He was elected a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries (TWAS). The recognition went to the professor Giorgio Parisiwinner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics. Parisi was instrumental in launching the TWAS-SISSA-Lincei exchange programwhich offers training opportunities and cooperation visits in laboratories located in Trieste to young scientists from the ‘Least Developed Countries’ identified by the United Nations.
“TWAS is a driving force for the development of scientific capacity in the South of the world and I am honored to be part of it – commented Parisi -. Science in developing countries can and must be a tool for economic and social growth. TWAS has demonstrated with facts how Italy, with its world-class scientific institutions, can play a key role in supporting sustainable development at a global level”.
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The TWAS-SISSA-Lincei program
Launched in 2020, the TWAS-SISSA-Lincei exchange program gave the opportunity to 14 female scientists and 16 male scientists, selected from over 220 applications, to specialize in one of the institutes among SISSA, ICGEB, OGS, INFN, IOM-CNR, University of Trieste and University of Udine. The researchers, aged between 32 and 35, they come from 14 countries: Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia. Their research areas include soil chemistry, sustainable agriculture, plant biotechnology, malaria prevalence studies, mathematical analysis, changes in paleoclimate, terrestrial ecology, biodiversity and food security.
TWAS was founded in 1983 by a group of scientists from developing countries, under the leadership of Hello Abdus, Pakistani physicist and Nobel Prize winner. The Academy’s founders shared the belief that developing nations, by building capacity in science and engineering, could acquire the knowledge and skills needed to address challenges such as hunger, disease and poverty. From the beginning, the Academy has received essential support from Italian scientists and political leaders.
The global scientific academy
Today TWAS is a global scientific academy That promotes sustainable prosperity through research, education, science policy and diplomacy. Together with its partners, TWAS has supported the achievement of more than 1,000 PhDs and offered hundreds of postdoctoral fellowships to scientists in developing countries. TWAS, which is a program unit of UNESCO, also offers prestigious scientific awards in the Global South, has awarded numerous research grants, and supports exchange visits for scientists.
And Parisi is one of 47 new members of the Academy. Among them there are scientists from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, Kenya, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Yemen, countries that are particularly lagging behind in terms of scientific and technological development.
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All countries represented
Three new Members come from countries underrepresented in the Academy: two from Morocco and one from Jamaica. Furthermore, the first Member from Ukraine was elected, further expanding TWAS’ global presence with his affiliation. The remaining 35 new academic members come from Argentina (1); Australia (1); Brazil (7); China (7); Taiwan, China (1); India (5); Islamic Republic of Iran (1); Italy (1); Malaysia (4); Mexico (1); Pakistan (2); South Africa (2); United Kingdom (1); and United States of America (1). The election of the new Academic Members will be effective starting January 1, 2024, and will bring the total membership of TWAS to over 1,400.