Chris Sturdy, Dr Joseph Lawrence, Dr Thomas Hussey, McLean Sibanda, Dr William Colglazier, Berenice Lue Marais, Andre Nepgen
The CSIR Contract R&D office, headed by Berenice Lue Marais, is currently hosting a United States (US) delegation that arrived on 6 September 2011 to attend the CSIR/US Department of State and Joint Services Science and Technology Workshop. The workshop, which concludes today, is aimed at exploring areas of potential co-operation between the CSIR and the US Department of State and Joint Services.
The opening plenary session took place at the CSIR International Convention Centre. CSIR Board member McLean Sibanda initiated the workshop by reaffirming “South Africa’s, and in particular, the CSIR’s commitment to using innovation as a means of improving global competitiveness and finding solutions to global challenges”.
US Ambassador, Donald Gips
Collaborating for global solutions
Sibanda’s sentiments were echoed by the US Ambassador, Donald Gips who emphasised the need for science to be as global as the challenges it seeks to address. He further highlighted the importance of international collaborations, stating that, “Science and technology (S&T) inspire new and innovative ways of responding to global challenges such as climate change, the spread of pandemic diseases and diminishing natural resources.”
Dr William Colglazier, the S&T Adviser to the US Secretary of State was also present at the event. “In the global economy nobody has a monopoly on knowledge and this is the reason we are keen on finding opportunities to have collaborations and use our different strengths in order to find practical, meaningful solutions,” he said.
The South African Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom said he was impressed by the “unprecedented levels of collaboration” between the CSIR and its US counterparts. “Global challenges know no national boundaries and I am certain that the time we spend together over these three days will yield positive results.”
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom
The programme for Day 2 and 3 of the workshop includes parallel sessions; technical presentations; discussion groups and facility visits. Research areas that are being covered include materials science, water, health, nanotechnology, electronics and sensors as well as human cognition and social behaviour.
The US delegation is headed by Dr Thomas Hussey, Chief Scientist: US Air Force Office of Scientific Research; Dr Joseph Lawrence, Director of Transition: Office of US Naval Research; and Dr Stephen Lee, Chief Scientist: US Army Research Office.
A closing plenary session will be held this afternoon at the CSIR Knowledge Commons.
