Africa's Math and Science Stars to Shine at New Centre in Senegal

Mbour, Senegal (ots/PRNewswire) -

Mathematics underpins science, technology and modern society -
from cell phones to computers and satellites. On September 6, 2011,
the Government of Senegal led by His Excellency President Abdoulaye
Wade and international partners will open a new pan-African centre of
excellence for Africa's brightest math and science graduates, in a
beautiful seaside location in Mbour, 80 km south of Dakar.

AIMS-Senegal is the second centre in the African Institute for
Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) network, joining AIMS-South Africa,
which has operated in Cape Town since 2003. The plan to expand AIMS
across Africa is known as the AIMS-Next Einstein Initiative
(AIMS-NEI). The goal is to rapidly and cost-effectively expand
Africa's scientific and technological capacity by providing advanced
training to exceptional African students and enabling them to work
effectively for the peaceful prosperity of the continent.

AIMS-NEI grew out of a wish first expressed by AIMS founder
Professor Neil Turok, now Director of Canada's Perimeter Institute
for Theoretical Physics, that "the next Einstein be African." That
wish has evolved into a plan to create a pan-African network of 15
AIMS centres over the next decade. AIMS-NEI is supported through
public and private funding, including a $20 million investment from
the Government of Canada, provided through the International
Development Research Centre (IDRC). The Government of France is also
a major partner in AIMS-Senegal, providing land for the current and
future AIMS-Senegal facilities through the Institut de recherche pour
le développement (IRD).

The first AIMS centre, in Cape Town, has graduated 360 students
from 32 African countries to date, of whom one-third are women. AIMS
has become globally recognized as a centre of excellence for
postgraduate education and research.

At the September 6 grand opening celebrations, AIMS-Senegal's
first 36 students (selected from over 350 applicants to both
centres), from 14 countries, will be joined by the President of
Senegal and dignitaries from approximately 15 countries to recognize
the centre's many supporters and partnering academic institutions.
These include the Universities of Cheikh Anta Diop, Gaston Berger,
Thies and Ziguinchor in Senegal, the University of Ottawa in Canada,
Universities Pierre et Marie Curie and Paris Sud in France, Humboldt
University of Berlin in Germany, and the University of Science and
Technology of China (USTC) in China.

"Were it not for AIMS, I think I would have stopped studying. Now
I have opportunities I never imagined," says Alexia Nomenjanahary, a
Madagascan alumna of AIMS-South Africa, whose work in mathematical
biology earned her a scholarship to attend a summer school at the
University of Oxford. Alexia will soon join AIMS-Senegal as a
teaching assistant to share her talents and help others realize their
potential.

Tidiane Ba, Minister of Higher Education and Research of Senegal,
says, "AIMS-Senegal will enable our most talented students,
Senegalese and from across the continent, to receive a fully-funded
world-class education here in Senegal. We are proud of AIMS-Senegal
and support it strongly."

"The opening of our second centre, AIMS-Senegal, is a major
milestone towards our dream of a truly pan-African network of
scientific centres where the continent's bright minds can shine,"
says Neil Turok. "As AIMS expands, thousands of talented Africans
will acquire the skills they need to build Africa's future economic,
educational and technological self-sufficiency."

"Africa's future lies in developing the minds of its brilliant
young people," says Rohinton Medhora, Vice-President of Programs at
IDRC. "AIMS is a catalyst for that future and I am delighted to see
it expand with the opening of AIMS-Senegal. This groundbreaking
initiative complements IDRC's longstanding support of outstanding
scholars in developing countries and its tradition of fostering
development through innovation, science, and technology."

"AIMS-Senegal symbolizes what IRD aims to implement: excellence
in teaching and innovative research in a high-quality environment
with engaged national and international partners," says Michel
Laurent, President of IRD. "All these conditions must be present to
enable the emergence of teachers, researchers and the leaders and
entrepreneurs of tomorrow."

About AIMS-NEI

The AIMS-Next Einstein Initiative was launched in 2008 to build a
critical mass of scientific and technical talent across Africa,
capable of driving progress across the continent. AIMS-NEI grew out
of the success of the AIMS-South Africa centre. Every year, about 55
talented students from all across Africa graduate from AIMS centres,
following a ten-month course, with the vast majority continuing to
Masters and PhD degrees. All AIMS students benefit from full
scholarships.

About IDRC

A key part of Canada's aid program since 1970, the International
Development Research Centre (IDRC
[http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Pages/default.aspx ]) supports research in
developing countries to promote inclusive growth and development.
IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other
researchers, and communities around the world. The result is
innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring choice and
change to those who need it most.

About IRD

The Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), led its
President Michel Laurent, is a French public research institution
with the mission of developing scientific projects focused on the
relationship between humans and their environment, especially in
tropical regions. IRD's research covers a wide spectrum of topics
related to developing countries. In Senegal, IRD's work is carried
out at three major sites: the ISRA-IRD joint centre at Dakar-Bel Air,
the International UCAD-IRD Campus at Dakar-Hann and at CIREM in Mbour
where AIMS-Senegal is also located.

Growing Support for AIMS-NEI

To further its ambitious mandate and innovative teaching methods,
AIMS-NEI has so far earned support from the Government of Senegal
(US$1.4 million for the establishment of AIMS-Senegal plus the
donation of a seaside parcel of land), the Government of Ghana
(US$1.5 million for the creation of AIMS-Ghana), Google (US$2
million), the Kavelman-Fonn Foundation (US$600,000 for AIMS-Senegal),
the Government of France (land for AIMS-Senegal valued at US$1.3
million), and the Government of Canada (US$20.5 million, channelled
through Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), to
support the growth of the network). AIMS-NEI is also supported by a
growing number of North American and European universities and
companies through its One-for-Many scholarship program.

For further information:
AIMS-Senegal
Prof. Mamadou Sanghare
+221-33-956-76-93
msanghare@aims-senegal.org
http://www.aims-senegal.sn
AIMS-NEI
Dr. Carolina Ödman-Govender
+27-21-709-0617
c.odman@nexteinstein.org
http://www.nexteinstein.org
IDRC
Dior Mbacke Dia
+221-77-333-0733
dmbacke@idrc.ca
http://www.idrc.ca
or
Isabelle Bourgeault-Tasse
+1-613-302-7837
ibourgeault-tasse@idrc.ca
http://www.idrc.ca
IRD
Dr. Georges de Noni
+221-33-849-83-38
senegal@ird.fr
http://www.ird.fr

ots Originaltext: Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
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