Academy of Science South Africa 2005/6 Annual Report

ASSAfProgramme 3Promoting South African Science andTechnology capacities for the 21st centuryDr Barney CohenCountry Director for South Africa on the USNA/ASADI partnershipprogramme staff in various relevant divisions. The visit, which involved Dr Xola Mati and Ms BoitumeloMabina, was facilitated by the Country Director for South Africa, Dr Barney Cohen, and inter aliaincluded interactions with the following persons:Meeting with the USNA-ASADI partnership programme staff and other programme staff, as well as aASADI Board chairperson, Enriqueta Bond, who welcomed the visiting delegations from Nigeria(a Council member and new Programme Officer); Uganda (a Council member, new Executive Secretaryand Programme Officer); and South Africa.Richard Bissel, Executive Director of the USNA partnership programmes, outlined some examplesof a number of other partnership programmes that the USNA has undertaken over the years, both atnational and regional or continental levels.Patrick Kelley, Executive Director of the Board on Global Partnership and Board on African ScienceAcademy Partnership Development (BASAD), suggested that achievement of the millenniumdevelopment goals in African science should be a focal development area”.Eileen Chaffness, the Study Director of the Forum on Microbial Threats, outlined what she does in herrole as a forum director, how the forum was constituted, and how it functioned.Carol Heilmann, who represents government as the Director of Health in the US Department of Healthand Welfare, shared her experience as a member specifically of the Forum on Microbial Threats, whileStanley Lemon, who is from the academic sector and also the Chairperson of the Forum on MicrobialThreats, elucidated his role as the chairman of that Forum.Stephen Brickner, from the private sector as the Director of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, which togetherwith other companies co-funds the Forum on Microbial Threats, gave perspectives based on his role asa member of the same Forum.Nancy Carter-Foster, who also represents government as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Health andWelfare Secretary in the US, shared her experience as a member of the Forum on Microbial Threats.The ASSAf delegation had a final meeting with Mary Ellen O’Connell about ASSAf’s planned double50 Promoting Excellence in Science for Society