Coordinating, Learning, and Sharing Best Practices Among
Scientific Diaspora Networks
Saturday, February 18, 2012: 10:00 AM-11:30 AM
Room 121 (VCC West Building)
Vancouver, Canada
The large-scale emigration of scientifically trained
individuals to other countries while seeking better opportunities is often
referred to as brain drain. However, this negative connotation obscures the
great untapped potential that these diaspora science networks hold as viable
and ongoing resources for their countries of origin. Although there are many
efforts among scientific diaspora communities to engage productively with their
homelands to improve the scientific capacities of these countries, there has
been to date very little in coordination of efforts, in relating best practices
in these engagements, or in highlighting what works and what does not. This
panel aims to catalyze a conversation about how best to leverage existing efforts
among disparate scientific and technical diaspora networks, to highlight models
for engagement, and to foster greater communications between different diaspora
networks that have much to learn from each other, as well as with governmental
and nongovernmental bodies that aim to strengthen the role of diasporas in
capacity-building in their countries of origin.
Organizers:
Marcelo Vinces, AAAS S&T Policy Fellow, NSF
Pallavi Phartiyal, Union of Concerned Scientists
Marcelo Vinces, AAAS S&T Policy Fellow, NSF
Pallavi Phartiyal, Union of Concerned Scientists
Speakers:
Dr. Nicholas P. Farrell, Virginia Commonwealth University
Wild Geese Network of Irish Scientists: The First Year
Dr. Wael Al-Delaimy, University of California, San Diego
The Arab Spring: A Sunny Forecast for the Diaspora
Scientists
Dr. Cardinal Warde, MIT
Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation:
Driver of the Caribbean Science Foundation
