TWAS ROLAC

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TWAS - ROLAC Regional Office for Latin America
and the Caribbean
Head Marcelo Viana
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History
TWAS-ROLAC started its activities in June 2004,
following an agreement signed between TWAS -
Academy of Sciences for the Developing Word and
ABC (Brazilian Academy of Sciences). Under this
agreement, TWAS-ROLAC is based at the Brazilian
Academy of Sciences headquarters in Rio the
Janeiro. The annual budget is about US 60,000,
which is provided by TWAS. Several activities are
also generously supported by the ABC.
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Organization
During 2004-2008 the Regional Office was chaired
by Carlos Alberto Aragão, a
Brazilian physicist. Since 2009, the Regional
Office is chaired by Marcelo Viana, a Brazilian
mathematician. The members of the Executive
Council are   Francisco Barrantes (Argentina)
Biological Sciences Carlos Di Prisco (Venezuela)
Mathematical Sciences Manuel Limonta (Cuba)
Medical Sciences Harold Ramkinsoon (Trinidad
Tobago) Mathematical Sciences Ranulfo Romo
(Mexico) Neurosciences Rafael Vicuña (Chile)
Biological Sciences
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Mission and Workplan

• The Regional Office seeks
• To enhance the communication between TWAS and
  its members
• in Latin America and the Caribbean
• To coordinate the activities of the Academy and
  its National
• Chapters in the region
• To support the launching of new activities for
  the promotion of
• Science in the region.
•  

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TWAS in the World
Geographic Distribution of Membership - 2008

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TWAS in the World
Members elected in 2008

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TWAS in LA Caribbean
Membership by subject in the region - 2008
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Activities

• The Regional Office has been developing a wide
  range of activities
• Conferences for Young Scientists
• Awarding Scientific Prizes
• Young Scientist Prize
• TWAS-ROLAC Prize
• Election of Affiliated Members
• TWAS-CNPq Fellowship programmes

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Young Scientist Conference
Each YSC focuses on certain designated subjects
and includes presentations (oral posters) by
some 20 young scientists from various countries,
together with senior researchers. Applications
are reviewed by a committee of TWAS Fellows from
the region and the selection is made on the basis
of merit. Participants are provided with
accommodation and meals during the Conference.
They are encouraged to seek travel support from
their home institutions. However, the organizers
try to secure a number of partial travel grants
to help those in need.

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Young Scientist Conference (Cont.)
The 1st YSC was held in Angra dos Reis, Brazil
in 2006, jointly with the 10th TWAS General
Conference and the 17th TWAS General
Meeting. More recently, the YSC has been held
twice a year May and December. The May
Conference is organized jointly with the welcome
conference for new members of the Brazilian
Academy of Sciences. It includes the Award
Ceremony for the Young Scientist Prize. The
December Conference coincides with the meeting of
the Executive Council.

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Prizes
TWAS-ROLAC Prizes have been acquiring increasing
visibility in the region, reflected by a steady
increase of candidate nominations.
TWAS-ROLAC Young Scientist Prize (US2,000)
Awarded every year to up to four young
researchers (40 years old or less) working in the
region, who have made important contributions to
Science. It covers all subject areas of TWAS
(four areas are designated every year).
TWAS-ROLAC Prize (US 3,000)

• Awarded every year, on a rotational basis, to one
  of three major aspects of dissemination of
  Science
• Public Understanding and Popularization of
  Science
• Development of Educational Material and School
  Science Curricula
• Institution Building and the Support of Science

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TWAS-ROLAC Young Scientist Prize 2009

MAURICIO CALDERON NETTLE (Chile) EARTH AND SPACE
SCIENCES RODRIGO CAPAZ (Brazil) PHYSICS ERNEST
O LUPERCIO (Mexico) MATHEMATICS PIERRE MOTHE
ESTEVES (Brazil) CHEMISTRY
Twelve nominations were received. Awards were
delivered during the 5th Young Scientist
Conference, in May 2009. In 2008, the YSP was
awarded in the areas of Engineering, Biology,
Medical Sciences and Agricultural Sciences.
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TWAS-ROLAC Prize

2007 - Public Understanding and Popularization of
Science 16 candidates, from 5 countries Awarded
to Roberto Lent (Brazil) 2008 - Development of
Educational Material and School Science Curricula
10 candidates, from 6 countries Awarded to
Carlos Bosch (Mexico) 2009 - Institution
Building and the Support of Science 11
candidates, from 5 countries Winner to be
announced during the meeting in South Africa
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Affiliated Members
Every year, starting from 2007, five young
scientists (40 years or less) from the region are
elected as Affiliated Members of TWAS, for a
non-renewable five year term. Affiliated Members
must have attained high international standard
and have made significant contributions to the
advancement of Science. The election takes place
upon nomination by a TWAS Fellow. A Selection
Committee is appointed by the Executive Council
to choose the best candidates, keeping in mind
subject area and geographic balance.
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Affiliated Members
Term 2007 - 2012
Ana Maria Camargo Aranha (Brazil) Biological
Sciences Marcelo Knoebel (Brazil)
Physics Ernesto Lupercio Lara (Mexico)
Mathematics Juan Larrain (Chile) Biological
Sciences Gabriel A. Rabinovich (Argentina)
Biological Sciences
Term 2008 - 2013
Fernanda de Felice (Brazil) Neurosciences Jorge
Lauret (Argentina) Mathematics Laurent Raymond
Loinard (Mexico) Earth and Space
Sciences Carlos Gustavo Moreira (Brazil)
Mathematics Santiago Ron (Ecuador) Biological
Sciences
Term 2009 - 2014
Irasema Alcântara-Ayala (Mexico) Earth
Sciences Jose Luiz Badano (Uruguay) Medical and
Health Sciences Alexis Kalergis (Chile)
Structural, Cell Molecular Sciences Stevens
Rehen (Brazil) Neurosciences Stephen Walborn
(Brazil) Physics
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TWAS Fellowship Programmes
The TWAS Fellowship programmes offers over 280
fellowships per year in natural sciences for
postgraduate, postdoctoral, advanced research and
visiting scholars. The fellowships are tenable
in Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Mexico and
Pakistan at specific institutions in these
countries and each programme has its specific age
requirement and eligibility criteria. Applicants
cannot apply for fellowships tenable in their
home country.

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TWAS Fellowship Programmes
TWAS-CNPq Fellowships for Postgraduate Research
in Brazil to obtain a PhD Up to 4 years
Deadline applic 31 August each year
Age limit 30 TWAS-CONACYT Fellowships for
Postgraduate Research in Mexico to obtain a PhD
(new). Up to 4 years Deadline 1
July each year Age
limit 30 TWAS-CNPq Fellowships for Postdoctoral
Research in Brazil 6-12 months
Deadline 31 August each year
Age limit 40 TWAS-CONACYT Fellowships for
Postdoctoral Research in Mexico (new) 6-12 months
Deadline 1 July each year
Age limit 40

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TWAS Fellowships programmes - CNPq Nr. of
applicationsawardees 2004-2008

PhD 2/3 Postdoc 1/3
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TWAS Fellowships programmes - CNPq Nr. of
applicationsawardees by country 2004-2008

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TWAS Fellowships programmes - CNPq Nr. of
applicationsawardees by scientific field

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Work plan for TWAS-ROLAC during 2009

• To organize the 5th (May) and 6th (December)
  Conferences for Young Scientists, both in Rio de
  Janeiro.
• TWAS-ROLAC Young Scientist Prize (4th time).
  Selected subject areas
• Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Earth and
  Space Sciences.- 1st TWAS-ROLAC Prize on
  Institution Building and the Support of Science
  in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• - Selection of five new Affiliate Members for
  the term 2009-2014. - Support and promotion of
  the TWAS/CNPq Fellowship Programme
• (up to 30 PhDs and 30 postdocs).

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Work plan for 2009 (cont.)

• Support the activities of National Chapters of
  TWAS in the region.
• - Keep the TWAS Fellows in the Latin America and
  the Caribbean updated on the activities, awards
  and fellowships of TWAS and TWAS-ROLAC.-
  Facilitate links between TWAS members in the
  region and the TWAS headquarters in Trieste.
• - Update and expande the website of TWAS-ROLAC.

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Collaborators
TWAS ROLAC Secretariat Kenya Carvalho (kenya_at_abc
.org.br) Kley Maya (kley_at_abc.org.br)

TWAS Brazil Gabriella Mello (gfmello_at_abc.org.br)