Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/J50063X/1
Facilitating the flow of information between policy-makers and scientists in Sub-SaDear haran Africa.
Fellowship Award
- Fellow:
- Professor RJ Cornforth, University of Reading, Meteorology
- Grant held at:
- University of Reading, Meteorology
- Science Area:
- None
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- None
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- Through my research and the 12 month scoping study for the ACX, I have already built many excellent personal relationships with key stakeholders and individuals with influential voices at local, national and international levels. I have successfully connected UoR climate scientists and the Sub-Saharan team in CAFOD (NGO) to the IoP Campaign for Africa, to support the teaching of weathe-rclimate science at primary school level in 6 different countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. A proposal will shortly be submitted to Comic Relief for funding. Through using links developed through the West Africa Forecasters Handbook KE project and my co-leadership of a chapter with the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD, Zilore Mumba) to primary and secondary users. The local forecasters as primary users of scientific knowledge of weather prediction, have direct links to secondary users, their customers, in various sectors including agriculture, hydrology and water resource planning, health epidemiology, energy, fisheries, shipping and off-shore oil production. Through my research links with AMMA and Africa-THORPEX. I will use my active participation with researchers to share the learning of the ACX and the opportunities offered to link through to the policy-makers. Through my work linked to Reading?s Internationalisation Strategy. I am currently organising a workshop in Khartoum as part of the University?s Sudan Initiative. This will prove useful in building new relationships with the HEIs and government ministers in Sudan and for meetings with the National Met Services and NGOs based in Khartoum. There will be many subsequent synergies with this initiative that I can use as the Fellowship activities progress. Potential opportunities for generating economic impact: Opportunities to enhance economic impact exist through industry interest in obtaining climate information. I will exploit myc urrent research links to support capacity at African HEIs through jointly supervised research projects, similar to the model used in Reading eg. Hiscox Catastrophe Modelling ? I have just been awarded a CASE Studentship with Dr Hodges (NCEO/ESSC), starting October 2011 working in the Financial service sector. There is a high degree of interest in climate information in relation to hurricane activity linked to African weather systems. Also with Fugro GEOS - Measurement, consultancy and forecasting service for oil companies - interested in understanding the impact of African squal llines on oil platforms in the Gulf of Guinea. In addition, I will exploit the EU summit meetings I participate in, to develop new contacts with industry that have strong investment interests in Africa (eg. TOTAL, Shell, Vodafone). These can be channeled to provide further support for the ACX activities through their charitable foundations. Within the School: Reading is developing a new MSc courses on African Meteorology in partnership with the Met Office. The new research partnerships formed through the ACX will benefit from these courses and the interest in supporting PhD students remotely through joint supervision arrangements with African HEIs. I will bring these to the attention of the HEIs I work with in the Africa ACX to help generate new research and teaching collaborations. We have also had preliminary discussions to link up with the European distance learning course for Sub-Saharan African students, spear-headed by Prof Polcher (Head of AMMA-EU, Director of Research for LMD, Paris). IT Sector: There are also business opportunities for mobile phone communications and cloud computing. The new ESSC Virtual Observatory offers opportunities for linking industry to decisionmakers and end-users. New business investment in mobile Early Warning Systems wil l bring technological development and reinvestment opportunities to Africa with potential job creation . How and why I can make effective KE and impact mo
- NERC Reference:
- NE/J50063X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Knowledge Exchange Fellowships
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- KE Fellows
This fellowship award has a total value of £140,695
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Exception - Other Costs | DI - Staff | Exception - T&S |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,216 | £52,190 | £50,489 | £36,800 |
If you need further help, please read the user guide.