Science Summit 2024: Full Schedule

SCIENCE SUMMIT 2024: 17 - 27 September, New York

This Programme exclusively outlines the Science Summit events in New York from September 17th to 27th.
Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.
For those attending in person, please choose the in-person attendance option on the registration form so we can issue your pass.
For virtual attendees, once registered, you can join sessions by clicking at the circular checkbox icon next to each session on the event platform. Please ensure you select the sessions you wish to attend, as failure to do so will prevent access to the live stream.
You can customize your experience by creating your own schedule based on the sessions you are interested in.

8:30am EDT

Hurdles to International Science Cooperation: Data Sharing & Management

Monday September 23, 2024 8:30am - 12:30pm EDT

Modern research generates massive amounts of raw data, metadata, and data products. Data management is a critical component of successful research networks, and by ensuring that data is appropriately collected, stored, and shared, researchers can conduct transparent, reproducible, high-quality research. At the international level, data management across collaborators is met with a fundamental barrier: variation in data management regulations, practices, and infrastructure; these practices have significant implications for data protection and research security.

The panel will bring together experts on team science working at the international scale funded through two international networking programs (US NSF AccelNet and EU-based EU COST). The programs are unique because they fund international networking activities, not research. These teams work across all UN SDGs, including astronomy, biodiversity, climate change, and sustainability. Panellists will comment on the barriers they face in data sharing/access/dissemination/storage/regulations, any solutions they have identified and implemented, and reflections on the need for data protection against data sharing to advance science. Institutions and professionals engaged in data sharing and management can bring another point of view and a managerial approach to data sharing to the table.
We aim to create synergies between all actors involved, share best practices, raise awareness about data sharing, and exchange and promote data management principles among researchers and society at large.

Agenda:
8:30-9: Networking breakfast
9-9:15 Intro to COST and data challenges from the program level 9:15-9:30 Intro to AccelNet and data challenges from the program level
9:30-10:30: COST and AccelNet PIs alternate, 10 minutes each on challenges and solutions
10:30-11: Break
11:00-noon: Moderated panel discussion

Speakers

Dr Elwin Reimink

Data and Impact Analysis Advisor, COST

Holly Wright

European Projects Manager, CA18128: Saving European Archaeology from the Digital Dark Age

Dr. Holly Wright is Research Manager for the Archaeology Data Service, based at the University of York, UK. Her research focuses on the development of digital infrastructures for archaeological data, the digitisation of archaeological workflows, archaeological data management and... Read More →

Mak Saito

BioGeoSCAPES

Abu Mansaray

Peer2Peer

Kirsty Tinto (moderador)

U.S. Antarctic Program Data Center

Kara Hoover

U.S. National Science Foundation

Katalin Alfoldi

COST | European Cooperation in Science and Technology

Martin MOKROŠ

Lecturer in Earth Observation, University College London

Jerome Grimplet

G17111: The Grapevine Genomics Encyclopedia: an innovative portal to integrate knowledge, resources and services for the grape scientific community and industry

Maura McLaughlin

The International Pulsar Timing Array

Convenor Allen Pope

Program Manager, NSF

Monday September 23, 2024 8:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Data

9:00am EDT

Water Research and Innovation as an enabler towards universal access to clean drinking water and dignified sanitation for all

Monday September 23, 2024 9:00am - 1:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Water Research and Innovation as an enabler towards universal access to clean drinking water and dignifiedsanitation for all.
Mobilising Commitments for Implementing the African Union High-Level Panel Investment Action Plan towards the AUAfrica Water Investment Summit and UN 2026 Water Conference in the context of G20 Presidency of Republic of South Africa.

Development Agendas are designed to drive a sustainable future addressing key systematic barriers to sustainable development, such as inequality, lack of access to basic human rights, unsustainable consumption patterns, weak institutional capacity, and environmental degradation. On 8 November 2022, the African Union formally inaugurated the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, at COP 27 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. Comprising Heads of States and global leaders, the objective of the Panel is to mobilise high-level commitment and resources for the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) that wasadopted by the AU Heads of States and Governments in February 2022.In September 2023, AU Heads of States committed to accurate implement to of the AIP as part of the African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change.

During the UN 2023 Water Conference, the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the International High-Level Panel launched a report that outlines how to mobilise an additional US$30 billion per year by 2030 towards all water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The High-Level Panel, the AUC launched the Africa Water Investment Action Plan on 2 December 2023 during COP28 Dubai, outlining 5 priority actions for countries and their partners to mobilize the additional US$30 billion/year needed to close Africa’s water investment gap.

Convened by the Government of South Africa’ Water Research Commission (WRC) under the Department of Water and Sanitation in collaboration with the African Union and AIP High-Level Panel, the session will review the progress in mobilising invests for the AU High Level Panel Investment Action Plan, outline a road map towards the AU Africa Water Investment Summit and UN 2026 Water Conference in the context of the upcoming G20 Presidency of Republic of South Africa. This will include establishment of a working group to support implementation of the roadmap.

The Session will also review previous United Nations recommendations on how to accelerate progress to achieve access and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, as well as achievement of multiple other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). High-level recommendations by the HLPW included, among others: understanding, valuing, and managing water to provide a foundation for broader integrated water management; an integrated approach at local, country, and regional levels, including building partnerships and international collaboration at the global level. Five accelerators were identified namely, Governance, Financing, Data and information, Capacity development and innovation.

According to UN World Water Development Report 2024, None of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) six targets appear to be on track, and so is the continental and regional development agendas and commitments. As of 2022, 2.2 billion people were without access to safely managed drinking water while the situation with respect to safely managed sanitation remains dire, with 3.5 billion people lacking access to such services. Cities and municipalities have been unable to keep up with the accelerating growth of their urban populations. Regions and countries can achieve development agendas through improved policies, inclusiveness, action oriented and strategic partnerships.

To facilitate joint learning from global experiences and good practices with regards to the implementation of development agendas.
Outline a road map towards the AU Africa Water Investment Summit and UN 2026 Water Conference in the context of the upcoming G20 Presidency of Republic of South Africa.
Share experiences of how transformative Water RDI programmes are designed, resourced, and implemented to support the transition to a sustainable future.
Explore how to effectively resource and finance the African and global water system of innovation.
Highlight successful cases studies on how water research and innovation has contributed to strengthening service delivery related to basic human rights.
Engage African leaders on their role and contribution in setting, resourcing, and implementing future development agendas.

Programme Director: Dr Mamohloding Tlhagale, Head of Partnerships and Business Development, Water ResearchCommission, South Africa

9:00-9:30 Arrival and tea
9:30-9:40 Opening and Welcome Remarks
Dr Mamohloding Tlhagale,WRC; Mr Declan Kirrane, ISCIntelligence

9:40-9:50 Opening Address
Minister or DG Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), South Africa

9:50-10:00 Opening Plenary: Setting the scene and taking stock of lessons learned in mobilisation of water investments, the implementation of global development agendas, and the levers for change into the future.
Keynote 1: Driving a more rapid developmental transition in Africa: What have we learned about the levers for change?
Dr Thomas Kariuki, CEOScience for Africa Foundation
Keynote 2: A global water RDI Agenda for thefuture.
Dr Jennifer Molwantwa, CEO, Water Research Commission

10:00-10:40 Facilitated Panel: Mobilising Commitmentstowards the AU Africa Water Investment Summit andUN 2026 Water
Conference in the context of G20 Presidency of Republicof South Africa.
Facilitator: Mr Harsen Nyambe, Director of Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union.
Co-Facilitator: Mr Alex Simalabwi, CEO of the AIP HighLevel Panel Secretariat and Executive Secretary, GWPSA-Africa
Towards the AU Africa Water Investment Summit and UN 2026 Water Conference in the context of G20 Presidency ofRepublic of South Africa
Panelists:
H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, Alternate Co-Chair, AU– AIP International High-Level Panel on Water Investment for Africa,Board Chair-GWPSA- Africa
H.E. Josefa Leonel CorreiaSacko, Commissioner for RuralEconomy and Agriculture AfricanUnion Commission.
Hon. Penny Majodina, Minister ofWater and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa
Ms. Shaima Gargash, Special Climate Envoy, Director of Energy &Sustainability, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Dr. Mohamed Diatta, Sherpa to the President of Senegal on HighLevel Panel, Co-Host of the UN 2026 Water Conference
Henk Ovink, Executive Director,Global Commission on Economic of Water

10:40-11:00 Q&A and input from participants and Summary by AUC Harsen Nyambe, AUC.

11:00-11:50 Q&A and engagement with participants

11:50-12:30 Future sustainable and demand driven water s

Speakers

Ms. Pemmy Majodina
Minister of Water and Sanitation
Ms Pemmy Majodina was appointed as Minister of Water and Sanitation from 3 July 2024.She was a member of the National Council of Provinces from 2002 until 2004. Before shebecame a Member of Parliament in 2019, she served as a member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature from... Read More →

Dr Rethabile Melamu
WRC Board Chairperson
Dr Melamu is sustainability professional who is trained in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA). She almost two decades of experience in the areas of water security, clean... Read More →

Dr Jennifer Molwantwa (Keynote)
CEO, Water Research Commission, South Africa
Dr Jennifer Molwantwa was born and bred in Kagiso Township,Mogale City in the Province of Gauteng in South Africa. She hasextensive experience in water resource management and have worked in the private sector (Digby Wells Environmental), government funding entity (Water Research... Read More →

H.E. Jakaya Kikwete
Alternate Co-Chair, AU AIP International High-Level Panel on Water Investment for Africa and Board Chair: Global Water Partnership Southern Africa-Africa Coordination (GWPSA-Africa
The fourth president of Tanzania, H.E. Jakaya Kikwete is a graduate of economics from the University of Dar es Salaam. He has served in many party, military, and government positions, including the Tanzanian ministerial portfolios of Finance, Water, Energy and Mineral Resources, Foreign... Read More →

H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko
Commissioner, Rural Economy and Agriculture African Union Commission
H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko is the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture atthe African Union Commission. She was previously the special adviser to the Minister ofAgriculture on issues related to international cooperation. She served as Secretary General of the Inter... Read More →

Mr Harsen Nyambe
Director, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union
Mr. Harsen Nyambe is Director of Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union. He has 23 years of professional experience, of which 14 years of his career has beenin international organisations covering the Southern African Development Community(SADC) as a Senior... Read More →

Shaima Gargash
Special Climate Envoy, Director of Energy & Sustainability, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Ms Shaima Gargash is the Special Climate Envoy, Director of Energy & Sustainability, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the United Arab Emirates. Previously, Ms Gargash was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C., serving since her appointment in 2019. Ms Gargash... Read More →

Dr Mohamed Diatta
Sherpa to the President of Senegal on the AIP High-Level Panel, Co-Host of the UN 2026 Water Conference
Dr. Diatta is Coordinator of the Monitoring and Promotion Unit for the Results of the 9th World Water Forum within the Ministry of Water and Sanitation of Senegal. Dr. Diatta is also Sherpato the President of Senegal, who is Co-Chair of the AU’s AIP High-Level Panel. Dr. Diatta... Read More →

Henk Ovink
Executive Director, Global Commission on Economic of Water
Mr. Henk Ovink is the Executive Director and founding Commissioner for the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. Mr. Ovink was the first ever global water ambassador for over 8 years, appointed in 2015 by the Dutch Cabinet as Special Envoy for International Water Affairs. In... Read More →

Alex Simalabwi
CEO, AIP and Executive Secretary: GWPSA-Africa
Mr. Alex Simalabwi has over 20 years of experience in high-level public policy engagementand advocacy on climate-resilient water investments and the integration of water into economic national development. He is the CEO of the AIP and Executive Secretary ofGWPSA-Africa. He co-chaired... Read More →

Dr Mamohloding Tlhagale
Head of Partnerships and Business Development, Water Research Commission, South Africa
Dr Tlhagale is the Head of Partnerships and Business Development at the Water ResearchCommission of South Africa. With 20 years of experience of managing partnerships forscience, technology and innovation and holds a PhD in Management of Technology and Innovation.Dr Tlhagale has been... Read More →

Virginia Molose,
Acting Head Stakeholder Engagement, Water Research Commission
Ms Molose started her career as a gender fieldworker in the land sector where she worked asa gender activist on programmes focusing on strengthening women’s capacities to understand the then new land reform policies and their rights and responsibilities in that regard. This also... Read More →

Dr Thomas Kariuki
CEO, Science for Africa Foundation
Dr Thomas Kariuki is Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer forthe Science for Africa Foundation, established in 2021 to support, strengthen and promote science and innovation in Africa. A long-time advocate involved in the global effort to develop vaccines, drugs and diagnostics... Read More →

Dr Mark Smith
Director General, International Water Management Institute
Mark Smith is Director General of the International Water Management Institute. He was formerly IWMI’s Deputy Director General – Research for Development, and brings more than 25 years of research and program management experience in water resources, agriculture, climate and sustainability... Read More →

Prof Jean-Marie Kileshye Onema
Executive Manager and Head, WaterNet Secretariat
Prof Jean-Marie Kileshye Onema is the Executive Manager and Head of the WaterNet Secretariat. He oversees the implementations of Capacity development activities across the16 SADC countries (www.waternetonline.org). He is currently the Secretary General of International Associatio... Read More →

Prof Pascaline Dupas
Princeton University
Pascaline Dupas is a Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University andCo- Scientific Director of J-PAL Africa. Pascaline joined the Princeton faculty in July 2023.She was previously the Kleinheinz Family Professor of International Studies at StanfordUniversity... Read More →

Dominic O’Neill
Executive Director, UN’s Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF)
Dominic O’Neill is the Executive Director of the UN’s Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF)since its inception in 2021. Dominic has a long-standing career spanning over three decades in international development and environmental health. In his early career, heworked for the Ministry... Read More →

Michael John Webster
Program Manager, 2030 Water Resources Group
Mike is the Program Manager of the 2030 Water Resources Group. 2030 WRG is a multi-donor trust fund, managed by the World Bank’s Global Water Practice. The fund advancesglobal water security through public private collaboration. We empower partners to tackle water risks that affect... Read More →

Monday September 23, 2024 9:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Environment

9:00am EDT

[At Harvard Club] Leaders of Regeneration: Investment, Innovation, Indigeneity, and Policy for Peace with Nature

Monday September 23, 2024 9:00am - 4:30pm EDT

Harvard Club of New York City

Humanity stands at a crossroads, facing not only climate change but also biodiversity loss and imminent ecosystem collapse—endangering 40% of human lives and destabilizing economies globally. At the same time, we have unprecedented wealth, advanced green technologies, AI, and promising policies, but resistance to necessary change persists.

This summit celebrates visionary leaders from science, business, investment, and policy-making who are driving systems change in collaboration with Nobel Prize-winning activists and Indigenous stewards of the Earth, whose wisdom is deeply rooted in harmony with Nature.

In preparation for COP16, its President, the Environment Minister of Colombia, and leaders of the Arhuaco and Kogi people present their Sierra Nevada Regeneration Project, a case study for collaboration, innovative policy, green energy, regenerative agriculture, and ancient knowledge-enhancing ecological restoration efforts worldwide. Through innovative financing and data-driven insights, this session seeks to ensure that the economic benefits of ecosystems regeneration are both recognized and realized. We will explore data cooperatives’ capabilities to counteract harmful economic incentives like logging and mining by recognizing the immense planetary value of living ecosystems, such as biodiversity, oxygen generation, and carbon capture.

This Summit calls for bold leadership and cross-sector collaboration, aiming to result in real policy for inclusive partnerships, enhanced accountability, knowledge sharing, and sustainable funding mechanisms to empower Indigenous communities in climate and biodiversity efforts. Integrating green energy, advanced AI, data cooperatives, and ancestral knowledge we can catalyze transformative systems change for a resilient, just, and regenerative future in harmony with Nature.

Speakers

Declan Kirrane
Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science, ISC Intelligence in Science
Declan Kirrane, Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science.Has a background in analysing the relationship between public and private R&D funding and the impact on R&D performance he has worked extensively on science and technology policy evaluation methodologies... Read More →

Mei Lin
CEO, People Centered Internet
linkedin.com/in/meilinfung... Read More →

Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri
Founder, Shakti Regeneration Institute, Open Origin
Indrani is a transdisciplinarian filmmaker, founder, futurist, human rights and ecosystems advocate, impact innovator, TEDx speaker, and movement mobilizer, awakening public consciousness and transforming culture for a more just, equitable, and regenerative future. Her work has... Read More →

Le’Kiesha French-Merritt
Founder, Future in Color Institute
Le’Kiesha French-Merritt is a visionary leader focused on bridging the justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion gap within the tech-driven economy. With over 15 years of global experience in research, policy, and practice, she has specialized in creating equitable pathways in emerging... Read More →

Yannis Ioannidis
President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Athena RC
Yannis Ioannidis, President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).Professor at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens as well as an Associated Faculty at the ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, wh... Read More →

Susana Muhamad
President of COP16, Minister of Environment & Sustainable Development of Colombia, political scientist, environmentalist
Susana Muhamad is the current minister of environment and sustainable development of Colombia, serving since August 2022. A Colombian politician with Palestinian roots, Muhamad has worked extensively on issues of environmentalism, aiming to consolidate Colombia as a world power of... Read More →

Xiye Bastida
22 year old indigenous climate activist, organizer of school strikes, Re-Earth Initiative, Fridays for Future NYC, Spirit of the UN award, Time 100.Xiye Bastida is one of the world's leading young climate activists. An inspirational figure in the climate movement, Xiye is known for her inclusive approach that seeks to engage all parts of the society on the challenges ahead.In 2015, Xiye left Mexico to move to New York City with her parents. That same year, unprecented rainfall and... Read More →

Geraldine Patrick Encina
One Earth, Executive Director of Earth Timekeepers, Grand Council of the Eagle and the Condor, Member of the Otomi Council of the High Lerma River Basin, Member of the Academic & Technical Committee of the Biocultural Heritage Network of the National Council of Science and Technology... Read More →

Carlos Nobre
Nobel Prize-winning IPCC Climate Scientist and meteorologist, Brazilian Academy of Science.
A Brazilian scientist and meteorologist who is mainly highlighted in global warming-related studies. Nobre spearheaded the multi-disciplinary, multinational Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia, a program noted to have “revolutionized understanding of the Amazon rainforest and its role in the Earth system. (CEMADEN... Read More →

Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim

Henk Rogers
Founder Blue Planet Alliance & International MoonBase Alliance, subject of “Tetris” film

Tom De Santo
Filmmaker of movie franchises X-Men and Transformers, at the intersection of tech and social justice

Christiana Figueres
co-founder Global Optimism, former Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, known as the powerhouse of the Paris Agreement
Ms. Figueres is an internationally recognized leader on global climate change. She was Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 2010-2016. Assuming responsibility for the international climate change negotiations after the failed Copenhagen conference of 2009, she was determined to lead the process to a universally agreed regulatory framework. Building toward that goal, she directed the successful Conferences of the... Read More →

Mere Takako
(Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Apanui, Rongowhakaata), Māori Conservationist and CEO Pacific Whale Fund

Wes Powell
Founder and CEO of Open Origin, fueling the future, and ex-World Bank
Wesley is a veteran management, process optimization and technology expert with experience in nearly every vertical as a result of over 25 years of entrepreneurship. He has founded multiple companies in distribution, AI, event production and industrial real estate development.He has... Read More →

Jonathan Granoff,
President of the Global Security Institute, United Nations Representative for Nobel Laureates
Mr. Granoff is an attorney, author and international advocate emphasizing the legal and ethical dimensions of human development and security, with a specific focus on advancing the rule of law to address international security and the threats posed by nuclear weapons. He serves on... Read More →

Mamo Luis
Spiritual Leader of the Kogi People, 100+ year old Elder
Mamo Luis is a revered Kogi Kaggaba Mamo, a spiritual leader among the Kogi people. Mama Luis was born in Mukhua kungui Ezuama. At the age of five he began the formation in darkness in the Ezuama of Sezhangajrha. Each Mamo has a unique role, and Mamo Luis is known as the Son of the... Read More →

Jose Maria Gualinga
Based in Ecuador, originally from Sarayaku, Gualinga is a charismatic leader of the Kichwa People of Sarayaku, an important member of the ICCA Consortium in the Ecuadorian Amazon. José has been Tayak Apu (president) of the Kichwa Indigenous People, several times member of the Advisory... Read More →

David Ewing Duncan
David Ewing Duncan, award-winning journalist covering life science, technology, AI, politics, and culture in print, television, and radio—and a best-selling author of 12 books published in 21 languages. David writes for Vanity Fair, Scientific American, Atlantic, The New York Times, Wired, and many others. He is a former producer and correspondent for ABC Nightline and 20/20, and for NPR’s Morning Edition. He was the longtime Chief Correspondent of NPR Talk’s Tech Nation. David is the Creative Director... Read More →

Michael Sheldrick
Co-founder Global Citizen, with his bestselling book launch on "From Ideas to Impact"
As the Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer for Global Citizen, I have been leading and growing the organization's efforts to influence and implement change in a divided world for over 10 years. I oversee a global team of 30 professionals who work with... Read More →

Ashish Saraf
Industrialist, Philanthropist, Diplomat, Chairman & CEO FACOR Global, Consul of the Commonwealth of Bahamas & Maldives in India

Robert White Mountain
Lakota Elder, Great Sioux Nation Elders Council, Medicine Bundle Keeper

Maria Jose "Chochi" Iturralde
Ecuadorian Executive Director of Humans for Abundance and Pachaysana
I am the Executive Director of Fundación Pachaysana, an Ecuadorian non-profit organization that partners with indigenous communities to restore their territories and re-story their identities. I specialize in fostering connections and designing innovative systems to circumvent the... Read More →

Marc Buckley
CEO Alohas Eco-Center, futur/io institute, Regenerative Futurist, Impact Circle World Economic Forum
Marc has been involved in Climate Activism for a long time and would love to show you how to run faster than climate change by being an impactful and exponential human being. One of the first to be trained by Al Gore as a Climate Speaker he has made getting through the Climate Crisis... Read More →

Dror Benshetrit
Founder Supernature Labs and Bioplanning Institut
founder Supernature Labs and Bioplanning Institute regenerative design and tech stopping urban sprawl. Dror creates ideas as a vehicle for change, where a structural, emotional, or metaphorical shift yields profound results. Our passion for ideas stems from more than a desire to disrupt... Read More →

Jason Petralia
CEO, Anthropogenic, TEDx Speaker, impact investor
As the Chief Executive Officer of Anthropogenic, I lead the development and deployment of the leading Financial Technology platform that enables and accelerates climate transition finance. Our commitment is to deliver Truth, Trust, Transparency, and Timeliness for impact-linked financial... Read More →

Jon Holm
Jon Holm, Senior Vice President of Partnership Development at Pyxera Global, where he spearheads the organization’s inclusive circular economy strategy, designing and executing inclusive circular cities, material reverse logistics hubs, corporate advisory services, and zero (plastic... Read More →

Andrea Soccorso
Advisor, Climate Voice, Co-founder AfterWEVote Advisor, Frmr, Director Strategic Partnerships, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi
Andrea is a visionary leader, driven by an unwavering passion to co-create a regenerative and more equitable world. With 25+ years global multidisciplinary and cross sector experience she is a systems thinker who advises, strategizes, leads and rallies people and resources for... Read More →

Gael Van Weyenbergh
Gael Van Weyenbergh is a Digital Innovation Strategist with a strong focus on digital cooperation. His research explores data cooperatives, blending cooperative structures with the emerging digital asset class of data to foster innovative participatory governance systems. He regularly... Read More →

Gurvinder Ahluwalia
Gurvinder Ahluwalia is the "architecture conscience" for technology adoption by society and business. He has steered industry change in recent five waves of disruption. As Founder & CEO of Digital Twin Labs and previously as CTO of IBM North America, he has had a front row seat and... Read More →

Amir Banifatemi
Tech strategist and investor; Co-Founder and Director AI Commons at AI for Good 2024; former lead at X-Prize AI; focuses on impactful societal innovation.I am a Technology and Innovation Strategist, investor, and entrepreneur. My general focus is on identifying and developing emerging... Read More →

Anastasia Kalinina
Co-Founder and CEO of reState Foundation; former Head of Regional Agenda at WEF; Senior Advisor to UNECE.
Co-Founder and CEO of reState Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit foundation aiming to reimagine the future of governance and global collaboration.Previously, Anastasia was a Head of Regional Agenda at the World Economic Forum and Senior Advisor on Partnerships to the United Nations... Read More →

Raphael de Ry
Founder of ALLCOT IO; former Executive Director at SandSI; pioneer in sustainability, carbon markets, and zero-waste initiatives.

Wes Geisenberger
Wes is the VP of Sustainability & ESG at the HBAR Foundation, where he leads the Sustainable Impact Fund, focusing on climate markets, biodiversity, energy, and supply chain initiatives. He has spearheaded the development of the world's largest digitized open-source methodology library... Read More →

Lina Zuluaga
Lina Zuluaga is Vice-chair of the Americas' Women Network at the ITU and chair of the ITU-T SG5 Regional Group for LATAM ( electromagnetic fields, sustainable digitalización, environment, climate action and circular economy). Lina was co-chair of COMCITEL 2023 and vice-chair at... Read More →

Sophie Rigg
Sophie Rigg, has over 15 years of experience in climate, development and humanitarian across continents. Impact driven, strategically minded and operationally effective with expertise in policy, programs and partnerships.Strong analytical and leadership skills with the ability to... Read More →

Ted Hewitt
Ted Hewitt was appointed president of SSHRC in March 2015. Between 2017 and 2020, he also served as the inaugural Chair of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee. Ted was vice-president, research and international relations, at Western University in London, Ontario, from 2004... Read More →

Monday September 23, 2024 9:00am - 4:30pm EDT
Harvard Club of New York City 35 West 44th Street, New York, NY, 10036

Indigenous Knowledge, Inclusion

9:30am EDT

The Role of Africa Science Leadership: Advancing Sustainable Development in Africa

Monday September 23, 2024 9:30am - 12:30pm EDT

Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

The Africa Science Leadership Plenary at the Science Summit during the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) will convene a distinguished panel of African scientists, policymakers, and innovators to explore the transformative role of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in advancing sustainable development across the continent. With Africa poised for significant growth, this session will address pressing challenges such as climate change, public health, food security, and energy, emphasizing the critical role of scientific leadership in shaping solutions.

The plenary will highlight how African researchers and institutions contribute to global knowledge, forging regional and international partnerships and building resilient research ecosystems. It will also explore strategies for advancing science diplomacy and ensuring equitable access to the benefits of scientific innovation. The session aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering greater collaboration between African science communities and global policymakers. It sets the stage for deeper engagement in addressing Africa’s unique challenges.

Looking ahead to the UN Financing for Development Summit in Spain in June 2025, the plenary will underscore the need for sustainable and innovative financing models to support Africa's research infrastructure and scientific development. Discussions will explore how Africa’s scientific leadership can influence global financing strategies, ensuring the continent is equipped to drive its sustainable growth agenda and make meaningful contributions to global scientific and economic progress.

Agenda

09h45 Welcome
Declan Kirrane Chairman, Chairman, Science Summit 2024
Thandi Mgwebi National Research Foundation, South Africa

10h00 Keynote Address by H.E. Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala UN Under-Secretary General and Rector, UN University

10h30 Response to Keynote
Thandi Mgwebi National Research Foundation, South Africa
Magdalena Skipper Editor in Chief, Nature

11h00 Harnessing Science, Technology, and Innovation for Africa's Sustainable Development: Shaping Solutions for Climate, Health, and Food Security
Eudy Mabuza Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa (Moderator)
Litha Magingax Agriculture Research Council South Africa
Christina Christopher Mnzava, Tanzania Parliamentary Alliance for AMR
Le'Keish French Future in Colour Institute

11h30 Africa's Role in Indigenous Knowledge
Arun Prabhu Landcent, Africa

11h40 Advancing Science Diplomacy and Research Ecosystems: Building Partnerships for Africa's Global Impact
Manisi Msagama Tanzanian Parliamentary Alliance for AMR (Moderator)
Ntobeko Ntusi, Medical Research Council, South Africa
Kurt Zatloukal, Medical Univerity Graz, Austria
Michael Makanga, Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking

12h10 Financing Africa's Future: Innovative Models to Sustain Research Infrastructure and Drive Scientific Leadership
Kurt Zatloukal, Medical Univerity Graz, Austria (Moderator)
Tomani Corrah Africa Research Excellence Fund, Gambia
Paul Walton Africa Europe Foundation
Rui Duarte MDPI

12h45 Recommendation for the Summit of the Future and the UN Financing for Development Conference (FfD4)
Rita Lawlor Science Summit Co-Chair University of Verona, Itlay
Rizwana Mia Medical Research Council, South Africa
Julie Makani, Imperial College London, Tanzania

Speakers

Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations., United Nations University
Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala is the Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. Prior to taking up the role of UNU Rector on 1 March 2023, Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg (South... Read More →

Christina Christopher Mnzava
One Health Society, Tanzania
Hon. Dr. Christina Christopher MnzavaSecretary – Tanzania Parliamentarian Alliance for AMR Hon. Dr Christina Mnzava is a member of parliament of the Tanzania General Assembly and secretary of the Tanzania Parliamentarians Alliance for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a dedicated... Read More →

Magdalena Skipper, PhD.
Nature Research (Publishing)
As Editor in Chief, Magdalena leads Nature’s magazine and research editorial teams. A geneticist by training, she has considerable editorial and publishing experience: having started in Nature Publishing Group in 2001, she was Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics, Senior Editor... Read More →

Thandi Mgwebi
National Research Foundation (NRF) South Africa
Thandi Mgwebi is a seasoned leader in the academic and research landscape of South Africa. Currently serving as the Group Executive at the National Research Foundation (NRF), she holds responsibility for Global Partnerships and Business Development. Thandi’s career path has been... Read More →

Julie Makan
Prof. Julie Makani (MD, PhD, FRCP, FTAAS)- Imperial College LondonPrincipal Investigator, Sickle Cell Programme- MUHAS and SickleInAfricaProfessor Julie Makani is a physician scientist in Tanzania, Principal Investigator in the Sickle Cell Programme at Muhimbili University www.muhas.ac.tz... Read More →

Nesia Mahenge
Nesia Mahenge - Country Director – CBM International and MUHAS SCD AdviserTanzaniaNesia is the Country Director at CBM International with over 20 years of expertise in International Development, Public Health Management, Health Education, Climate Change and Resilience, Disability... Read More →

Le’Kiesha French-Merritt
Founder, Future in Color Institute
Le’Kiesha French-Merritt is a visionary leader focused on bridging the justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion gap within the tech-driven economy. With over 15 years of global experience in research, policy, and practice, she has specialized in creating equitable pathways in emerging... Read More →

Dorothy Ngila
Director: Strategic Partneships, National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa
Dr Dorothy Ngila advances her career at South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) as a director in the Business Advancement division. She co-ordinates the NRF’s contribution to the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in sub-Saharan Africa and advances the NRF’s... Read More →

Eudy Mabuza
Senior Brussels Representative, Dept of Science and Innovation, South Africa
Ms Mabuza has eighteen and half years of progressive experience in the Public Sector, engaging and negotiating with international agencies to increase bilateral science, technology and innovation (STI) investments towards the South African science system and marketing the country... Read More →

Professor Sir Tumani Corrah
Founder and Co-President, Africa Research Excellence Fund
Professor Corrah is the Founder of AREF and the first Emeritus Director of the UK Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. For over 30 years Professor Corrah, who is Gambian, has pursued three passions: improving outcomes of inpatient... Read More →

Kurt Zatloukal
Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine, former Director of BBMRI.at, Medical University Graz
Prof. Kurt Zatloukal is full Professor of Pathology and Head of the Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine at the Medical University of Graz, Austria. His research focuses on digital pathology and biobanking, the development of molecular diagnostics as well as the... Read More →

Rizwana Mia
Senior Program Manager -Precision Medicine, South African Medical Research Council
Rizwana Mia is a leader in health innovation with 16 years of experience, combining scientific expertise and strategic thinking with her educational background in Genetics & Business Administration. She directs and develops programmatic research and innovation in Precision Medicine... Read More →

Michael Makanga
Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking
Dr Michael Makanga started his tenure as the Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3 on 16 November 2023. He has extensive experience in the global health research sector and was previously the Executive Director of the EDCTP Association. He is a clinician-scientist with nearly... Read More →

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Litha Magingxa
President and CEO, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa
Dr. Magingxa is the President and CEO of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) of South Africa. He is tasked with the redirection, revisioning and repositioning of the ARC, working with the Council and management team. He previously served the ARC as Group Executive: Agri-Economics... Read More →

Arun Prabhu
CEO, Landcent Europe B.V.
Arun is a visionary leader dedicated to advancing health equity in underserved communities, with a particular focus on combating Neglected and Poverty-Associated Diseases. As Co-founder and CEO at Landcent, he spearheads initiatives to develop and deliver innovative products and solutions... Read More →

Henriette van Eijl
European Commision, DG Research and Innovation
Dr. Henriette van Eijl leads the unit ‘Health and Societal Transitions’ in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The Unit ensures that R&I policies and programmes, especially Horizon Europe, support the EU policy objectives in health and... Read More →

Ntobeko Ntusi
President and CEO SAMRC, South African Medical Research Council
Professor Ntobeko Ntusi is the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) effective 1 July 2024. He joins the SAMRC from the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital where he was the Chair and Head of the Department of Medicine. He is a distinguished... Read More →

Rui Duarte
Head of Public Affairs, MDPI
Rui Duarte is a senior public affairs professional with over a decade of experience in government affairs, international governance, and cooperation. As a former Member of Parliament in Portugal, Rui served as Rapporteur for Technology Assessment in the Science Committee, where he... Read More →

Hamisi Msagama
One Health Society, Tanzania
Hamisi is a young global health leader trained as a pharmacist with a master's degree in global health. His passion lies in utilizing integrated and holistic approaches to address global health issues, aiming to build strong, resilient, and adaptive health systems. He serves as the... Read More →

Monday September 23, 2024 9:30am - 12:30pm EDT
Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

Policy/Democracy, Inclusion

2:00pm EDT

Advancing Global Sustainability Through Pioneering Research from the U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories

Monday September 23, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

For nearly 80 years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories have produced scientific and technological solutions to some of the most critical global challenges in energy, security, health, and the environment. The mission-focused multidisciplinary workforce and scientific infrastructure housed at the 17 national laboratories have successfully generated new ideas, innovative technologies, and world-leading research facilities and capabilities. Working together, DOE and its national laboratories can convene large multidisciplinary teams to focus on large-scale, complex challenges that often require years of focused effort to overcome.

The national laboratories serve as a critical bridge to academia and industry, forming national and global partnerships that have transformed science and technology. Facilities housed at the laboratories are also made available to researchers worldwide to power discoveries in virtually all scientific fields.

In this session, speakers from DOE and six national laboratories will delve into the latest research and innovation at the laboratories that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, showcasing groundbreaking research advancements and scientific facilities that address urgent global challenges. Presentations will survey topics including next-generation X-ray light sources for scientific discovery, community partnerships to mitigate the effects of climate change and move toward a clean energy future, advanced sensing technologies for energy infrastructure, public-private partnerships in the fusion energy sector, and the latest collider accelerator technology and its societal benefits. The session aims to foster dialogue on how scientific innovation can be leveraged for sustainable development, emphasizing local-to-global collaboration and partnership.

Speakers

Peter F. Green
Deputy Laboratory Director, Science and Technology; Chief Research Officer; and Alliance Senior Vice President National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Peter F. Green is the deputy laboratory director for Science and Technology and chief research officer for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). In his role as deputy laboratory director for Science and Technology, Green is responsible for NREL’s science and research... Read More →

Linda L. Horton
Associate Deputy Director for Science Programs Office of Science U.S. Department of Energy
Dr. Linda L. Horton is the Associate Deputy Director of Science Programs. In this role, she is a key member of the Office of Science senior leadership team and serves as the deputy to the Deputy Director for Science Programs, a principal sponsor of basic research in the U.S. including... Read More →

Laurent Chapon
Associate Laboratory Director for Photon Sciences Argonne National Laboratory
Laurent Chapon is the Associate Laboratory Director for Photon Sciences at Argonne National Laboratory. He also directs the Advanced Photon Source (APS), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility at Argonne, and the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade (APS-U) project... Read More →

Derina Man
Group Manager, Integrated Decision Support National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Derina Man is a Group Manager for the Integrated Decision Support team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and portfolio lead covering Southeast Asia. She manages a suite of international projects focused on research, deployment, and capacity building related to advanced energy... Read More →

Laura Berzak Hopkins
Associate Laboratory Director for Strategy and Partnerships and Deputy Chief Research Officer Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Dr. Laura Berzak Hopkins is the Associate Laboratory Director for Strategy and Partnerships and Deputy Chief Research Officer for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), a US Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory. At PPPL, Laura focuses on long-range strategic planning... Read More →

Pouya Vahmani
Urban Environmental Scientist Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Pouya Vahmani is an Urban Environmental Scientist in the Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division/Earth and Environmental Sciences Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), with expertise using climate modeling to further scientific understanding of factors critical... Read More →

David Battaglia
Supervisory Research Physical Scientist, Functional Materials Team National Energy Technology Laboratory
Dr. David Battaglia is a Supervisory Research Physical Scientist and Team Lead for the Functional Materials Team at the US Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). At NETL David leads a team dedicated to developing new materials, sensors, and processes... Read More →

Monday September 23, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Capacity Building, Inclusion

2:00pm EDT

Solar Geoengineering: Perspectives on Risks, Governance Implications and Political Challenges

Monday September 23, 2024 2:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (12th floor)

Solar geoengineering, also called Solar Radiation Modification (SRM), refers to a set of speculative technologies that seek to artificially cool the planet by intervening into the earth’s climate systems. One of the most discussed options is the massive injection of sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect some incoming sunlight back out into space, in order to have a cooling effect. While some see solar geoengineering as a potential future tool to address the worst impacts of climate change, others view it as posing severe environmental, social, ethical, and geopolitical risks, also arguing that it would fail to address the root causes of climate change. Many point also to the complex global governance and justice challenges associated with solar geoengineering.

This topic proved to be very controversial at the United Nations Environment Assembly session in February 2024, where many developing countries called for a non-use mechanism for solar geoengineering, while others called for further assessment and research. No compromise was reached. This session brings together representatives from governments, academia, youth, indigenous communities, and civil society to reflect on the latest policy and scientific developments within this rapidly evolving field, and to consider options for restrictive global governance. An urgent need is to integrate critical voices of the most vulnerable.

The session’s core aim is to advance understanding of how contemplating solar geoengineering as a future climate policy option could adversely affect the implementation and achievement of many interconnected SGDs, including those on climate, inequality, and inclusive and effective global governance.

AGENDA
14:00 – 14:10 Welcome and introduction to the session
Aarti Gupta, Professor of Global Environmental Governance, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

14:10-14:30 Keynote address
Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu’s Special Envoy for Climate Change and Environment; Former Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management, Vanuatu

14:30- 15:30 Setting the stage: Academic perspectives on the science, governance, and ethics of solar geoengineering
Raymond Pierrehumbert, Halley Professor of Physics, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Aarti Gupta, Professor of Global Environmental Governance, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Chukwumerije Okereke, Professor of Global Climate Governance and Public Policy, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
Frank Biermann (chair), Professor of Global Sustainability Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

15:30-16:00 Break

16:00-16:45 Governmental and UN perspectives: National and International Policy Developments
Hibaa-Haibado Ismael H. Tani, Third Counsellor, Djibouti Embassy in Kenya (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), Republic of Djibouti
Philippe Maupai, Deputy Head of Division, Geopolitics of Climate Change, Climate and Security, Water Diplomacy Federal Foreign Office, Germany
Rio Hada, Chief, Equality, Development and Rule of Law Section, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), New York Office, United States
Aarti Gupta (chair), Professor of Global Environmental Governance, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

16:45-17:30 Stakeholder dialogue with audience Q&A: Societal views on policy and research developments
Panganga Pungowiyi, Climate Geoengineering Organizer, Indigenous Environmental Network, United States
Lili Fuhr, Director of Fossil Economy Program, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Germany
Heleen Bruggink, Co-Founder of Mind Our Future: Critical Youth on Solar Geoengineering, Germany
Carol Bardi (chair), Researcher at the University of Münster, Germany

17:30-17:50 Way Forward
Frank Biermann, Professor of Global Sustainability Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

17:50 – 18:00 Closing
Aarti Gupta, Professor of Global Environmental Governance, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Speakers

Aarti Gupta (Convener)
Professor of Global Environmental Governance, Wageningen University
Aarti Gupta is Professor of Global Environmental Governance at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. Her research focuses on accountability and equity in global climate policy and anticipatory global governance of novel technologies, including biotechnology and climate engineering... Read More →

Honorable Ralph Regenvanu
Minister of Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology and Geo-hazards and Disaster Management of Vanua, Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management
Ralph Regenvanu is Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management. Ralph is currently serving his fifth term as the Member of Parliament for Vanuatu’s capital and largest city Port Vila. He has previously... Read More →

Frank Biermann
Utrecht University
Frank Biermann is a Research Professor of Global Sustainability Governance at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. He is the founder and inaugural chair of the Earth System Governance research alliance, a long-standing global transdisciplinary... Read More →

Chukwumerije Okereke
University of Bristol
Chukwumerije Okereke is a Professor in Global Governance & Public Policy at the University of Bristol and Director of the Center for Climate and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Nigeria. Previously, he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading... Read More →

Raymond Pierrehumbert
University of Oxford
Raymond T. Pierrehumbert is the Halley Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford, having previously served on the faculties of University of Chicago, Princeton and M.I.T. His work embraces both theoretical fluid dynamics and physics of planetary climate, with the latter including... Read More →

Rio Hada
Chief, Equality, Development and Rule of Law Section, New York Office, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Mr. Hada currently leads OHCHR’s thematic engagement in New York on equality and non-discrimination, sustainable development and the rule of law to mainstream human rights in interagency and intergovernmental discussions at the UN Headquarters. Before his current appointment in... Read More →

Philippe Maupai
Deputy Head of Division, Geopolitics of Climate Change, Climate and Security, Water Diplomacy Federal Foreign Office, Germany, Federal Foreign Office, Germany
Philippe Maupai is a career diplomat at the German Federal Foreign Office. He has been the Deputy Head of the FFO’s Division for Climate and Security in Berlin since 2022. He was posted to the German Embassy in Cairo as Head of Science and Protocol from 2018-2022. Prior to this... Read More →

Hibaa-Haibado Ismael H. Tani
DPR, Third Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Djibouti
At the 2024 UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), Ms. Tani from Djibouti was a lead negotiator on behalf of the African Group, focusing on a controversial resolution concerning Solar Radiation Management (SRM). Ms. Tani was instrumental in advancing the precautionary principle and highlighting... Read More →

Lili Fuhr
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Lili Fuhr (she/her) is the Director of CIEL’s Fossil Economy Program. In that role, Lili leads a team of dedicated attorneys and campaigners working to transform our economic system to urgently address the political, social, and economic realities of the triple crisis of climate... Read More →

Panganga Pungowiyi
Indigenous Environmental Network
Panganga Pungowiyi (Pangaanga Pangawyi), They/Them/She/Her is an Indigenous mother from Sivungaq, located in the so-called Bering Strait. Panganga has been involved in many grassroots efforts seeking justice for Indigenous people including efforts to protect lands and water from extractive... Read More →

Heleen Bruggink
Mind Our Future! Critical Youth on Solar Geoengineering
Heleen Bruggink (she/her) is co-founder of Mind Our Future! Critical Youth on Solar Geoengineering. Her work focuses on engaging and connecting youth with the topic of solar geoengineering and the ongoing developments in research, policy, and civil society—areas that have seen significant... Read More →

Carol Bardi (moderator)
University of Münster
Carol Bardi is a Brazilian ecofeminist researcher. She is currently a doctoral researcher at University of Münster and lives in Florianópolis, Brazil. She has finished her master’s degree in Environmental Sciences at the Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development at Utrecht... Read More →

Monday September 23, 2024 2:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Environment

3:00pm EDT

How Science and AI Will Enable Black Economic Development Globally

Monday September 23, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

Overview
The Global Black Economy represents a significant, often under-recognized, economic force. As we enter an era where technological advancements and scientific innovations are rapidly transforming industries worldwide, it is crucial to explore how these tools can empower Black communities globally, creating sustainable economic growth and bridging longstanding disparities. Advances in science and AI can potentially drive economic growth and development in Black communities worldwide [World Economic Forum]. These technologies can help address historical inequities by providing more equitable access to education, healthcare, and financial services in underserved areas. Machine learning algorithms, for instance, can be used to identify and mitigate biases in lending, hiring, and other economic systems that have disadvantaged Black individuals and businesses [Brookings Institution, 2019].

Scientific research and AI innovations from Africa and the African diaspora can create new industries and job opportunities [African Development Bank, 2019]. This growth potential is further enhanced by increased STEM education and AI skills training for Black youth, preparing them for high-growth technology careers [National Science Foundation, 2021]. In the agricultural sector, AI-powered precision agriculture techniques could boost productivity and incomes for Black farmers globally [Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2020].

Technology is also transforming the financial landscape. Blockchain and fintech innovations may improve financial inclusion and access to capital for Black entrepreneurs [World Bank, 2020]. However, these advancements must be implemented ethically. Ethical AI development considering diverse perspectives can help ensure these technologies benefit rather than harm Black communities [AI Ethics Lab, 2021].

To accelerate Black economic development, public-private partnerships focused on science and AI innovation in Africa and other regions could play a significant role [OECD, 2019]. Additionally, more diverse representation in AI development is needed to build inclusive systems that work for all [AI Now Institute]. By addressing these aspects, science and AI can become powerful tools for enabling Black economic development on a global scale.

Objectives
As part of the Science Summit in partnership with Future in Colour, a groundbreaking plenary session titled "How Science and AI Will Enable Black Economic Development Globally" is scheduled for September 23, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at CURE, 345 Park Ave South, New York. This event coincides with the launch of the innovative GDPx Report, which focuses on the GDP valuation of the Global Black Economy.

This session aims to delve deeply into the intersection of science, AI, and economic development within Black communities across the globe. We will explore actionable strategies to leverage scientific advancements and AI technologies to drive inclusive growth, innovation, and equitable prosperity in the Global Black Economy by bringing together thought leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and technologists. The GDPx Report, developed in collaboration with Future in Colour, aims to evaluate this crucial economic segment comprehensively. This plenary session will delve into how advancements in science and artificial intelligence can catalyse and accelerate Black economic development on a global scale.

The session aims to examine the current state of the Global Black Economy and its growth potential, explore the role of scientific innovation in driving economic development within Black communities worldwide, and discuss how AI technologies can be leveraged to address unique challenges and opportunities in this sector. Additionally, it will identify key areas where science and AI can significantly impact Black economic empowerment and foster dialogue between policymakers, scientists, AI experts, and leaders in the Black business community.

The two-hour session will begin with an introduction and overview, including welcome remarks and a presentation of key findings from the GDPx Report. This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring scientists, innovators, and economic experts, focusing on biotechnology, renewable energy, advanced materials, and their potential impact on Black-owned businesses and communities. A keynote address by a leading AI researcher or industry expert will highlight AI as a catalyst for Black economic growth, focusing on AI applications in finance, education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.

Expected outcomes from this session include increased awareness of the potential of science and AI in driving Black economic development, identification of key areas for investment and policy focus, formation of new partnerships between scientific institutions, AI companies, and Black-owned businesses, development of a roadmap for integrating cutting-edge scientific and AI innovations into the Global Black Economy, and a commitment from participants to support initiatives that leverage science and AI for Black economic empowerment.

This plenary session's target audience includes policymakers, government officials, scientists and researchers in relevant fields, AI experts and technology innovators, Black business leaders and entrepreneurs, economic development specialists, investors and venture capitalists, and representatives from international organizations and NGOs. This diverse group of participants will contribute to a rich and multifaceted discussion on the intersection of science, AI, and the Global Black Economy.

This plenary session aims to catalyze meaningful dialogue and action, positioning science and AI as key drivers in the growth and development of the Global Black Economy. By bringing together experts from various fields and fostering collaborative discussions, the event seeks to chart a path forward for leveraging cutting-edge technologies and scientific advancements to empower Black communities and businesses globally.

Agenda

15h00 Opening
Introduction to the GDPx Report and its significance.
Keynote Address: “AI, science, accelerated black wealth creation.”

15h30 Panel Discussion: What provides for generational wealth building for the global black diaspora?
Dr. Brown Robertson
Michale Blake
Breon Wells
Samantha Abrams
Breon Wells
Dr. Isak Nti Asare, Indiana University

17h00 Q&A

17h30 Conclusion

Speakers

Le'Kiesha French Merritt
President and CEO, Future in Color Institute
Le'Kiesha French Merritt is a visionary in Global economic development, tech, entrepreneurship & innovation ecosystem building with over two decades of transformative impact. She founded two global multi-million-dollar social enterprises and has helped shape technology ecosystems... Read More →

Nicole Turner Lee
Senior Fellow, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee is a fellow at the Brookings Institution, a global think tank located in Washington, DC. She works in the Center for Technology Innovation where she researches public policy designed to enable equitable access to technology across the U.S. and to harness its power... Read More →

Breon Wells
The Daniel Initiative
Breon Wells advises non-profits, corporations, activists, and celebrities on social impact, public policy, and brand management. As President of The Daniel Initiative, he champions underrepresented groups in U.S. and global policy spaces. A former Congressional Aide in the U.S. House... Read More →

Samantha Abrams
Ms. Abrams is a transformational leader with more than 20 years of serving in private and nonprofit sector roles with global reach and impact. She’s a skilled relationship architect across sectors that fuels optimal business outcomes. Ms. Abrams is comfortable engaging with domestic... Read More →

Rizwana Mia
Senior Program Manager -Precision Medicine, South African Medical Research Council
Rizwana Mia is a leader in health innovation with 16 years of experience, combining scientific expertise and strategic thinking with her educational background in Genetics & Business Administration. She directs and develops programmatic research and innovation in Precision Medicine... Read More →

Thandi Mgwebi
National Research Foundation (NRF) South Africa
Thandi Mgwebi is a seasoned leader in the academic and research landscape of South Africa. Currently serving as the Group Executive at the National Research Foundation (NRF), she holds responsibility for Global Partnerships and Business Development. Thandi’s career path has been... Read More →

Monday September 23, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

Artificial Intelligence

4:00pm EDT

Integrating Medical Care and Holistic Healing

Monday September 23, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

A question remains unanswered: how can we truly prevent and cure diseases? Our session intends to be highly experiential, interactive and practical for everyone who participates live in person and on livestream, in addressing this question. Our current path of preventing and treating ailments, developing novel medicines and interventions, albeit with many triumph, also comes short in many ways. In the context of chronic dis-eases, the model has postulated that the state of healing happens upon eradication of the condition.

However, despite substantial improvements in treatment and survival across medical fields, in oncology, for example, more than 9 million people still die from cancer every year. So, what are we missing? The ultimate goal of medicine and science is to equilibrate physical, mental, and social wellbeing into what is optimal for the individual. This stands for medial care as well as drug development. Patients deserve nothing less. Equally, mental health is just as physical as physical health and mindbody is one word. This view may significantly improve the way we diagnose, treat, relate, communicate in clinics, as well as design perform and invest in research and clinical trials.

Precision and patient tailored modalities that are so vastly represented in modern medical care (gene sequencing for example and many more), should apply no less to internal states of being, and we can call this precision lifestyle medicine and precision psychobiosomatics. The holistic model is a both/and approach not an either/or approach and it holds hands of modern medical care and whole health. The new paradigm is one that holds, practices and celebrates wholeness. To cure, we must be willing to embrace healing from the inside out as well. What do we need to do in order to create a new kind of collective healthcare intelligence?

In this session we will present and discuss experimental and clinical evidence generating a new paradigm based on axioms that would allow us to achieve sustainable wellbeing in a holistic way - caring for the physical, the mental, the emotional, the social. We will provide practical guidance for working in clinic as well as well defined calls to action where we can all participate and establish meaningful collaborations and deliver true impact in holistic medicine and science globally in the coming years.

Speakers

Dr Aleksandra Filipovic - Head of Oncology PureTech Health, UK and USA
Dr Anna Yusim - Clinical Assistant Professor at Yale Medical School, USA
Dr Maryam Lustberg - Chief of Breast Oncology and Director of the Breast Center at Yale Cancer Center, USA
Dr Eva Selhub - Physician, author, executive coach, USA
Dr Ssanyu Birigwa - Professor for Master of Science Narrative Medicine program Columbia University, USA

Agenda

2:00-2:15pm Opening remarks
2:15-2:30pm Dr Filipovic
2:30-2:45pm Dr Yusim
2:45-3:00pm Dr Lustberg
3:00-3:15pm Dr Selhub
3:15-3:30pm Dr Birigwa
3:30-4:00pm Closing remarks and Q&A

Speakers

Anna Yusim
Yale Medical School
Dr. Anna Yusim is an internationally-recognized, award-winning Board-Certified, Stanford- and Yale-educated Psychiatrist & Executive Coach with a Private Practice in New York City, Connecticut, Florida and California. She is best-selling author of Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality... Read More →

Eva Selhub
Clinical Associate Harvard Medical School and Benson Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine MGH
Dr. Eva Selhub is an internationally recognized resiliency expert, physician, author, executive coach, keynote speaker, and spiritual advisor. With almost three decades of experience, she previously held roles as an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and as a Clinical... Read More →

Maryam Lustberg
Yale Medical School and Yale Cancer Center
Maryam Lustberg MD MPH is a breast medical oncologist and currently serves as Chief of Breast Oncology and Director of the Breast Center at Yale Cancer Center in New Haven Connecticut. She is the co-chair of Symptom Intervention for Alliance Clinical Trials and is immediate Past President... Read More →

Aleksandra Filipovic
Sharing Progress in Cancer Care
Aleksandra Filipovic MD PhD, is the Head of Oncology at PureTech Health, a clinical stage biopharma dedicated to developing novel therapies for challenging indications in oncology and other disease areas. There, Dr Filipovic leads development on novel compounds for solid tumors and... Read More →

Monday September 23, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Health

Tuesday, September 24

9:00am EDT

Women's Unique Health Needs and the Sustainable Development Goals, a call to action

Tuesday September 24, 2024 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Co-hosted by The ECHAlliance and the Society for Women’s Health Research, “Women’s Unique Health Needs and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a call to action” will discuss key developments and opportunities to advance women’s health care and research, with a focus on addressing disparities, the role of women in health care decision-making, access to preventive care, and representation in the women’s health workforce.

Women comprise approximately half the world’s population, yet their role in the global healthcare ecosystem is often underrepresented or inadequately considered. Women face unique challenges throughout their lifespans due to biological sex differences and gender-related influences on health and disease. Disparities exist across disease states and life stages that touch every race, ethnic group, geographic location, and socioeconomic status. To address this global health deficiency, a comprehensive strategy to advance research on women’s health must be developed and implemented. This session will discuss key developments and opportunities to advance women’s health research, care, and policies. Participants will identify opportunities for domestic and global collaborations and inform the development of a women’s health research agenda in an Outcomes Report to the United Nations.

Agenda
9:00 – 9:10 am Welcome
Brian O'Connor - Chair, ECHAlliance – The Global Health Connector
Irene O. Aninye, PhD - Chief Science Officer, Society for Women’s Health Research

9:10 – 9:40 am A Call to Action: Women's Unique Health Needs and the SDGs
Irene O. Aninye PhD (Moderator) - Chief Science Officer, Society for Women’s Health Research
Ru-fong Joanne Cheng, MD, FACOG, -Director, Women's Health Innovations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

9:40 – 10:30 am Transitioning Women’s Health from Treatment to Prevention
Nicole Althaus (Moderator)- US Ambassador, ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector
Capt. Aisha K. Brooks, DNP, MPH, RN, FAAN - Senior Health Policy Administrator, U.S. Public Health Service
Anuradha Gupta - President, Global Immunization, Sabin Vaccine Institute
Rachel Sturke, PhD, MPH, MIA - Acting Deputy Director, Fogarty International Center

10:30 – 10:45 am Break

10:45 – 11:35 am Ensuring Accountability: Women in Research, Health Care, and Policy Leadership
Magdalena Skipper (Moderator) - Editor in Chief, Nature
Janine Austin Clayton, MD, FARVO - Director, Office of Research on Women's Health, National Institutes of Health
Carolyn Harris - Labour MP for Neath and Swansea East, UK Parliament

11:35 am – 12:15 pm Perspectives from Women Leaders in Women’s Health
Irene O. Aninye PhD (Moderator) - Chief Science Officer, Society for Women’s Health Research
Janine Austin Clayton, MD, FARVO, Director, Office of Research on Women's Health, National Institutes of Health
Michele Barry, MD, FACP, Director for Center of Innovation in Global Health, Stanford University
Eleanor Nwadinobi, MBBS, EMA, FAAC, President, Medical Women’s International Association

12:15 pm - 12:30 pm Wrap-up & Adjourn

Speakers

Carolyn Harris
Labour Member of Parliament for Neath and Swansea East, Parliament of the United Kingdom
Born and raised in Swansea, after gaining a degree in Social Policy, Carolyn worked in the charity sector before becoming Parliamentary Assistant to Sian James MP.In May 2015, she was elected MP for Swansea East and was reelected in both the 2017 and 2019 elections. Following boundary... Read More →

Brian O'Connor
Chair, Chair at ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Brian has developed his career as a consultant, manager, and investor. He has worked and lived in the UK, US, and Hong Kong and has significant experience as a company director in a variety of sectors. He also acts as a Corporate Doctor, to help... Read More →

Alejandra Rodríguez
ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector

Ru-Fong Joanne Cheng MD, FACOG
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Dr. Ru Cheng leads a team that supports the development and adoption of high-quality health products that address the needs of women and girls in low- and middle-income countries. The Women’s Health Innovations team also serves as a unifying voice on women’s health, collaborating... Read More →

Anuradha Gupta
Sabin Vaccine Institute
Anuradha Gupta is the President of Global Immunization at the Sabin Vaccine Institute. Ms. Gupta has spearheaded successful global initiatives to improve the health of women and children and harness the full power of vaccines.Prior to Sabin, Ms. Gupta spent several years at Gavi... Read More →

Irene. O Aninye, PhD (Convenor)
Society for Women's Health Research
Dr. Irene O. Aninye is the Chief Science Officer for the Society for Women’s Health Research, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing women’s health through science, policy, and education. Aninye steers SWHR’s portfolio of scientific programs to increase awareness and investment... Read More →

Magdalena Skipper, PhD.
Nature Research (Publishing)
As Editor in Chief, Magdalena leads Nature’s magazine and research editorial teams. A geneticist by training, she has considerable editorial and publishing experience: having started in Nature Publishing Group in 2001, she was Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics, Senior Editor... Read More →

Nicole Althaus
ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector
Nicole Althaus is a seasoned leader in digital health product innovation and marketing strategy, with a strong commitment to enhancing patient care. Over her 25-year career, she has excelled in understanding the perspectives of patients, payers, providers, and device manufacturers... Read More →

Rachel Sturke, PhD, MPH, MIA
Fogarty International Center at NIH
Dr. Rachel Sturke joined the Fogarty International Center in 2006 and currently serves as Deputy Director and Senior Scientist in the Division of International Science Policy, Planning, and Evaluation and the Center for Global Health Studies at the Fogarty International Center at... Read More →

Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi MBBS, EMA, FAAC
Medical Women’s International Association
Dr Eleanor Ann Nwadinobi, MBBS, EMA, is President of the Medical Women’s International Association. She is also Special Advisor to the Nigeria Safeguarding Resource and Support hub and Co founder of the Every woman treaty, a coalition advocating for a global binding norm to end... Read More →

Michele Barry, M.D., FACP, FASTMH
Stanford University
Michele Barry is the Drs. Ben and A. Jess Shenson Professor of Medicine and Tropical Diseases at Stanford University, where she directs the Center for Innovation in Global Health and serves as Senior Associate Dean for Global Health.A leading advocate for women’s leadership in medicine... Read More →

Dr. Aisha K. Brooks, DNP, MPH, RN, FAAN
US Public Health Service
Dr. Aisha K. Brooks is a Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service and serves as the senior health policy administrator for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Health Service Corps. Dr. Brooks served as an Assistant Surgeon General and the 12th Chief Nurse Officer in... Read More →

Tuesday September 24, 2024 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Health

9:00am EDT

Collaborative Solutions: Funding the UNCCD COP16 Flagship Initiative for Food Security and Sustainable Development and its Implications for the UN Summit of the Future

Tuesday September 24, 2024 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

https://unccdcop16flagship.sched.com/

Convened by the University of Chicago Innovation Commission and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND)

Tuesday September 24, 2024 9:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

Financing

11:00am EDT

[Virtual] Love is Intelligence and Intelligence is Love Compassion in the age of AI

Tuesday September 24, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT

Online

Current AI models (LLMs, LAMs, LWMs) like Google, Meta, Xai, Open AI/MS, Perplexity, Anthropic do not focus on love-based interactions between users and AI systems. They do not protect users from AI-related harm or protect AI systems from causing harm to people or to the companies who operate them.

Beyond applying AI policies and regulations we believe developing “Love prompt guards” will help AI spread Love and inspire people to intentionally choose Love based languages.
The panel will go through the steps of how to optimize LLM selection, suggest Love-based prompts and content filtering, explain how to craft loving prompts and promote ethical user-AI interactions by teaching users how to interact with AI more lovingly.

Panelists are:
Jen Loving - CEO of Loving Is, an AI Love language model.
Cory Warfield - AI and Tech for Good Influencer
Dr Ravit Dotan - Ethics and AI expert, Better Tech
Syed Hussain - CEO and founder SHIZA, Individualized Language Model
Mark Sadovnick - 5th Element group, Nonflict expert

Speakers

Ravit Dotan
CEO, Ethics and AI expert, Better Tech

Cory Warfield
AI Influencer & Founder, AI and Tech for Good Influencer

Mark Sadovnick
5th Element group, Nonflict expert

Jen Loving
CEO of Loving Is, an AI Love language model

Syed Hussain
CEO and founder SHIZA, Individualized Language Model

Alex Cahana
Founding Partner, ImpactRooms
Dr. Alex Cahana specializes in Web 3.0 transformation, in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDE). He is a founding partner at ImpactRooms, a Blockchain and Healthcare Expert for the UN/CEFACT, a Board member at AdanianLabs Africa and ACHA (Americas Continental Health Alliance... Read More →

Tuesday September 24, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Online

Artificial Intelligence

1:00pm EDT

Moving Beyond Promises to Performance: Industry CTOs Share Insights on How Science and Innovation Are Enabling a Sustainable Future

Tuesday September 24, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (12th floor)

Moving Beyond Promises to Performance: Industry CTOs Share Insights on How Science and Innovation Are Enabling a Sustainable Future
To tackle the climate crisis, sustainability has moved beyond the domain of the CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer to all corners of a business. This roundtable discussion brings together leaders from some of the world largest corporations to share how they are driving breakthroughs in innovation, science, and technology in order to deliver solutions to global sustainability challenges.

This roundtable discussion will bring together leaders from Science Group CTO Forum, a group of eight major corporation working together to share insights and knowledge with the goal of helping business leaders everywhere to move the needle on Sustainability. Panelists will share the actions they’re taking – separately, together and in collaboration with other key partners -- to drive progress on sustainable solutions in the global food system. Using examples pulled from CTO Forum’s Net Zero Playbook and Growth and Sustainability Playbook, the panelists will address the obstacles and opportunities to progress on areas including reducing emissions and water usage, advancing regenerative agricultural practices, future-proofing our food supply, and providing accessible, affordable and nutritious food options on a global scale.

Moderator
Rita Lawlor, Co-chair Science Summit

Roundtable Panelists
Natasha Santos, Vice President Head of Sustainability & Strategic Engagement, Bayer Crop Science
Nici Bush, Chief Innovation, Science and Technology Officer
René Lammers, Executive Vice President & Chief Science Officer, PepsiCo
Dan Edwards, CEO, Science Group

Speakers

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

René Lammers
Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer for PepsiCo
René Lammers Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer Dr. René Lammers is Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer for PepsiCo. As head of Research and Development (R&D), René spearheads forward-thinking strategies across innovation, research and development... Read More →

Dan Edwards
Managing Director, Science Group
Dan Edwards is the CEO at Science Group PLC. He holds a Master's degree in Engineering from Cambridge University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Dan began his career at Rolls-Royce. He later joined Sagentia Innovation which became part of Science Group PLC. In 2022 he founded... Read More →

Nici Bush
Chief Innovation, Science & Technology Officer, Mars
Nici Bush is a global member of the Mars Leadership Team as Senior Vice President of Innovation, Science & Technology overseeing Research and Development (R&D), including Science and Technology, Innovation, Quality and Food Safety, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs. She is Secretary... Read More →

Natasha Santos
Bayer AG, Crop Science Division Vice President, Head of Sustainability & Strategic Engagement
Natasha Santos is a seasoned senior executive boasting 19 years of expertise in the agriculture, food, and life science sectors. Recognized as a trailblazer in advocacy campaigns, strategic policy foresight, and global partnerships, she has consistently demonstrated leadership in... Read More →

Tuesday September 24, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Food

2:00pm EDT

Policy Dialogue: Scaling evidence-based and cost-effective innovations in Africa

Tuesday September 24, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (12th floor)

Policy Dialogue: Scaling evidence-based and cost-effective innovations in Africa: the role of the private sector
Moderator: Kevin Tayebaly, Co-Founder & CDO, ChangeNOW
Panel Discussants:
Matthias Berninger, Senior Vice President for Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability, Bayer AG
Jeff Zweig, Head of Natural Capital, Fiera Comox
Victoria Crawford, Director, Agriculture and Food & Member of the WBCSD Extended Leadership Group
Isata Kabia, Founding Director, VoW Africa

15:00-15:45
Village input fairs (organized by JPAL)
Moderator: Tavneet Suri
Present research results and ongoing scaling of Village Input Fairs: Andrew Dillon
Implementer/scaling perspective on VIFs: Andrew Stern (Global Development Incubator)
Discussant on scaling fertilizer interventions and building a coalition for catalyzing agricultural development in Africa: Younes Addou (OCP)

16:00-16:45
Room B: Policy Dialogue “Beyond the horizon: Innovative financing for food security”(Side-event organized by AVPN)
Blended finance innovations in Asia and Africa
Scaling: lessons learned and policy implications
Forward thinking: new opportunities and challenges for innovative financing
Moderator: Komal Sahu, Chief of Sustainable Finance, AVPN
Panel Discussants:
Souleymane Ba, Partner, Global Co-Head Climate Investment Strategy, LeapFrog Investments
Mirik Gorgi, Spectrum Impact
Lauren Ferstandig, Managing Director, NatureVest, Nature Conservancy

Tuesday September 24, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Financing

3:00pm EDT

Leveraging AI for Global Healthcare Delivery

Tuesday September 24, 2024 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Few new technologies have developed with such speed or engendered such contrasting emotions of anxiety and fear and hope and excitement as AI. While we understand the concerns in other sectors, healthcare has been an early adopter of AI, and the opportunities for new drugs, products, services, treatments, and better patient outcomes with the help of AI are real and substantial.

There has been a range of governance and regulatory initiatives, including the US Executive Order on AI Standards for Safety and Security, the G7 Code of Conduct, the passing of the European AI Act and the Digital Health Society & I~HD AI Club Report “Creating the environment of trust and acceptance that maximises the benefits of AI in healthcare”.
Our Round Table interactive session will occur in person in New York and virtually between the panellists and the audiences at the UNGA79 Science Summit. It will strive to present a better balance to discussions around the use of AI in healthcare.
Discussions will cover:
Diagnostics and Treatment
Data Access and Standardisation
Data First, AI Later
Ethical Considerations and Bias
How could Digital Healthcare help the World Bank to Deliver Affordable Health Services to 1.5B people by 2030?
AI in Health System Management and Policy Making
International Collaboration and the Future of AI in Health

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Leveraging AI for Global Healthcare Delivery (Roundtable discussion)

Introduction - Bleddyn Rees, Deputy Chair at ECHAlliance, Chair at The Digital Health Society

Keynote 1 - Bernardo Mariano Joaquim Junior - CTO & Assistant Secretary-General United Nations (10 minutes)

Keynote 2 - Hani Eskandar - Head of Digital Services International Telecommunication Union

Panel 1

Dr Ain Aaviksoo, HeBA Clinic, Head of Development, Partner
Dr. Irene Aninye, Chief Science Officer Society for Women’s Health Research
Professor Rachel Dunscombe, CEO Open EHR International
Dr Rajendra Pratap Gupta, Chairman UN-IGF Data
Kate Newhouse, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director at Kooth plc

Panel 2

Dr. Henriette van Eijl, European Commission, DG Research and Innovation Deputy to the Director of D - People: Health & Society Head of Unit - D3 - Health and Societal Transitions
Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC
Eric Thrailkill, Ambassador for HLTH Community
Tobias Silberzahn, Partner McKinsey & Company

Speakers

Eric Thrailkill
Ambassador, HLTH Community
Eric Thrailkill is a healthcare industry expert that joined the Nashville EntrepreneurCenter in March 2021 where he served as Chairman of Project Healthcare, aprogram supporting entrepreneurs building, growing, and scaling health and healthcaresolutions. He is also the founder of... Read More →

Kate Newhouse
Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director, Kooth plc
Kate is an award-winning entrepreneurial senior leader with over 20 years of experience in digital healthcare and innovation.Kate is COO and board director of Kooth, a globally leading youth digital mental healthcare provider. Kooth delivers upstream population-health-based mental... Read More →

Hani Eskandar
Head, Digital Services Division, International Telecommunication Union
Mr. Eskandar is the Digital Services Senior Coordinator at the Digital Society Division of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of ITU. Mr. Eskandar is currently involved in providing assistance to several developing countries by advising on digital applications and services strategies... Read More →

Rajendra Pratap Gupta
Health Parliament
Rajendra Pratap Gupta (Rajendra) is a public policy expert who has been contributing to policy making for over a decade and a half across sectors.Rajendra has worked with some of the largest organizations across the world and was nominated to the Global Agenda Council of the World... Read More →

Bleddyn Rees (Convenor)
ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector
Bleddyn is a vastly experienced commercial lawyer with 30 years experience of outsourcings, privatisations and complex contracting and projects. He has a unique CV for a private sector lawyer, having spent three and a half years on secondment as General Counsel of the Commercial Directorate... Read More →

Rachel Dunscombe
openEHR / Imperial College of London
Prof. Rachel Dunscombe (FBCS FEDIPLeadPract CHCIO) is currently CEO of OpenEHR Intrnational. Until August 2022 Rachel spent over five years as the CEO of the NHS Digital Academy . She has provided advisory services to the Secretary of State for Health, been a member of the UK AI council... Read More →

Ain Aaviksoo
HeBA
Ain Aaviksoo, MD MPH is an expert in healthcare digitization and innovation with 25 years of experience. He currently works as a development manager and co-founder of the HeBA Clinic and consults internationally for companies and governments. Dr. Aaviksoo also leads the consent service... Read More →

Jean Kaseya
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya was appointed Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC) during the thirty-sixth African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in February 2023. Dr. Kaseya, a Congolese Medical Doctor with advanced degrees in... Read More →

Tobias Silberzahn
McKinsey & Company
Tobias Silberzahn is a trained biochemist and immunologist and works as a Partner in McKinsey’s Berlin office where he is a member of the Healthcare and Innovation Practice. The focus areas of his work are healthcare innovation, health tech business-building and digital transformation... Read More →

Bernardo Mariano Jr.
Office of Information and Communications Technology, United Nations
Mr. Bernardo Mariano Jr. of Mozambique started his tenure as Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO), Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Information and Communications Technology, on 1 August 2021. Mr. Mariano has over 29 years of experience within the United Nations System... Read More →

Alejandra Rodríguez
ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector

Irene. O Aninye, PhD (Convenor)
Society for Women's Health Research
Dr. Irene O. Aninye is the Chief Science Officer for the Society for Women’s Health Research, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing women’s health through science, policy, and education. Aninye steers SWHR’s portfolio of scientific programs to increase awareness and investment... Read More →

Henriette van Eijl
European Commision, DG Research and Innovation
Dr. Henriette van Eijl leads the unit ‘Health and Societal Transitions’ in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The Unit ensures that R&I policies and programmes, especially Horizon Europe, support the EU policy objectives in health and... Read More →

Tuesday September 24, 2024 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Health

3:00pm EDT

[BY INVITATION] Changemakers Lunch: Fostering Transformative Change: Strategic AI Investment in Health Research Across Africa

Tuesday September 24, 2024 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

Upland

This event is by invitation only.

The imperative to align investment in health research in Africa stems from recognising several critical factors that underscore the significance of coordinated efforts in this domain. The convergence of philanthropic organisations, scientific leadership, and industry stakeholders towards a shared vision and strategy is a strategic imperative for the following reasons.

Africa is grappling with a myriad of complex health challenges, from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases and limited healthcare infrastructure. Aligning investments is not just a strategic move but a pressing need. It facilitates the pooling of resources, expertise, and knowledge required to tackle these multifaceted health issues comprehensively. In addition, coordinated investment ensures the efficient allocation of resources. Duplication of efforts and resource wastage can be minimized through strategic collaboration, leading to optimized utilization of funding and research capabilities.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set ambitious targets for global health improvement. Aligning investment in health research in Africa is pivotal and promising. It holds the potential to advance progress towards these goals, as scientific breakthroughs and evidence-based interventions are more likely to be achieved through concerted efforts.
Collaborative investment promotes the development and strengthening of research capacity within Africa. By providing resources for training, infrastructure, and technology, alignment supports the cultivation of local expertise and empowers African researchers to lead in addressing their region's health challenges.

Further, collaboration fosters cross-pollination of ideas and expertise, spurring innovation. Diverse stakeholders bring varied perspectives, which can lead to novel approaches and solutions in health research, ultimately benefiting the population in Africa and beyond. The alignment of investment enables a comprehensive approach to pandemic preparedness. By integrating research, infrastructure development, and resource allocation, stakeholders can fortify Africa's healthcare systems against potential health crises.

Sustainable solutions to health challenges require an investment and a long-term commitment. Alignment fosters a cohesive, enduring approach that transcends short-term funding cycles, ensuring a lasting impact on health outcomes in Africa. Health challenges are global concerns, and addressing them demands collective responsibility. Alignment of investment underscores the shared commitment of various stakeholders to improve health equity, access, and outcomes in Africa.

Speakers

Henriette van Eijl
European Commision, DG Research and Innovation
Dr. Henriette van Eijl leads the unit ‘Health and Societal Transitions’ in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The Unit ensures that R&I policies and programmes, especially Horizon Europe, support the EU policy objectives in health and... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Chairman and Managing Director of the Science Summit and Founder of ISC Intelligence
Declan is the Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science and holds prominent roles as the Chairman and Managing Director of both the Science Summit and the Africa Europe Science Collaboration Platform (AERAP). He is also a co-founder of Medicines for Future (MAF... Read More →

Thandi Mgwebi
National Research Foundation (NRF) South Africa
Thandi Mgwebi is a seasoned leader in the academic and research landscape of South Africa. Currently serving as the Group Executive at the National Research Foundation (NRF), she holds responsibility for Global Partnerships and Business Development. Thandi’s career path has been... Read More →

Andrew Barnhill
IQVIA
Andrew Barnhill is a health care government affairs executive with experience at Fortune 500 companies and a diverse set of healthcare coalitions and political campaigns at the state and federal level. Named by "The Hill" as a Top Lobbyist in two consecutive years (2022 and 2023... Read More →

Stefan Tochev
CEO, MDPI
Stefan Tochev, appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MDPI in June 2023, strongly believes in a future that embraces openness, where open source, open information, and open access (OA) take centre stage. This belief led him to join MDPI in 2020. As CEO and in close liaison... Read More →

Tuesday September 24, 2024 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Upland

Social Event

3:00pm EDT

[ONLY VIRTUAL] Decentralized, Resilient and Regenerative Islands Socio-economic infrastructure for the AI age

Tuesday September 24, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Online

Industrial Age socioeconomic structures no longer suffice for our interdependent AI world. On Satoshi Island, Vanuatu, we are building a resilient, decentralized, regenerative commons that provides its dwellers mental, physical, planet and financial health.
Our goal is to transition from extraction to regeneration, from competition to coopetition, from isolation to collective thriving and from consumption to health and wealth production.
This panel will go through the steps of how to achieve this anywhere.

Panelists are the pioneers of Satoshi Island:
● Denys Troyak - Decentralized Physical Infrastructure
● Brian Esposito - Decentralized economics
● Pamela Norton - Regenerative finances
● Richard Strietz - Human driven design
● Christopher Griffin - Regenerative energy

Speakers

Richard Streitz
COO, COO Ruh Global Impact

Pamela Norton
CEO TitleChain
Pamela Norton specializes in the evolution of the digital landscape and a new business structure she has developed called the tokenomic enterprise. She is the visionary behind the US patent Decentralized Title Transfer and Validation of Assets, which laid the foundation for the Global... Read More →

Denys Troyak
Satoshi Island Head of Operations

Brian J. Esposito
CEO Diamond Lake Minerals

Christopher Griffin
CEO Hover Energy

Alex Cahana
Founding Partner, ImpactRooms
Dr. Alex Cahana specializes in Web 3.0 transformation, in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDE). He is a founding partner at ImpactRooms, a Blockchain and Healthcare Expert for the UN/CEFACT, a Board member at AdanianLabs Africa and ACHA (Americas Continental Health Alliance... Read More →

Tuesday September 24, 2024 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Online

Artificial Intelligence

4:00pm EDT

Strengthening Health Data Governance in the Digital Age: Leadership, Collaboration, Action

Tuesday September 24, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (12th floor)

INTRODUCTION
Taking place during 79th UN General Assembly (UNGA79), Transform Health, WHO, the Health Data Collaborative, OECD, PATH, PMNCH, and Young Experts Tech for Health (YET4H) will co-host an in-person side event on Strengthening Health Data Governance in the Digital Age through Leadership, Collaboration, Action. The event will take place in person as part of the Science Summit for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SSUNGA79), which complements the United Nations Summit of the Future, where governments will endorse the Global Digital Compact. This represents a critical moment to galvanise action and consensus on health data governance.

During this event, we will hear personal and community perspectives on what health data governance means to them and their expectations of governments and other actors in this regard. This will be followed by a government panel exploring national experiences, leadership and needed action. The session aims to build political support to strengthen health data governance, including through consensus and commitments around a global (and regional) health data governance framework and stronger national legislation.

SESSION OVERVIEW
Concerted effort at multiple levels is needed to strengthen health data governance. This is essential to fully harness the potential of health data for public benefit and improved health outcomes, towards UHC progress, while managing risks, protecting individual rights, and ensuring people’s data is protected from misuse. Bringing together countries and other stakeholders this provides an opportunity to learn from and build on experiences and good practices, and forge consensus around what is needed to strengthen health data governance frameworks.

Health data are the foundation of 21st century health systems, enabling artificial intelligence, augmenting health care professionals, supporting digital transformation, and empowering individuals to achieve their personal health outcomes. Health data need governance that recognises its value, as both an individual and public good, that forms the strong foundation of health care, prevention, and promotion – all aspects of Universal Health Coverage. Without an effective approach to health data, investments from the health sector related to digital and AI will fail to achieve objectives and risk expanding existing digital divides into digital canyons.

Towards this end, Transform Health, OECD, Africa CDC, HDC, AeHIN, HELINA, RECAINSA, and YET4H have been supporting the development of a draft model law on health data governance, which sets out core areas, legislative guidance and reference legal text to support more effective and equitable health data governance. The model law has been informed by equity and rights-based principles, the OECD Recommendation on Health Data Governance, among other national, regional and international commitments and best practice. It has been developed through a bottom up, consultative process, engaging nearly 1000 stakeholders from across the globe.

This is an important step towards a global framework - and global standard and blueprint for health data governance legislation. The endorsement of a global framework by governments through a World Health Assembly resolution and regional mechanisms would help build consensus across countries and stakeholders around essential areas that should be addressed through national legislation; establish a level of harmonisation and compatibility in national approaches to foster greater legal coherence across jurisdictions; and importantly, it would provide a resource to support governments in strengthening national frameworks.

Government leadership is critical to move towards more robust legislation and regulation - to govern data as a public good - while ensuring diverse stakeholders and civil society remain meaningfully engaged. Building on growing momentum and political support, including during numerous events on the sidelines of this year’s World Health Assembly, this session aims to build support to ensure health data governance is prioritised on the agenda of the Assembly in May 2025. This would enable a much needed discussion amongst Member States around necessary action.
The objectives of this session are to:
Hear community voices and perspectives (e.g. youth, women, vulnerable groups) on what health data governance means to them and their expectations of governments and other actors on this issue.
Understand the needs of governments in strengthening health data governance approaches, including learning from promising national and regional approaches.
Build political support for action to strengthen health data governance, including through consensus and alignment around what is needed and endorsement of a global health data governance framework.

For this session we propose two components. The first would bring a personal and rights-based angle to the issue of health data governance and what it means to communities and individuals. It would highlight the My Data Our Health campaign which aims to engage and empower communities around the issue. The second component would focus on national experiences and political action to build consensus and explore how to take this agenda forward, for example through a World Health Assembly resolution and what is needed to strengthen national approaches.

Speakers

Nnenna Nwakanma
Advisor; Board Member, Transform Health; HealthAI

Mathilde Forslund
Executive Director, Transform Health
Mathilde Forslund - Executive Director, Transform Health Mathilde is the founding Executive Director of Transform Health and leads the Enabling Function of the coalition. She is a seasoned advocate and coalition builder with experience bringing partners and networks together to deliver... Read More →

Shannon Thom
Member, Youth Experts: Tech for Health
Shannon is a highly motivated, forward-thinking and detail-oriented public health professional & health equity advocate with expertise in health communications, policy and project management. She possesses both graduate-level training in public health and a varied experience base... Read More →

Rodrick Mugishagwe
Acting Executive Director, EANNASO
Rodrick Mugishagwe is the Ag. Executive Director of EANNASO and a highly accomplished Project Management and Public Health Specialist with over 8 years of experience in TB, HIV, and sexual and reproductive health programs across the East and Southern Africa. Rodrick is a dedicated... Read More →

Hon Neema Lugangira
Parliament, Tanzania
Hon. Neema Lugangira (MP) has a broad, extensive experience and successful track record in championing reforms and development policies for improved investment enabling environment for the of agricultural, mining and oil & gas, health and tech sectors to mention a few. She is currently... Read More →

Dr Guled Abdijalil Ali
Director General, Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, Somalia

Tuesday September 24, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Health

5:00pm EDT

Advancing political commitments on climate and health financing: Where is the Global South Voice?

Tuesday September 24, 2024 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Mid-way through a global ‘super-year’ of elections and in the context of new institutional and programming cycles for the EU and AU, the United Nations is set to host the Summit of the Future in New York in September 2024. Co-led by Namibia and Germany, the Summit is outlined as “a moment to mend eroded trust and demonstrate that international cooperation can effectively tackle current challenges…” At the heart of these challenges lies the climate-health nexus, elevated at COP28 and most recently at the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, where member states adopted a resolution acknowledging insufficient financing as a significant barrier to developing resilient and sustainable health systems.

With countries expected to enhance their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in 2025, covering the period from 2025-2035, it’s crucial that a ONE health approach is adopted and for countries to secure the technical capacities and financial resources to deliver on commitments. Accessibility, quality, and predictability of climate finance, as well as honouring climate finance commitments and innovative finance, will play a critical role in operationalising revised NDCs. It will also contribute to future-proofing, climate-proofing, and integration of development and health agendas.

To this end, and in the lead-up to COP29, going through to the Financing for Development Conference in Spain, to the World Social Summit in Qatar till COP30 in Belem, Brazil, the climate-health community calls for an effective, needs-based, accountable, and predictable New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate Finance, whereby health is fully integrated and recognised as a transversal theme that cuts across climate action and sustainable development at large. As we forge ahead amongst several competing global priorities needing financing, climate‑resilient health systems must be considered a mandatory and foundational element to build upon for a prosperous society.

In this context, the Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF), Amref Health Africa, and Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) will convene a High-level roundtable on Climate and Health to reflect on financing gaps and opportunities and innovative instruments to better track climate finance and bridge the disconnect between money pledged and accounted for.

Objectives:
Lay the groundwork for COP29 and look ahead to COP30, with the aim of uniting a global health voice to place "health" at the core of negotiations, including the worldwide goal of adaptation, new climate finance targets and the loss and damage fund.
Support the bridging and operationalising agendas such as the Guiding Principles for Financing Climate and Health Solutions and the Joint Roadmap for Climate-Health Finance by International Financing Institutions.
Engage high-level political leaders to commit to the necessary financing quantum, instruments, and timeframe for delivering climate finance within the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), which supports all required climate actions, including those in the health sector.
Elevate innovative financing models that are just, equitable, and non-debt-burdening while strengthening allocation accountability to ensure the effectiveness of investments in reaching communities.

To achieve the set objectives and foster bold political commitments in the lead-up to COP29, the convening will focus on engaging key policymakers, experts, and diverse health and climate funders. They will strive to lay a foundation for a joint Africa-Europe Climate-Health Roadmap, emphasizing the need for grant-based and blended climate and health financing models that are just, equitable and don’t add to existing debt burdens, especially for Africa where the impacts of climate on health are primarily felt.

DRAFT AGENDA (all times in ET)
Time Session Duration16:30 - 17:00Registration30 min17:00 - 17:03Opening Remarks3 min17:03 - 17:13Keynote by Heads of State10 min17:13 - 17:28Evidence Base Discussion15 min17:28 - 17:38Headliner10 min17:38 - 18:28High-level Roundtable: paving an Africa-Europe political and financial roadmap at the nexus of climate-health50 min18:28 - 18:30Closing Remarks2 min18:30 – 19:30Networking cocktail60 min

Tuesday September 24, 2024 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Policy/Democracy

8:00pm EDT

[VIRTUAL] Decolonize Science to Bridge Worlds (SESSION 1/3)

Tuesday September 24, 2024 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT

Virtual session

***NOTE: To join the session, select it by clicking at the circlecheck box. Please see the date/time and speaker list in each respective session in the SSUNGA program.***

Session 1: What does it mean to do science on Indigenous Lands? (90 mins)
24 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 25 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

The construction and operation of scientific research infrastructures on Indigenous land have been the focus of ethical and cultural debate. At the centre of this debate are observatories on lands of deep spiritual and cultural significance to Indigenous communities. This contentious issue highlights the historical context of colonialism and the juxtaposition of scientific advancement with the disregard for indigenous and local sovereignty.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How does constructing an observatory on Indigenous lands highlight the broader historical context of colonialism and the marginalisation of Indigenous rights?
2) How can integrating traditional knowledge systems and modern astronomy benefit both the scientific community and Indigenous cultures, and what steps are being taken to increase Indigenous participation in the management of observatory sites?
3) Why are these measures essential to reconciliation in astronomy?

Session 2: Colonial Reflection on the Space Exploration (90 mins) -- SEPARATE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
25 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 26 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

The modern space exploration initiatives led by government agencies and the private sector raise ethical concerns reminiscent of historical colonialism. This discourse around space exploration is increasingly addressing the need to identify and move beyond the colonial paradigm. The current approach parallels historical colonialism on Earth and the current ambitions to colonise the Moon and Mars. The decolonisation of space exploration requires a new ethical framework prioritising sustainability, equity, and environmental protection. International treaties urgently need to be updated to reflect these priorities and ensure that space remains a shared and protected environment.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How do the current practices of space exploration by government agencies and the private sector risk repeating the historical patterns of Earthly colonisation?
2) What insights do Indigenous knowledge systems provide that could inform a more ethical and sustainable approach to space exploration?
3) Why is international cooperation and stringent regulation necessary for addressing the issue of space debris and ensuring the sustainability of the space environment?

Session 3: Science Education with Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems (90 mins) -- SEPARATE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
26 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 27 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

Science education globally has long been dominated by Western and global North perspectives and knowledge. This process has overlooked the rich knowledge systems of Indigenous and local communities. Incorporating knowledge systems into science education is vital to developing more balanced and holistic worldviews, intercultural understanding, and sustainability. There’s an urgent need to bridge these knowledge systems. Educators can create an inclusive curriculum that honours diverse perspectives by doing so. This approach enhances scientific literacy and promotes cultural diversity and equity in education.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How can integrating Indigenous and local knowledge systems enhance science education curriculum?
2) What are some of the challenges associated with incorporating these knowledge systems into the classrooms?
3) How do collaborative partnerships between Indigenous and local communities with educational institutions contribute to developing culturally responsive teaching practices and recognising diverse ways of knowing in science education?

Moderators

Thilina Heenatigala
Assistant Professor/Director of Communications & Lecturer, Earth-Life Science Institute
Thilina Heenatigala (he/him) is the Director of Communications and Assistant Professor at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) in Tokyo. He leads the outreach team, science communication projects, and teaches the science communication graduate course at ELSI. His research interests... Read More →
DS
Daniella Scalice
Speakers

Yuko Kakazu
Education, Outreach, and Broader Impacts Manager & Scientist, TMT International Observatory & National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
KP
Kumu Paul
FL
Fengchuan Liu

Tuesday September 24, 2024 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT
Virtual session

Indigenous Knowledge

Wednesday, September 25

7:00am EDT

Fields of Innovation: 4IR opportunities for agriculture in Africa

Wednesday September 25, 2024 7:00am - 9:15am EDT

TBA

This session will explore how Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) tools could reshape agriculture across the continent, focusing on empowering smallholder farmers. The opportunities of digital agriculture are vast: from in-field agronomic practices enhanced by artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to more sophisticated supply chains and smarter policymaking. We aim to highlight scalable, innovative solutions that bridge the gap between traditional farming methods and new technologies to increase yields, incomes, and sustainability. The discussion will range from advanced agronomic practices enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), entrepreneurial aspects, to improvements in supply chain management through digital solutions and policy support. Invited experts will cover the full value chain from seed to plate. By advancing sustainable food production, we directly work towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger, while also supporting SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

The scientific and technological areas of focus include:
Data Intensive Farm Management (DIFM): Advanced in-field practices using AI and IoT, including farmer-driven trials and precision farming techniques that tailor the application of nutrients and water to the needs of individual parts of the field.
Internet of Things example: soil water sensors: This is a discussion on the deployment and scaling up of technologies like inexpensive Chameleon soil water sensors that help farmers make informed decisions regarding irrigation, a critical aspect in regions facing water scarcity.

Supply chain enhancements: Case studies from Malawi, Ethiopia, and Kenya demonstrate how digital technologies can streamline supply chains, reduce losses, improve market access, and increase profitability for all stakeholders involved.
Technopreneurship: The role of entrepreneurs in integrating digital technologies into the agricultural value chains, thereby fostering an ecosystem that supports innovation and technology adoption.
Policy and governance: Strategies for encouraging the adoption of 4IR technologies at the governmental level, creating policies that facilitate the modernization of agriculture, protect farmer interests, and promote sustainability.
Invitation to stakeholders

This session invites a broad spectrum of stakeholders to share ideas and identify collaboration opportunities on future initiatives that harness the power of technology in agriculture.

Speakers

Convenor Michael van der Laan
Agricultural Research Council
Michael van der Laan is a Specialist Researcher in the Agricultural Research Council’s Water Science division. He completed his PhD on modelling non-point source nutrient pollution from agriculture, and then joined the South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) for two and... Read More →

Prof David Bullock
University of Illinois
David S. Bullock is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois. He studies the economics of agricultural technology and information and has published research on precision agriculture technology since 1998. He is the Principal... Read More →

Dr Richard Stirzaker
CSIRO
Dr Richard Stirzaker works with CSIRO Agriculture and Food and developed the Virtual Irrigation Academy with the support of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.The Virtual Irrigation Academy team have developed a suite of soil water and solute monitoring... Read More →

Mrs Marion Delport
Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP)

Mr Ramakgwale (Klaas) Mampholo
Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Prof Osden Jokonya
University of the Western Cape
Professional Background: Professor Osden Jokonya is an academic and NRF C2-rated researcher at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa. With a career spanning over two decades in both academia and the IT industry, Jokonya has established himself as a researcher in... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 7:00am - 9:15am EDT
TBA

Agriculture

8:00am EDT

One Health Plenary

Wednesday September 25, 2024 8:00am - 2:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

One Health Plenary - Schedule
The full abstract can be seen in the attached file below.

08h00 Opening Session
Declan Kirrane Chairman and Managing Director of both the Science Summit at the United Nations General Assembly and the Africa Europe Science Collaboration Platform (AERAP)
Shakuntala Thilsted Director of Nutrition, Health and Food Security Impact Platform Area, CGIAR
Kenneth Fleming Steering Committee of The Lancet Commission on Diagnostics
Motlalepula Matsabisa University of Free State, South Africa
Nia Reviani Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Indonesia
Peter Kilmarx National Institute for Health (NIH)
Henriette Van Eijl Deputy Director / Head of Unit for Health and Societal Transitions, European Commission, DG Research and Innovation at European Commission
Facundo Santomé MDPI
Litha Magingxa President and CEO: Agricultural Research Council

09h00 Panel 1 International ethical principles for biobanking & secondary research use of human biospecimens and associated data
Rita Lawlor ARC-Net, University of Verona
Mark Barnes Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard
Helen Morrin University of Otago
Annette Schmid Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Mayumi Kusunose RIKEN

09h45 Summit of the Future
Magdalena Skipper Nature
Ramanan Laxminarayan One Health Trust
Arshnee Moodley CGIAR Antimicrobial Resistance Hub and AMR Team lead at the International Livestock Research Institute
Leonardus Vergutz Chief Innovation Officer, OCP Group
Andrew Barnhill IQVIA Barnhill, Andrew
Krisha Patel Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Kurt Zatloukal Medical University Graz
Nishka Sharma UNGA Youth Parliament Lead
Brian O’Connor Chair at ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector

10h45 Panel 2: Kooth (Mental Health) - Session title: Tackling the youth mental health crisis
Tim Barker CEO Kooth
Norman Lamb former Government Minister for Health and now Chair of South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Mike Schlossberg Pennsylvania State Representative
Autumn Boylan Deputy Director, Office of Strategic Partnerships - California Department of Health Care Services

11h30 Medical Research Council of South Africa and NCD
Ntobeko Ntusi South African Medical Research Council
Rizwana Mia Senior Program Manager and Vice Chair of The International Consortium for Personalised Medicine (ICPerMed)

12h30 Panel 3 Financing for Development
Lise Korsten President, The African Academy of Sciences
Michael Makanga Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking
Misaki Wayengera Uganda MoH Scientific Advisory Committee on Epidemics
Mosoka Fallah Director of Science and Innovation, Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention

13h15 The Policy and Regulatory to Enable One Health
Eugene Richardson Planetary Health Lab at Harvard Medical School
Juli Makanie Imperial College London
Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri Open Origin & Shakti Regeneration Institute, Amazon
Irene Aninye Society for Women's Health Research
Mathilde Forslund Transform Health
Remi Quirion Medical University Graz

13h40 Conclusion
Alex Cahana ImpactRooms, Founding Partner
Hamisi Kigwangala National Assembly of Tanzania
Dwita Nitoya Esterini Harvard Medical School

Speakers

Alex Cahana
Founding Partner, ImpactRooms
Dr. Alex Cahana specializes in Web 3.0 transformation, in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDE). He is a founding partner at ImpactRooms, a Blockchain and Healthcare Expert for the UN/CEFACT, a Board member at AdanianLabs Africa and ACHA (Americas Continental Health Alliance... Read More →

Litha Magingxa
President and CEO, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa
Dr. Magingxa is the President and CEO of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) of South Africa. He is tasked with the redirection, revisioning and repositioning of the ARC, working with the Council and management team. He previously served the ARC as Group Executive: Agri-Economics... Read More →

Tim Barker
Kooth
With over 30 years of experience in the B2B software industry, Tim has helped build and scale SaaS industry leaders. In his journey from Software Engineer to CEO, Tim founded Koral, a pioneer in online collaboration (acquired by Salesforce), led EMEA Marketing at Salesforce to scale... Read More →

Norman Lamb
Chair, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Former Member of Parliament for North Norfolk (2001-2019), now embarking on new challenges outside of Parliament, continuing to campaign for improvements in mental health services as Founder of the Sir Norman Lamb Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in Norfolk and Chair of the South... Read More →

Mike Schlossberg
Pennsylvania State Representative
Representative Schlossberg is committed to a strong and vibrant Pennsylvania serving the best interests of people, not special interests. He knows what we all know: Pennsylvania works best when workers are paid a fair wage, have good health care, live in a safe and affordable home... Read More →

Autumn Boylan
Deputy Director, Office of Strategic Partnerships - California Department of Health Care Services
Autumn Boylan M.P.H. (she/her/hers/they) is a recognized public health and Medicaid expert and Deputy Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships at the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Putting equity and access at the center of her leadership, Ms. Boylan... Read More →

Misaki Wayengera
Scientific Advisory Committee on Epidemics, Uganda MoH
Dr. Misaki Wayengera is a Medical Doctor with Graduate Training in Immunology, Clinical Microbiology, and Vaccinology. He is fellow of the Human Genetics and Genomics Programme run by the US National Human Genome Research Institute-NHGRI. He has a PhD in Pathogen OMICS, and EDCTP-Post-Doc... Read More →

Eugene Richardson
Planetary Health Lab, Harvard Medical School
Eugene Richardson, MD, PhD is a physician and ecological anthropologist based at Harvard Medical School, where he is Assistant Professor and Director of the Planetary Health Lab. His research focuses on the structural determinants of epidemics and climate change vulnerability. He... Read More →

Hamisi Kigwangalla
National Assembly of Tanzania
Hon. Dr. Hamisi Kigwangalla, MP is a Member of Parliament representing Nzega Rural constituency in the Tanzanian National Assembly. He is a parliamentarian with a background education in science. He is a trained Medical Doctor and a Public Health Scientist with postgraduate degrees... Read More →

Mark Barnes
Partner, Ropes & Gray, LLP
Mark Barnes—named the 2019 Financial Times “Legal Innovator of the Year”—is a preeminent thinker and adviser to universities, medical centers, health care and life sciences companies, and investors. He has extensive experience guiding clients on legal issues related to research... Read More →

Helen Morrin
University of Otago
Helen Morrin is the curator of the Cancer Society Tissue Bank.

Mayumi Kusunose
RIKEN
Mayumi Kusunose is a visiting scholar from the Laboratory for Biomedical Ethics and Co-Design at RIKEN Center for the Integrative Medical Sciences, Japan. She is also an Asian Network liaison member of the Ethics Working Group of the Human Cell Atlas (HCA; https://www.humancellat... Read More →

Leonardus Vergutz
Chief Innovation Officer, OCP Group
Dr. Leonardus Vergütz holds the position of Chief Innovation Officer at OCP group. As a dedicated soil scientist and advocate for soil security, he's committed to enhancing productivity and sustainability in agriculture, especially in addressing challenges posed by highly weathered... Read More →

Facundo Santomé
Senior Marketing Manager, MDPI
Facundo Santomé is a Senior Marketing Manager at MDPI with over seven years of experience shaping marketing strategies in the scientific publishing industry. He combines his business and marketing acumen with a deep understanding of the scientific landscape to advance MDPI’s global... Read More →

Mosoka P. Fallah, PhD, MPH, MA,
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
Dr. Mosoka Fallah is the Acting Director for the Science and Innovation Directorate at Africa CDC, focusing on enhancing health security and innovation across Africa. He is dedicated to transforming Africa’s R&D and clinical trial landscape through strategic financing, effective... Read More →

Rizwana Mia
Senior Program Manager -Precision Medicine, South African Medical Research Council
Rizwana Mia is a leader in health innovation with 16 years of experience, combining scientific expertise and strategic thinking with her educational background in Genetics & Business Administration. She directs and develops programmatic research and innovation in Precision Medicine... Read More →

Kurt Zatloukal
Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine, former Director of BBMRI.at, Medical University Graz
Prof. Kurt Zatloukal is full Professor of Pathology and Head of the Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine at the Medical University of Graz, Austria. His research focuses on digital pathology and biobanking, the development of molecular diagnostics as well as the... Read More →

Rémi Quirion (moderator)
Chief Scientist of Quebec, Office of the Chief Scientist of Québec
Professor Rémi Quirion is the inaugural Chief Scientist of Quebec since July 2011. As such, he chairs the Fonds de recherche du Québec and advises the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy on research and scientific development issues. As of September 2021, he is the president... Read More →

Peter Kilmarx
Deputy Director, Fogarty International Center (NIH)
Dr. Kilmarx is deputy director of the Fogarty International Center. He joined Fogarty on July 1, 2015; he was acting director of the Fogarty International Center and acting associate director for international research at the National Institutes of Health from January 2023 to May... Read More →

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Kenneth Fleming
Steering Committee, The Lancet Commission on Diagnostics
Dr Kenneth Anthony Fleming, DPhil, MA(Oxon), MB ChB, FRCPath, FRCP, is an Emeritus Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford.He has been an academic pathologist for over 40 years. His research interests include the pathogenesis of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, and... Read More →

Julie Makani (MD, PhD, FRCP, FTAAS)
Principal Investigator, Imperial College London
Professor Julie Makani is a physician scientist in Tanzania, Principal Investigator in the Sickle Cell Programme at Muhimbili University www.muhas.ac.tz and Sickle Pan African Research Consortium (SPARCO) Clinical Coordinating Centre (CCC), SickleInAfrica http://www.sickleinafrica.org... Read More →

Motlalepula Matsabisa
Professor and Pharmacology IKS Research Director, University of the Free State, South Africa
Prof Matsabisa is currently the Director of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (Health) Lead Programme (IKS) within the Department of Pharmacology, School of Clinical Medicine, and Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State. Prof Matsabisa is a Guest Professor at... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Chairman and Managing Director of the Science Summit and Founder of ISC Intelligence
Declan is the Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science and holds prominent roles as the Chairman and Managing Director of both the Science Summit and the Africa Europe Science Collaboration Platform (AERAP). He is also a co-founder of Medicines for Future (MAF... Read More →

Magdalena Skipper, PhD.
Nature Research (Publishing)
As Editor in Chief, Magdalena leads Nature’s magazine and research editorial teams. A geneticist by training, she has considerable editorial and publishing experience: having started in Nature Publishing Group in 2001, she was Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics, Senior Editor... Read More →

Irene. O Aninye, PhD (Convenor)
Society for Women's Health Research
Dr. Irene O. Aninye is the Chief Science Officer for the Society for Women’s Health Research, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing women’s health through science, policy, and education. Aninye steers SWHR’s portfolio of scientific programs to increase awareness and investment... Read More →

Michael Makanga
Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking
Dr Michael Makanga started his tenure as the Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3 on 16 November 2023. He has extensive experience in the global health research sector and was previously the Executive Director of the EDCTP Association. He is a clinician-scientist with nearly... Read More →

Prof. Lise Korsten
President, AAS, University of Pretoria
Professor Korsten is the President of the AAS and Co-Director at the Department of Science and Innovation, Centre of Excellence in Food Security. She chairs the Global Task Force of Food Security for the International Society for Plant Pathology and has addressed the South African... Read More →

Dwita Nitoya Esterini
MMSc in Global Health Delivery, Harvard Medical School
Dwita is a devoted general physician from Indonesia committed to improving community health with experience conducting studies in urban and rural areas. She works with a solid aim to ensure the presence of an opportunity for all to have access to health services. With her particular... Read More →

Andrew Barnhill
IQVIA
Andrew Barnhill is a health care government affairs executive with experience at Fortune 500 companies and a diverse set of healthcare coalitions and political campaigns at the state and federal level. Named by "The Hill" as a Top Lobbyist in two consecutive years (2022 and 2023... Read More →

Annette Schmid
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Annette Schmid, PhD, is a Sr Director Global Science Policy at Takeda where she focusses on policies related to biospecimen, data, AI and innovative scientific approaches in clinical trials. She has 25+ years of experience as a scientist in academia and industry, co-founded the S... Read More →

Ramanan Laxminarayan
One Health Trust
Ramanan Laxminarayan is the founder and president of the One Health Trust, founded as the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP). He is a senior research scholar at Princeton University. He is an affiliate professor at the University of Washington, senior associate... Read More →

Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri
Founder, Shakti Regeneration Institute, Open Origin
Indrani is a transdisciplinarian filmmaker, founder, futurist, human rights and ecosystems advocate, impact innovator, TEDx speaker, and movement mobilizer, awakening public consciousness and transforming culture for a more just, equitable, and regenerative future. Her work has... Read More →

Mathilde Forslund
Executive Director, Transform Health
Mathilde Forslund - Executive Director, Transform Health Mathilde is the founding Executive Director of Transform Health and leads the Enabling Function of the coalition. She is a seasoned advocate and coalition builder with experience bringing partners and networks together to deliver... Read More →

Nishka
UNGA Youth Parliament Lead
Nishka Sharma is a SWENexter who is passionate about promoting women in STEM and increasing student access to STEM fields.

Nia Reviani
Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Indonesia
dr Nia Reviani, MAPS, is the Assistant Deputy for Healthcare Delivery Enhancement, Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Indonesia. Her background as a physician and public health professional led her to various global meeting related to health. She also... Read More →

Brian O'Connor
Chair, Chair at ECHAlliance - The Global Health Connector
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Brian has developed his career as a consultant, manager, and investor. He has worked and lived in the UK, US, and Hong Kong and has significant experience as a company director in a variety of sectors. He also acts as a Corporate Doctor, to help... Read More →

Krisha Patel
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
CS + Bio @ Harvard | Coca-Cola Scholar 2021

Arshnee Moodley
CGIAR Antimicrobial Resistance Hub and AMR Team lead at the International Livestock Research Institute
Arshnee is the AMR Team lead at the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, and jointly holds an Associate Professorship at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Her work centers on optimizing antimicrobial use indifferent livestock value chains, understanding... Read More →

One Health Agenda pdf

Wednesday September 25, 2024 8:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Health

9:00am EDT

Research and innovation for the SDGs: Insights from Africa

Wednesday September 25, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am EDT

TBA

The Summit of the Future, which will be held in New York in September 2024, convenes the world to find ways to accelerate efforts to meet existing international commitments and take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The Pact for the Future, an action-oriented outcome document from the summit, expects five focus areas: science, technology, innovation, and digital cooperation. The world is called to commit to strengthening digital cooperation and harnessing the potential of science, technology, and innovation for the benefit of all humanity.

Using insights from two pan-African programmes implemented by the African Academy of Sciences - namely, the African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence[1] (ARISE) and the African Postdoctoral Training Initiative [2](APTI) - our session will underscore the role of scientific cooperation in ramping up the pace towards the creation, development, and diffusion of innovations and technologies to drive economic growth and sustainable development in Africa and globally.

As the world rethinks its international cooperation strategy, discussions from our session will help address outstanding issues in development cooperation, including issues around equitable partnership and fair benefit sharing. The session shall highlight challenges and opportunities for reciprocity and equitable scientific collaboration to foster mutual respect and meaningful engagement for a more significant impact. Moreover, the session will also make a case for more commitments and investments in Africa’s research and innovation agenda to sustain the gains made and accelerate the march towards achieving the SDGs without leaving anyone behind.

[1] https://arise.aasciences.app/
[2] https://aasciences.africa/Programmes/APTI

Speakers

Amine Idriss Adoum
Director of Infrastructure and Energy, Industrialisation, Trade and Regional Integration, AUDA-NEPAD
Amine Idriss Adoum is a Senior Director at the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), where he leads the strategic management of the directorate for Infrastructure, Industrialization, Trade and Regional Integration. With over 20 years of experience in the public and... Read More →

Henriette van Eijl
European Commision, DG Research and Innovation
Dr. Henriette van Eijl leads the unit ‘Health and Societal Transitions’ in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The Unit ensures that R&I policies and programmes, especially Horizon Europe, support the EU policy objectives in health and... Read More →
DT
Dr. Tade Aina
Senior Program Director, African Higher Education and Research program, Carnegie Corporation of New York
DB
Dr. B. Jan Middendorf
Program Director, Office of International Science and Engineering, U.S. National Science Foundation
B. Jan Middendorf is a Program Director at the National Science Foundation (NSF), specifically within the Office of the Director (OD) and the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE). She has a diverse background in program and project evaluation, having previousl... Read More →

Mr. Shaofeng Hu
Director, Division of Science Policy and Basic Sciences, UNESCO
Mr Hu has been the Director of UNESCO's Division of Science Policy and Basic Sciences since April 2023, overseeing the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development and promoting Open Sciences. Previously with UNEP for 23 years, he supported Asia Pacific in climate... Read More →
MC
Ms. Carla Montesi
Director, Green Deal & Digital Agenda, European Commission

Dr. Obed Ogega
Head of Programmes, The African Academy of Sciences
Obed is a climate scientist and programme management specialist with a focus on research and innovation for sustainable development. His expertise ranges from project and programme design and management to resource mobilisation; strategy development; partnership building; and team... Read More →
DB
Dr. Boniface Ushie
The African Academy of Sciences

Prof. Lise Korsten
President, AAS, University of Pretoria
Professor Korsten is the President of the AAS and Co-Director at the Department of Science and Innovation, Centre of Excellence in Food Security. She chairs the Global Task Force of Food Security for the International Society for Plant Pathology and has addressed the South African... Read More →
PS
Prof. Stephen Agong
Treasurer, AAS
Prof. Stephen Gaya Agong is a Professor of Horticulture and Director of the Blue Economy Research Institute. He serves as the founding Vice-Chancellor of Jaramogi Odinga University of Science and Technology. Currently Chairman of the Governing Council at Mount Kenya University, Prof... Read More →

Dr. Emna Harigua
Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisia
Emna Harigua is a Bioinformatician with a multidisciplinary profile. She is an Analytical Chemistry engineer with a master’s degree in information Processing and a PhD in Structural Bioinformatics (Institut Pasteur Paris). She is currently an assistant professor at Institut Pasteur... Read More →

Dr. Musa Kana
Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria
Dr. Kana completed the first phase of his APTI fellowship at the National Institute of Environmental Science (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, under the mentorship of Stephanie London, MD, PhD.He is a Professor of Perinatal and Paediatric Epidemiology at Kaduna State... Read More →

Dr. Edem Mahu
ARISE Fellow, University of Ghana
Dr. Edem Mahu is a Senior Lecturer in marine biogeochemistry at the University of Ghana. She received the 2022 American Geophysical Union Africa Award for Research Excellence in Ocean Science an Affiliate of the African Academy of Sciences, and an AU-EU ARISE fellow.She leads several... Read More →

Dr. Michael Bodunrin
AESA-RISE Postdoc Fellow, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Dr Michael Oluwatosin Bodunrin is a senior lecturer at the School of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He obtained his Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2018. Before... Read More →

Dr. Peggy Oti-Boateng
The African Academy of Sciences
Dr. Peggy Oti-Boateng is the Executive Director at the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) since 01 November 2022. She provides leadership and strategic direction of AAS’s tripartite of recognition of excellence, think tank advisory function and developing world class scientists for... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am EDT
TBA

Capacity Building

9:00am EDT

From Steppe to World Stage: Mongolia's Contributions to Global Sustainability and Peace

Wednesday September 25, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am EDT

Science Summit Venue (room CR023)

In today's world, humanity faces pressing challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, and geopolitical conflicts. These issues threaten the well-being of people worldwide, and demand urgent, collective response actions.
Mongolia stands out for its innovative and successful approaches to global challenges, particularly in natural resource management and sustainable development. Despite being sparsely populated with vast distances between settlements, Mongolia has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability. A key strength is its ability to balance human activities with the natural environment. Drawing on traditional wisdom and the nexus approach, Mongolia optimizes resource use while protecting ecosystem integrity. This method, which goes beyond the water-energy-food nexus to include broader nature-human systems, has enabled Mongolia to sustainably manage its landscapes and maintain its nomadic lifestyle.
Moreover, Mongolia's commitment to nature conservation and climate action is commendable. The country boasts a national network of protected areas that serve as havens for biodiversity and play a crucial role in mitigating climate change impacts. Additionally, Mongolia's ambitious "digital society" program, which promotes innovation and embraces artificial intelligence (AI), underscores its readiness to leverage technology for sustainable development.
As we confront the complexities of the modern world, Mongolia's experiences offer valuable lessons for global sustainability and peace. Learning from successes and embracing collaborative approaches we can address the shared challenges facing humanity. Let us draw inspiration from Mongolia's journey and forge a path towards a more sustainable and peaceful future for all.
Mongolia session for innovation is introduced with 3 sections i) Innovation of mindset; ii) Innovation with Technology; and iii) Innovative Case studies.

Speakers
PhD. Batjargal Zamba, Mongolia session Convenor, Science advisor, Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IRIMHE), Mongolia;
PhD. Oyun Ravsal, Mongolia session Co-convenor, Principal consultant, JEMR LLC, Mongolia
ScD. Lkhagva Oidov, Professor, National University of Mongolia
ScD. Tomohiro Akiyama, Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan
PhD. Bilguumaa Myagmardulam, Assistant Professor, Department of Data Science, Toyama Prefectural University, Japan
ScD. Dagvadorj Damdin, Director, Climate Change and Development Academy of Mongolia
PhD. Gomboluudev Purevjav, Science Secretary, IRIMHE, Mongolia
PhD. Ariunaa Enkhtur, Assistant Professor, Center for Global Initiatives, Osaka University, Japan
MSc. Munkhzul Chimed-Ochir, Researcher, PhD. Student, Flinders University, South Australia
MSc. Saruul Dolgorsuren, National Project Coordinator, UNDP Mongolia
MSc/MBA, Telmen Erdenebileg, Head of Exploration at the Accelerator Lab of UNDP Mongolia

Session Agenda
09.00 AM: Welcome by
Mongolia Government Official, TBD
PhD. /Mr. BATJARGAL Zamba, Mongolia session convenor

I. Innovation of Mindset

09.10 AM: From Steppe to World Stage: Mongolia's Contributions to Global Sustainability and Peace
PhD. /Mr. BATJARGAL Zamba, Information and Research Institute for Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IRIMHE), Mongolia

09.20 AM: Harmonizing Ancient Wisdom and Quantum Physics: The Cosmic Connection Between Nomadic Culture and Modern Science
Prof./ScD. /Mr. LKHAGVA Oidov, Mongolia National University

09.30 AM: Integral Studies and Integral Practices for Humanity and Nature
Ass.Prof. /ScD. /Mr. Tomohiro Akiyama, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan

II. Innovation with Technology

09.40 AM: EGUNE AI: The most intelligent Chatbot in Mongolia (Low-resource language model)
Egune AI LLC, Mongolia

09.48 AM: Mongolia cost-effective, bi-directional real-time data and communication services: ONDO Space Cube Satellites
Ass.Prof. /PhD. /Mrs. BILGUUNMAA Myagmardulam, Department of Data Science, Toyama Prefectural University, Japan

09.56 AM: Possible AI improvement for Anticipatory Action: Impact Based Forecast-Zud in Mongolia

ScD. /Mr. DAGVADORJ Damdin, Climate Change and Development Academy of Mongolia; and
PhD. /Mr. GOMBOLUUDEV Purevjav, IRIMHE, Mongolia.

III. Innovative Case studies

10.04 AM: From Scholarships to Societal Impact: The Case of Mongolian Engineers in Japan
Ass.Prof. /PhD. /Mrs. ARIUNAA Enkhtur, Center for Global Initiatives, Osaka University, Japan.

10.11 AM: Coherence and Stability: Traditional Mongolian Principles for Modern Sustainability
PhD. /Mr. BATJARGAL Zamba, IRIMHE, Mongolia;
PhD. /Mrs. OYUN Ravsal, JEMR LLC, Mongolia.

10.18 AM: Machine Learning-Based Assessment: Soil Poll

Speakers

Ariunaa Enkhtur
Center for Global Initiatives, Osaka University
Dr. Ariunaa Enkhtur is assistant professor at Center for Global Initiatives, Osaka University, Japan. She holds M.S. in post-secondary education from Syracuse University, USA and PhD in transformative education from Osaka University. Her research fields include academic mobility... Read More →

Batjargal Zamba
Chief Science Advisor, Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IRIMHE), Mongolia
Dr. BATJARGAL Zamba is currently working as the advisor at the Information and Research Institute on Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia.DR. BATJARGAL was the Minister of the Environment of Mongolia from 1990 to 1996, Director-General... Read More →

Dagvadorj Damdin
Climate Change and Development Academy of Mongolia
Dr. DAGVADORJ Damdin is a professional meteorologist and climatologist with scientific degrees of Ph.D from the Sankt Petersburg’s Hydro-Meteorological University, RF and Sc.D from the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. His research areas are climate change, ecosystem modelling and... Read More →

Gomboluudev Purevjav
Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (IRIMHE), Mongolia
Dr. GOMBOLUUDEV is working in Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment as Scientific Secretary.Dr. GOMBOLUUDEV has received his PhD from National University of Mongolia in 2011. His research main fields are regional weather and climate modelling... Read More →

LKHAGVA Oidov
School of Science of the National University of Mongolia
Science doctor LKHAGVA Oidov is Professor at the School of Science of the National University of Mongolia. He is State Merit Scientist, Winner of the Albert Einstein International award on Quantum physics, Member of the International Academy of the Non-linear science.

Oyun Ravsal
JEMR LLC, Mongolia
Dr. OYUN Ravsal is a Principal Consultant and General Director of JEMR LLC (JEMR), a Mongolian national consulting company established in 1996. The company's mission is to contribute to and facilitate the creation of new knowledge in society, while also introducing and implementing... Read More →

Tomohiro AKIYAMA
Uehiro Research Center for Japan Environmental Studies
Science Doctor Tomohiro AKIYAMA· Specially Appointed Associate Professor, Uehiro Research Center for Japan Environmental Studies, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Japan· Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Information Technology, Kobe Institute of Computing, Japan... Read More →

Bilguumaa Myagmardulam
Department of Data Science, Toyama Prefectural University, Japan
Dr.BILGUUNMAA is an Assistant Professor at Department of Data Science, Toyama Prefectural University. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Engineering from the Graduate School of Materials Science at Nagaoka University of Technology, Japan. Her research interests encompass a range of fields... Read More →

MUNKHZUL Chimid-Ochir
College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, Flinders University, South Australia
MUNKHZUL Chimid-Ochir has almost 20 years’ experience in developing strategic planning of green development, sustainable development, climate change, water governance and environmental policies. She has initiated and implemented over 20 international projects in Mongolian environmental... Read More →

TELMEN Erdenebileg
United Nations Development Programme Mongolia
Mr. Telmen Erdenebileg is the Head of Exploration at the Accelerator Lab of UNDP Mongolia, where he researches and develops initiatives related to systems thinking, portfolio approaches, futures and strategic foresight and digital transformation to contribute to national development... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am EDT
Science Summit Venue (room CR023)

Environment

11:00am EDT

Transboundary Dialogue for a Changing Ocean: Science Diplomacy and the Future of the ROPME Sea Area

Wednesday September 25, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT

Science Summit Venue (room CR023)

This session will focus on the climate impacts experienced in the ROPME Sea Area (RSA), the hottest and most anthropogenically affected sea in the world, commonly known as the Arabian/Persian Gulf. Regional experts will emphasize the importance of transboundary collaboration and fostering inclusive adaptation approaches. Drawing on lessons from environmental agreements such as the Barcelona and Cartagena Conventions, experts will explore key global frameworks, including the Global Biodiversity Framework's ‘30 by 30’ targets and the UN Decade of Ocean Science, to enhance scientific cooperation and develop effective cross-boundary policies.

The discussion will address the unique ecological, social, and political dynamics of the RSA. A second panel will examine the fate of biodiversity hotspots, particularly around offshore energy infrastructure, and discuss ecosystem-based regulatory approaches for a more resilient sea. This session aims to bridge the gap between science, policy, and society in addressing urgent environmental challenges facing the Gulf,
Expected Outcomes:
Enhanced understanding of the role of scientific knowledge in policymaking for regional climate change related agreements.
Raise awareness on the socioeconomic, environmental, and geopolitical value of a transboundary Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the RSA.
Initiate new discussions on implementing ecosystem-based approaches for offshore decommissioning.
Strengthened regional cooperation for scientific research and peer-to-peer diplomacy.
Agenda

11:00 – 11:05
Opening Remarks

11:05 – 11:55
Panel 1: Science Diplomacy for the World’s Hottest Sea
Expanding grassroots science networks and fostering collaboration between Track 1 and Track 2 diplomacy.
Understanding the unique ecosystems of the RSA: implications of globally sharing coral samples and restoration efforts.
Next steps for the first transboundary Marine Protected Area proposal: enhancing cooperation and outlining actionable steps for key stakeholders.
Coastal resilience and restoration: lessons from Louisiana's frontline experiences.
12:00 – 12:40
Panel 2: Derogation or Deregulation? The Future of Decommissioning in the RSA
Strategic decisions for government and industry regarding offshore installations at the end of their productive life.
A comparative analysis of international regulatory models, including the Oslo-Paris Convention and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Evaluating derogation criteria and ecosystem-based decommissioning strategies.

12:45 – 12:55
Q&A Session

12:55 – 13:00
Closing Remarks

Speakers

Dr. Radhouane Ben-Hamadou
Associate Professor at Qatar University, Marine Conservation and Restoration MARESCO research team
Dr. Radhouane Ben-Hamadou is a distinguished marine ecologist, biological oceanographer, and environmental scientist with over 20 years of post-doctoral experience. During his tenure as Associate Professor at Qatar University, he led the Marine Conservation and Restoration MARESCO... Read More →

Rumaitha Al- Busaidi
Vice President, Environment Society of Oman
Rumaitha Al Busaidi is an Omani scientist and environmental advocate working on sustainable solutions to climate change. Her 2021 TED talk, Women Are the Key to Our Climate Future, has garnered over a million views. Based in Oman, Rumaitha leads business strategy and localization... Read More →

Dr. Dawood Hjeij
Senior Specialist at the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council
Dr. Dawood Hjeij is a Senior Specialist at the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council, where he is actively involved in government innovation, focusing on post-award processes for open innovation programs. Dr. Hjeij holds a Ph.D. and an M.Sc. in Sustainable Energy... Read More →

Prof. Nadia Al-Mudaffar Fawzi
Emeritus Professor, Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah, Iraq
Nadia Al-Mudaffar Fawzi, an Emeritus Professor at the Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah, Iraq, is an expert in the ecological impacts of water shortage, water quality, and climate change on the Mesopotamian Marshes, the Shatt Al-Arab, and the coastal area of the Northern... Read More →

Prof. John Paterson
University of Aberdeen, Centre for Energy Law.
John Paterson is Professor of Law at the University of Aberdeen and a founder member of its Centre for Energy Law. He has worked on a range of international research, teaching, training, and consultancy projects in energy law and has published widely on a range of topics in the field... Read More →

Dr. Alexander Kolker
Associate Professor, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
Dr. Alexander S. Kolker is a leading voice on the science of climate change and coastal change. He has worked in coastal systems across the world - including in North Africa, Europe, and the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States.Dr. Kolker both serves as an Associate Professor... Read More →

Dr. Mohammad Al-Saidi
Associate Professor at the College of Public Policy at HBKU
Mohammad Al-Saidi is Associate Professor at the College of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Previously, he worked at the Center for Sustainable Development of Qatar University, as well as with the Institute for Technology and Resources Management in Germany. Dr. Al-Saidi... Read More →

Dr. Muez Ali
Research and Policy Lead, Earthna: Center for a Sustainable Future
Muez Ali is a Research and Policy Lead at Earthna: Center for a Sustainable Future at Qatar Foundation and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources at UCL. His research spans several regions: food security and the energy transition in... Read More →

Mera Alnaimi
Mera Alnaimi is the Policy Development Lead at the Policy Hub, Qatar Foundation. As an ecologist, her expertise encompasses climate policy, transboundary environmental governance, and the science-policy-society interface. Mera has contributed to the development of ecosystem-based... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Science Summit Venue (room CR023)

Environment

11:30am EDT

[Venue: Permanent Mission of South Africa to the UN] Side Sessions on Hydrogen and Critical Raw Materials SESSION I: How do we de-risk funding modalities for hydrogen projects in developing countries?

Wednesday September 25, 2024 11:30am - 1:00pm EDT

Republic of South Africa Consulate General

The development of hydrogen projects in developing countries has a prominent role in the just energy transition. Developing countrieshave large deposits of critical minerals that are needed for the green transition and have the suitable environment for renewables and large-scale production of green hydrogen. In addition, hydrogen production can create domestic value and jobs, enhance international competitiveness through local manufacturing of related technologies, greening emission-intensive sectors and attracting foreign direct investment into domestic industries. However, a key risk that many developing countries face is the high interest rates and the current lack of market demand.This session will debate on various funding instruments to mobilise public and private capital that can aid in in de-risking and ensuring efficient financing for hydrogen projects in developing countries.

Wednesday September 25, 2024 11:30am - 1:00pm EDT
Republic of South Africa Consulate General 845 3rd Ave 9th Floor

Energy

1:00pm EDT

[AT THE MILENIUM HILTON] Precision Health for All: The Role of International Partnerships

Wednesday September 25, 2024 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza, 100017 Landmark Room, 29th floor, West Tower

This session is an invitation and call to action to leaders, practitioners, industry representatives, and health advocates to collaborate and transform the future of health for their countries. By sharing best practices and forging opportunities for collaboration between different regions, we can work toward creating a more equitable global landscape in the field of genomics and precision health. This approach allows for the dissemination of advanced research and technologies, and clinical insights across borders, ensuring the Global North and South can benefit from these advancements. Collaborative efforts can help bridge gaps in healthcare access and quality, ultimately shaping improved health outcomes across the globe. This is especially crucial for developing nations, where such advancements can significantly enhance healthcare delivery, address existing health challenges, and contribute to improved overall public health. By working together, we can ensure that the benefits of genomics and precision health are not limited to wealthier nations but are shared more broadly, leading to more inclusive and effective healthcare solutions globally.

Speakers
HE
Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, PhD
Minister of Public Health, Managing Director, Hamad Medical Corporation
SD
Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Bin Hamad Al Thani
Director of Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Programs, Ministry of Public Health
DH
Dr. Hilal Lashuel
Advisor to Chairperson, Qatar Foundation, and Professor of Neuroscience
DS
Dr. Said Ismail
Chief Scientific and Operations Officer, Qatar Precision Health Institute, Qatar Foundation

Dr. Khalid Fakhro
Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, Professor of Genomics and Precision Medicine at the College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Sidra Medicine
Prof Khalid Fakhro is the Chief of Research and Chair of the Precision Medicine Program at Sidra Medicine, the largest tertiary care women and children hospital in Qatar. In addition to his administrative responsibility overseeing translational research, Dr Fakhro leads the Laboratory... Read More →
DM
Dr. Markus Rene Wenk
Dean, College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University
DK
Dr. Khaled Machaca
Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Research, Innovation, and Commercialization, Weill Cornell Medicine- Qatar

Nicola Mulder
Professor, Head of Computational Biology, University of Cape Town, H3ABioNet
Prof Mulder heads the Computational Biology Division at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and is co-leading the development of the African network of Genomic Centres of Excellence. She leads H3ABioNet, a Pan African Bioinformatics Network which develops bioinformatics capacity for... Read More →
DD
Dr. Dena Al-Thani
Associate Professor and Head of the Information and Computing Technology Division at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation
HK
Hanieh Khataee
Director of Strategy & Impact, Qatar Foundation (Convenor)

Wednesday September 25, 2024 1:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza, 100017 Landmark Room, 29th floor, West Tower

Health

2:00pm EDT

Reinforcing the place of academia within societies, a necessary path for post-SDGs

Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Abstract
Since their adoption in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have had a major influence on academia. In some cases, they have structured the way universities engage with society through research, influenced training pathways and have sometimes made their ways in assessment methodologies of impact measurement. Some Universities have established partnerships with local governments to operationalize and quantify plans to achieve the SDGs. For others, however, particularly in the Global South, the SDG framework presents development and social operationalization challenges. Today, as we reach the half-way point of the SDGs and within the context of Post SDG discussions, this session will look into how universities will be called upon to accelerate their action within society, by 2030 and beyond.
In light of the fast paste of changes in many critical fields, it is expected that the next generation of researchers will be responsible to mobilize and inform decision-makers on the urgency need to act. In this respect, universities can play a vital role in reinforcing an intergenerational partnership, particularly as they are designed to build knowledge between generations, by training the next generation through research. And the latter steps up for new paradigms in research, more open to a renewed and inclusive vision of excellence, particularly in terms of the responsible integration of disruptive technologies. How, then, will academic institutions be able to empower next generations to be better heard in global dialogue, with a better capacity to organize globally?
Since a potential revision of the SDGs is calling for a greater contextualization of its deployment standards, universities tend to reinforce their position within society in a form of dialogue with communities and decision makers. In this regard, the association with cities and proximity governments are instrumental, because these have that rare ability to transform commitments into concrete action. To this end, universities can step up their commitment to the social sciences and humanities, in order to gain a more concrete grasp of complexity across disciplinary silos and within major international research consortia, in order to support local mobilization to achieve a global agenda.

Speakers

Rémi Quirion (moderator)
Chief Scientist of Quebec, Office of the Chief Scientist of Québec
Professor Rémi Quirion is the inaugural Chief Scientist of Quebec since July 2011. As such, he chairs the Fonds de recherche du Québec and advises the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy on research and scientific development issues. As of September 2021, he is the president... Read More →

Justine Germo Nzweundji-Khumbah
Plant biotechnology, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), Cameroon
Dr. Justine Germo NZWEUNDJI is a Researcher and Plant Biotechnologist, she is the Deputy Director of Research, Valorization, and Innovation at the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM) in Cameroon. She served as the Deputy Head of the Laboratory of Botany... Read More →
JD
Julie Dirwimmer
Office of the Chief Scientist of Québec

Alice Higiro
Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda
Alice Higiro is a Project Manager with 10+ years of experience, currently the Project Director of Smart Cities at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation in Rwanda – and the Head of the Rwanda Smart City Hub, where her portfolio includes developing Smart City initiatives to transform... Read More →

Sophie D'Amours
rectrice@ulaval.ca
Professor Sophie D'Amours is the first woman and the 26th person to hold the position of rector of Université Laval in Quebec City. Elected in 2017, she was re-elected for a second term in 2022.Sophie D'Amours is a mechanical engineer. She holds a master's degree in business administration... Read More →

Anthony Vanky
Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
Anthony Vanky, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation and a co-director of the NSF Center for Smart Streetscapes. His research focuses on emerging practices using digital data and pervasive technologies... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Education

2:00pm EDT

[Venue: Permanent Mission of South Africa to the UN] Side Sessions on Hydrogen and Critical Raw Materials SESSION2: Critical Raw Materials and Green Transition: Opportunities and Challenges.

Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Republic of South Africa Consulate General

Additional registration is required:
Please contact Eudy.Mabuza@dst.gov.za for registration.

Developing countries play a major role in mineral sourcing and command a significant share in estimated reserves. Meeting the demand for energy-related critical raw materials could, therefore, be an important development pathway. However, increased mining activity needs to be done sustainably, and nations are eager to ensure they benefit from their natural endowments through local value addition.

The United Nations Secretary-General's Panel for Critical Energy Transition Minerals has launched its report prior to UNGA79.This session will build on the UNSG Panel's report, principles, recommendations and showcase some responsible mining examples.The session will also point out the challenges of how we can facilitate more projects around the world, while ensuring their equitable and responsible nature.

Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Republic of South Africa Consulate General 845 3rd Ave 9th Floor

Energy

2:00pm EDT

Why the gut microbiome is critical to children’s health: Harnessing microbiome science to end malnutrition

Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Malnutrition is linked to nearly half of all child deaths worldwide and costs an estimated USD$3.5 trillion annually. The most significant burden falls on low- and middle-income countries, with undernutrition affecting one out of five children. It robs children of their childhood and, for many, leads to a lifetime of poor learning and earning power.

In recent years, microbiome science has transformed our approach to seemingly intractable diseases such as antibiotic-resistant infections, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. Now, we have the opportunity to apply microbiome research to confront childhood malnutrition. This session will explore the transformative potential of microbiome science in combating global malnutrition and underscore the importance of science, particularly the microbiome, as a critical pathway to the design and delivery of new, innovative therapeutics to support the SDGs. With few therapeutic advancements in malnutrition in 30 years, this first-time panel will convene a unique blend of scientists, innovators and changemakers to prompt insightful conversation, new commitments and renewed action.

Speakers

Julie Barrett O'Brien
CEO, OpenBiome
Julie Barrett O’Brien is the Chief Executive Officer of OpenBiome. She is a global health leader who has guided organizations through transformative change. She was one of the earliest advocates for investing in strengthening health systems, and she played a vital role in bringing... Read More →

Jeffrey I. Gordon
Washington University in St. Louis
Dr. Jeffrey I. Gordon is Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology at Washington University in St. LouisJeffrey I. Gordon received his BA from Oberlin College and his MD from the University of Chicago... Read More →

Tahmeed Ahmed
icddr,b
Tahmeed Ahmed is the Executive Director of icddr,b, based in Bangladesh. He conducts community-based and clinical research to improve health outcomes for women and children, focusing on diarrheal diseases and associated conditions. One of his areas of focus is upstream research using... Read More →

Billo Tall
Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Senegal
Billo Tall is a Senegalese physician and researcher who has significantly contributed to maternal and newborn health in West Africa. Her work has been recognized nationally and internationally, and she continues to be a leading advocate for maternal and newborn health in Senegal and... Read More →

Nigel Rollins
World Health Organisation
Nigel Rollins trained as a pediatrician at Queen’s University, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He completed his doctoral research in Tanzania before moving to South Africa to work as Professor and Head of the Center for Maternal and Child Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal... Read More →

Vanessa Ridaura
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Vanessa Ridaura is Senior Program Officer, Microbiome Products, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She received her PhD in Molecular Genetics and Genomics at Washington University in the Laboratory of Jeffrey I Gordon, pursued her post-doctoral training at NIAID under the mentorship... Read More →

Hilina Belete
Hilina Enriched Foods, Ethiopia
Hilina Belete is the General Manager of Hilina Enriched Foods, based in Ethiopia. Established in 1998, Hilina Enriched Foods manufactures food products specifically designed to combat various forms of malnutrition and other micronutrient deficiencies affecting children and other vulnerable... Read More →

Majdi Osman (Moderator)
OpenBiome
Dr. Majdi Osman is Chief Medical Officer at OpenBiome. He is an internationally recognized physician-scientist who leads OpenBiome’s translational medicine program. He is also the co-founder of YBank, a non-profit dedicated to adolescent health; a visiting assistant professor at... Read More →
CA
Convenor Anne-Marie Green
OpenBiome

Wednesday September 25, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Health

3:30pm EDT

Roundtable: Knowledge transfer: practical actions to address the youth mental health crisis

Wednesday September 25, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT

CR023 - CURE

Wednesday September 25, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
CR023 - CURE

Health

4:00pm EDT

Powering resilient ecosystems and communities with science

Wednesday September 25, 2024 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Objective: Examining the role of science, technology and data in understanding the value of nature and how it underpins financial resilience in a world of risks, hazards and shocks. Developing a call to action for the scientific, development and insurance communities, as well as policymakers, to protect nature by harnessing insurance and risk transfer solutions and make science-backed financial resilience a reality for developing countries.

Introduction and Background
Climate change and nature loss threaten lives, employment, and economic growth, negatively impacting global financial resilience and investment flows. This Science Summit Event will explore how scientific advancements in data analytics, risk assessment, and predictive modelling, can be leveraged to develop insurance products that incentivize the protection of nature and investments in climate adaptation. Nature-related insurance solutions can also make a meaningful contribution to the delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which highlights the need for both private and public financial actors to explore innovative financing mechanisms to tackle biodiversity loss.

The event will convene senior speakers from the science, insurance and development communities to share expertise and insights on how the nexus of science, data and financial instruments are incentivizing the protection of nature, on which 50% of the global GDP is highly dependent.

The discussions will lead to actionable recommendations for how the science, insurance, and development communities can develop insurance solutions that incentivize the protection of nature and investments in climate adaptation, while building long-term financial resilience.

(The session will inform the forthcoming Financing for Development Summit (FfD4) which will take place in Seville, Spain on 30 June 2025)

Speakers

Merideth Randles
Principal, Consulting Actuary, Milliman
Merideth is a principal and consulting actuary with the Seattle office of Milliman. She joined the firm in 1995.Merideth has served as the lead actuarial Program Manager and key personnel under Milliman’s contracts with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of the Assistant... Read More →

Jan Kellett
UNDP Global and Corporate Lead on Insurance and Risk Finance
Jan leads UNDP’s work across insurance and risk finance including the creation of the Insurance and Risk Finance Facility. He co-chairs the IDF’s operational committee, is UNDP’s senior presentative to the InsuResilience Global Partnership, and co-created the Ocean Risk and... Read More →

Rowan Douglas
CEO Climate Risk and Resilience, Howden
Rowan is the Howden Group CEO Climate Risk & Resilience. Previously he led the Climate and Resilience Hub (CRH) at WTW where he led the creation of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF) with the UN, World Bank and Industry Leaders and incubated the award-winning Coalition for Climate... Read More →

Julie McCarthy
Co-CEO, NatureFinance
Julie is the Co-CEO of NatureFinance. She was founding co-director of the Open Society Foundations’ (OSF) Economic Justice Program, a $100 million per annum global grantmaking and impact investment program focused on issues of fiscal justice, workers’ rights, and corporate power... Read More →

Karina Whalley
Head of Public Sector Solutions, AXA Climate
Karina is the Head of Public Sector at AXA Climate, working with development institutions, investors and governments to spearhead adaptation, climate risk management and disaster risk financing tools. She represents AXA in the Insurance Development Forum which brings together the... Read More →

Magdalena Skipper, PhD.
Nature Research (Publishing)
As Editor in Chief, Magdalena leads Nature’s magazine and research editorial teams. A geneticist by training, she has considerable editorial and publishing experience: having started in Nature Publishing Group in 2001, she was Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics, Senior Editor... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Chairman and Managing Director of the Science Summit and Founder of ISC Intelligence
Declan is the Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science and holds prominent roles as the Chairman and Managing Director of both the Science Summit and the Africa Europe Science Collaboration Platform (AERAP). He is also a co-founder of Medicines for Future (MAF... Read More →

Lauren Carter
Deputy Team Lead & Head of Engagement Cluster
Lauren Carter is a climate finance specialist based in Geneva. Lauren is the IRFF deputy manager and leads the insurance investment workstream. Previously, Lauren was Director of Climate Finance Initiatives for a boutique advisory in Morocco and guided the government’s engagement... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Data

4:00pm EDT

METROFOOD-RI Agroecology, Sustainability & Innovation - a pathway for the Agrifood

Wednesday September 25, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

The agrifood sector is a strategic asset of all Countries, with particular social relevance: it is of crucial importance to ensure sufficient food production to citizens, and vital to ensure employment, preserve rural public goods, supply healthy and quality products, including sustainable and secure production and distribution chains. It has also to facilitate the enhancement of competitiveness and sustainability approach of SMEs into the food chain, while quality, safety, and traceability being key elements.
It is essential to consider all factors affecting food quality & safety, from farm to fork, thus making health converge into a unicum as a system by applying the “One Health” approach. Well-balanced and sustainable agroecosystems & agrifood systems can highly contribute to the well-being and security of the human-animal-plant capitals, while increasing the capacity of handling and managing their complex system of interdependencies. Sustainable agrifood systems are key to attain the UN SDGs. An important aspect of sustainability is the agroecological transformation of the whole food value chain from farm to fork, as well as to improve resilience of supply chains, the vulnerability of which has been highlighted during the recent pandemic and war crises. In this context, diets must not only be healthy but also sustainable, as the food choices have significant relapses on individuals, the society, and the environment. They can concretely influence the future of humans on the planet. Dietary patterns must therefore interpret health protection and food choices as integrated components of the overall health of the ecosystem. Another key element is the promotion of integrated traceability systems, enhancing the digitalization of the agrifood system in support of transparency. The data infrastructure should comply with the FAIR principle (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-usable), should be interoperable with other data repositories, access to data repositories should be federated and data quality must be maintained and improved.

Research Infrastructures (RIs) play a strategic role and have the capacity to assemble resources (equipment, data, knowledge) and services for the agrifood sector (including research communities) on a long-term basis both within EU and globally. In this context, RIs are the best positioned not only to address societal challenges, but also to provide turnkey solutions for citizens, policy makers and industry. In particular, METROFOOD-RI - Infrastructure for Promoting Metrology in Food and Nutrition is a distributed RI aimed to promote scientific excellence in the field of food quality and safety. It provides high-quality metrology services in food and nutrition, comprising an important cross-section of highly interdisciplinary and interconnected fields throughout the food value chain, including agrifood, sustainable development, food safety, quality, traceability and authenticity, environmental safety, and human health.
The session will underscore the role of Research Infrastructure in approaching agrifood system challenges with reference, e.g., to food quality & safety, traceability & transparency, innovation, digitalization, circular bioeconomy, sustainability, and resilience, represent the occasion to debate about the relevance of boosting research, cooperation, innovation, and stakeholder engagement in support to the agrifood.

Speakers

Damaris Critchlow
Head of Editorial Engagement, MDPI
Damaris holds a bachelor’s degree with honours in Philosophy and a master’s in European Philosophy from the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol, UK.Before joining MDPI, Damaris worked as a Journal Manager at Frontiers, where she was responsible for the performance... Read More →

Claudia Zoani (Moderator)
Researcher - METROFOOD-RI Coordinator, claudia.zoani@enea.it
Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) - Dept. for Sustainability - Sustainable AgriFood Systems Division (SSPT-AGROS)Researcher at the ENEA Sustainable AgriFood Systems Division, graduated in Chemistry with a PhD in Analytical... Read More →

Joris Van Loco
Sciensano
Joris Van Loco is a prominent scientist working at Sciensano, the Belgian institute for health. With a robust background in analytical chemistry, Van Loco has made significant contributions to public health through his research and expertise. At Sciensano, he focuses on ensuring food... Read More →

Nives Ogrinc
Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI)
Prof. dr. Nives Ogrinc received her PhD degree from the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology University of Ljubljana in 1997. Prof. Ogrinc obtained a NATO-postdoctoral fellowship from 2000-2002 in the Department of Chemistry at Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada... Read More →

Lampová Barbora
Czech University of Life Sciences (CZU)
- Team member of grants: NutRisk Centre (CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000845); GA 21-42021L; GA 21-47159L- Sardines and sprats as a potentional source of nutrients required for supporting proper function of immune system in in vitro and in vivo models. GA 21-42021L- INPROFF: Quality... Read More →

Karl Presser
Premotec
Dr. Karl Presser is the founder of Premotec. He trained as a computer scientist and earned his doctoral degree at ETH Zurich investigating data quality on food composition data focusing on basic principles of data quality and how a computer system can support users to manage data... Read More →

Maria Fernandes-Whaley
National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA)
Dr. Maria Fernandes-Whaley is the Senior Manager of Analytical and Material Sciences in the Chemistry, Materials, and Medical Metrology Division at the National Metrology Institute of South Africa.She is a seasoned professional with an 18-year career in chemical metrology. Her expertise... Read More →

Nastasia Belc
Institutul national de cercetare-dezvoltare pentru bioresurse alimentare (IBA)
Nastasia Belc, Director General of National Research Institute for Food Bioresources - IBA. She is food senior scientist, PhD, and professor to the Faculty of Biotechnology within University of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, in Bucharest. She is member of Romanian Academy for Agricultural... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Food

4:30pm EDT

UN AI Report: Governing AI for Humanity: the implication for Health Research

Wednesday September 25, 2024 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT

CURE 345 Park Ave South

UN Report: Governing AI for Humanity: Implications for Health Research

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms industries worldwide, its potential to revolutionize health research is becoming increasingly apparent. The United Nations report, Governing AI for Humanity, explores the ethical, legal, and social implications of AI development and deployment, particularly in health research. This report examines how AI can accelerate scientific discovery, improve diagnostics, optimize treatments, and enhance public health surveillance. However, it also underscores the need for robust governance frameworks to mitigate risks, including data privacy concerns, algorithmic biases, and unequal access to AI-driven technologies.

The report emphasizes the importance of global cooperation in establishing ethical guidelines, regulatory standards, and equitable access to AI innovations. It calls for policies that ensure AI technologies are developed transparently, prioritize patient safety, and promote inclusivity. With AI poised to shape the future of health research, the report advocates for a balanced approach that maximizes AI's benefits while safeguarding against its potential harms. By addressing these critical governance challenges, the international community can ensure that AI serves the broader goal of advancing human health and well-being.

Speakers

Tim Barker
Kooth
With over 30 years of experience in the B2B software industry, Tim has helped build and scale SaaS industry leaders. In his journey from Software Engineer to CEO, Tim founded Koral, a pioneer in online collaboration (acquired by Salesforce), led EMEA Marketing at Salesforce to scale... Read More →

Kurt Zatloukal
Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine, former Director of BBMRI.at, Medical University Graz
Prof. Kurt Zatloukal is full Professor of Pathology and Head of the Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine at the Medical University of Graz, Austria. His research focuses on digital pathology and biobanking, the development of molecular diagnostics as well as the... Read More →

Mei Lin
CEO, People Centered Internet
linkedin.com/in/meilinfung... Read More →

Ntobeko Ntusi
President and CEO SAMRC, South African Medical Research Council
Professor Ntobeko Ntusi is the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) effective 1 July 2024. He joins the SAMRC from the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital where he was the Chair and Head of the Department of Medicine. He is a distinguished... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science, ISC Intelligence in Science
Declan Kirrane, Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science.Has a background in analysing the relationship between public and private R&D funding and the impact on R&D performance he has worked extensively on science and technology policy evaluation methodologies... Read More →

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
CURE 345 Park Ave South Room CR023

Artificial Intelligence, Health

8:00pm EDT

[ONLY VIRTUAL] Decolonize Science to Bridge Worlds (SESSION 2/3)

Wednesday September 25, 2024 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT

Virtual session

***NOTE: Join the session by registering and clicking the circle checkbox afterward. Please see the date/time and speaker list in each respective session in the SSUNGA program.***

Session 1: What does it mean to do science on Indigenous Lands? (90 mins) -- SEPARATE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
24 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 25 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

The construction and operation of scientific research infrastructures on Indigenous land have been the focus of ethical and cultural debate. At the centre of this debate are observatories on lands of deep spiritual and cultural significance to Indigenous communities. This contentious issue highlights the historical context of colonialism and the juxtaposition of scientific advancement with the disregard for indigenous and local sovereignty.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How does constructing an observatory on Indigenous lands highlight the broader historical context of colonialism and the marginalisation of Indigenous rights?
2) How can integrating traditional knowledge systems and modern astronomy benefit both the scientific community and Indigenous cultures, and what steps are being taken to increase Indigenous participation in the management of observatory sites?
3) Why are these measures essential to reconciliation in astronomy?

Session 2: Colonial Reflection on the Space Exploration (90 mins)
25 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 26 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

The modern space exploration initiatives led by government agencies and the private sector raise ethical concerns reminiscent of historical colonialism. This discourse around space exploration is increasingly addressing the need to identify and move beyond the colonial paradigm. The current approach parallels historical colonialism on Earth and the current ambitions to colonise the Moon and Mars. The decolonisation of space exploration requires a new ethical framework prioritising sustainability, equity, and environmental protection. International treaties urgently need to be updated to reflect these priorities and ensure that space remains a shared and protected environment.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How do the current practices of space exploration by government agencies and the private sector risk repeating the historical patterns of Earthly colonisation?
2) What insights do Indigenous knowledge systems provide that could inform a more ethical and sustainable approach to space exploration?
3) Why is international cooperation and stringent regulation necessary for addressing the issue of space debris and ensuring the sustainability of the space environment?

Session 3: Science Education with Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems (90 mins) -- SEPARATE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
26 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 27 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

Science education globally has long been dominated by Western and global North perspectives and knowledge. This process has overlooked the rich knowledge systems of Indigenous and local communities. Incorporating knowledge systems into science education is vital to developing more balanced and holistic worldviews, intercultural understanding, and sustainability. There’s an urgent need to bridge these knowledge systems. Educators can create an inclusive curriculum that honours diverse perspectives by doing so. This approach enhances scientific literacy and promotes cultural diversity and equity in education.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How can integrating Indigenous and local knowledge systems enhance science education curriculum?
2) What are some of the challenges associated with incorporating these knowledge systems into the classrooms?
3) How do collaborative partnerships between Indigenous and local communities with educational institutions contribute to developing culturally responsive teaching practices and recognising diverse ways of knowing in science education?

Moderators

Thilina Heenatigala
Assistant Professor/Director of Communications & Lecturer, Earth-Life Science Institute
Thilina Heenatigala (he/him) is the Director of Communications and Assistant Professor at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) in Tokyo. He leads the outreach team, science communication projects, and teaches the science communication graduate course at ELSI. His research interests... Read More →
DS
Daniella Scalice
Speakers
FT
Frank Tavares
AV
Aparna Venkatesan
NT
Natalie Trevino

Alvin Harvey
PhD Candidate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Shí éí Alvin Harvey yinishyé. Tó baazhni’ázhi Nishłį́. Honágháahnii Bashishchiin. Biligana dashicheii. Kiyaa’áanii dashinalí. I am Diné, of the Two Who Came To the Water Clan and I am born for the One Walks Around Clan; my maternal grandfather is of German descent... Read More →

Wednesday September 25, 2024 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT
Virtual session

Indigenous Knowledge

Thursday, September 26

12:45am EDT

Science + Art: Creatively Communicating Research

Thursday September 26, 2024 12:45am - 2:30am EDT

Virtual session

YOUTUBE BROADCAST: https://youtube.com/live/zJ17_Ya2rV8?feature=share

The core challenge of science communication is making abstract or complex ideas understandable to non-experts. Scientific imagery, or images taken as part of the scientific process, can be powerful tools when they illustrate knowledge in unexpected ways and inspire viewers to explore new areas.

This is where “sci-art” comes into play. By blending the stimulation of art with the insights of science, science communicators, scientists, and artists can collaborate and interact with one another to reach wider audiences.
In a dynamic TED-talk style presentation, the innovators will showcase their sci-art ideas, passion, and work, and highlight the opportunities, challenges, and implications of merging these two worlds.

This event is linked to a sci-art exhibition from the BRIDGE Network, an international and interdisciplinary group of research institutes, with Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) as the Japan lead. The exhibition, Human-Model-World: A Collection of Scientific Images, will be presented at the United Nations University (Sept. 10–Oct. 7) and will offer a springboard for the live event, which will further explore the integration of art and science.

Speakers:
-Iliana Mendoza Villafuerte, SciArt Consultant, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)
-Thilina Heenatigala, Assistant Professor/Director of Communications, Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Institute of Technology
-Aya Tsuboi, Founder of Fundamentalz Program and Public Relations Officer, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, The University of Tokyo
-Nick Luscombe, Artistic Director, Broadcaster and Sound Producer
-Shunichi Kasahara, Researcher, Cybernetic Humanity Studio, Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc. and Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)

NOTE: This event is taking place in person in Tokyo by invitation only and being broadcast on YouTube. If you are able to join us in person, please email heather.young@oist.jp for an invitation.

Speakers

Heather Young
Vice President, Communications and Public Relation, OIST - Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
Heather Young is a seasoned and purpose-driven communications professional. With 15+ years of experience in the field, her expertise spans corporate communications, public relations (PR), media relations, community relations, crisis communications, social impact, social responsibilities... Read More →

Thilina Heenatigala
Assistant Professor/Director of Communications & Lecturer, Earth-Life Science Institute
Thilina Heenatigala (he/him) is the Director of Communications and Assistant Professor at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) in Tokyo. He leads the outreach team, science communication projects, and teaches the science communication graduate course at ELSI. His research interests... Read More →
IM
Iliana Mendoza

Thursday September 26, 2024 12:45am - 2:30am EDT
Virtual session

3:00am EDT

[ONLY VIRTUAL] Empowering SMEs: Blockchain & AI for Sustainable Stakeholder Value

Thursday September 26, 2024 3:00am - 5:00am EDT

Online

ZOOM: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4658217184?pwd=cjZLUEtRYVNRTTFDUytJWlFOaXNNdz09&omn=84113814541
ID: 4658217184
PASSCODE: 9aiNbZ1

Join us for an insightful panel session entitled “Empowering SMEs: Blockchain & AI for Sustainable Stakeholder Value,” where we explore how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can effectively align with global sustainability efforts. This session is designed for SMEs who are eager to understand how cutting-edge technologies like blockchain and AI can revolutionize their business practices, drive value creation across all stakeholders, and position their businesses for success in a rapidly evolving world.

Our panel features experts with deep expertise in valuing intellectual capital in SMEs from The Areopa Group (a knowledge management organization funded by the EU), alongside blockchain and AI specialists who will share practical insights and strategies. These thought leaders will demonstrate how leveraging these technologies can help SMEs navigate complex global sustainability issues, making them not just participants but leaders in the transition to a more sustainable economy.

We’ll also be showcasing pioneering work with the Value Model—a comprehensive framework that empowers SMEs to measure, understand, and enhance value creation across all stakeholder groups. Whether you’re looking to attract investment, retain talent, or build stronger customer relationships, this session will provide you with actionable strategies to maximize your impact.

As we approach the post-SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) era, it is crucial for SMEs to adapt and thrive in a world increasingly focused on sustainability and long-term value creation. Our discussion will cover how SMEs can prepare for this future by embracing technologies that not only improve efficiency but also foster resilience and innovation in the face of existential challenges.

This session is more than just a discussion—it's a call to action for SME leaders who want to be at the forefront of change, creating increasing value for all key stakeholders. Join us to discover how you can empower your business to contribute to a sustainable, prosperous future for all.

Speakers:

- Prof. Philip Sugai, Director, Value Research Center, Doshisha University
- Dr. Maria Weir, Director, Applied Research Intellectual Capital and Product, The Areopa Group
- Prof. Yuriko Nakao, Associate Professor, Kansai University
- Kyle Barnes, CEO, Valuufy K.K.
- Dr. Hannah Jun, Director, Center for Global Social Responsibility (CGSR)
- Dr. Haruko Satoh, Senior Research Fellow, Value Research Center

Speakers

Philip Sugai
Director, Value Research Center, Doshisha University
Philip is the Director of the Value Research Center (VRC), Director of the Global MBA program and a Professor of Marketing at Doshisha University's Graduate School of Business. He and his team at the Value Research Center have collected and analyzed more than 35 of the world's top... Read More →
HS
Haruko Satoh

Maria Weir
VP Applied Research and Product Development, Areopa Group
Maria WeirMaria Weir is the Vice President of Applied Research, Innovation, and Product Development at Areopa, where she has led initiatives in Intellectual Capital (IC) management since 2010. Alongside her role at Areopa, she serves as a visiting professor at Solvay Management School... Read More →

Kyle Barnes
CEO & Co-founder, Valuufy Inc.
We are not your grandmother's sustainability company! We are changing the way the economy measures and acts on sustainability at a fundamental level by measuring the impact an organization creates or destroys for its stakeholders. I got my start in sustainability working to move... Read More →
YN
Yuriko Nakao
HJ
Hannah Jun

Thursday September 26, 2024 3:00am - 5:00am EDT
Online

Data

8:00am EDT

Women in Science Policy-Making: Driving Inclusive and Equitable Decision-Making

Thursday September 26, 2024 8:00am - 9:00am EDT

Online

This session will explore the vital role of women in shaping science policy at national, regional, and global levels. Women’s participation in science policy-making is essential for ensuring that decisions reflect diverse perspectives and address the unique challenges women and other marginalized groups face in science, technology, and innovation (STI).

The discussion will highlight women's barriers to accessing leadership roles in science policy, including gender biases, structural inequalities, and limited access to networks of influence. Panelists will share strategies for overcoming these challenges and emphasize the importance of fostering inclusive policy environments where women can thrive as decision-makers.

This session aims to showcase how women’s leadership in science policy leads to more equitable and innovative outcomes through case studies, policy insights, and personal experiences. It will also address the need for targeted initiatives to support women in science policy, emphasizing mentorship, capacity-building, and policy reforms that promote gender equality in decision-making.

By the end of the session, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how inclusive science policy benefits society and learn practical steps to empower more women to take leadership roles in shaping the future of science and technology governance.

Speakers

Declan Kirrane
Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science, ISC Intelligence in Science
Declan Kirrane, Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science.Has a background in analysing the relationship between public and private R&D funding and the impact on R&D performance he has worked extensively on science and technology policy evaluation methodologies... Read More →

Mei Lin
CEO, People Centered Internet
linkedin.com/in/meilinfung... Read More →

Marleen Temmerman (Convenor)
Professor, The Aga Khan University, Kenya
Prof Marleen Temmerman is Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University East-Africa and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya. She has enormous experience in academia and political... Read More →

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Dr Aletha De Witt
Director: Radio Astronomy Projects, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), South Africa
Dr. Aletha de Witt is the Director of Radio Astronomy Projects at the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) in South Africa. With a PhD in Astrophysics, she specializes in advancing global reference frames through high-frequency interferometric observations using radio telescopes... Read More →

Nishka
UNGA Youth Parliament Lead
Nishka Sharma is a SWENexter who is passionate about promoting women in STEM and increasing student access to STEM fields.

Damaris Critchlow
Head of Editorial Engagement, MDPI
Damaris holds a bachelor’s degree with honours in Philosophy and a master’s in European Philosophy from the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol, UK.Before joining MDPI, Damaris worked as a Journal Manager at Frontiers, where she was responsible for the performance... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Online

Women, Inclusion

9:00am EDT

Certifying Primary Maternal Health Clinicians in Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to Reduce Maternal Mortality by 2030

Thursday September 26, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am EDT

Science Summit venue (12th floor)

The global commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.1 is not just a goal but an urgent imperative. This goal aims to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030, underscoring the urgency of improving maternal health services, especially in low-income countries. Despite significant progress in medical technologies, maternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high in many regions, mainly where economic disparities limit access to quality healthcare.

One key bottleneck in improving maternal health outcomes is the uneven availability of vital diagnostic tools like ultrasound. While affordable point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) technology has become increasingly accessible, there is a critical gap in the training and certification of healthcare providers, such as midwives, nurses, and clinical officers, to perform obstetric ultrasound screenings competently. The lack of trained personnel to set standards limits the deployment of this life-saving technology. It perpetuates disparities in maternal and child health services across different economic segments.

Objective
This roundtable seeks to explore the impact of certifying primary maternal health clinicians in POCUS as a strategic intervention to reduce maternal mortality by 2030 significantly. By equipping healthcare providers in low-resource settings with the skills and certification necessary to perform ultrasounds, we can improve both the quality and accessibility of maternal care. The session provides a case study of the current landscape in Kenya as a template for scalable and sustainable global impact. This includes the urgent need for comprehensive policy shifts, sustainable business modelling, expanding clinicians' practice scopes, and establishing standardized guidelines to ensure patient safety and enhance care delivery.

Discussion Points

1. Addressing Disparities in Maternal Health Services
Highlight the unequal distribution of maternal and child health services across different economic segments, particularly in low-income countries. Discuss how the lack of ultrasound proficiency among healthcare providers contributes to maternal mortality and morbidity.
2. Expanding POCUS Training and Certification
Explore strategies for expanding point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training and certification among primary maternal health clinicians, including midwives, nurses, and clinical officers. Discuss the importance of training programs that work towards set standards to ensure competency and patient safety.
3. Public-Private Partnerships and Policy Shifts
Examine the role of public-private partnerships in supporting local capacity building, economic innovation, and professional development opportunities for healthcare providers. Advocate for comprehensive policy shifts and regulatory frameworks to extend clinicians' practice scope and institutionalise the role of POCUS in maternal care to meet WHO guidelines.
4. Leveraging Advanced Technologies for Equitable Access
Discuss how advanced technologies, including AI-driven ultrasound innovations and mobile health platforms, can be leveraged to promote more equitable access to maternal healthcare services across diverse populations. Identify opportunities to integrate these technologies into national health systems to improve outcomes.

Outcome
The session aims to foster a multi-stakeholder dialogue and generate actionable insights on how certifying primary maternal health clinicians in POCUS can reduce maternal mortality. Key takeaways will include recommendations for policy shifts, guidelines for certification, and strategies for integrating advanced technologies and partnerships to ensure equitable access to high-quality maternal healthcare by 2030.

Thursday September 26, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Health

9:00am EDT

Advancing Health Outcomes in Africa: Implementing Genomics and Health Security in Africa

Thursday September 26, 2024 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

With its immense potential, genomics can significantly improve health outcomes in Africa. This aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contributes to the UN Summit of the Future objectives. The power of genomic research lies in its ability to identify genetic variations associated with increased susceptibility to diseases prevalent in Africa, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, and other non-communicable diseases. Genomic data can enable precision medicine. By analysing an individual's genetic profile, healthcare professionals can predict their response to specific medications, reducing adverse drug reactions and optimising treatment efficacy. This approach, which addresses SDG3: Good Health and Well-being, is especially beneficial in Africa, where genetic diversity is high, with an impact on individual healthcare. Genomics research can contribute to capacity-building efforts in Africa by fostering collaborations between local scientists, international institutions, and researchers. This can help build local expertise, and scientific infrastructure, which can lead to a better understanding of Africa's unique genetic diversity and the development of locally relevant solutions to health challenges. This addresses SDG9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

The UN Summit of the Future underscores the importance of science and technology in addressing global challenges. Genomics, at the forefront of this effort, offers tools to track and monitor infectious diseases in real time. This information is crucial and urgent for developing targeted interventions and controlling the spread of infectious diseases, demonstrating the vital role of genomics in global health security. The Genomics Centres of Excellence network aims to facilitate the implementation of genomics to address several key SDGs, enabling African scientists to develop solutions to African challenges. These centres will conduct cutting-edge research, training, and translation, ensuring that Africa can leverage genomic science to improve public health. By investing in genomics, African nations can drive progress towards achieving the SDGs, which will improve health outcomes and position Africa as a leader in the global scientific community. This session will explore the challenges and opportunities for implementing genomics in healthcare in Africa.

Agenda:

Implementing Genomics and Health Security in Africa
9:00 Introduction & Welcome: Declan Kirrane, Ms. Eudy Mabuza (Senior Science and Innovation Representative, Brussels, Department of Science and Innovation, Republic of South Africa)
Chair: Dr Magdalena Skipper
9:15 Keynote: Hon Dr Michel Sidibé, Genomics and Health Security in Africa
9:35 Prof Julie Makani, Genomics in Africa: Translation of Research to Health: Progress in SCD
09:55 Panel Discussion: Challenges in Integrating Genomics into Health Systems.
Moderator: Dr Magdalena Skipper
Panelists: Prof Julie Makani (UCL), Prof Heidi Rehm (Massachusetts General Hospital, Broad Institute), Prof Khalid Fakhro (Sidra Medicine, Hamad Bin Khalifa University)

10:25-10:45 Coffee break

Addressing Inequities in Genomics for Health in Africa
Chair/Moderator: Dr Rita Lawlor
10:45 Prof Ntobeko Ntusi Disparities in Genomic Research and Healthcare Access
11:00 Panel Discussion: Strategies for Promoting Equity in Genomics
Moderator: Dr Rita Lawlor
Panelists: Prof Ntobeko Ntusi SAMRC), Laura Povlich (Fogarty International, NIH) (online), Lyndon Mitnaul (Regeneron)

Extraordinary Opportunities in Genomics Research
11:30-11:45 Prof Nicky Mulder The Future of Genomics in Africa

FfD4: Exploring sustainable funding for development to enable genomics for health
Chair/Moderator: Prof Emmanuel Peprah
11:45- 12:00 Tom Kariuki, A Funder Perspective on Genomics in Africa
12:00- 12:25 Panel: Mapping Investment to Impact, funding for development
Moderator: Prof Emmanuel Peprah
Panelists: Lisa Slater (Roche), Rizwana Mia (SAMRC), Tom Kariuki (Science for Africa Foundation)

12:25-12:30 Closing: Recommendations for the UN and the Future Summit

Speakers

Emmanuel Kwame Peprah Jr, PhD
Associate Professor of Global Health, Director, Implementing Sustainable Evidence-based interventions through Engagement (ISEE Lab) Department of Global and Environmental Health, NYU School of Global Public Health
Dr. Peprah is an Associate Professor at NYU School of Global Public Health where he leads the Implementing Sustainable Evidence-based interventions through Engagement (ISEE) Lab. His research focuses on understanding the contextual factors affecting the adoption of evidence-based... Read More →

Honourable Dr Michel Hamala Sidibé
Michel Hamala Sidibé: Champion of Health Equity and African-Led SolutionsMichel Hamala Sidibé is a relentless advocate for health equity and African-led solutions. As the African Union’s Special Envoy for the African Medicines Agency (AMA), Sidibé drove the rapid ratification... Read More →

Magdalena Skipper, PhD.
Nature Research (Publishing)
As Editor in Chief, Magdalena leads Nature’s magazine and research editorial teams. A geneticist by training, she has considerable editorial and publishing experience: having started in Nature Publishing Group in 2001, she was Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics, Senior Editor... Read More →

Dr Thomas Kariuki
CEO, Science for Africa Foundation
Dr Thomas Kariuki is Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer forthe Science for Africa Foundation, established in 2021 to support, strengthen and promote science and innovation in Africa. A long-time advocate involved in the global effort to develop vaccines, drugs and diagnostics... Read More →

Lyndon J. Mitnaul, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Research Initiatives, Regeneron Genetics Center
Dr. Lyndon J. Mitnaul is an Executive Director in the Regeneron Genetics Center at RegeneronPharmaceuticals, Inc., in Tarrytown, NY, where he works with cross-functional teams to establish humangenetics research collaborations and initiatives.Lyndon received a B.S. degree in chemistry... Read More →

Heidi L. Rehm, PhD, FACMG
Director, Chief Genomics Officer, Massachusetts General Hospital, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Heidi Rehm is Director of the Genomic Medicine Unit in the Center for Genomic Medicine and Chief Genomics Officer at Massachusetts General Hospital, working to integrate genomics into medical practice. She is a board-certified laboratory geneticist and Chief Medical Officer and Clinical... Read More →

Laura K. Povlich, PhD
Program Director, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health
Laura Povlich is a Program Director in the Division of International Training and Research at the Fogarty International Center, part of the National Institutes of Health, where she was previously an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy... Read More →

Dr. Khalid Fakhro
Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, Professor of Genomics and Precision Medicine at the College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Sidra Medicine
Prof Khalid Fakhro is the Chief of Research and Chair of the Precision Medicine Program at Sidra Medicine, the largest tertiary care women and children hospital in Qatar. In addition to his administrative responsibility overseeing translational research, Dr Fakhro leads the Laboratory... Read More →

Lisa Rooney Slater
Head of African Genomics Program
A passionate advocate for access to healthcare and equitable science, Lisa Rooney Slater joined Roche in 2012. She has worked across the company holding positions at Genentech in South San Francisco, California and the global headquarters in Basel, Switzerland before relocating with... Read More →

Julie Makani (MD, PhD, FRCP, FTAAS)
Principal Investigator, Imperial College London
Professor Julie Makani is a physician scientist in Tanzania, Principal Investigator in the Sickle Cell Programme at Muhimbili University www.muhas.ac.tz and Sickle Pan African Research Consortium (SPARCO) Clinical Coordinating Centre (CCC), SickleInAfrica http://www.sickleinafrica.org... Read More →

Eudy Mabuza
Senior Brussels Representative, Dept of Science and Innovation, South Africa
Ms Mabuza has eighteen and half years of progressive experience in the Public Sector, engaging and negotiating with international agencies to increase bilateral science, technology and innovation (STI) investments towards the South African science system and marketing the country... Read More →

Ntobeko Ntusi
President and CEO SAMRC, South African Medical Research Council
Professor Ntobeko Ntusi is the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) effective 1 July 2024. He joins the SAMRC from the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital where he was the Chair and Head of the Department of Medicine. He is a distinguished... Read More →

Nicola Mulder
Professor, Head of Computational Biology, University of Cape Town, H3ABioNet
Prof Mulder heads the Computational Biology Division at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and is co-leading the development of the African network of Genomic Centres of Excellence. She leads H3ABioNet, a Pan African Bioinformatics Network which develops bioinformatics capacity for... Read More →

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Health, Genomics

9:00am EDT

Transforming Knowledge into Practice: Science, Technology and Innovation in Support of the UN SDGs

Thursday September 26, 2024 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

A network of European organisations is coordinating this workshop in New York (USA) on September 26 2024, as part of the Science Summit 2024 (UNGA79) activities. This network represents active communities from the fields of biodiversity, ecology, and engineering domains and aims to strengthen science, technology, and innovation efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With their combined expertise and through European initiatives such as the European Research Infrastructures, the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), the Digital Twin projects and academic publishers these communities select the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as a testbed to strategically contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The focus is on the emerging properties they present as a network rather than as individual organisations, projects or initiatives.

The agenda consists of two parts: one in the morning, in which the members of the network present their views on their collective contribution to the implementation of the UN SDGs, and one in the afternoon where international and regional stakeholders present their expectations from the participating science and technology organisations on the above topic.

Finally, these communities will issue an open call to forge an international alliance to further integrate biodiversity conservation into the priorities of the UN Summit of the Future agenda priorities and the post-SDG agenda.

Agenda

09:00 – 09:30 Registration
09:30 – 10:15 Introduction - Chair: Christos Arvanitidis
09:30 – 09:40 Welcome, Objectives and Agenda, Christos Arvanitidis, LifeWatch ERIC
09.40 – 09.55 Links to UN Priorities, Declan Kirrane, ISC Intelligence
09:55 – 10:05 The example of the European Collaborative Effort on Biodiversity, Christos Arvanitidis, LifeWatch ERIC
10.05 – 10.15 Questions and Answers (Q&A)

10:15 – 10:35 Coffee break

10:35 – 11:20 EU Projects / Digital Twins - Chair: Gabriela Zuquim
10:35 – 10:50 Biodiversity Digital Twin, Gabriela Zuquim, CSC - IT Center for Science
10:50 – 11:05 DTO Bioflow, Klaas Deneudt, VLIZ
11:05 – 11:20 MARCO BOLO Nicolas Pade, EMBRC-ERIC
11:20 – 12:20 EOSC projects - Publishing - Chair: Boris Barov
11:20 – 11:35 EOSC, a technical “system of systems” for collaboration/ EOSC Future, Yannis Ioannidis, Athena RC
11:35 – 11:50 EOSC Beyond, Montserrat González, EGI
11.50 – 12:05 OSTrails, Natalia Manola, OpenAIRE
12:05 – 12:20 Scholarly publishing in support of open science and SDG realization, Boris Barov, Pensoft
12:20 – 13:30 Research Infrastructures - Chair: Dimitris Koureas
12:20 – 12:35 EMBRC-ERIC, Nicolas Pade, EMBRC-ERIC
12:35 – 12:50 DiSCCo RI Dimitris Koureas, Naturalis
12:50 – 13:05 LifeWatch ERIC, Christos Arvanitidis, LifeWatch ERIC
13:05 – 13:15 Q&A
13:15 – 13:30 Conclusions, Dimitris Koureas, Naturalis

13:30 – 14:30 Lunch break

Speakers

Christos Arvanitidis
CEO, LifeWatch ERIC
Christos Arvanitidis LifeWatch ERIC CEO, Seville, Spain. Research Director, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, former head of the Biodiversity laboratory.Involved in >70 projects, coordinated 10. Research Funding ID... Read More →

Boris Barov
Project and business developer and stakeholder engagement lead, Pensoft Publishers
Boris Barov, Project and business developer and stakeholder engagement lead, Pensoft Publishers Ltd, Bulgaria.An ecologist specializing in biodiversity conservation, restoration, and science communication. With experience ranging from working with the European Commission, governments... Read More →

Klaas Deneudt
Head of Marine Observation, Flanders Marine Institute
Klaas Deneudt Head of Marine Observation Centre at Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ, Belgium). General coordinator of DTO-BioFlow project, focal point coordinator for LifeWatch Belgium and head of the Marine Observation Center at the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ). Marine biologist... Read More →

Montserrat González Ferreiro
Senior Strategy and Innovation Officer, EGI Foundation
Montserrat González Ferreiro (EGI Foundation, Senior Strategy and Innovation Officer, The Netherlands). Having started her career in the private engineering sector, she has specialised in supporting the European scientific community since 2009. She has held a variety of innovation... Read More →

Yannis Ioannidis
President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Athena RC
Yannis Ioannidis, President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).Professor at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens as well as an Associated Faculty at the ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, wh... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science, ISC Intelligence in Science
Declan Kirrane, Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science.Has a background in analysing the relationship between public and private R&D funding and the impact on R&D performance he has worked extensively on science and technology policy evaluation methodologies... Read More →

Dimitris Koureas
Managing Director - Digital & CIO, Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Dimitris Koureas (Naturalis Biodiversity Center & DiSSCo RI).Chief Information Officer and Managing Director for Digital Strategy and Innovation at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands. Executive Director of the Distributed System of Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) European... Read More →

Natalia Manola
CEO, OpenAIRE
Natalia holds a Physics degree from the University of Athens, and an MS in Electrical and Computing Engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and has worked for several years as a Software Engineer and Architect in the Bioinformatics commercial sector. She has expertise... Read More →

Per Öster
Director of CSC Advanced Computing Facility, CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd, Finland
Per Öster (CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd, Finland), Director of CSC Advanced Computing Facility.The facility operates and develops the Finnish national computing infrastructure and hosts the EuroHPC pre-exascale system LUMI. Öster represents CSC in a several international initiatives... Read More →

Nicolas Pade
Executive Director, EMBRC-ERIC
Nicolas Pade (he/him), Executive Director of the European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC-ERIC), France.Holds a PhD in molecular and spatial ecology from the University of Aberdeen (2009), his research focused on using molecular tools and satellite tracking to determine population... Read More →

Lyubomir Penev
Managing Director and Founder of Pensoft Publishers, Pensoft Publishers
Lyubomir Penev, Managing Director and Founder of Pensoft Publishers.Having graduated in Biology at the University of Sofia, he also holds a Ph.D. in Ecology at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. Currently, he is Professor of Ecology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia... Read More →

Gabriela Zuquim
Scientific Coordinator, CSC - IT Center for Science
Gabriela Zuquim (CSC - IT Center for Science, Finland).Scientific Coordinator of Biodiversity Digital Twins Project (BioDT) at CSC - IT Center for Science and Adjunct Professor in Tropical Ecology. Holds a PhD from the University of Turku, Finland and a Master's degree from the National... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

Environment

11:00am EDT

Supporting a positive and productive regional environment for Scientific Collaboration in the Arab World

Thursday September 26, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT

Innovation Room

Working together towards a more open, knowledgeable Arab world

This session, convened by the Forum for Open Research in MENA (FORM), will provide a platform to address key themes, challenges and opportunities for fostering equitable and sustainable research ecosystems within the Arab states, and facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue concerning the visibility of Arab voices and research within the global scientific community.
Themes under discussion will include:
Regional Goals and Priorities: A discussion of regional, national and institutional priorities with regards to the advancement of scientific research and scholarly communications models, with particular emphasis on ensuring the global visibility of Arab research and inclusion of Arab scientists in global discussions.
Equitable Access to Research: An exploration of the benefits and barriers to producing and accessing research outputs and data, and the strategies adopted by regional, national and institutional policymakers for improving accessibility and inclusivity.
Capacity Building: An examination of the skills and infrastructure needed to support the advancement of accessible and inclusive scholarly communications and scientific research models for the region, reflecting the particular needs and priorities of the Arab states.
Sustainability and Funding: An investigation of regional, national and institutional funding challenges, and potential sustainable financing models and initiatives for the Arab research communities.
Anticipated objectives include:
Enhanced awareness of the importance and benefits of Open Science for the Arab states activities amongst participants
Contributions to the development of actionable insights and recommendations for policymakers and institutions to support Open Science practices.
The development and strengthening of connections and partnerships among leading regional stakeholders – supporting the long-term growth of a collaborative Arab Open Science community.

Working together towards a more open, and knowledgeable Arab world

Agenda
11.00-11.15 Welcome Dr Emily Choynowski, Co-Founder & Director of Operations, FORM

11.15-11.30 Keynote His Excellency Dr Aram Mohammed Qadir, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research – Kurdistan Regional Government

11.30-11.45 Keynote Dr Faisal Mohamed Elabdli, Director General of the Libyan Authority for Scientific Research

11.45-12.25 Roundtable Building Capacities and Nurturing Collaborations: National and Regional Strategies for scientific advancement
Moderator: Kamran Kardan

12.25-1.00 Roundtable Ensuring Sustainability and Affordability: Accessible Research Infrastructures for the Arab World
Moderator: Dr Emily Choynowski

Roundtable Moderators
Dr Emily Choynowski, Co-Founder & Director of Operations, FORM
Kamran Kardan, CEO & Founder (Knowledge E Foundation), Co-Founder FORM

Round table Panellists
His Excellency Dr Aram Mohammed Qadir, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research – Kurdistan Regional Government
Dr Faisal Mohamed Elabdli, Director General of the Libyan Authority for Scientific Research
Dr. Hisham M. Sabir, the Executive Director of the Scientific Research Programs Office, Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council
Dr Lamis Yahia Mohamed Elkheir, Co-director and Training Lead, African Reproducibility Network (AREN) and Senior Lecturer University of Khartoum, Sudan
Dr Mohammed Hussein Ahmed, Head of the Apparatus of Supervision and Quality Assurance, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research - Kurdistan Regional Government
Representative TBC, Association of Arab Universities

Speakers

HE. Prof. Amr. E. Salama
Secretary General, Association of Arab Universities
Dr. Amr Ezzat Salama is a Professor of Structural Engineering in Helwan University, Egypt. He was the Counselor of The American University in Cairo. He was the focal point between the Egyptian Authorities and AUC Administration. Dr. Salama maintained excellent contacts with ministries... Read More →

Dr Emily Choynowski
Head of Publishing, Co-Founder and Director of Operations, Forum for Open Research in MENA (Convenor)

Kamran Kardan
Founder of Knowledge E Foundation and Co-Founder Forum for Open Research in MENA (Moderator)

His Excellency Dr Aram Mohammed Qadir
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research – Kurdistan Regional Government (Keynote)

Dr Faisal

Professor Ahmed Hassan Fahal
Vice-President of the Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils, Professor of Surgery, The Mycetoma Research Centre, University of Khartoum
MBBS, FRCS, FRCSI, FRCS(Glas), FRCP(London)

Dr. Hisham M. Sabir
Executive Director of the Scientific Research Programs Office, Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (Panelist)

Dr Lamis Yahia Mohamed Elkheir
Co-director and Training Lead, African Reproducibility Network (AREN) and Senior Lecturer University of Khartoum, Sudan (Panelist)

Dr Mohammed Hussein Ahmed
Head of the Apparatus of Supervision and Quality Assurance, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research - Kurdistan Regional Government (Panelist)

Thursday September 26, 2024 11:00am - 1:00pm EDT
Innovation Room

Data

11:00am EDT

[ONLY VIRTUAL] Investing in clinical research in Africa to develop local solutions against the global challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Thursday September 26, 2024 11:00am - 1:15pm EDT

Virtual session

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. At least 1.27 million people die as a consequence of AMR annually, with Africa having the world’s highest mortality rate from AMR infections, resulting in over 27 deaths per 100,000. Without action, the death toll could rise even higher, to as many as 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Tackling AMR requires multi-modal interventions, the collaboration of many disciplines and countries. This session aims to illustrate the value of investing in clinical research and development of accessible and affordable antibiotics, diagnostics, and vaccines for addressing unmet medical needs in Africa through a global partnership such as the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). Bringing together 28 African and 15 European countries at present, and the European Commission, EDCTP aims to accelerate the development of new or improved medical interventions for the identification, treatment and prevention of poverty-related diseases (PRDs) in sub-Saharan Africa. This includes strains of pathogens which are drug resistant. The objectives of the session will be to: Promote awareness about EDCTP and its role and contribution towards attaining the SDGs Highlight the role of R&D in tackling AMR and showcase practical examples of how the EDCTP programmes have supported clinical research on AMR Discuss the priority elements for mitigating AMR and achieving the SDGs - including advocating for One Heath approach, ensuring equitable access to antimicrobials, recognising prevention as the cornerstone of response, and safeguarding adequate, sustainable and predictable financing for antibiotic, diagnostics, and vaccine development.

Speakers

Marleen Temmerman (Convenor)
Professor, The Aga Khan University, Kenya
Prof Marleen Temmerman is Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University East-Africa and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya. She has enormous experience in academia and political... Read More →

Lara Pandya (moderator)
Senior Strategic Partnerships Officer, Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking
Barbara Kerstiëns, MD, MPH is the Head of Unit in the unit responsible for ‘Combatting Diseases’ in the PEOPLE Directorate of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission.She has a long experience in international public health, working for Médecins... Read More →

Marcel Tanner (Co-Chair)
President and High Representative EDCTP, Swiss Academy of Sciences
Professor Marcel Tanner was Director of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute from 1997 to 2015 which he developed to one of the leading global health institutions. He is now President of the Swiss Academy of Arts and Sciences. He holds a PhD in medical biology from the University... Read More →

Irene Norstedt
Director, People Directorate, DG Research and Innovation, European commission
Irene Norstedt works at the European Commission where she is the Director responsible for the People: Health and Society Directorate within the DG for Research and Innovation.The People Directorate works towards the development of a healthy, safe, more equal, free, open and fair society... Read More →
JF
Joseph Fokam
Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management (CIRCB)

Francine Ntoumi
Congolese Foundation for Medical Research (FCRM)
Francine Ntoumi, Ph.D., FRCP serves as the President and co-founder of the Congolese Foundation for Medical Research and leads its Research Center for infectious diseases in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. She is Professor of molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases at the Institute... Read More →

Michael Makanga
Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking
Dr Michael Makanga started his tenure as the Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3 on 16 November 2023. He has extensive experience in the global health research sector and was previously the Executive Director of the EDCTP Association. He is a clinician-scientist with nearly... Read More →

Julia Anna Bielicki
Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Infection Prevention and Control at the University of Basel Children’s Hospital
Julia Bielicki is currently a consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Infection Prevention and Control at the University of Basel Children’s Hospital. She is also a Reader and senior PI at the Centre for Neonatal and Paediatric Infection, City St George’s, University... Read More →

Yewande Alimi
Africa CDC
Dr Alimi's impact extends globally as she serves on multiple advisory boards and groups, advocating for global health equity and gender equality. Notably, she has contributed as a One Health Technical Advisor for the Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium and as a member of... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 11:00am - 1:15pm EDT
Virtual session

Health

2:00pm EDT

Overcoming the Academic, Digital, and Research Divides: Bringing LMICs to the Decision-Making Table

Thursday September 26, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Colonialism and its modern form, neocolonialism, have created a global system of inequality in which high-income countries (HICs) dominate decision-making and resource allocation in fields like Global Health (GH). Despite aiming for equity, GH initiatives frequently overlook low- and middle-income country (LMIC) perspectives, perpetuating dependency on HIC-led aid. LMICs face barriers in shaping GH agendas due to limited access to education, research, and secure internet infrastructure, alongside prohibitive costs for essential resources. Research funding primarily serves HIC interests, while demanding clinical settings and lower salaries constrain the involvement of LMIC professionals. Collectively, this results in mass underrepresentation of the work, ideas, and creativity of people in LMICs globally. To overcome these challenges, it is essential to prioritize involvement of LMICs in decision-making and support research agendas tailored to local needs. The Nuvance Health GH Program facilitates mutually beneficial, bidirectional partnerships in fourteen sites across eight countries—Armenia, Botswana, the Dominican Republic, India, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe—focusing on healthcare education, research, infrastructure, and academic scholarship. Serving as a hub for LMIC-LMIC collaboration and capacity building of healthcare educators, the Majid Sadigh, MD GH Academy strives to increase LMIC access to education, research, academia, and ultimately the decision-making table. These efforts are critical for advancing SDGs related to health, education, economic growth, innovation, reduced inequities, peace, justice, and partnerships.

Speakers

Convenor Bulat Ziganshin
Nuvance Health Global Health

Marcos Nunez
Dean Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE)
General Surgery / Hand Surgery and Microsurgery - Master in educational management- Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE)- Member of the Dominican Medical College and 18 national and international medical societies and medical education societies... Read More →

Mitra Sadigh
Writer/Editor/Researcher, Nuvance Health Global Health Program & Yale New Haven Health
Mitra Sadigh is a Global Health (GH) writer, editor, researcher, and educator, specializing in GH humanities with an emphasis on ethics and challenging the colonial framework within GH. Holding dual bachelor’s degrees in music and philosophy, Sadigh has authored numerous works on... Read More →

Abhay Gaidhane
faculty, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education of Research, Wardha, India
Dr. Abhay Gaidhane is a Dean at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research Wardha. He completed his MBBS in 1996 and MD in Preventive and Social Medicine in 2002. He is also an Honorary Director of the School of Epidemiology and Public... Read More →

Alexander Bazarchyan
National Institute of Health of Armenia
Dr. Alexander Bazarchyan is a public health professional with over two decades of experience in the field. He has been serving as the Director of the National Institute of Health of Armenia since 2014, where he has made contributions towards the advancement of public health in Armenia... Read More →

Fiona Makoni
University of Zimbabwe
•MHPE (Masters in Health Professions Education, University of Zimbabwe, 2024)•PGD Research Ethics (University of Cape Town, RSA 2011)•MPH (Masters in Public Health, Emory University, USA, 1996)•MuDr (Bachelors degree in Dentistry (Stomatology), University of J P Safarik, Republic... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Policy/Democracy

4:00pm EDT

Accelerating Agricultural Research for Africa: Pathways to Food Security and Sustainable Development, Convened by the Agriculture Research Council, South Africa

Thursday September 26, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Concept Note: ARC Session on Agricultural Research for Africa at the Science Summit for the UN General Assembly (UNGA)
Title:
Accelerating Agricultural Research for Africa: Pathways to Food Security and Sustainable Development

Background:

Agriculture is the backbone of many African economies, providing livelihoods for over 60% of the population and contributing significantly to the continent's GDP. Yet, Africa remains the most food-insecure region in the world, plagued by low productivity, climate vulnerability, and an overreliance on rain-fed farming. This is even though there are many success stories from agricultural research on the continent. There is a critical need for transformative agricultural research that boosts yields and ensures sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience against climate change.
With the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approaching, particularly SDG 2 on ending hunger and SDG 13 on climate action, Africa's agricultural and food systems must transform urgently. Science, innovation, and research are key enablers of this transformation, offering solutions that can help bridge the gap between food insecurity and sustainable agricultural development.

Objectives:

This session aims to bring together scientists, policymakers, development partners, and private sector actors to deliberate on how agricultural research in Africa can be enhanced, scaled, and aligned with the global sustainability and resilience goals. The session will focus on identifying practical pathways for accelerating agricultural research, fostering partnerships, and promoting innovations that support food security, nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods in Africa.
Key Topics:
1. Innovative Agricultural Research and Technologies: This section addresses the need for research and technology development, focusing on climate-smart agriculture, sustainable intensification, and innovative tools such as biotechnology, digital farming, and precision agriculture. It also showcases the existing research capacities in Africa that can be leveraged.

2. Research-Policy Nexus: Understanding how research outputs can effectively inform policy frameworks and how policies can create an enabling environment for scaling up agricultural innovations.

3. Capacity Building and Collaboration: Highlighting the importance of building research capacity across African institutions and encouraging collaborations between research organisations, governments, and the private sector.

4. Youth and Gender in Agricultural Research: Discuss how research can empower youth and women as crucial actors in the agricultural value chain, address gender gaps, and ensure equitable access to innovations and resources.

5. Funding and Investment in Research: This section explores the role of governments, development agencies, and private sector investors in financing agricultural research in Africa and ensuring that funding is directed toward high-impact, scalable innovations.

Expected Outcomes:
- Actionable Recommendations: Participants will develop recommendations to improve agricultural research strategies that can drive Africa’s agricultural transformation.
- New Partnerships: Foster partnerships between research institutions, governments, the private sector, and development organizations to scale innovative agricultural practices in Africa.
- Policy Insights: Insights on policy interventions necessary to support research and innovation, improve food security, and enhance resilience to climate change.
- Commitments to Funding: Potential commitments from governments, development agencies, and private actors to increase funding for agricultural research and innovation.
Audience:
This session will engage a diverse audience including:
- Agricultural researchers and scientists
- Policymakers and government representatives
- International development agencies and NGOs
- Private sector actors in agriculture and agribusiness
- Representatives from UN agencies (FAO, IFAD, UNEP)
- Youth and women in agriculture

Agenda

10:00 - 10:10 AM – Opening Remarks
- Moderator: Introduction and Overview of Session Goals
- Dr Litha Magingxa - Welcome remarks from ARC

10:10 - 10:30 AM – Keynote Presentation:
TBD "Harnessing Science for Agricultural Transformation in Africa"

10:30 - 11:00 AM – Panel Discussion:
"Innovations, Policies, and Partnerships: Pathways to Agricultural Transformation in Africa"
- Panellists:
- Dr Lia Rotherham - Senior Agricultural Research Scientist from ARC
- Government Policy Advisor (African government representative)
- Representative from Private Sector Agribusiness
- Development Partner (e.g., FAO, World Bank, or USAID representative)
- Youth/ Women Representative in Agriculture
Key Themes Discussed:
- Scaling innovative agricultural research for climate resilience and One Health
- Creating policies that promote sustainable agricultural practices
- Strengthening research collaboration across sectors
- Engaging youth and women in the agricultural value chain[PC1]

11:00 - 11:20 AM – Interactive Q&A Session
- Open floor for participants to ask questions and share perspectives.

11:20 - 11:50 AM – Roundtable Discussion:
"Accelerating Funding and Investment in African Agricultural Research"
- Facilitated roundtable discussion among key stakeholders on how to unlock investment in agricultural research.
- Participants: Development Agencies, Governments, Private Investors, Dr Litha Magingxa

11:50 - 12:00 PM – Closing Remarks and Way Forward
- Moderator summary and next steps
- Call for commitment and partnerships

Speakers

Eudy Mabuza
Senior Brussels Representative, Dept of Science and Innovation, South Africa
Ms Mabuza has eighteen and half years of progressive experience in the Public Sector, engaging and negotiating with international agencies to increase bilateral science, technology and innovation (STI) investments towards the South African science system and marketing the country... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Agriculture

4:00pm EDT

Announcing the Lancet Commission on “Societal Resilience in a New Pandemic Age: Lessons for the Present from the Future” 

Thursday September 26, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

This session aims to announce the new Lancet Commission on Societal Resilience in a New Pandemic Age: Lessons for the Present from the Future at the UNGA79 Science Summit. The commission seeks to leverage experience and lessons learned in the United States and broaden the conversation with stakeholders from around the world to codevelop science-driven policy roadmaps that are inclusive, clear, future-oriented, convergent, and actionable for funders and implementers in the post-Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) era.

Commission Overview
 
On March 11, 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared COVID-19 a pandemic, catapulting the threat of emerging infectious diseases into the global consciousness. Yet, COVID-19 is only the latest chapter in a new pandemic age characterized by an increasing number and diversity of outbreaks driven by complex ecological and societal interactions. Confronting this new time of uncertainly and existential risk in effective, efficient, and equitable ways requires the U.S. and globally interdependent societies to focus beyond pandemics, to convergent principles and resources that promote greater community resilience across all the connected challenges of this new age.

Our Commission's founding goals are thus to advance novel approaches, frameworks, and policy roadmaps for societal resilience by shifting attention from tools bespoke for pandemic prevention or systems targeted towards any one specific disease to the personal, social, economic, and cultural capacities; leadership strategies; information systems; and scientific and technological infrastructures that enable communities to be resilient against a wide range of coexisting health, environmental, and socioeconomic challenges.

Session Objectives and Structure
This UNGA79 Science Summit session offers a unique opportunity to converge early insights and opportunities from this diverse group of attendees, integrating North American and global perspectives, to source the next steps for the Commission and consider rigorous dimensions of societal resilience and science-based measures of success.

This new Commission comes at a critical time. The United Nations (UN) will launch the Summit of the Future on 22-23 September to discuss post-SDG agenda setting. The Lancet Commission on Societal Resilience can assist formative work to aid this agenda, ideating how the UN, WHO, and other UN-specialised agencies can set resilient goals, develop policies, and converge resources that holistically strengthen the patchwork of communities forming today’s global society.

In addition, the Fourth UN International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) will take place from June 30 to July 3, 2025, in Seville, Spain. The pandemic exposed significant weaknesses in global health infrastructure, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where health systems buckled under pressure. In Seville, delegates will discuss innovative ways to finance these systems, such as pandemic bonds, insurance schemes, and international funds dedicated to pandemic preparedness. The aim is to ensure that financial resources are readily available, allowing for a swift and effective response to future health crises. The link between Development Finance and science needs to be explored. The session will prepare recommendations for FfD4.

To achieve these outcomes, we envision the following session structure: 

Introduce the Commission's motivations and goals with Commission Co-Chairs and invited session participants.
Engage with select participants as panellists to provide their unique perspectives on the importance of developing resilient communities under the current environmental and societal context.
Open a meaningful discussion with participants and the international audience regarding opportunities and operational frameworks to build resilience into the fabric of global communities.
Reference the enabling (global) policy and regulatory framework necessary for enabling pandemic responses.
Formulate recommendations for the UN Summit of the Future process, including the UN FfD4, the European Union, and post-SDG priorities.

Agenda

16h00-16h30 OPENING & INTRODUCTION
Welcoming Remarks:
Declan Kirrane, Chairman and Managing Director, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Science Summit

Opening Remarks
Dr. Rick Bright, former United States Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Lancet Commissioner

Introduction to the Lancet US Commission on “Societal Resilience in a New Pandemic Age: Lessons for the Present from the Future”:  
Drs. Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, Richard M. Carpiano, and Lara Vojnov, Lancet Commission Co-Chairs
Overview of the Commission—Refocusing on societal resilience and session activities: Dr. Eliah Aronoff-Spencer

16h30-17h30 PANEL DISCUSSION Defining predictors and predicates of societal resilience in a new post-SDG pandemic era.
Opening remarks and moderator:
Dr. Miriam Sabin, North American Executive Editor, The Lancet
Panelists: 3-minute flash talks and guided discussion with audience participation and polling.
TBD

17h30-17h55 AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT AND DISCUSSION:
Question and Answer period, including real-time audience survey

17h55-18h00 CONCLUSION: 17:55-18:00
Closing Remarks: Declan Kirrane

Speakers

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Rick Bright
Former United States Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Lancet Commissioner
Rick Bright is formerly the chief executive officer of the Pandemic Prevention Institute (PPI) at The Rockefeller Foundation. Dr. Bright lead the development of the Foundation’s pandemic data-to-action platform that integrates modern technology, data analytics and global partners... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Chairman and Managing Director of the Science Summit and Founder of ISC Intelligence
Declan is the Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science and holds prominent roles as the Chairman and Managing Director of both the Science Summit and the Africa Europe Science Collaboration Platform (AERAP). He is also a co-founder of Medicines for Future (MAF... Read More →

Miriam Lewis Sabin
North American Executive Editor, The Lancet
Miriam is the North American Senior Executive Editor at The Lancet, based in New York City since March 2020. Prior to The Lancet, Miriam was in Geneva, Switzerland where she has worked in senior advisor and epidemiologist positions at WHO, UNAIDS and The Global Fund. Miriam served... Read More →

Lara Vojnov
Lancet Commission Co-Chairs, The Lancet
Lara is currently an independent consultant in global public health. Until 2023, she was the Diagnostics Advisor in the Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Department at the World Health Organization. While at the WHO, she was seconded to the Health Emergencies department providing support... Read More →

Eliah Aronoff-Spencer, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine and Design, University of California San Diego
Dr. Spencer is an Infectious Disease Physician Scientist at the University of California San Diego where is a Professor of Medicine and Design and directs the Center for Health Design. Dr. Spencer’s research focuses on diagnostic and informatic solutions that distribute and democratize... Read More →

Richard M. Carpiano
Professor of Public Policy, University of California, Riverside
Richard M. Carpiano is Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Riverside, where he is also Faculty Director of the Science to Policy (S2P) training program. Dr. Carpiano studies how social and economic conditions contribute to the health of adults and children... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (Rooftop)

Health

4:00pm EDT

Bridging the Gap: Global Mental Health Education and Collaboration Across Borders

Thursday September 26, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Abstract
Global Mental Health (GMH) is an interdisciplinary field focused on improving mental health worldwide, particularly for vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite its importance, significant inequities exist in access to Mental Health (MH) services and education. Limited resources in LMICs lead to treatment gaps, exacerbating MH conditions globally. The stigma surrounding MH is pervasive and can hinder help-seeking behaviours, especially among marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. Cultural differences and language barriers further impede access to culturally competent care, while humanitarian crises increase the risk of mental illness, often with limited access to care.

Additionally, rural areas face challenges due to healthcare shortages, while MH education is lacking in many parts of the world, perpetuating misconceptions and stigma. Disparities in technology access exacerbate inequities in accessing MH information and support. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive strategies, including increasing access to culturally competent services, promoting MH literacy, and fostering partnerships among governments, NGOs, and communities. Capacity building in GMH education is crucial, empowering individuals to improve mental health care locally and nurturing future leaders.

One initiative, the Rudy Ruggles GMH Scholars Program, aims to address the international recruitment crisis in psychiatry and improve MH treatment in Uganda. Through collaboration between Nuvance Health and Makerere University, the program funds tuition and research fees for psychiatry residents, pairs them with counterparts for exchange and research and facilitates joint case conferences and educational activities. In this panel discussion, experts explore the landscape of GMH education, inter-regional differences, challenges in postgraduate GMH education, strategies for addressing disparities, and recommendations for enhancing GMH education. They also share experiences and challenges of initiatives promoting GMH education, such as the Nuvance Health Global Health Academy at Makerere University.

Speakers

Elina Mukhametshina
Dr, American Canadian School of Medicine
Elina Mukhametshina, MD, completed her residency training in General Psychiatry and Narcology at Kazan State Medical University, where she was awarded a special regional scholarship for young psychiatrists for outstanding clinical performance. During her residency, she undertook a... Read More →

Convenor Bulat Ziganshin
Nuvance Health Global Health

Oliva Okwir
Makerere University College of Health Sciences
Dr. Oliva Okwir is former fellow of the prestigious Makerere University College of Health Sciences. A medical doctor with specialty training in psychiatry. She also has experience working in hard-to-reach areas having had a year of medical internship in rural northern Uganda. Her... Read More →

Sabih Rahman
Nuvance Health, Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Rahman is a dedicated and compassionate psychiatrist who recently completed his residency at Nuvance Health. He earned his medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine, where he had the unique opportunity to live and study in Grenada, West Indies for two years... Read More →

Charles Herrick
Nuvance Health, Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Herrick first joined Danbury Hospital in June, 1998, having moved from Manhattan where he worked at Jacobi Medical Center. Dr. Herrick became the Chair of Psychiatry at Danbury Hospital in October 2006, and chair of psychiatry for Western Connecticut Health Network in April... Read More →

Martina Kabenge
Makerere University College of Health Sciences
Dr. Martina Kabenge is a former resident at Makerere University who has just completed her speciality training in Psychiatry. Her academic journey has been marked by a profound dedication to understanding and addressing mental health challenges, particularly among young adults. Her... Read More →

Noeline Nakasujja
Makerere University College of Health Sciences
Noeline Nakasujja is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatry at the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University. Her research interests include geriatric psychiatry and cognitive impairment in HIV/AIDS.She is the immediate past Chair of the Department of Psychiatry... Read More →

Majd Soudan
Nuvance Health, Department of Psychiatry
Majd Soudan is the Associate Program Director of the psychiatry residency program at Nuvance Health and a consult liaison psychiatrist. With a strong background in psychiatry, Dr Soudan is dedicated to advancing mental health care through clinical excellence, education, and research... Read More →

Daniel Ranga
Makerere University College of Health Sciences
Dr. Daniel Ranga is a psychiatry resident at Makerere University Kampala. He has a strong interest in the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health; as well as child and adolescent psychiatry. His clinical experience and research focus aims at ensuring adequate... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Health

5:00pm EDT

[Virtual] Financing STI Roadmaps and the 6 transitions

Thursday September 26, 2024 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Online

Introduction:

The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Spain in June 2025 presents a unique opportunity to align global financing mechanisms with the latest scientific advancements to address pressing global challenges. The summit’s primary focus will be mobilizing financial resources to achieve sustainable development, eradicate poverty, and enhance resilience to climate change, health crises, and technological disruptions. A Science Agenda is essential to ensure that evidence-based policies drive decision-making at the summit.

Rationale:
Integrating science into the Financing for Development (FfD) framework is critical for addressing the interconnected challenges of our time—climate change, biodiversity loss, inequality, and global health emergencies. The international community’s ability to finance solutions hinges on leveraging cutting-edge scientific knowledge to design innovative, sustainable, and equitable financial models. This Science Agenda emphasises the importance of science, technology, and innovation (STI) as key enablers in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring that development financing is targeted, efficient, and scalable.

Objectives:

1. Integrate Science into FfD Policies:
Ensure that FfD4 outcomes are grounded in the latest scientific evidence, particularly in climate adaptation, renewable energy, and global health, and that scientific communities are actively engaged in policy discussions.

2. Promote Science-Driven Financial Innovation:
Foster new financing mechanisms (e.g., green bonds, climate adaptation funds, and digital finance innovations) informed by scientific and technological breakthroughs, ensuring they address global challenges efficiently and equitably.

3. Support Capacity Building:
Encourage investment in STI capacity, particularly in developing countries, to ensure equitable access to scientific knowledge and technology, thus enabling all nations to contribute to and benefit from sustainable development financing.

4. Enhance Public-Private Collaboration:
Promote collaboration between governments, private sector actors, and research institutions to co-create solutions, leveraging scientific expertise and financial resources to drive development outcomes.

Key Pillars of the Science Agenda:

1. Climate Finance:
Integrating the latest scientific models on climate change impacts and mitigation strategies into financing frameworks, focusing on scaling investments in renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and climate-resilient agriculture.

2. Health Innovation Financing:
Expanding financing mechanisms to support global health initiatives informed by advancements in genomics, vaccine development, and health system digitization, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Biodiversity and Nature-Based Solutions:
Ensuring that scientific evidence on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services informs financial flows to protect natural capital and promote nature-based solutions for climate resilience.

4. Digital and Frontier Technologies:
Harnessing the potential of AI, big data, and blockchain to innovate financing models, improve transparency, reduce transaction costs, and increase the efficiency of development finance systems.

Expected Outcomes:

1. Evidence-Based Financing Frameworks:
The summit will result in financing frameworks grounded in scientific evidence, fostering innovation in addressing climate, health, and development challenges.

2. New Financing Mechanisms:
A series of new and enhanced financial instruments will be introduced, particularly in climate finance, health innovation, and digital transformation.

3. Strengthened Science-Policy Interface:
The summit will help institutionalize a more robust science-policy interface in development financing, promoting continuous engagement between scientific communities and policymakers.

The Science Agenda for FfD4 seeks to position science, technology, and innovation at the heart of the global financing for development dialogue. By aligning financial flows with scientific evidence and advancements, the international community can accelerate progress toward the SDGs, ensuring that development is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient in the face of future challenges.

Speakers

Kurt Zatloukal
Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine, former Director of BBMRI.at, Medical University Graz
Prof. Kurt Zatloukal is full Professor of Pathology and Head of the Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine at the Medical University of Graz, Austria. His research focuses on digital pathology and biobanking, the development of molecular diagnostics as well as the... Read More →

Mei Lin
CEO, People Centered Internet
linkedin.com/in/meilinfung... Read More →

Marleen Temmerman (Convenor)
Professor, The Aga Khan University, Kenya
Prof Marleen Temmerman is Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University East-Africa and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya. She has enormous experience in academia and political... Read More →

Eudy Mabuza
Senior Brussels Representative, Dept of Science and Innovation, South Africa
Ms Mabuza has eighteen and half years of progressive experience in the Public Sector, engaging and negotiating with international agencies to increase bilateral science, technology and innovation (STI) investments towards the South African science system and marketing the country... Read More →

Thandi Mgwebi
National Research Foundation (NRF) South Africa
Thandi Mgwebi is a seasoned leader in the academic and research landscape of South Africa. Currently serving as the Group Executive at the National Research Foundation (NRF), she holds responsibility for Global Partnerships and Business Development. Thandi’s career path has been... Read More →

Henriette van Eijl
European Commision, DG Research and Innovation
Dr. Henriette van Eijl leads the unit ‘Health and Societal Transitions’ in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The Unit ensures that R&I policies and programmes, especially Horizon Europe, support the EU policy objectives in health and... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Online

Financing

8:00pm EDT

[ONLY VIRTUAL] Decolonize Science to Bridge Worlds (SESSION 3/3)

Thursday September 26, 2024 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT

Virtual session

***NOTE: Join the session by registering and clicking the circle checkbox afterward . Please see the date/time and speaker list in each respective session in the SSUNGA program.***

Session 1: What does it mean to do science on Indigenous Lands? (90 mins) -- SEPARATE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
24 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 25 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

The construction and operation of scientific research infrastructures on Indigenous land have been the focus of ethical and cultural debate. At the centre of this debate are observatories on lands of deep spiritual and cultural significance to Indigenous communities. This contentious issue highlights the historical context of colonialism and the juxtaposition of scientific advancement with the disregard for indigenous and local sovereignty.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How does constructing an observatory on Indigenous lands highlight the broader historical context of colonialism and the marginalisation of Indigenous rights?
2) How can integrating traditional knowledge systems and modern astronomy benefit both the scientific community and Indigenous cultures, and what steps are being taken to increase Indigenous participation in the management of observatory sites?
3) Why are these measures essential to reconciliation in astronomy?

Session 2: Colonial Reflection on the Space Exploration (90 mins) -- SEPARATE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
25 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 26 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

The modern space exploration initiatives led by government agencies and the private sector raise ethical concerns reminiscent of historical colonialism. This discourse around space exploration is increasingly addressing the need to identify and move beyond the colonial paradigm. The current approach parallels historical colonialism on Earth and the current ambitions to colonise the Moon and Mars. The decolonisation of space exploration requires a new ethical framework prioritising sustainability, equity, and environmental protection. International treaties urgently need to be updated to reflect these priorities and ensure that space remains a shared and protected environment.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How do the current practices of space exploration by government agencies and the private sector risk repeating the historical patterns of Earthly colonisation?
2) What insights do Indigenous knowledge systems provide that could inform a more ethical and sustainable approach to space exploration?
3) Why is international cooperation and stringent regulation necessary for addressing the issue of space debris and ensuring the sustainability of the space environment?

Session 3: Science Education with Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems (90 mins)
26 September at 00:00 UTC / 15:00 HDT / 17:00 PDT / 20:00 EDT and 27 September 2024 at 09:00 JST

Science education globally has long been dominated by Western and global North perspectives and knowledge. This process has overlooked the rich knowledge systems of Indigenous and local communities. Incorporating knowledge systems into science education is vital to developing more balanced and holistic worldviews, intercultural understanding, and sustainability. There’s an urgent need to bridge these knowledge systems. Educators can create an inclusive curriculum that honours diverse perspectives by doing so. This approach enhances scientific literacy and promotes cultural diversity and equity in education.

This session will critically discuss:
1) How can integrating Indigenous and local knowledge systems enhance science education curriculum?
2) What are some of the challenges associated with incorporating these knowledge systems into the classrooms?
3) How do collaborative partnerships between Indigenous and local communities with educational institutions contribute to developing culturally responsive teaching practices and recognising diverse ways of knowing in science education?

Moderators

Thilina Heenatigala
Assistant Professor/Director of Communications & Lecturer, Earth-Life Science Institute
Thilina Heenatigala (he/him) is the Director of Communications and Assistant Professor at Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) in Tokyo. He leads the outreach team, science communication projects, and teaches the science communication graduate course at ELSI. His research interests... Read More →
DS
Daniella Scalice
Speakers
TS
Tim Spuck
WF
Wendy F. Todd
NC
Nancy C. Maryboy

Thursday September 26, 2024 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT
Virtual session

Indigenous Knowledge

Friday, September 27

7:00am EDT

[ONLY VIRTUAL] Ai and the Disability Community

Friday September 27, 2024 7:00am - 9:30am EDT

Online

Friday September 27, 2024 7:00am - 9:30am EDT
Online

Health

8:00am EDT

Too many preventable breast-cancer deaths in LMICs: innovative approaches to improve early diagnosis to reduce mortality

Friday September 27, 2024 8:00am - 9:30am EDT

TBA

Globally, a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a sister die every minute from breast cancer. Breast cancer is the leading cause of female cancer death in most of the world. Eighty per cent of this cancer burden is in low- and- middle-income countries (LMICs) where only 5% of the global funding is available. The WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative has three key pillars to solve the challenges in breast cancer care, including health promotion, early detection, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive breast cancer management. We bring solutions aligned with these pillars and with our initial focus on early detection using ultrasound (US) and artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence enabled the US to facilitate the implementation of task shifting, thus democratizing access for women at the points of need.

Essential factors to improve care and build health systems include improving women’s agency, equity, and decision power and eliminating barriers to accessing services and interventions. In high-income regions, mammography (MG) is the standard for early detection of breast cancer, yet it has significant limitations in LMICs, first and foremost being lack of access. MG is expensive and requires significant infrastructure (e.g. segregated space, large amounts of electricity, specialized air conditioning, radiation safety measures, regular maintenance and repair, and extensive training). These factors are significant contributors to the fact that most cancers in Sub-Saharan Africa present at late stages (85% in are stages III and IV), mostly too late for cure.

We propose transforming the current breast cancer care model to an accurate, accessible, lower-cost, point-of-need model. We bring hope and solutions for early detection of breast cancer, step one in the continuum of breast cancer.

Speakers

Linda Goler Blount, MPH
Black Women’s Health Imperative
Linda Goler Blount, MPH, is an epidemiologist and President of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, the first national non-profit organization focused on Black women’s health and wellness.Ms. Blount has overseen more than $30 million invested in research to prevent chronic disease... Read More →

Marleen Temmerman (Convenor)
Professor, The Aga Khan University, Kenya
Prof Marleen Temmerman is Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University East-Africa and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya. She has enormous experience in academia and political... Read More →

Dr. James Benedict
Left Tackle Capital and the BeDoWin Institute
James Benedict brings 25+ years of experience in venture capital and private equity. He is a family office investor, human capital partner, and entrepreneur. James is a Co-Founder of both Left Tackle Capital and the BeDoWin Institute, accelerators for high potential venture capital... Read More →

Dr. Miriam Mutebi
Aga Khan University Hospital
Dr. Mutebi is a consultant breast surgical oncologist and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. She is also a clinical epidemiologist and health systems researcher with a research focus on understanding barriers to... Read More →

Dr. Mary Nyangasi
Technical Officer, Cancer and Lead, WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative, World Health Organization
I am a medical doctor and global health physician with a 17-year career experience in cancer clinical care and policy making, program management and leadership.I joined WHO in January 2024 as the Lead, Global Breast Cancer Initiative. I also support the National Cancer Control Planning... Read More →

Dr. Susan Harvey
Curing Women’s Cancer (CWC)
Susan C. Harvey M.D. practiced breast imaging for 30 years, the last 15 years at Johns HopkinsSchool of Medicine where she led the Division of Breast Imaging from 2013 to 2019. She developed clinical excellence in care and built teaching and research programs. Her research focused... Read More →

Dr. Saraswati Sukumar
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Dr. Saraswati Sukumar is a Barbara B. Rubenstein Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Professor of Pathology. Her lab is focused on using methylated gene markers to detect breast cancer. Her current clinical study in Africa is focused on the development... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 8:00am - 9:30am EDT
TBA

Women

8:30am EDT

Africa Rising: Shaping our Common Future Through Geodesy. Implementing the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/69/266 "A Global Geodetic Reference Frame for Sustainable Development

Friday September 27, 2024 8:30am - 3:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (12th floor)

Abstract
In addressing global challenges like climate change, urbanization, and sustainable resource management, accurate geodetic data is crucial for our common future. We aim to elevate the global geodesy supply chain, align geodetic science with policymaking, and advance research through multidisciplinary cooperation. Integrating the African perspective to address unique challenges and contributions is central to our agenda. This meeting focuses on advancing UN Resolution A/RES/69/266, “A Global Geodetic Reference Frame for Sustainable Development,” fostering discussions among Member States, international organizations, and geospatial experts. One of the key topics to be discussed includes the 1st Joint Development Plan for Global Geodesy, aiming to accelerate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Why the Global Geodesy Supply Chain Matters
Geodesy, often called the 'science behind the science,' is the cornerstone of our modern world, enabling precise measurements of Earth's size, shape, gravity field, and rotation. These measurements are essential for tackling global challenges like climate change, disaster response, environmental protection, precision agriculture, and infrastructure development. The global geodesy supply chain supports critical activities—from monitoring sea-level rise and tectonic movements to ensuring the accuracy of satellite-based technologies that power economic growth and safeguard vital infrastructure. Imagine a world without reliable maps, where emergency responders falter or scientists lack the data needed to forecast and mitigate climate disasters. Unfortunately, this indispensable infrastructure is under threat. More than half of the world’s geodetic systems are deteriorating, jeopardizing the resilience of the global geodesy supply chain. Africa, in particular, faces significant geodetic infrastructure gaps. Yet, with these challenges comes great opportunity—Africa holds immense potential to play a pivotal role in revitalising and strengthening the global geodesy supply chain for a more resilient future.

Seizing the Moment: A Call to Action
This event is a call for global collaboration, with Africa at the forefront of efforts to ensure the geodesy supply chain is resilient, sustainable, and capable of supporting the world’s most pressing challenges. This is not just an event; it’s a movement to redefine how we sustain the global geodesy supply chain and, by extension, our planet.

Date: Friday, 27 September 2024
Time: 8:30 am - 3:00 pm ET (UTC-4)
Format: on-site and online event
Location: CURE, 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010, United States

Agenda: All times listed on the agenda are in Eastern Time (ET) - (UTC-4)

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Registration and Welcome

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM Welcome by Ms Eudy Mabuza (DSI)

9:05 AM - 9:10 AM Opening Remarks by Dr Aletha de Witt (DSI)

9:10 AM - 09:30 AM Keynote Address by Dr Richard Gross (NASA-JPL)
Contribution of Geodesy to Sustainable Development and Shaping our Common Future

9:30 AM - 09:50 AM Keynote Address by Mr Albert Momo (GeoDEV International)
The Hidden Risk That Poses a Threat to Critical Infrastructure and Sustainable Development, with a Focus on Africa

09:50 AM - 10:30 AM Session 1 Panel Discussion moderated by Mr Nicholas Brown (UN-GGCE)
Achievements and Ongoing Challenges Since the Adoption of the UN Resolution
Panel: Ms Anne Jørgensen (UN-GGCE), Dr Richard Gross (NASA JPL), Mr Aslam Parker (NGI), Dr Daniel Roman(NOAA),
Dr Laura Sánchez (GGOS)

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Coffee Break

11:00 AM - 11:40 AM Session 2 Panel Discussion moderated by Dr Laura Sánchez (GGOS)
African Perspectives on the 1st Joint Development Plan for Global Geodesy: Sustaining the Global Geodesy Supply Chain
Panel: Mr Aslam Parker (NGI), Dr Roelf Botha (SARAO), Ms Rachael Umazi (RCMRD), Mr Andre Nonguierma (UNECA),
Mr Fernand Eanes Bale, Co-chair (UN-GGIM)

11:40 AM - 12:00 PM Q&A for Panel Session 1 & 2 facilitated by Dr Aletha de Witt (DSI)

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Lunch Break

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Workshop moderated by Dr Aletha de Witt (DSI)
Sustaining the Global Geodesy Supply Chain in Africa
Speaker: Mr Lorant Czaran (UNOOSA)
Facilitating access to space technology for developing countries, with a focus on Africa: UNOOSA’s new strategy and relevance
Speaker: Ms Carla Mitchell (SARAO)
High-Level Lessons Learned and Recommendations from SKA and the SKA Implementation in Africa
Speaker: Prof Francesco Petruccione (NITheCS)
Advancements in Theoretical and Computational Sciences: Opportunities and Challenges for Africa.
Speaker: Mr Fernand Eanes Bale (UN-GGIM)
High level lessons learned and recommendation for an effective Governance and regional collaboration in sustaining the Global Geodetic Supply Chain in Africa.

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Coffee Break

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM Plenary Session by Mr Albert Momo (GeoDEV International)
Pathway for Africa – The Way Forward for Africa

2:45 PM - 3:00 PM Closing Remarks and Q&A facilitated by Dr Aletha de Witt (DSI)

Moderators

Dr Aletha De Witt
Director: Radio Astronomy Projects, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), South Africa
Dr. Aletha de Witt is the Director of Radio Astronomy Projects at the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) in South Africa. With a PhD in Astrophysics, she specializes in advancing global reference frames through high-frequency interferometric observations using radio telescopes... Read More →
Speakers

Dr Daniel Roman
Senior Geodetic Advisor, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), USA
Daniel Roman graduated from the Ohio State University with an MS in Geodetic Science and Surveying in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences in 1999. Dr. Roman has served for 25 years at NOAA's National Geodetic Survey developing geoid models, serving as Chief for Spatial Reference... Read More →

Carla Mitchell (Sharpe)
Africa Programme Manager, South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), South Africa
Carla has been with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) for over a decade. The SKA is an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope, the sheer scale of the SKA represents a huge leap forward in engineering, technology and research & development... Read More →

Dr Laura Sanchez
GGOS President and research scientist, Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), and Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut (DGFI-TUM) of the Technische Universität München, Germany
Dr. Laura Sanchez is a research scientist at the Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut (DGFI-TUM) of the Technische Universität München, Germany. She holds a doctor degree in Geodesy from the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. Her research interests include vertical... Read More →

Mr Nicholas Brown
Head of Office, United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE), Germany
Nicholas Brown is Head of Office at the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence in Bonn, Germany. Nicholas works with Member States and organizations to strengthen their collective impact to enhance investment in the global geodesy supply chain, build capacity, and make... Read More →

Mr Fernand Eanes Bale
Co-chair UN-GGIM, Director CIGN, UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM), Ivorian National Mapping Agency (CIGN) at Bureau National d'Études Techniques et de Développement (BNETD), Côte d'Ivoire
Fernand E. Bale is a senior geospatial specialist with over 20 years of experience. Over the last decade, he has worked with governments, political leaders, and decision-makers to harness the full potential of geospatial technology in addressing sustainable development challenges... Read More →

Mr Albert Hilaire Anoubon Momo
Co-Chair IAC of UN-GGCE, Founder and CEO of GeoDEV International, International Advisory Committee (IAC) of the UN Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE), GeoDEV International, USA
Albert Momo is the Co-Founder and CEO of GeoDEV International, a geospatial consulting firm dedicated to empowering emerging countries with innovative solutions for sustainable development and efficient resource management. For six years he was Vice President and Executive Director... Read More →

Dr Richard Gross
President of IAG, International Association of Geodesy (IAG), and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA
Richard Gross has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory since 1988 where he is a Senior Research Scientist and, since 2006, the Supervisor of the Geodynamics and Space Geodesy Group. His research interests include Earth rotation, time variable gravity, and terrestrial reference... Read More →

Mr Aslam Parker
Chief Director, National Geospatial Information (NGI) of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, South Africa
Mr Aslam Parker is the Chief Director: National Geospatial Information, of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development of the Republic of South Africa. He has in BSc in Geomatics and and MSc in Engineering from Unoversity of Cape Town. Mr Parker is the South African... Read More →

Roelf Botha
Manager of Geodesy Programme, South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), South Africa
Roelf Botha has been involved in various aspets of Space Geodesy since 2004. He is currently the Manager of the Geodesy Programme at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, which operates a fundamental station at the Hartebeesthoek site, outside of Johannesburg.

Anne Jørgensen
Senior Communications Adviser, United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE), and Norwegian Mapping Authority, Norway
Anne Jørgensen is senior communications adviser at the Norwegian Mapping Authority, skilled in strategic communications, engagement, government- and media relations. Now on a two year virtual secondment to the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence (UN-GGCE), to raise... Read More →

Mr Andre Nonguierma
Chief: Geospatial information Management, Geospatial Information Section at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Ethiopia
Andre Nonguierma is currently the Chief of the Geospatial Information Section at the UN Economic Commission for Africa. He oversees the ECA’s work in advancing holistic geospatial information management strategies and governance and providing assistance to African countries and... Read More →

Prof Francesco Petruccione
Professor of Quantum Computing, and Director NITheCS, National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS), and Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Francesco Petruccione is a distinguished physicist and professor with a rich academic history. He commenced his academic journey at the University of Freiburg i. Br., earning his PhD in 1988 followed by the “Habilitation” degree (Dr. rer. nat. habil.) in 1994. In 2004, he accepted... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 8:30am - 3:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Space

9:30am EDT

Youth Parliament at the Science Summit

Friday September 27, 2024 9:30am - 1:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Youth at the Science Summit

Introduction

The Science Summit is an annual event that brings scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders together to discuss and address global scientific challenges. The summit aims to foster collaboration and innovation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Participants share knowledge, present research findings, and explore ways to leverage science and technology for sustainable development. The event typically includes panels, workshops, and networking opportunities, focusing on diverse topics such as climate change, health, education, and technology.

Introduction of the Youth Program
The Youth Program is similarly structured to the science summit but condensed into a one-day event. It is an opportunity for students to participate in a more extensive discussion of science and policy. Utilizing knowledge from previous research and innovation experience, students will outline youth involvement in progressing the 2030 SDG Agenda and actively collaborate to achieve this.

Summit of the Future Contributions
Youth is a central theme of the Summit of the Future, emphasizing the critical role that young people play in shaping a sustainable and inclusive world. Recognizing that today's youth are tomorrow's leaders, innovators, and change-makers, the summit seeks to empower and engage young individuals in global decision-making processes. Through dedicated sessions and workshops, the summit provides a platform for youth to voice their perspectives, share innovative ideas, and collaborate on solutions to pressing global challenges. By prioritizing youth, the summit aims to harness younger generations' energy, creativity, and unique insights to drive progress toward a better future for all.

Leading up to the Youth Program, we will discuss select guiding questions from the 2023 Future Information Package Summit and the Stimulus to Deliver Agenda called the Youth Stimulus to Deliver Agenda (YSDA). This document details feasible and ambitious action items to offset current challenges in accelerating progress towards achieving the SDGs. Additionally, we will consider how the Youth Parliament will collaborate to meet the items outlined in the YSDA.

Selected guideline questions from 2023:

What actions have been successful in bringing about transitions for sustainable development? How can these actions be scaled up to unlock the rapid and profound transitions needed to deliver on the Goals?
What measures can strengthen developing countries' capacity to utilize science, technology, innovation, and data for transformative action?
How can rapid technological change enhance resilience and ensure a people-centred and human rights-based approach to sustainable development?
Guideline question for youth contribution to the Summit of the Future:
What action items have we, as the Youth Parliament, set in place to collaborate to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs? How will we follow up to ensure measures are implemented to achieve the 2030 Agenda with the most significant impact?

Youth Program

09h00 EST Introductory Presentations
The in-person program will be held at CURE, and opening speeches will be given by Declan Kirrane, the chairman of the Science Summit, and Nishka Sharma, the Chairperson of the Youth Parliament.

09h15 EST Introduction of Science Summit Mentors

9h30 AM EST Youth Presentations
This session will be held during the science summit and consists of groups or individual youth proposed speeches on the following topics:
One Health:
Sahana Srikanth
Felicia Iordachi
Jana Abu-Alhaija
Eesha Vanamala
Reema Jafar
Sydney Zhang
Vick Tan
Education & Youth:
Tianjun Zhu
Radhika Unnikrishnan
Environment and Climate:
Nina Goyal
Aritro Chatterjee
Abhith Kasala
Simran Karkhanis
William Tan
Space:
Kabir Sahni
Digital/AI:
Abigail Chiang
Daiwik Dhar
Jay Patel
Sophie Chen
Nayan Patel
Grace Magny-Fokam
Policy, Democracy, and New Governance
Parvathy Unnikrishnan
Rushil Kukreja
Security:
Vivian Nguyen
Development:
Iveena Mukherjee

Each presentation will focus on the items outlined in their respective sections of the YSDA, addressing guideline questions, key points of the YSDA, and action items to collaborate. Presentations on the above areas will follow a similar structure to the Leaders’ Dialogue in the 2023 Summit of the Future Information Package.

11h30 AM EST WAFF Round Table
This roundtable brings together the We Are Family Foundation Youth To the Table delegation, featuring young leaders in research and innovation. They will discuss transitioning from high school science to early career research, address inequities in access to scientific opportunities, and explore diverse career pathways. Panelists will also share their experiences from UNGA79 and NYCW, providing valuable insights for future innovators. The event concludes with a Q&A and information on the upcoming Three Dot Dash Just Peace Summit.

12h15 PM EST Awards
Members and participants of the Youth Parliament have completed academic research or projects in their respective fields of science. Based on proposal submissions, project descriptions, and any necessary follow-up information, we will present five awards to the projects that best impact any one of the 17 SDGs. The judge panel is composed of advanced scientists from various organizations. Specific details will follow.

12h30 PM EST Scientist Networking and Panel Discussions
Beyond the formal agenda, there will be the opportunity for youth to meet leading scientists and we will form a matchmaking service for that.

Contact Us
Youth Parliament Chairperson:
Nishka Sharma: nishkasharma21@gmail.com

Speakers

Krisha Patel
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
CS + Bio @ Harvard | Coca-Cola Scholar 2021

Arthur Lima
WAFF Youth Delegate
He is the founder of AfroSaúde, a healthtech company that connects patients with black health and wellness professionals across Brazil. Arthur’s interest in education and science led him to pursue a master’s degree in Health, Environment, and Work, researching quality of life... Read More →

Ciara Judge
WAFF Youth Delegate
Ciara is an award-winning scientist and science communicator developing improved models to predict disease outbreaks and better inform global health response.She is a final-year PhD candidate in infectious disease modeling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and... Read More →

Ishaan Brar
WAFF Youth Delegate
Ishaan is a global health researcher and social entrepreneur on a mission to ensure access to affordable and equitable healthcare worldwide.Growing up in Bakersfield, California, Ishaan observed a critical gap in access to healthcare amidst a homelessness crisis. He founded Healthy... Read More →

Victor Ye
Victor is a multimedia journalist leading a global movement of civically engaged youth to transform global dialogue.Victor is the Co-Founder and Head Podcaster of UnTextbooked, a platform that advocates for inclusive governance, elevates youth voices, and promotes intergenerational... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Chairman and Managing Director of the Science Summit and Founder of ISC Intelligence
Declan is the Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science and holds prominent roles as the Chairman and Managing Director of both the Science Summit and the Africa Europe Science Collaboration Platform (AERAP). He is also a co-founder of Medicines for Future (MAF... Read More →

Nishka
UNGA Youth Parliament Lead
Nishka Sharma is a SWENexter who is passionate about promoting women in STEM and increasing student access to STEM fields.

Friday September 27, 2024 9:30am - 1:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (2nd floor)

Youth

12:00pm EDT

Science Summit Concluding Plenary: Science at the Crossroads: Shaping Future Global Development Through Innovation

Friday September 27, 2024 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT

UN Headquarters, 405 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, USA

Strictly by invitation.
UN HQ Conference Room 11

The concluding plenary of the Science Summit at UNGA78 will serve as a pivotal moment for reflection and forward-thinking discussions on the future role of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in shaping global sustainable development. As the Science Summit draws to a close, this session will synthesize critical insights and outcomes while setting the stage for continued international scientific collaboration and action ahead of the UN post-SDG Agenda.

Theme: “Science at the Crossroads of Global Transformation”

The plenary will address the pressing need to establish science as a core pillar in global policy discussions, particularly in addressing existential threats such as climate change, pandemics, biodiversity loss, and inequality. It will emphasize the need for a more inclusive and sustainable approach to scientific funding and capacity-building, recognizing that current funding models are insufficient to meet the growing global demand for scientific innovation and research infrastructure.

Key Priorities:

1. Sustainable Funding for Global Science
One of the central themes of this plenary will be the urgent call for sustainable, long-term financing for science and research. With growing recognition of the critical role of STI in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), participants will discuss innovative financing mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships, that can drive investment in research, technology, and innovation, particularly in underfunded regions. This discussion will be aligned with the outcomes of the UN Financing for Development Summit in June 2025, which will play a critical role in shaping how global scientific efforts are funded.

2. Inclusion and Equity in Global Science
Science must be inclusive and representative of diverse perspectives. The plenary will spotlight the importance of ensuring that scientific research, funding, and leadership are accessible to traditionally marginalized groups, including women, early-career researchers, and scientists from low- and middle-income countries. The goal is to promote a more equitable global research ecosystem that fosters innovation from every corner of the world.

3. Science Diplomacy and Global Collaboration
Science diplomacy is more critical than ever in a world increasingly interconnected by shared global challenges. The session will explore how scientific collaboration across borders can be strengthened, leveraging the science-policy interface to advance solutions to global challenges such as health crises, climate change, and food security. Special attention will be paid to the role of international science partnerships in preparing for future crises, in line with the UN Summit of the Future’s focus on global preparedness and cooperation.

4. Building Resilient Research Systems
The plenary will focus on strategies to create resilient, adaptable research systems that respond to emerging global challenges. This includes the need for agile infrastructure, robust data-sharing platforms, and collaborative networks that can quickly mobilize in times of crisis. Discussions will include ways to strengthen scientific institutions in the Global South and foster a more connected global research community.

Conclusion: Shaping the Future through Science

This plenary will underline the critical importance of science in shaping a sustainable, equitable, and resilient global future. It will call for an enhanced commitment from governments, private sector actors, and civil society to place science at the heart of international decision-making, ensuring that scientific innovation remains a driving force behind progress towards the post-SDGs and beyond.

Speakers

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Eudy Mabuza
Senior Brussels Representative, Dept of Science and Innovation, South Africa
Ms Mabuza has eighteen and half years of progressive experience in the Public Sector, engaging and negotiating with international agencies to increase bilateral science, technology and innovation (STI) investments towards the South African science system and marketing the country... Read More →

Dr. Selamawit Hirpa (Convenor)
Addis Ababa University, School of Public Health

Prof. Lise Korsten
President, AAS, University of Pretoria
Professor Korsten is the President of the AAS and Co-Director at the Department of Science and Innovation, Centre of Excellence in Food Security. She chairs the Global Task Force of Food Security for the International Society for Plant Pathology and has addressed the South African... Read More →

Dwita Nitoya Esterini
MMSc in Global Health Delivery, Harvard Medical School
Dwita is a devoted general physician from Indonesia committed to improving community health with experience conducting studies in urban and rural areas. She works with a solid aim to ensure the presence of an opportunity for all to have access to health services. With her particular... Read More →

Andrew Barnhill
IQVIA
Andrew Barnhill is a health care government affairs executive with experience at Fortune 500 companies and a diverse set of healthcare coalitions and political campaigns at the state and federal level. Named by "The Hill" as a Top Lobbyist in two consecutive years (2022 and 2023... Read More →

Professor Sir Tumani Corrah
Founder and Co-President, Africa Research Excellence Fund
Professor Corrah is the Founder of AREF and the first Emeritus Director of the UK Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. For over 30 years Professor Corrah, who is Gambian, has pursued three passions: improving outcomes of inpatient... Read More →

Declan Kirrane
Chairman and Managing Director of the Science Summit and Founder of ISC Intelligence
Declan is the Founder and Managing Director of ISC Intelligence in Science and holds prominent roles as the Chairman and Managing Director of both the Science Summit and the Africa Europe Science Collaboration Platform (AERAP). He is also a co-founder of Medicines for Future (MAF... Read More →

Stefan Tochev
CEO, MDPI
Stefan Tochev, appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MDPI in June 2023, strongly believes in a future that embraces openness, where open source, open information, and open access (OA) take centre stage. This belief led him to join MDPI in 2020. As CEO and in close liaison... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
UN Headquarters, 405 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, USA Conference Room 11

Policy/Democracy

2:00pm EDT

Transforming antenatal care through AI-enabled ultrasound

Friday September 27, 2024 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

TBA

The session will explore the transformative potential of AI-enabled Ultrasound in improving pregnancy care, particularly in underserved regions. Obstetric ultrasound is a critical tool for establishing gestational age, monitoring of fetal wellbeing and for assessing risks during pregnancy and birth to stratify care appropriately and optimise outcomes. However, ultrasound is often inaccessible in resource-limited settings due to the high cost of equipment and the need for skilled operators. AI-enabled ultrasound offers a promising alternative, allowing more novice users to perform accurate ultrasound examinations, thus democratising access to this essential aspect of prenatal care.

After introducing the current challenges in obstetric care in low-resource environments, we will provide an overview of how AI can enhance basic obstetric ultrasound. The session will then transition to the ethical considerations and potential biases in AI applications. Delegates will benefit from a discussion on the latest technologies, products, and the challenges and opportunities of implementing these innovations in real-world settings. A panel discussion with funders and experts will highlight the collaborative efforts required for validation, large-scale implementation, and overcoming logistical hurdles. The session will conclude with a call to action, emphasising the need to move from localised evaluation to national-level adoption, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Speakers

Prof. Aris Papageorghiou
Professor of Fetal Medicine and the Clinical Research Director, University of Oxford
Aris Papageorghiou is a Professor of Fetal Medicine at both the University of Oxford and St George’s Hospital in London. He also serves as the Research Director at the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute and chairs the WHO Maternal Perinatal Health Guidelines Technical... Read More →

Dr. Nidhi Leekha
Consultant Radiologist, Aga Khan University
Dr. Nidhi Leekha is an Assistant Professor and Section Head of Ultrasound at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, where she leads the ultrasound department and is deeply committed to teaching and mentoring radiology residents. With a passion for ultrasound education and innovation... Read More →

Dr. Jonathan Sutton
Philips Ultrasound, Cambridge USA
Jonathan Sutton is a Senior Scientist and Research Group Leader at Philips Ultrasound inCambridge USA and the Innovation Lead for Philips' AI-Enabled Obstetric Application Suiteinitiative with the Gates Foundation. His work in the early innovation arm of Philips has helped bringproducts... Read More →

Ari Moskowitz
Gates Foundation
Ari Moskowitz is the Deputy Director, Devices and AI at gates Foundation. He leads a team that focuses on the introduction of maternal and newborn health innovations, with the aim of reducing mortality and morbidity in low- and middle-income countries through pregnancy risk stratification... Read More →

Prof. Karim Lekadir
Univesity of Barcelona
Karim Lekadir is an ICREA Research Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Barcelona. He obtained his PhD from Imperial College London and was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. He investigates new data science techniques... Read More →

Marleen Temmerman (Convenor)
Professor, The Aga Khan University, Kenya
Prof Marleen Temmerman is Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University East-Africa and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Kenya. She has enormous experience in academia and political... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
TBA

Health

4:00pm EDT

The Lancet Oncology: Cancer Care in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Countries

Friday September 27, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

Science Summit venue (12th floor)

Global Oncology and Health Policy: From Inception to Implementation

A substantial improvement in cancer control is one of the most pressing needs worldwide and requires proactive political intervention aligned with clinical needs. Cancer incidence is rising fast, especially in low- to middle-income countries; health systems need strengthening, and many have yet to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic; prevention measures are inadequate; issues related to planetary health are under-appreciated; timely diagnosis and access to safe, effective, and affordable treatment are out of reach for far too many people; and access to palliative care is poor and in many countries unattainable.

In this session on global oncology brought to you by The Lancet Oncology, world-renowned speakers will address these challenges by illustrating a new country-level review in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, the development of action plans and health policy, financing models and return on investment, considerations related to diagnostics, and examples of successful implementation.

Speakers and running order:

Prof David Collingridge—Chair

Prof Saiful Huq—Cancer Control in SAARC countries: overview and action plan (20 mins)

Prof Hedvig (Hedi) Hricak —Financing for health system strengthening and return on investment: lessons from The Lancet Oncology Commission on cancer imaging (10 mins)

Prof Wil Ngwa—Implementation and successes from The Lancet Oncology Commission on cancer control in Sub-Saharan Africa (10 mins)

Prof Rita Lawlor—Access to diagnostics: key considerations and The Lancet Oncology Commission on cancer ‘omics (10 mins)

Prof Kenneth Fleming— Access to diagnostics: implementation of The Lancet Commission on diagnostics (10 mins)

Q&A session

Speakers

Prof. Wil Ngwa
Director, Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences at Johns Hopkins Medicine
Dr. Wil Ngwa is the PI for the Biomaterial Drones and Radio-immunotherapy Lab at Johns Hopkins Medicine and is Director of the Global Health Catalyst dedicated to catalyzing high impact collaborations to eliminate cancer health disparities in the USA and globally. He completed... Read More →

Prof. David Collingridge
Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet Oncology
Dr David Collingridge is the Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet Oncology and Vice President of editorial strategy and innovation for The Lancet’s large portfolio of clinical journals. Prior to his appointments at The Lancet, he gained a PhD in tumour biology from the Gray Cancer Institute/University... Read More →

Prof. Saiful Huq
UPMC Cancer Center/University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
M. Saiful Huq, PhD is the Director of Medical Physics at the Department of Radiation Oncology at UPMC CancerCenter, Vice President of Physics at D3 Oncology Solutions and Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... Read More →

Prof. Hedvig (Hedi) Hricak
Carroll and Milton Petrie Chair of Radiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Hedvig (Heidi) Hricak, MD, PhD, has been Chair of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Department of Radiology since 1999 and built it into one of the best cancer imaging departments in the world, acclaimed for excellence in both clinical practice and research. Dr. Hricak holds the Carroll... Read More →

Rita Lawlor
Vice Director, ARC-Net, University of Verona, Italy
Rita Lawlor is a Computer Science graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a doctorate in Oncological Pathology from the University of Verona where she is co-founder of the ARC-Net (www.arc-net.it) applied cancer research centre where is director of the ARC-Net biobank and coordinates... Read More →

Kenneth Fleming
Steering Committee, The Lancet Commission on Diagnostics
Dr Kenneth Anthony Fleming, DPhil, MA(Oxon), MB ChB, FRCPath, FRCP, is an Emeritus Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford.He has been an academic pathologist for over 40 years. His research interests include the pathogenesis of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, and... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Science Summit venue (12th floor) 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, USA

Health

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