing the information to accelerate the development of new interventions - diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines - although this will still take time. How should we make better and faster use of research and its outputs for our collective benefit,that is, the global public good? This Global Call from IAP emphasises the vital importance of doing more now to act collectively: effort on the global scale is essential to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in all territories.
From 28 February to 1 March 2016, representatives of more than 70 academies of science and medici... more From 28 February to 1 March 2016, representatives of more than 70 academies of science and medicine met at Hermanus near Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss the issue of 'Science Advice'.
A report, from the IAMP perspective, on the 3rd International One Health Congress in Amsterdam, t... more A report, from the IAMP perspective, on the 3rd International One Health Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 15-18 March 2015.
A global rush on sea cucumbers has created environmental risk, social conflict and even deaths in... more A global rush on sea cucumbers has created environmental risk, social conflict and even deaths in Mexico. At a workshop co-organized by TWAS, participants explored how good policy and effective science diplomacy could restore peace.
The InterAcademy Partnership was formally established by the member academies of three global aca... more The InterAcademy Partnership was formally established by the member academies of three global academy networks in Hermanus, South Africa, in March 2016. It brings together under one umbrella IAP, the global network of science academies (now IAP for Science), the InterAcademy Council (IAC, now IAP for Research) and the InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP, now IAP for Health). The new Partnership gives voice to more than 130 national, regional and global academies of science and medicine, and also works through four regional networks – in Europe, Africa, the Asia/Pacific, and the Americas.
Synthetic biology is already producing results that may have far-reaching implications in such se... more Synthetic biology is already producing results that may have far-reaching implications in such sectors as biomedicine and agriculture. However, with research and development advancing quickly, new techniques accessible and affordable to many, and the potential for harm as well as for good, synthetic biology is raising a number of issues in the fields of ethics and responsible research. In 2014, IAP published its ‘Statement on Realising Global Potential in Synthetic Biology: Scientific Opportunities and Good Governance’, calling for capacity building in the field of synthetic biology so that its benefits can be exploited, responsible research, and encouraging its member academies and others to communicate with scientists, social scientists, ethicists, regulators and users (including the public) and to debate the ethical implications of synthetic biology.
Solar radiation management is a theoretical approach to reducing some of the impacts of climate c... more Solar radiation management is a theoretical approach to reducing some of the impacts of climate change. The session involves a short description of the approach as well as a jigsaw negotiation exercise on the topic. The exercise aims at appreciating the role of science in international disputes and negotiations, encouraging the importance of evidence. The exercise aims at improving participants’ presentation and negotiation skills.
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Papers by Peter McGrath
The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance (EU SD Alliance) is a collaborative initiative launched by the Horizon 2020 science diplomacy projects S4D4C, InsSciDE and EL-CSID. The Alliance aims at sustaining the dialogue on EU science diplomacy and cultivating new opportunities to progress theory and practice of science diplomacy in Europe.
This position paper summarises the current practice and thinking of Alliance members on science diplomacy capacity building. It is based on a qualitative and quantitative data collection via an online survey among the EU SD Alliance members which was conducted between 7th and 26th of February 2024. The invitation was sent to all members and global networking partners of the Alliance by email (in total 44 recipients). The overall response rate was 55%.
This document is therefore not a comprehensive overview of science diplomacy capacity building in general, but specifically sheds light on the current perspectives of EU SD Alliance members and partners. The following text is composed of answers received through the survey.
Avaiable at: https://www.science-diplomacy.eu/media/EU-SD-Alliance-Capacity-Building-Position-Paper.pdf
and equity outcomes of climate change, which warrant shared multiagency approaches to identifying and implementing knowledge-based solutions. In follow-up work, the IAP and Save the Children initiated a call for health adaptation case studies to address the integrated
challenges of climate and health within the broad context of the Sustainable Development Goals, the progress of which is currently impaired by climate change. Climate change adaptation needs, as well as
capacity to cope with climate impacts, are unequally distributed around the world, and this heterogeneity in societal adaptive capacity is often overlooked. This new case studies-based work focuses on underserved groups such as women and children.
They should be broadly adopted, including being endorsed by the Biological Weapons Convention at its 9th Review Conference in November 2022.
How are the world’s science academies and international disciplinary associations doing when it comes to getting – and keeping – women on board as members and leaders. That’s what we set out to examine in our new study.
Available at: https://theconversation.com/science-academies-and-disciplinary-groups-have-work-to-do-on-gender-equality-169170
The scientific communities of countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen have been deeply affected by war, repression and dislocation.
It is the considered view of UNESCO and like-minded organizations that both the global scientific community and governments have a strong interest in understanding the experience of displaced scientists and supporting them, to ensure that their skills and training do not go to waste. To be effective, scientists, engineers and medical doctors must be assisted to stay abreast of advances in their field.
In September, IAP published a Communique on the development and distribution of vaccines against COVID-19. It raised three main concerns that could undermine the public health value of the collective vaccine effort. We highlight those concerns here.
- Article available here: https://issues.org/public-health-potential-covid-19-vaccines/
Available here: https://www.interacademies.org/53599/IAP-Health-A-call-for-action-to-declare-trauma-as-a-disease
Drawing attention to the need for a strong paradigm shift, this statement encourages countries not only to control but also to prevent trauma by considering it as a disease with an integrated comprehensive approach in their health agenda.
leadership training programs into their medical curricula, the provision of such training is available in too few countries.
To fill this gap and contribute to building capacity for future leadership among health professionals worldwide, the InterAcademy Partnership for Health launched its Young Physician Leaders (YPL) program in 2011. The program provides a tailored workshop on leadership; the opportunity, via the World Health Summit, to engage with global leaders in the field of medicine and health; a match-making mentorship scheme; and a network of peers with which to share experiences, exchange best practices; and an interactive website to post real time professional information and gain visibility both nationally and internationally.
To date, some 107 YPL, nominated by some 30 academies of science and medicine and six other institutions have participated in the scheme.
In addition, some 30 YPL alumni from about 20 countries were selected to attend the recent World Health Assembly (WHA69). As well as gaining first-hand experience of the decision making processes of the WHA, the event helped build their individual capacities as they had the
opportunity to link with their national decision makers in global health policy.
While there is room for expansion of the program, it has been well received as an approach to supporting the leadership development of a new generation of physicians who will eventually lead clinical, educational and research institutions and contribute to their societies and globally to improve health for all.
We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks.
In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries.
By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.
But Einstein was more than just a pure scientist – he also understood the implications of his research, as well as the reasons behind and effects of his isolation from his roots in central Europe.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them,” said Einstein. He may have been referring to his concept of space-time – a new way of thinking that solved some of the problems faced by physicists trying to reconcile the laws of classical mechanics with those of electromagnetism. As we all know, his new way of looking at things became his special theory of relativity.
But equally, Einstein could have been talking about political or development issues – about the challenges of addressing the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for example, like ending poverty, ending hunger, or achieving healthy lives for all (sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics).
The attainment of the SDGs can be considered the Moonshot, or the Manhattan Project of our times. And if he were alive today, he would surely be turning his attention to attaining the SDGs. I think it is safe to say this because of Einstein’s humanity – based on evidence of his interaction with policy-makers at the highest level.
On the eve of World War II, for example, Einstein endorsed a letter to President Roosevelt alerting him to the possibility of developing "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the United States begin similar research. Emerging from this exchange, the Manhattan Project would eventually win the race to develop nuclear bombs.
But having seen the power of such weapons, Einstein was also quick to denounce the idea of using them. In 1955, along with nine other eminent persons, including the Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, Einstein joined with Bertrand Russell to sign the so-called Russell-Einstein Manifesto.
“We are speaking on this occasion, not as members of this or that nation, continent, or creed, but as human beings, members of the species Man,” says the Manifesto. It continued: “We have not yet found that the views of experts on this question depend in any degree upon their politics or prejudices. They depend only, so far as our researches have revealed, upon the extent of the particular expert’s knowledge.”
Such concepts are in full agreement with the role of academies of science today when presenting scientific advice to governments – the role of the ‘honest broker’. That is, the advice should be based on the most up-to-date verifiable scientific evidence and – also important for its credibility – free from political or commercial influence. This is one of the roles played by IAP in the international arena.
And Einstein was not shy about straying from the world of science into the world of politics.
“My life is divided between equations and politics,” he is reported to have said on several occasions. In particular, he was a dedicated anti-racist. Indeed, he spent a great deal of time defending immigrants and other minorities. Of course, Einstein himself was an immigrant: he happened to be in the US when Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933 and never returned.
Although Einstein did not accept many of the honorary degree invitations he received, in 1946 he did accept to go to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, a traditionally black university. In his speech, he said: “The separation of the races is not a disease of the coloured people, but a disease of white people,” adding: “I do not intend to be quiet about it.” (Although he himself did speak up, it is interesting to note that his speech was largely ignored by the press).
Also in 1946, four blocks of black-owned businesses were destroyed by white rioters and law enforcement officials in a neighbourhood of Columbia, Tennessee. Along with Eleanor Roosevelt, Einstein co-chaired the National Committee for Justice in Columbia. He also subsequently joined the American Crusade to End Lynching.
Another quote from Einstein goes: “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be kept by understanding.”
Whether he was referring to the peace between nations, typified by his stance on the use of atomic weapons, or peace between peoples, as typified by his support for immigrants and the repressed, is not clear.
What is clear is that the Russell-Einstein Manifesto ends with the words: “In view of the fact that in any future world war nuclear weapons will certainly be employed, and that such weapons threaten the continued existence of mankind, we urge the governments of the world to realize, and to acknowledge publicly, that their purpose cannot be furthered by a world war, and we urge them, consequently, to find peaceful means for the settlement of all matters of dispute between them.”
Such words are typical of the emerging field of science diplomacy. As Canadian Daryl Copeland wrote recently in the journal Science & Diplomacy (http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2015/bridging-chasm): “The planet is imperiled by a host of vexing, ‘wicked’ issues for which there are no military solutions. From climate change to diminishing biodiversity, nanotechnology to ecosystem collapse, genomics to cyberspace, these issues share one feature: they are rooted in science, driven by technology, and immune to the application of armed force.”
If Einstein were alive today, I propose that he would be a ‘science diplomat’ and his energies would be turned to ensuring a more equitable planet for all – a planet on which 7 billion people live free from poverty and hunger, and free from repression. These are today’s grand challenges – challenges that require new ways of thinking if we are to solve them.
See: http://www.interacademies.net/News/29178.aspx
The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance (EU SD Alliance) is a collaborative initiative launched by the Horizon 2020 science diplomacy projects S4D4C, InsSciDE and EL-CSID. The Alliance aims at sustaining the dialogue on EU science diplomacy and cultivating new opportunities to progress theory and practice of science diplomacy in Europe.
This position paper summarises the current practice and thinking of Alliance members on science diplomacy capacity building. It is based on a qualitative and quantitative data collection via an online survey among the EU SD Alliance members which was conducted between 7th and 26th of February 2024. The invitation was sent to all members and global networking partners of the Alliance by email (in total 44 recipients). The overall response rate was 55%.
This document is therefore not a comprehensive overview of science diplomacy capacity building in general, but specifically sheds light on the current perspectives of EU SD Alliance members and partners. The following text is composed of answers received through the survey.
Avaiable at: https://www.science-diplomacy.eu/media/EU-SD-Alliance-Capacity-Building-Position-Paper.pdf
and equity outcomes of climate change, which warrant shared multiagency approaches to identifying and implementing knowledge-based solutions. In follow-up work, the IAP and Save the Children initiated a call for health adaptation case studies to address the integrated
challenges of climate and health within the broad context of the Sustainable Development Goals, the progress of which is currently impaired by climate change. Climate change adaptation needs, as well as
capacity to cope with climate impacts, are unequally distributed around the world, and this heterogeneity in societal adaptive capacity is often overlooked. This new case studies-based work focuses on underserved groups such as women and children.
They should be broadly adopted, including being endorsed by the Biological Weapons Convention at its 9th Review Conference in November 2022.
How are the world’s science academies and international disciplinary associations doing when it comes to getting – and keeping – women on board as members and leaders. That’s what we set out to examine in our new study.
Available at: https://theconversation.com/science-academies-and-disciplinary-groups-have-work-to-do-on-gender-equality-169170
The scientific communities of countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen have been deeply affected by war, repression and dislocation.
It is the considered view of UNESCO and like-minded organizations that both the global scientific community and governments have a strong interest in understanding the experience of displaced scientists and supporting them, to ensure that their skills and training do not go to waste. To be effective, scientists, engineers and medical doctors must be assisted to stay abreast of advances in their field.
In September, IAP published a Communique on the development and distribution of vaccines against COVID-19. It raised three main concerns that could undermine the public health value of the collective vaccine effort. We highlight those concerns here.
- Article available here: https://issues.org/public-health-potential-covid-19-vaccines/
Available here: https://www.interacademies.org/53599/IAP-Health-A-call-for-action-to-declare-trauma-as-a-disease
Drawing attention to the need for a strong paradigm shift, this statement encourages countries not only to control but also to prevent trauma by considering it as a disease with an integrated comprehensive approach in their health agenda.
leadership training programs into their medical curricula, the provision of such training is available in too few countries.
To fill this gap and contribute to building capacity for future leadership among health professionals worldwide, the InterAcademy Partnership for Health launched its Young Physician Leaders (YPL) program in 2011. The program provides a tailored workshop on leadership; the opportunity, via the World Health Summit, to engage with global leaders in the field of medicine and health; a match-making mentorship scheme; and a network of peers with which to share experiences, exchange best practices; and an interactive website to post real time professional information and gain visibility both nationally and internationally.
To date, some 107 YPL, nominated by some 30 academies of science and medicine and six other institutions have participated in the scheme.
In addition, some 30 YPL alumni from about 20 countries were selected to attend the recent World Health Assembly (WHA69). As well as gaining first-hand experience of the decision making processes of the WHA, the event helped build their individual capacities as they had the
opportunity to link with their national decision makers in global health policy.
While there is room for expansion of the program, it has been well received as an approach to supporting the leadership development of a new generation of physicians who will eventually lead clinical, educational and research institutions and contribute to their societies and globally to improve health for all.
We argue that the unprecedented high level of infections and deaths in the 2013-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, together with the more general impact of Ebola and other emerging diseases on societies, is reflective of the unpreparedness of affected countries prior to an outbreak. Typically, the healthcare systems of most low-income countries are inadequately prepared to be able to deal with such large and unexpected outbreaks.
In this paper, we attempt to analyse the emergence and spread of the West African Ebola epidemic, reviewing the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone prior to the 2013-2016 outbreak. We also highlight some of the additional societal burdens that the outbreak has placed on these countries.
By drawing lessons from this epidemic, as well as case studies of other (re-)emerging epidemic infections through a combination of literature searches and news reports, combined with the views of 10 international experts, we develop eight actions that might help potentially susceptible countries and the international community to prevent, contain or better respond to possible future outbreaks.
But Einstein was more than just a pure scientist – he also understood the implications of his research, as well as the reasons behind and effects of his isolation from his roots in central Europe.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them,” said Einstein. He may have been referring to his concept of space-time – a new way of thinking that solved some of the problems faced by physicists trying to reconcile the laws of classical mechanics with those of electromagnetism. As we all know, his new way of looking at things became his special theory of relativity.
But equally, Einstein could have been talking about political or development issues – about the challenges of addressing the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for example, like ending poverty, ending hunger, or achieving healthy lives for all (sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics).
The attainment of the SDGs can be considered the Moonshot, or the Manhattan Project of our times. And if he were alive today, he would surely be turning his attention to attaining the SDGs. I think it is safe to say this because of Einstein’s humanity – based on evidence of his interaction with policy-makers at the highest level.
On the eve of World War II, for example, Einstein endorsed a letter to President Roosevelt alerting him to the possibility of developing "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the United States begin similar research. Emerging from this exchange, the Manhattan Project would eventually win the race to develop nuclear bombs.
But having seen the power of such weapons, Einstein was also quick to denounce the idea of using them. In 1955, along with nine other eminent persons, including the Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, Einstein joined with Bertrand Russell to sign the so-called Russell-Einstein Manifesto.
“We are speaking on this occasion, not as members of this or that nation, continent, or creed, but as human beings, members of the species Man,” says the Manifesto. It continued: “We have not yet found that the views of experts on this question depend in any degree upon their politics or prejudices. They depend only, so far as our researches have revealed, upon the extent of the particular expert’s knowledge.”
Such concepts are in full agreement with the role of academies of science today when presenting scientific advice to governments – the role of the ‘honest broker’. That is, the advice should be based on the most up-to-date verifiable scientific evidence and – also important for its credibility – free from political or commercial influence. This is one of the roles played by IAP in the international arena.
And Einstein was not shy about straying from the world of science into the world of politics.
“My life is divided between equations and politics,” he is reported to have said on several occasions. In particular, he was a dedicated anti-racist. Indeed, he spent a great deal of time defending immigrants and other minorities. Of course, Einstein himself was an immigrant: he happened to be in the US when Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933 and never returned.
Although Einstein did not accept many of the honorary degree invitations he received, in 1946 he did accept to go to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, a traditionally black university. In his speech, he said: “The separation of the races is not a disease of the coloured people, but a disease of white people,” adding: “I do not intend to be quiet about it.” (Although he himself did speak up, it is interesting to note that his speech was largely ignored by the press).
Also in 1946, four blocks of black-owned businesses were destroyed by white rioters and law enforcement officials in a neighbourhood of Columbia, Tennessee. Along with Eleanor Roosevelt, Einstein co-chaired the National Committee for Justice in Columbia. He also subsequently joined the American Crusade to End Lynching.
Another quote from Einstein goes: “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be kept by understanding.”
Whether he was referring to the peace between nations, typified by his stance on the use of atomic weapons, or peace between peoples, as typified by his support for immigrants and the repressed, is not clear.
What is clear is that the Russell-Einstein Manifesto ends with the words: “In view of the fact that in any future world war nuclear weapons will certainly be employed, and that such weapons threaten the continued existence of mankind, we urge the governments of the world to realize, and to acknowledge publicly, that their purpose cannot be furthered by a world war, and we urge them, consequently, to find peaceful means for the settlement of all matters of dispute between them.”
Such words are typical of the emerging field of science diplomacy. As Canadian Daryl Copeland wrote recently in the journal Science & Diplomacy (http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2015/bridging-chasm): “The planet is imperiled by a host of vexing, ‘wicked’ issues for which there are no military solutions. From climate change to diminishing biodiversity, nanotechnology to ecosystem collapse, genomics to cyberspace, these issues share one feature: they are rooted in science, driven by technology, and immune to the application of armed force.”
If Einstein were alive today, I propose that he would be a ‘science diplomat’ and his energies would be turned to ensuring a more equitable planet for all – a planet on which 7 billion people live free from poverty and hunger, and free from repression. These are today’s grand challenges – challenges that require new ways of thinking if we are to solve them.
See: http://www.interacademies.net/News/29178.aspx
You can find it online at https://www.interacademies.org/publication/iap-annual-report-2019.
Also included are reviews of the activities of IAP's four regional networks, in Africa, the Asia/Pacific region, the Americas and Europe.
Also included are reviews of the activities of IAP's four regional networks, in Africa, the Asia/Pacific region, the Americas and Europe.
As with our Statements, the strength of IAP for Health and its programmes relies heavily on the strength of our membership – a network of 78 of the world’s national medical academies and academies of science and engineering with medical sections that is committed to improving health worldwide. When planning this project, ‘Exploring Traditional Medicine’, therefore, we did not hesitate to reach out to our member academies to help us identify not only expert reviewers, but also suitable case studies – the best of which are presented here in this book.
"Introduction" (pages 11-13) by P.F. McGrath.
Editor: P.F. McGrath
Text box page 81 (116 in pdf download) - Box 9: 'The Importance of Academies of Science' by Peter F. McGrath.
Nineteen case studies were initially selected for presentation at the workshop on Cities, Science and Sustainability held in Trieste, Italy, in 2007. These case studies were prepared by scientists involved in the initiatives. Following a subsequent review of the initiatives in 2012, 12 were identified as having stood the test of time and were chosen for documentation.
Editors: Danny Schaffer, Tasia Asakawa, Peter F. McGrath, Kate Willis, Melissa Zhang, Barbara Brewka
- to increase the number of high-quality, independent and evidence-based statements prepared by IAP member academies, working both individually and together, that provide advice on critical issues of global significance to governments and society;
- to develop programmes for scientific advisory capacity building, and for the contribution of academies to science education, science communication and other science-related issues of global or regional significance; and
- to forge closer collaboration among science academies and other scientific institutions.
Science academies play a vital role in supporting, promoting and communicating science, influencing national and international policy on science-related matters, and fostering the next generation of young and talented scientists.
Reflecting the principles of its membership – independence and objectivity – IAP strives to be free from national or disciplinary bias to ensure that its actions and decisions are strictly merit-based and reflect the best scientific
evidence available. Consequently, it is one of the leading organizations in the world with the intellectual capacity, credibility and independence to function as an authoritative and impartial adviser on scientific issues of regional and global importance.
This report covers the activities of IAP in 2014, including those of its regional affiliated networks, the InterAcademy Medical Panel and the InterAcademy Council.
A Global Network to Improve Health
Pages 72-73
The InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP) is a network of the world’s medical academies and medical sections of academies of science and engineering. Established in 2000, IAMP currently has 73 member academies.
P. McGrath with Depei Liu, Eduardo M. Krieger, Carmencita Padilla
For a short review, see: http://twas.org/article/innovation-forefront-development
Edited by P.F. McGrath and T. Blowers.
Edited by P. McGrath
Published in Italian as 'La scienze delle nostre origini', Rome, Editori Laterza.
Translation revised by Peter McGrath
The COVID-19 pandemic presents critical global challenges, affecting individuals, families, communities,health services and economies. These are extraordinary times and there is much to be done to collect,
validate and use evidence: both to improve preparedness and responsiveness now and to improve our governance systems for the future.
Research has already achieved a great deal: in identifying the virus,beginning to understand its epidemiology, characterising its clinical course, and providing the information to accelerate the development of new interventions - diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines - although this will still take time. How should we make better and faster use of research and its outputs for our collective benefit,that is, the global public good?
This Global Call from IAP emphasises the vital importance of doing more now to act collectively: effort on the global scale is essential to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in all territories.
It brings together under one umbrella IAP, the global network of science academies (now IAP for Science), the InterAcademy Council (IAC, now IAP for Research) and the InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP, now IAP for Health).
The new Partnership gives voice to more than 130 national, regional and global academies of science and medicine, and also works through four regional networks – in Europe, Africa, the Asia/Pacific, and the Americas.
However, with research and development advancing quickly, new techniques accessible and affordable to many, and the potential for harm as well as for good, synthetic biology is raising a number of issues in the fields of ethics and responsible research.
In 2014, IAP published its ‘Statement on Realising Global Potential in Synthetic Biology: Scientific Opportunities and Good Governance’, calling for capacity building in the field of synthetic biology so that its benefits can be exploited, responsible research, and encouraging its member academies and others to communicate with scientists, social scientists, ethicists, regulators and users (including the public) and to debate the ethical implications of synthetic biology.