Danish participation in TWAS Development programmes
Info
Start date: 31 December, 2004 End date: 30 October, 2012 Project type: Smaller projects: Postdoc Project code: 819a-RUC Countries: Lead institution: Roskilde University (RUC), Denmark Project coordinator: Erik W. Thulstrup Total grant: 112,650 DKKOutputs
2011:
TWAS is every year referring developing country universities and other institutions to seek my free advice. I usually help them by e-mail, but also makes occasional visits. In such cases I normally ask the host institution (government) to pay my travel costs. During 2011, I assisted the Government in the Seychelles with the formulation of a national science policy. Travel and hotel were paid by them.
After a long term as member of the TWAS member committee I retired and used the new freedom to promote a scientist from one of the small and overlooked Central American countries as fellow of TWAS. I succeeded and this doubled the Central American representation in TWAS.
It may be added that I very recently have accepted to join the membership committte of the African Academy of Sciences (to which I was elected a few years ago).
The 2011 annual TWAS meeting was scheduled for Morocco, but due to the political situation it was moved to Trieste, Italy, which, among other, reduced the participation costs (the hosts paid hotel costs and many meals).
I have in recent years assisted the National Research Council in the US (consisting of the 3 leading US Science Academies) in the production of manuals and guidance for safe and environmentally proper laboratories in developing countries. The need for this kind of material has for years been huge The materials are now available for free on the web, as long as they are downloaded from a developing country (see attached letter from the Council and from an African Vice-Chancellor).