Academy of Science South Africa 2005/6 Annual Report

ASSAfProgramme 3increasing the representation of disciplines such as agricultural science in the membership (work alsoin progress);enhancing cooperation with the Department of Education in promoting the use of Quest magazine(being negotiated);completing by 31 March 2006, the 2001-4 research publishing study originally funded by theDepartment (done); andensuring that, for coordination purposes, the Department had sight of ASSAf’s annual workplansunder the US National Academies partnership (done).General impact of the South African ASADI programmeQualitatively, one can report that the impact of the USNA-ASSAf partnership on the Academy has beenenormous. The momentum given to the Academy’s previously problematically slow trajectory can be seenby comparing the number of staff employed (4 at beginning of 2005; 10-11 in mid-2006). It is also clearfrom the greatly increased volume of activity and pressure of work; the drawing in of ASSAf membersinto its evolving work programme; the much broader realisation of ASSAf’s position as the country’snational science academy; wide recognition internationally through partnering the world’s largest andmost active science academy system, the US National Academies; publication of the first major nationaladvisory report; organisation of an international symposium on evidence-based advice; setting up of newinternal structures to facilitate ASSAf’s future work; and a beginning alliance fashioned with the SouthAfrican Academy of Engineering. The further impact of these developments on ASSAf in the followingyears of the ASADI project will be considerable and, more importantly, so will be the impact of ASSAf onthe welfare and progress of South Africa.List of top five accomplishments in Year OneSetting up the first ASSAf Consensus Study Panel for examining a highly topical issue in the health56 Promoting Excellence in Science for Society