Speakers — INGSA 2024

ingsa 2024 CO-chairs:

Professor Rémi Quirion has been the inaugural Chief Scientist of Quebec since July 2011. As such, he chairs the boards of directors of the three Fonds de recherche du Québec and advises the Minister of Economy, Innovation, and Energy on research and scientific development issues. As of September 2021, he is the president of the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA), a network present in over a hundred different countries with more than five thousand members.
Until he was appointed chief scientist, Rémi Quirion was the vice dean for science and strategic initiatives in the faculty of medicine at McGill University and senior university advisor on health sciences research. He was the scientific director of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Centre, a full professor in the department of psychiatry at McGill University and the executive director of the International Collaborative Research Strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Professor Quirion was the first scientific director of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), one of Canada’s 13 health research institutes.
His work helped to elucidate the roles of the cholinergic system in Alzheimer’s disease, of neuropeptide Y in depression and memory, and of the calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP) in pain and opiate tolerance. Rémi Quirion earned his PhD in pharmacology from Université de Sherbrooke in 1980 and carried out his postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States in 1983. He has over 750 publications in prominent scientific journals and is one of the most extensively cited neuroscientists in the world. He has received several awards and honors, including the Ordre National du Québec (Chevalier du Québec, CQ) in 2003, the Prix Wilder-Penfield (Prix du Québec) in 2004, and the Order of Canada (OC) in 2007. Mr. Quirion is a member of the Royal Society of Canada and was also inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was appointed Officer in the Order of Academic Palms of the French Republic, a distinction awarded by the French government that recognizes its contribution to the development of French-Québec relations in research.

Dr M. Oladoyin Odubanjo has been the chairman of the African chapter of INGSA (the first continental chapter of INGSA) since its inception in 2016. He is the Executive Secretary (Chief Executive) of The Nigerian Academy of Science where he also led impactful changes, making the organization more service-oriented, than honorific. Since joining the Academy in 2007, he has designed and implemented several strategies to increase the influence of the Academy as a trusted adviser to the government. He is a public health physician with work and management experience across different sectors including public and private healthcare, government, non-profit and private enterprises.
Dr Odubanjo has helped several organizations strategically and sits on the boards of INGSA, The Conversation Africa, and The Leprosy Mission Nigeria among others. He has provided and advised the government at various times including serving on the National Health Research Committee. He also provided science advice during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2024 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLENARY SPEAKERS

Hon. Gaspard Twagirayezu is the current Minister of Education. Prior to his appointment, Minister Twagirayezu was the Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education.
Minister. Twagirayezu formerly served in the Strategy and Policy Council in the Office of the President. Formerly a STEM teacher, he has led and held positions at the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) and Agahozo Shalom Youth Village.
Minister Twagirayezu is a graduate of Oklahoma Christian University in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr Andrea Hinwood is the Chief Scientist of the United Nations Environment Programme. She is a member of the Secretary General of the United Nations Science Advisory Board and is currently serving on several science advisory panels across environmental health, air pollution, methane and modelling. Previously an Associate Professor at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia she also held appointments as a member and Deputy Chair of the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia and a sessional member of the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia. She served as the first Chief Environmental Scientist at the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in Victoria, Australia. In this role, she developed and implemented programs to enhance EPA’s role as an evidence-based scientific organisation and to prevent pollution and waste impacts on communities and the environment. Andrea's career has included the provision of strategic advice to the government including ozone depleting substances where she was co-chair of the TEAP Aerosol Products Technical Options Committee (ATOC) focused on assessing replacements for cosmetic, convenience, medical, pesticide and miscellaneous technical applications. She has provided advice through emergencies on environmental matters focussing on pollution, air quality, fire and smoke management, biodiversity impacts and emerging contaminants.

Sonja is Head of Division “Research Culture”, German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft | DFG). Before that, she served as Deputy Head of the Division “Quality and Programme Management”. Her focus is on the promotion of equity, diversity and inclusion, sustainability in research processes and safeguarding good research practice. Sonja is a member of the Science Europe Working Group on Research Culture and is engaged in the Coalition on Advancing Research Assessment. From 2012 to 2015 she was Deputy Director of the European Liaison Office of the German Research Organisations (Kowi) and Head of the Bonn office. She was co-coordinator of the National Contact Point for the European Research Council (ERC). Her priorities lay on the funding opportunities of the ERC and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. She is a fully qualified lawyer by training and has been awarded a doctoral degree from the University of Bonn. She has participated as a speaker or moderator in many national, European and international conferences.

Dr. Soledad Quiroz Valenzuela is Deputy director of knowledge management at Universidad Central de Chile, holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Michigan State University (USA) and a Masters in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University (USA). In 2021, she was elected Vice-President for Policy of INGSA, while also becoming a Commissioner of the Global Commission of Evidence to Address Societal Challenges. She is also a member of the Expert Committee of the Latin America and the Caribbean Evidence Hub  (Hub LAC) and the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) of the Partnership Pillar Synthesis SDG Synthesis Coalition. She has been a lecturer, researcher and consultant, specializing in science policy, science advice, and science diplomacy.

Sujatha Raman is Professor at the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS), Australian National University (ANU). She leads the UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good, a flagship program of work on inclusive and integrative ways of bringing science, technology and innovation to bear on the sustainable development goals. She is Associate Editor of the Journal of Responsible Innovation and Engaging Science, Technology and Society. Raman was previously Co-director of the Institute for Science and Society (ISS), University of Nottingham (UK) and Director of the Leverhulme Research Programme, ‘Making Science Public’. Trained in social, cultural and policy studies of science and technology, Raman’s work aims to foster the forms of expertise needed to respond to planetary crises in the context of contemporary demands for justice and equity. She has led and contributed to multiple transdisciplinary collaborations in the global North and South on science/society relations and science/policy issues including environmental and energy transitions, emerging technologies and responsible innovation. Recent publications include ‘The Contextualization Deficit: Reframing Trust in Science for Multilateral Policy’, a collaboration with the International Science Council’s think-tank, the Centre for Science Futures.

Wee Hoe Tan is a Professor and the Deputy Director of the International Institute of Science Diplomacy and Sustainability (IISDS) in UCSI University, Malaysia. He is also the Chair of the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) - Asia. Dr Tan received a PhD in Education, specializing in game-based learning from University of Warwick. He began working between the creative industry and the academia, facilitating university-industry collaboration in Malaysia, UK and US. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, he was a Visiting Faculty at SUTD Game Lab, Singapore, a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow at the Penn State College of Education, and a Visiting Research Scientist at the Play2Prevent Lab, Yale Center for Health and Learning Games. He is also an honorary lecturer of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and appointed as an adjunct professor in UNITAR International University and Sichuan University of Culture and Arts, and a visiting professor of the Guilin University of Electronic University. His research interests spread across various fields in creative multimedia and inventive problem solving.

Dr. Chris Tyler is an Associate Professor in University College London’s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (UCL STEaPP). His research is centred around the topic of institutionalising the use of research knowledge to improve policy makers’ decision making. He has helped establish several science advisory units and systems around the world.
Prior to joining STEaPP, Chris spent five years as Director of the UK’s Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) and before that was the first Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP) at the University of Cambridge.
Chris has a degree in anthropology from the University of Durham and a PhD in biological anthropology from the University of Cambridge. He sits on the Board of the Campaign for Social Science and the Polaris Council for the US Government Accountability Office.

Romain Murenzi is a Physics professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) since January 2024. His research interests include Quantum Physics, Signal Processing, and social science policy. 
Murenzi has served in several capacities over the four (4) decades:
·       Executive Director of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
·       Director of the Division for Science Policy and Capacity Building (PCB) at UNESCO, Paris. 
·       Executive Director of the International Basic Science Program (IBSP), UNESCO, Paris.
·       Rwanda’s Minister in the Office of the President in Charge of Science and Technology, and Scientific Research, and ICT (Information Communication Technologies). 
·       Rwanda’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, and Scientific Research. 
·       Senior scholar and Director of Center for Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Sciences) 
·       Professor at Clark Atlanta University, University of Maryland, Howard University. 
·       Chair of Physics Department at Clark Atlanta University. 
·       Secondary school teacher, Bujumbura, Burundi.
·       Chair of UN Committee for feasibility study for the establishment of the Technology Bank for Least developed countries (LDCs)
·       Member of the UN 10-Member Group to support technology facilitation mechanics for sustaibale development goals (SDGs)
·       Board member of DFGFI (Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund International) and UNESCO-ITU Broadband Commission.
Murenzi holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Burundi, a Master of Science and a PhD from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, a Master of Law degree in Information Technology and Telecommunication from Strathclyde University in the United Kingdom, and an honorary doctoral degree conferred upon him by the University of Johannesburg.

Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science
Tracey Brown has been the director of Sense about Science since 2002. Under her leadership, the charity has turned the case for sound science and evidence into popular campaigns to urge scientific thinking among the public and among the organisations that serve the public. It has launched important initiatives including AllTrials, a global campaign for the reporting of all clinical trial outcomes; and the Ask for Evidence campaign, which engages the public in requesting evidence for claims. In 2010, the Times named Tracey as one of the ten most influential figures in science policy in Britain and in 2014 she was recognised by the Science Council for her work on evidence-based policymaking. In June 2017 Tracey was made an OBE for services to science. Tracey is an honorary Professor at UCL in the Department of Science, Technology and Engineering in Public Policy

Professor Korsten is the Co-Director of the Department of Science and Innovation, Centre of Excellence in Food Security. She is also responsible for the food safety and regulatory control programs within the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security and actively interacts with other researchers in various institutes. She holds the position of chair in the Global Task Force of Food Security for the International Society for Plant Pathology. Prof Korsten has addressed the South African Parliament on Food Safety Control and has developed a national framework for government to develop a Food Control Authority.

She has been able to attract extensive national and international long term funding such as the Water Research Commission solicited research projects “Measurement of water pollution determining the sources and changes of microbial contamination and impact on food safety from farming to retail level for fresh vegetables”, “An investigation into the link between water quality and microbiological safety of fruit and vegetables from the farming to the processing stages of production and marketing” and “Evaluation of the risks associated with the use of rain water harvested from roof-tops for domestic use and homestead food gardens, and groundwater for domestic use and livestock watering”, as well as the 7th EU Framework project “Impact of climate change and globalisation on safety of fresh produce - governing a supply chain of uncompromised food sovereignty.

Prof Korsten developed South Africa's first biocontrol agent for fruit and established a biocontrol research group at the University of Pretoria (1992). She has also established a fresh produce health group that focuses on the food safety of fresh produce and Sanitary and Phytosanitary aspects related to international trade.

Prof Korsten has focussed her research mainly on the complementary fields of postharvest technology and food safety as related to international trade in fresh produce. As a team, the Plant Health and Safety research group has been able to develop several innovative technologies to reduce disease and prevent product contamination. The value of her research programs (Produce Quality and Safety (PQS) and Postharvest Innovation Research) is best illustrated by sustained industry financial support, intensive student training, and publications. Prof Korsten has established a core of researchers and support staff that has been with her for the past 20 years totally funded by the Industry. She has supervised 51 MSc students, 20 PhD students and 11 Postdocs.

As Chief Scientist, Jeremy Farrar will oversee the work of the Science Division, bringing together experts and networks working in science and innovation from around the world to guide, develop, and deliver high-quality health policies and services to the people who need them most.
Prior to joining WHO, Dr Farrar was Director of the Wellcome Trust. In his 9 years there, he oversaw a series of major reforms, restructuring, and growth, with Wellcome now collaborating with partners around the world and focused on fundamental discovery research and three challenge areas of infectious diseases; climate and health; and mental health, all with a commitment to ensuring that equity, diversity, and inclusion are central to the science they support.
Before joining Wellcome, Dr. Farrar spent over 17 years as Director of the Clinical Research Unit at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam. His clinical and research interests have been in integrated health research across a range of infectious diseases and non-communicable illnesses including emerging infections, influenza, infections of the brain,dengue, typhoid, malaria, tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance, and opportunistic infections related to HIV and stroke. Dr. Farrar was the founding chair of WHO’s R&D Blueprint and the founding director of the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) that led to the work of the RECOVERY Trial and the UK COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium.
Dr Farrar trained in neurology and infectious diseases in London, Edinburgh and Oxford in the United Kingdom and Melbourne in Australia. He has a PhD in Immunology from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in partnership with the University of California in San Francisco in the United States of America

Dr. Justine Germo NZWEUNDJI is a Researcher and Plant Biotechnologist, she is the Deputy Director of Research, Valorization, and Innovation at the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM) in Cameroon. She served as the Deputy Head of the Laboratory of Botany and Traditional Medicine. She received the prestigious fellowship UNESCO-l’Oréal for her PhD research in the US at the Tropical Research and Educational Center,
University of Florida, and at Alabama A&M University. She is a TWAS-DFG postdoctoral research fellow at Geisenheim Hoschule University in Germany. She is a fellow of the African Science Leadership Programme of Future Africa at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
In 2022, she received a UMAPS fellowship for research on Science Policy at the University of Michigan. Dr. Justine has been awarded numerous grants and received the 2015 award for the best junior researcher of IMPM. Since 2017, she has been a member of the INGSA-Africa steering committee. She is currently the President of the Cameroon Academy of Young Scientists, and a member of the Global Young Academy where she co-ed the Working Group Science Advice as well as the working group Women In Science. Additionally, Dr. Justine Germo NZWEUNDJI is a member of the Steering Committee of UNESCO Open Science and a fellow of the Female Science Talent Intensive Track fellow 2023 of the Falling Walls Foundation.

Ann and her global team engage with key stakeholders across the research enterprise to establish strategic collaborations and to use analytics and data to address societal challenges in the areas of sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and open science. Ann has held a variety of positions in scholarly communication, including Publishing Director for Elsevier’s journal portfolios in Engineering and Computer Science, and digital development at Cambridge University Press. She serves on the CHORUS (Advancing Open Access to Research) and University Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP) executive boards.

Professor Charlotte Watts is Chief Scientific Adviser and Director for Research and Evidence at the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). She is seconded from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where she is Professor of Social and Mathematical Epidemiology.
Charlotte is the most senior scientist in FCDO, with responsibility for providing scientific advice to the Foreign Secretary, Ministers, the Permanent Under-Secretary, and Executive Committee, including during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies. She heads the Research and Evidence Directorate, which brings together the leadership of FCDO’s expert geopolitical and development advisors, FCDO’s significant research and technology development investments, and jointly oversees (with the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology) the UK’s overseas science and innovation diplomatic network.
Charlotte has a PhD in mathematics, with further training in public health. In her academic career, before joining the UK Government, she made important contributions to infectious disease epidemiology, HIV prevention, and violence research, including showing that domestic violence is preventable. She is a Fellow of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and a Foreign Associate Member of the US National Academy of Medicine. In 2019 was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Manssour Bin Mussallam is a Saudi national currently serving as the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC). In 2016, he founded and presided – until July 2020 – the Education Relief Foundation (ERF) in Geneva, Switzerland, with the purpose of developing, promoting, and incorporating a balanced and inclusive approach to education (BIE), based on the four pillars of interculturalism, transdisciplinarity, dialecticism, and contextuality.
In January 2020, during the III ForumBIE 2030 – International Summit on Balanced and Inclusive Education, held in the Republic of Djibouti, the Education Relief Foundation concluded its activities with the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Balanced and Inclusive Education (UDBIE) by States from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle-East, and with the establishment of a new international intergovernmental organization, the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC).

Sir Geoff Mulgan is Professor at University College London, in the Science, Technology and Public Policy team.   He was CEO of Nesta, the UK's innovation foundation from 2011-2019 and from 1997-2004 Geoff had roles in UK government including director of the Strategy Unit and head of policy in the Prime Minister's office.  He works as an adviser with many governments, companies, foundations and cities.   He has been a reporter on BBC TV and radio and was the founder/cofounder of many organisations, including Demos, Uprising, the Social Innovation Exchange and Action for Happiness.  He has a PhD in telecommunications, was visiting professor at LSE and Melbourne University, and senior visiting scholar at Harvard.  He currently chairs a European Union programme on ‘Whole of Government Innovation’. Books include ‘The Art of Public Strategy’ (OUP), ‘Good and Bad Power’ (Penguin), ‘Big Mind: how collective intelligence can change our world’ (Princeton UP), ‘Social innovation’ (Policy Press, 2019),  ‘Another World is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination’ (Hurst/OUP, 2022) and ‘When Science Meets Power’ (Polity, 2024).

Mathieu Ouimet is a full professor in the Department of Political Science at Laval University, as well as the first General Director of the International Francophone Network for Scientific Advice (RFICS). He is also a member of CIRST. His research program focuses on the transfer and use of research evidence in governments and parliaments. His work has notably been published in leading scientific journals such as Evidence and Policy and Science Communication. Mathieu Ouimet teaches research methods and evidence-informed policy.

Dr. Shaheen Motala-Timol holds a Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry and is a quality assurance practitioner with more than 14 years working in senior roles in external quality assurance in higher education in Mauritius. She has been heading the Regulatory and Accreditation Division of the Higher Education Commission Mauritius since 2020. She has served as a reviewer and consultant for several international and governmental regulatory bodies. She joined Middlesex University Mauritius, the branch campus of Middlesex University UK, in March 2024 as the Head of Academic and Quality Enhancement. Her current research focuses on the challenges and opportunities of cross-border higher education, examining the impact of internationalization policies in Mauritius.
She was a Hubert H Humphrey Fellow at Pennsylvania State University in 2016-2017 and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for International Higher Education, Boston College. She is an alumna of the Global Young Academy, where she was a member of the Executive Committee in 2017. Since June 2021, Dr. Shaheen Motala-Timol has been a member of the Steering Committee of the African Chapter of the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA-Africa), whose aim is to strengthen the science-policy interface in Africa.

Prof. Alfred R. BIZOZA is a Professor of Agricultural Economics from the University of Rwanda (UR). He is an influential academician and policy analyst. He has published several impactful papers and book chapters and significantly contributed to the drafting of various polies, strategies, national reports in Rwanda elsewhere in Africa. He has been a visiting scholar at different universities and research institutes such as Michigan State University in the USA and Cambridge University, UK. Furthermore, Bizoza serves in different research networks, boards, and platforms as a member, a team leader or chair person. For instance, He is the team leader of INGSA Africa Hub- Rwanda, he serves on the board of Africa Food Fellowship Programme, Mentor and Coach of the AGRA’s CALA programme, Chair of Board of the Authentic Word Ministries in Rwanda, and Founder and President of the HLC-L4D, a Policy Research and Mentorship Centre. Also, he combines his career with motivational education and coaching on personal development especially for the youth to empower them to fulfil their potentials towards their personal and country’s development. Previously, Bizoza served as an Economist Board Member of the National Bank of Rwanda upon appointment by the Government’s Cabinet during 2013-2018.

Ambassador Macharia Kamau is currently serving as Ambassador and Special Envoy of the East Africa Community Facilitator on DRC, appointed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, he is also a Senior Advisor to the Group President and Managing Director of the Trade Development Bank Group (TDB), focusing on strategic partnerships. Ambassador Kamau holds prominent roles as a Commissioner at the International Science Council (ISC) in Paris, France, and as a Board Member of the United Nations Secretary-General's Peace Building Fund in New York, along with advisory and director positions in Equity Group Foundation and other organizations. With 24 years of experience with various United Nations agencies worldwide, he notably co-led the UN negotiations on the sustainable development goals and the global negotiations for the UN sustainable development agenda. Ambassador Kamau, a passionate advocate for sustainable development, holds degrees from Wooster College and Harvard University and is recognized for his contributions with numerous awards and decorations. He is committed to philanthropy through Redhill Philanthropies and continues to share his expertise through speaking engagements globally.

Dr. Connie Nshemereirwe is an independent Policy and Science Facilitator and acts at the science and policy interface as a writer, speaker, and trainer. She is currently the Director of the African Science Leadership Programme based at Future Africa, University of Pretoria, and also hosts a podcast titled "A is not for Apple", which explores options for transforming African Education Systems.
Dr. Nshemereirwe is a past Co-Chair of the Global Young Academy, was previously a member of the Technical Advisory Group supporting the work of the Global Commission on Science Missions for Sustainability, and is a fellow of the International Science Council, where she is also part of the 11-member member inaugural Fellows Board
Dr. Nshemereirwe received her PhD training in Educational Measurement from the University of Twente, Netherlands, in 2014, and before that was a Senior Lecturer at the Uganda Martyrs University, with a joint appointment in the Faculty of the Built Environment and the Faculty of Education. She also holds a Masters in Educational and Training Systems Design from the University of Twente, and a BSc. in Civil Engineering from Makerere University, Uganda.
She was previously a featured speaker and moderator at the INGSA conferences in Brussels & Tokyo.

Adeline coordinates the storytelling working group within the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition. She collaborates closely with frontline communities to amplify their narratives, igniting advocacy efforts for transformative change. Her commitment extends further as a member of the inaugural Loss and Damage Youth Grant-making Council, mobilizing crucial funds for projects addressing the impacts of loss and damage in vulnerable communities.

Assoc. Prof. Kayihura Muganga Didas is an experienced Practitioner of Law, an Associate Professor of Business Law, and a Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the research industry and academia, Arbitration, and Public Speaking. Strong education professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused on International Business/Trade/Commerce from Utrecht University. He has strong managerial skills both in academia and in the practice of Law, but also on-board membership. He is a Certified trainer in Mediation, Arbitration, Negotiation, and Legal practice, and has also strong experience in Business transactions.

Professor Forrester is Chief Scientist for UWI SODECO (Solutions for Developing Countries) and Professor of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies (UWI). He is a clinical scientist with a longstanding interest in the etiology and pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, primarily hypertension as well as metabolism in severe childhood malnutrition. He is the founding Director of the Tropical Medicine Research Institute and spearheaded the merger of the Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, Sickle Cell Unit, and the Epidemiology Research Unit on the Mona Campus of the UWI in Jamaica, and the Chronic Disease Research Centre at the Cave Hill Campus of the UWI in Barbados.
UWI SODECO has two divisions, Solutions for Medicine focusing on biological interventions to enhance human resilience, and Solutions for Society, the latter focuses on solutions for socio-economic problems impairing development.
Professor. Forrester has received several awards in recognition of his work. In 2003, he received the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research at UWI. In 2006, he was the recipient of the prestigious Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence, one of the Region’s leading recognition programs. That same year, the inaugural Caribbean Laureate also earned the Boehrigher Ingleheim Award for Hypertension Research in Developing Countries. Professor Forrester was awarded national honors in 2012 when he received the Order of Jamaica for his work in science. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London) and a Founding Fellow of the International Science Council.
He has served in an advisory capacity to several health organizations, including the Caribbean Community’s Caribbean Commission of Health and Development, the Caribbean Health Research Council, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Society of Hypertension, the Pan American Health Organization (Advisory Committee on Health Research), the United Kingdom Medical Research Council, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization. He is a founding Fellow of the International Science Council and the Chairman of the Foundation Fellows Council for the Fellowship of the International Science Council since 2022.

Kristiann  Allen has worked at the intersection of science and public policy in multiple contexts globally, including sub-national, national (federal), and multi-lateral systems. She has served as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor NZ, as well as consulted on the establishment of government science advisory mechanisms internationally.
Kristiann has been the Executive Secretary of INGSA since it was founded.

Rokia (she/her) is the Project Coordinator for INGSA-Europe and has facilitated the work of the INCLUSIVE project which explores the influence of language and culture on science advice in Europe. She is also a PhD researcher in the Science and Technology Studies department at University College London. Her research looks at the development of social science for policy about vulnerable population and structural determinants of inequality in the UK. Alongside this, Rokia is Co-chair for Science London, a voluntary organisation who support science communicators and public engagement organisations to employ equitable practices in their outreach work.

JAMES WILSDON is a transdisciplinary social scientist and meta-researcher who works on the governance of science and research, and the relationship between evidence and decision-making. In 2023, James joined UCL as a professor of research policy, from where he leads the Research on Research Institute (RoRI), which he co-founded in 2019 with a mission to accelerate transformative research on research systems, cultures and decision-making.
 
Since the late-1990s, James has worked at the heart of science and research policy in the UK and internationally. In addition to academic posts at the universities of Sheffield, Sussex and Lancaster, he has worked in think tanks, NGOs and as director of science policy for the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences. As a researcher, writer, adviser and campaigner, James has advanced concepts such as upstream public engagement, science diplomacy, responsible metrics and responsible research assessment. With Sir Peter Gluckman, James was one of the founders of INGSA, and from 2014 to 2021, he served as its first vice-chair. He is a fellow of the International Science Council and the UK’s Academy of Social Sciences.

SESSION SPEAKERS

Alma, a chemist with expertise in neuropharmacology and experimental therapeutics, holds a PhD in scientific and technological development for societal benefit. She has served as an advisor to Mexico's Congressional Science and Technology Committee and is a member of organizations such as INGSA, OWSD, and GYA. In academia, she promotes the teaching of introductory courses in evidence-informed policies, shapes the next generation of scientists as a guest professor at CINVESTAV and is a co-founder of the Mexican Association for the Advancement of Science (AMEXAC).

Petra is the Director of the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia-Pacific, which is currently based at the Australian Academy of Science. In this role, she heads up a team focusing on raising the voice of science from and within Asia and the Pacific.
She has over 30 years of experience working across academia, government, and the not-for-profit sector, all with a common thread of promoting evidence-based solutions to environmental and societal sustainability challenges. With a passion for incentivizing collaborations around scientific solutions to global environmental challenges, she has held a multitude of roles at the intersection of science, conservation, impact, and policy. She holds a Ph.D. in molecular ecology and has spent many years working on issues relating to the impacts of climate change on socio-ecological systems.

Ms Indigo Strudwicke, PhD Researcher, UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good, Australian National University.
Indigo Strudwicke is a PhD researcher at the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, where she is motivated to understand the connections between science communication, narratives, decision-making, and transformative change. She is a chemist and science communicator by training and spent four years working in science policy advice at the Australian Academy of Science before moving into full-time research. Indigo is a co-author on the International Science Council report ‘The Contextualisation Deficit: Reframing Trust in Science for Multilateral Policy’, and in 2023 was announced as a Westpac Future Leader.

Salvatore was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the International Science Council in January 2023. Previously he led the ocean science portfolio at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, was executive secretary of the UN Secretary-General’s scientific advisory board, senior science officer at UNESCO, senior research fellow at the United Nations University, chief of programme at the Convention on Biological Diversity and researcher at the University of Delaware. A biologist and oceanographer by training, he has (co)authored close to one hundred scientific and technical publications and has been involved in journals’ editorial committees / acted as book editor. His current academic  engagements include affiliate professor at the Parthenope University of Naples and the International Institute of Diplomacy and Sustainability at UCSI University in Malaysia, and supervision graduate students.

Total of more than 25 years of progressively responsible experience in the field of environmental sciences, 21 of which on the international platform on issues of development in developing and developed countries with a focus on natural resources management (water and environment). Twenty years working at UNESCO, eight years of experience in the field of bioremediation of hazardous chemicals, and ten years in municipal water and wastewater purification. Experience includes representing UNESCO in Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, and the African Union; Chief of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Unit, Global Coordinator of UNESCO’s Water for Human Settlements Programme, Regional Hydrologist for Africa, university lecturing, designing, and executing innovative bench-scale treatment systems and mathematical model developments for further scale-up purposes as well as in-situ testing for verification, groundwater remediation and waste management. Authored and co-authored several scientific journal papers and book chapters.
As of 1 July 2023, Director and Representative a.i. of UNESCO’s Multisectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa, in Nairobi.

Kevin is the Director of the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD), a partnership between the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the South African National Research Foundation (NRF). Here he has overseen the establishment of 11 regional offices and language centers around the world, as well as an annual call for proposals that has supported over 200 projects targeting audiences in over 100 countries. He has facilitated the establishment and growth of the African Astronomical Society and currently serves as an ex-officio member of their Executive Committee. He currently chairs the organizing committee of the triennial IAU General Assembly taking place from 6-15 August 2024 in Cape Town (the first time in Africa). Kevin also serves in various roles including member of the executive of the South African Astronomical Observatory; Governing Board of the International Training Centre in Astronomy under the auspices of UNESCO; Working Group on the South African National Astrotourism Strategy; Steering Committee of the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, etc. With an experimental nuclear physics background and experience from many community development initiatives in post-apartheid South Africa, Kevin was previously named one of the Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans, received the National Science and Technology Forum’s Science Communicator award, and in 2016 was jointly awarded the Edinburgh Medal, together with the IAU, for "the creation and practical establishment of the Office of Astronomy for Development, which integrates the pursuit of scientific knowledge with social development for and with those most in need".

Chagun operates at the nexus of data, policy, advice, and international engagement aspects of science, technology, and innovation. Currently serving as Chief Policy Adviser, he provides policy support to initiatives of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
He is engaged in initiatives related to the governance of emerging technologies, promoting deep tech innovation and startup ecosystem, technology foresight, and institutional mechanisms for strengthening ‘science-policy’ interfaces, both domestically and internationally. Chagun played a catalytic role in facilitating the Chief Science Advisers Roundtable (CSAR) 2023 meetings and official proceedings during India’s G20 Presidency.
Additionally, he co-founded the Science Policy Forum—a community-centric organization dedicated to fostering stakeholder engagement in science-policy endeavors. Chagun earned his PhD in Space Electronics and Digital Systems from the University of Rennes 1, France, followed by postdoctoral research engagements with the École Polytechnique de l'Université de Nantes, France. He has augmented his academic credentials with professional training in science and technology policy and diplomacy from Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, and the United States.

Ms. Remya Haridasan is working as a Scientist in the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. She is an Electronics & Communication Engineer and she did her masters in Electronics with specialization in Nuclear Engineering from Homi Bhabha National Institute,
Mumbai. Before joining the Office of PSA, she worked at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai for 7 years on the design and testing of control systems for nuclear power plants. In her current role at the Office of PSA, she is working in the areas of S&T Policy and Governance. She is driving the "One Nation One Subscription" initiative of the Government of India. As part of global engagements, she coordinated the agenda on "Expanding access to scholarly scientific knowledge" as part of the G20-Chief Science Advisers' Roundtable organized by the Office of PSA during India's G20 presidency in 2023. She is the project coordinator for R&D projects funded by the Office of PSA in areas such as explosive detectors, energy transitions for net-zero, human brain mapping, quantum technologies, high-temperature materials, and Advanced Ultra Supercritical (AUSC) Technology for thermal power plants, etc. She is also working in the area of biosecurity.

Dr Dorothy Ngila advances her career at South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) as a director in the Business Advancement division. She coordinates the NRF’s contribution to the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in sub-Saharan Africa and advances the NRF’s engagement in regional and global knowledge networks. She is interested in institutional capacity strengthening in Africa (with a focus on scientific institutions), how scientific boundary organizations interface science and policy (with a focus on academies of science and public funding agencies) and integrating gender and intersectionality in science (with a focus on women). Dr Ngila has extensive experience as a programme and research management leader. Examples of large and complex research programmes she has co-led are the Covid-19 Africa Rapid Grant Fund (CARGF), the O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI), and the u’GOOD research programme on young people and relational wellbeing in the Global South. Dr Ngila serves on the Advisory Board of the Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) and on the Global Research Council (GRC) Executive Support Group. She has previously served as both a co-chair and member of the GRC Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Working Group, and is a past chair of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) South African National Chapter. Dr Ngila holds a PhD (Science and Technology Studies) from Stellenbosch University.

Chomora Mikeka is the Director of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) in the Ministry of Education (Malawi Government) and an Associate Professor of Physics (Wireless Communications) at Chancellor College, University of Malawi. He holds a Doctorate in Engineering from the Division of Physics, Electrical, and Computer Engineering at Yokohama National University, Japan (2012), and is the Chairperson of the African Standards Organization (ARSO TC 78 - Medical Devices), National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), Pharmacy, Medicines and Regulatory Authority (PMRA) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Medical Devices Forum Technical Working Group. Associate Professor Chomora Mikeka is recently appointed to the Malawi Space Agency Taskforce.
Director Chomora Mikeka is, on behalf of the Malawi Government, the 1st Vice Chair for the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology (AU STC-EST) 4th Bureau (2022 to 2024). In addition, he is the Co-Chair for the African Union, European Union (AU-EU) High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) driving the AU-EU Innovation Agenda.

Dr. Eugene Mutimura is the Executive secretary for the Rwanda National Council for Science and Technology (NCST). Dr. Mutimura was the Minister of Education in the Republic of Rwanda in 2017-2020. Earlier, he worked at the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) in Kampala as the Coordinator 24 Eastern and Southern African Centers of Excellence funded by the World Bank. The goal was to fund research, pedagogy and innovation growth at 16 Universities in 8 countries — Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Zambia. Dr. Mutimura was also the director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded program of International Epidemiological database to Evaluate HIV and AIDS (IeDEA) in Rwanda, Burundi and Cameroon. He was a Fulbright scholar in 2006/7 at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA, an experience that contributed to his research publications in HIV-associated cardiometabolic diseases. He obtained large-scale research grants including the 5-years D43 Grant on scientific capacity building to Rwandan scientists in HIV- and ART- associated Cardiometabolic research. Dr. Mutimura’s experience and contribution to academia, scientific discovery and policy provides prospects for leadership in Africa to utilize disruptive technologies to catalyze novel investigations that lead to innovation and development.

Binyam Sisay Mendisu is a Professor of African Languages and Linguistics at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University in Sharjah, and the Associate Director of the institute. Binyam’s research considers language as an archive of local knowledge and memory, and he has taken a keen interest in matters of language and education, science leadership and evidence-informed policymaking. He taught at Addis Ababa University (2008-2016), and he was the founding Dean of the Faculty of Humanities (2010-2012). Recently, he worked as an education specialist at the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) leading programs and projects on teacher policy development, mother tongue and early childhood education in several countries in Africa. He is an alumnus of the Global Young Academy (GYA) where he was a co-lead of the Science Advice and Fundamental Science working groups. He is a facilitator and Steering Committee member of the African Science Leadership Program (ASLP), at the University of Pretoria. In 2020, he was one of the global expert steering committee members convened to debate and rearticulate human development for the 21st century, a joint initiative of UNDP and the International Science Council (ISC). He was the receiver of the 2019 INGSA Research Associate fellowship and currently serves as a member of the Governing Board of the International Network of Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) and Vice President for Capacity Development. Since 2022, he has been a fellow of the International Science Council (ISC).

Ahmed Bawa is a professor at the Johannesburg Business School at the University of Johannesburg. Until September 2022 he held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Universities South Africa (USAf).
Until the end of April 2016, he was Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Durban University of Technology. Before that, until August 2010, he was a faculty member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Hunter College in the City University of New York until August 2010. During this period, he was also Associate Provost for Curriculum Development at Hunter College. He also taught at the Graduate Centre, City University of New York.
He has served as the Program Officer for Higher Education in Africa with the Ford Foundation and during this time led and coordinated the Foundation’s African Higher Education Initiative.
Ahmed Bawa holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Durham. He has published in the areas of high energy physics, nuclear physics, higher education studies and in science and society.
He is Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa as well as the Academy of Science of South Africa. He is an Affiliated Professor at Tokyo College, University of Tokyo and is Member of Board and Steering Committee of the New University in Exile Consortium.

Dr. Marga Gual Soler is a leading figure in science diplomacy, contributing significantly to its establishment as a research, policy, and education domain globally. She is currently the Head of Science Diplomacy Capacity Building at the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) and serves as an expert and advisor to various science diplomacy processes and organizations, such as the European Commission, the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Science Diplomacy Center, and the Square Kilometre Array Organisation.
Previously, Dr. Gual Soler directed projects at the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy, developing innovative educational programs and facilitating scientific cooperation, including re-establishing US-Cuba scientific ties post-2015 diplomatic normalization. She was a high-level advisor to former EU commissioner Carlos Moedas, a member of the S4D4C and InnSciDE Horizon 2020 projects, and is a co-founder of the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance.
Dr. Gual Soler earned degrees in biology from the University of Barcelona, a PhD in Molecular Cell Biology from the University of Queensland, and has completed executive education at Georgetown University, Harvard Kennedy School and NTU Singapore. Notably, she was part of a major 2019 Antarctic expedition promoting women's leadership in sustainability and was named a 'Young Global Leader' by the World Economic Forum in 2020.

Alexis Roig is the CEO of SciTech DiploHub, the world-leading think-and-do tank working at the intersection of science, technology, and foreign affairs, where he leads an international team of over 20 members committed to empowering science and technology to face global challenges.
He also serves in the pioneering role of Barcelona’s Chief Science and Tech Envoy, bringing the voice of evidence-based urban policies and innovations before the UN’s ECOSOC, UNESCO, UNFCCC, the International Science Council, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the European Committee of the Regions, among other international organizations. He has over 15 years of experience as a Senior Advisor on Science Diplomacy for ministries of Foreign Affairs, Science, Research, and Education across Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
His academic roles include being a Professor at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), Associate Researcher at the United Nations University (UNU) and the Barcelona Centre for International Relations (CIDOB), Associate Professor at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the Barcelona Institute for International Studies (IBEI). Professor Roig is a founder and board member of numerous non-profits and think tanks on Public Diplomacy, Science Advice, and Innovation Policy.
He serves as an advisor to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation of the Government of Spain, and to the European Commission and the United States’ Department of State on their respective Science, Technology, and City Diplomacy strategies and has served as Commissioner for International Affairs of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region.
Alexis Roig has developed numerous policy reports, strategic plans, and training programs in Science Diplomacy for regional and national governments of the United States, Mexico, Chile, Spain, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, China, Korea, and Japan. He has taught in institutions such as Harvard University, Georgetown University, Sciences Po, CEIBS, Fudan University, Tsinghua University, and Johns Hopkins University, and in the last decade trained over 800 government officials from over 40 different nationalities.

John supports efforts to address health and broader societal challenges using the best available research evidence and experiences and insights from citizens, professionals, organizational leaders, and government policymakers. He is co-lead of and lead report writer for the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges, as well as co-lead of Rapid-Improvement Support and Exchange (RISE) and co-lead of the Evidence-Support Network for Canada. He was co-lead of the COVID-19 Evidence Network to support Decision-making (COVID-END). He is the Director of the McMaster Health Forum and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Evidence-Informed Policy. He is a Professor in the Department of Health Evidence and Impact at McMaster University and the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Evidence-Support Systems. He holds an MD from Queen's University, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a PhD (in Health Policy) from Harvard University.

Gift A. Kadzamira is the Director General of the National Commission for Science and Technology whose vision is to unlock the potential of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) for a knowledge-based society through the strengthening of the National Innovation system and its governance system among others. 
Gift is a seasoned STI player having been in the industry for over 20 years, 12 years of which have been spent at NCST. She has knowledge and skills in research and innovation management and holds an MSc Degree in Electronic Information Management from the Robert Gordon University; Scotland, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Malawi. She also has professional qualifications such as a Postgraduate Diploma in an African Leadership Course in ICT (ALICT) aimed at advancing the knowledge society development across ministries and organizations; Research Management; Intellectual Property Rights; Gender in STI; Technology Transfer and commercialization from the University of Witwatersrand and the Southern African Research and Innovation Association (SARIMA); Science Diplomacy from AAAS and TWAS; Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in Africa Certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School and also the Transformational Innovation, Transformation, and Resilience for Sustainable Development Certificate from Lund University in Sweden.

Rita Agha is a PhD candidate at the UNESCO Chair in Science Communication for the Public Good housed within the Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science.

Nadira Karunaweera is the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka. She is the Chair and Senior Professor of Parasitology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, an honorary Visiting Fellow at, the School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA, and an adjunct Professor of Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, India. Trained as a Medical Parasitologist she is among the World’s Top 2% of Scientists in the list of outstanding researchers prepared by Elsevier BV, Stanford University, USA (since 2019).
Nadira is an elected Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and an honorary International Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Nadira spearheaded the establishment of the Sri Lanka National Chapter of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), was the Founder President of that organization (2018/2021), and former President of the Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists.
She has published widely with a Google Scholar h-index of 38 and i-10 index of 95 and authored over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles with over 5000 citations, many abstracts of presentations, several book chapters, and shares the ownership of 5 patents.

Prof. Dr. Sameh Soror is a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Helwan University, and founding Director of the Centre for Scientific Excellence "Helwan Structural Biology Research (HSBR)". 
Sameh is the chair of the biotechnology executive board of the Arab-German chamber of Industry and commerce. He served as supervisor of the specialized councils and as the foreign secretary and supervisor of the cultural and scientific relations sector at the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT). Prof. Soror is a member of the IAP International Advisory Committee for COVID-19 and a member of the International Network of government science advice-Africa Steering Committee. He was a member of the International Science Council (ISC) advisory committee and the head of the NAM S&T Center membership committee. He was the Co-Chair of the GYA. He has been selected as a member and secretary general of the Council of Education and Scientific Research Policies at ASRT. He is a research consultant at King Abdulaziz University. 
Sameh Soror has a profound expertise in participation and managing research grants. He was a member of the National Committee of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the National Committee of Crystallography in the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research (ASRT) and he served as a board member of the Global Council of the IAP Science Education Program (SEP). He is a cofounder of the Egyptian Young Academy of Sciences (EYAS) and a member of its advisory board. He is a member of the steering committee of the INGSA-African chapter and was a member of the committee that oversees the IAP project on “Harnessing science, engineering, and medicine to address Africa’s challenges”, in partnership with the Institute of Advanced Study (Princeton) and funded by Carnegie Cooperation of New York. He was head of the membership committee of the NAM S&T center and a member of the GRC executive committee. 
Awards
Prof. Soror was awarded two patents from the US Patent Office. 
He was lionized by the World Economic Forum during the meeting of new champions in Tianjin, China. He was awarded the state Prize for advanced technological sciences, which supports medical sciences.
He was awarded the Helwan University Prize in basic science, and the Helwan University Excellence Prize in medical sciences.
He was awarded Tiba Academy Award for innovation in medical sciences

Anthony Vanky, Ph.D, is an Assistant Professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.
He has previously held appointments in urban planning and technology at the University of Michigan and urban design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Trained as an architect (Tulane University, M.Arch), urban designer (MIT, S.M.), and urban planner (MIT, Ph.D.), he focuses on technology-based practices in urban planning and design. Vanky’s research considers the use of digital data and pervasive sensing technologies in designing, planning, and evaluating urban environments and spans the disciplines of urban design, urban technologies, computational social science, innovation studies, and public health.

Vanky has experience building innovative practices within the university, having helped shape the urban technology degree at the University of Michigan and developed MIT designX, an academic accelerator dedicated to advancing innovation and entrepreneurship in design, cities, and the built environment, as its first academic program manager. He was also a research lead at the MIT Senseable City Lab, a multidisciplinary research group. He bridged the lab’s engagement with industry and the public as the Lab’s partner and outreach strategist. Vanky has consulted and widely presented on topics of design, technology, and urbanism, and his design work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, the Dutch Design Week, the Detroit Month of Design, New Orleans DesCours, and the Gwangju Design Biennial, among others.

María Estelí Jarquín is a science diplomacy practitioner and expert from Costa Rica (Latin America) based in the United Kingdom. Currently, she serves as International Relations Coordinator at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and as a special advisor to the International Science Council. She has led a diversity of projects at the intersection of science and diplomacy, including leading the design and implementation of the University of Costa Rica’s international strategy and is currently part of the European Science Diplomacy Working Groups. She has also worked as a consultant for different United Nations agencies advising Latin American governments and as a lecturer in research methods. She is a TEDx speaker and has been a panelist in science policy international events such as the United Nations SDG Summit 2023, the United Nations 7th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the SDG and UNESCO CILAC, among others. She has a Masters in Science, Technology and Public Policy from University College London as a UK Foreign Office Chevening scholar. She is also part of different networks such as UNESCO’s OWSD, the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) and AAAS-TWAS science diplomacy alumni.

Anne-Sophie Stevance is the head of the global science-policy Unit of the International Science Council (ISC). She has experience working at the interface of science and policy on global environmental change and sustainable development issues. Her work includes bringing diverse scientific expertise to assess conflicts and trade-offs between the Sustainable Development Goals, reframing risk reduction policy to address the underlying socio-economic drivers of risk, and organise scientific cooperation to better address public and policy needs for science. She leads the ISC’s work in the multilateral system to advance evidence-based decision-making in global policy processes, including on sustainable development.

Edmond Sanganyado is an assistant professor at Northumbria University, UK. He was previously an associate professor at Shantou University, China. Edmond is a member of the Global Young Academy, a Fellow of the Institution of Environmental Sciences, and past president of the Zimbabwe Young Academy of Sciences.

Carlos Matsumoto is the Coordinator of Multilateral Cooperation and Head of the International Affairs Office of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. In this position, he oversees the planning and implementation of the Ministry's cooperation with international and regional organisations, intergovernmental groups and multilateral initiatives. Under his supervision, the Office advises the Minister, Deputy Ministers, Research Units and affiliated bodies on issues of international multilateral cooperation. It also drafts, negotiates and supports the implementation of multilateral cooperation agreements related to R&D and communications. Mr Matsumoto has been a Science and Technology Analyst since 2013, when he joined the Ministry. Previously, he was Head of International Affairs at the National Confederation of Municipalities of Brazil. He earned his Bachelor's degree in International Relations at the University of Brasília. He received his Master's degree in International Relations (International and Comparative Politics) from the same institution.

Prof. Motoko Kotani is Executive Vice President for Research, Tohoku University, Japan, and serves as a Science & Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. Her interest has been in mathematics (geometric analysis), related to mathematical physics. While she works in pure mathematics, she is active in communication with researchers in other scientific fields. She has led several big research projects bridging mathematics and materials science. Based on her experience and achievement both in research and management, she was appointed as Director of the Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University in 2012. Between 2017 and 2020 she served as Executive Director of the RIKEN research institute. Her social contributions included: Executive member, Council of Science, Technology and Innovation, Cabinet Office, Japan (2014-)/Member, Board of Governors, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology School Corporation (2014-)/President of the Mathematical Society of Japan (2015-2016), board member (2008-2019)/Member of advisory committees of several national research institutes (such as National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, National Institute of Informatics, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, National Institute for Materials Science), RIKEN

Dr Mubeen Goolam is the Principal Investigator of the Stem Cell Modelling of Development and Disease Group (The BrainStem Lab) in the Department of Human Biology and the Donald Gordon Neuroscience Institute at the University of Cape Town. Mubeen received his BSc in Genetics and Microbiology and his Honours and MSc degrees in Medical Cell Biology from the University of Cape Town. In 2012 he was awarded the Mary Gray Fellowship to St John’s College, at the University of Cambridge and undertook a PhD in Physiology, Development and Neuroscience in the Zernicka-Goetz lab. He then moved to the University of Oxford as a Junior Research Fellow to Wolfson College and took up a post-doctoral position in the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in the Robertson Lab. He returned to the University of Cape Town in 2020 to establish his own independent research group. Research in the Goolam lab focuses on using stem cells to model development and disease in culture. They are developing the first African-specific models of the brain and neural tube to investigate early human brain and spinal cord development as well as create a model to study neurodevelopmental disorders in a dish.

Previously worked as a researcher and project manager at the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) where she worked on projects around innovation for inclusive development. Currently sits at the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) as a Policy Specialist (Deputy Director level) working on projects around artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and foresight.
Holds a Master of Management in Governance and Public Policy from the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research focussed on digital transformation for the improvement of public sector efficiencies. She also holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Geography (majors- Statistics, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing) (Wits University) as well as a Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology (Wits University). Lastly, she holds both the foundation and practitioner PRINCE 2 project management certifications. Precious is interested in pursuing a PhD in Strategic Management and Foresight, or related.
Outside of the normal day to day work activities, Precious is very passionate about the education of the children who are left behind.

Dr. Fadi El-Jardali (PhD, MPH) is a recognized global health, policy and systems expert and global advocate for strong public health systems and for the use of data, evaluation and other forms of evidence in policy and management decisions and practice. He has extensive international and regional experience and multidisciplinary background in global health policy and systems. His work is connected to real world public health systems and priorities and grounded in the practical understanding of economic, social, environmental and political realities, constraints and context. He is a recipient of the Global Health Leadership Award and was elected twice to the Board of Health Systems Global (HSG) Society and was one of its founding members.

He is a tenured Professor of Health Policy and Systems at the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon, and adjunct professor at the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact at McMaster University in Canada. He is the founding Director of Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center; Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Evidence-informed Policy and Practice; Co-director of Center for Systematic Review on Health Policy and Systems Research (SPARK); and a founding member of the Middle East and North African (MENA) Health Policy Forum. Recently, Fadi has founded the Government Engagement Platform (GEP) which aims to strengthen and institutionalize the role of evidence in informing public policy, to shape conversations within governmental and intergovernmental agencies, to improve and advocate for key decisions and policies, and to provide evidence-informed and innovative solutions to public policy challenges. He has led numerous national, regional and international initiatives on health policymaking, knowledge translation, and evidence-informed policymaking with a focus on LMICs. He has a history of working closely with policymakers and stakeholders on several policy priorities and has used evidence to inform decisions and achieve policy impact.

Henriette Canino is a PhD candidate at University College London’s Department for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Public Policy. Her goal is to improve the regulation of technology and innovation; in her research, she uses behavioral science to predict what makes researchers provide science advice for policy and what makes legislators use scientific evidence. Previously, she has worked on policy strategies around inclusive AI - in particular, in facial recognition and digital ID systems - implications of algorithmic bias.
Henriette has served as an expert consultant and held research positions at the Fraunhofer Society, University College London, Google, the University of California, Berkeley's CITRIS Policy Lab, the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and the University of California, San Diego, among others. She gained practical policy experience at a U.S. Senator's office and the European Parliament. Henriette holds a Master of Public Policy degree focusing on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Esperance Munganyinka is the Head of Department of National Research and Innovation Fund (NRIF) at National Council for Science and Technology (NCST)-Rwanda. Her functions are mainly to manage and coordinate the planning implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the NRIF schemes and funded Research and innovation Projects.

Rini Astuti is a Research Fellow at the Australian National University – UNESCO Chair on Science Communications for the Public Good. Her research focuses on operationalizing social science theory in studies of climate and environmental change, drawing upon human geography, political ecology, STS, and development studies, and is grounded empirically in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia. She received the 2019 APEC Women Scientist Fellowship, recognizing her contributions as a high-achieving female researcher in Asia Pacific Economic Countries. As a Research Fellow for the ANU - UNESCO Chair on Science Communication for the Public Good, her primary research focus is on conceptualizing and investigating transformative development in the context of a changing climate. Through case studies in Indonesia and Australia, she aims to explore how we can place social equity issues at the heart of climate change and development discussions. Some of the topics she plans to investigate include: 1) inclusive knowledge systems in transformative change, 2) energy transition and climate anticipatory governance, 3) social equity in emerging carbon governance.

Dr. Thema Monroe-White is an Associate Professor in the Department of Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Data Analytics at Berry College and Academic Director of the Campbell Center for Data Analytics. As an interdisciplinary scholar, her work explores the systemic biases that affect the workforce and educational journeys of racially minoritized groups within science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.  She is particularly concerned with understanding the innovative pathways to achieving social and economic justice for minoritized groups via emancipatory data science, algorithmic and AI literacy, STEM education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She has received multiple National Science Foundation awards to investigate issues of racial equity in STEM fields, and in 2021 she was appointed a three-year term as a special government employee data scientist on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Technical Advisory Committee (BLSTAC).  She holds a  Ph.D. in science, technology, and innovation policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology as well as Master's and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology from Howard University.

Ms Agnieszka Gadzina-Kołodziejska is a Deputy Head of Science for Democracy and Evidence Informed Policy Making Unit at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), where she focuses mainly on supporting member states in capacity building for Science-for-Policy ecosystems. She has worked for the European Commission since 2007, at the Directorates responsible for Regional Policy (DG REGIO) and Internal Market (DG MARKT) and in the JRC since 2013. Before the Commission she was a Head of Lower Silesian Regional Office in Brussels. She has a Master in Political Science from University of Wrocław.

Liliana Pasecinic is responsible for international partnerships and multilateral initiatives at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).
With over twenty years of experience in diplomacy and EU public administration, she effectively contributed to the mobilisation, negotiation and implementation of multilateral initiatives and agreements in the areas of development cooperation, good governance, science and technology, education and culture.
Holder of a doctoral degree in economics and of a master’s degree in philology, she is passionate about science advice and diplomacy.

Romaric C. Odoulami is a climate scientist who is interested in climate change risk assessment, adaptation, and mitigation, with a specific focus on Africa. His research includes (i) contributing to the understanding of climate processes, climate projections and modelling, climate change risks and attribution, (ii) climate change impacts and its implications for agriculture, food systems, water resources, biodiversity, and health, (iii) improving understanding of the potential of climate intervention approaches and their implications for society. 
Romaric earned a PhD in Climate Science and Meteorology (2016) from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (Nigeria). He is currently a researcher at the African Climate and Development Initiative, University of Cape Town, which he joined in 2017 as a postdoctoral research fellow.
In 2023, Romaric was benchmarked as a young researcher with the potential to become a globally recognised leader in his research field and has received a high research rating from the South African National Research Foundation for his career stage. That same year, as part of the winning team led by Professor Mark New, he was awarded the Frontiers Planet Prize, which awards research that contributes towards solutions to planetary environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and water resources. 
He currently serves in the interim Scientific Steering Group of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Lighthouse Activity on Climate Intervention Research and is a Contributing Author to Chapter 9 of the IPCC Working Group II Sixth Assessment Report.

Dr. Louis Sibomana is the Head of the Science, Technology Development and Outreach (STDO) Department, and holds A PhD degree in Telecommunication systems. Louis has a broad knowledge and experience in STI policy and strategies development, experience in telecommunications and ICT applications as well as valuable experience in research, leadership and training. Before joining NCST, he was a Senior Lecturer at the School of Engineering, College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda, and served as head of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department. Louis is a researcher with interests in wireless communication systems, and emerging technologies and applications. In this regards, he is involved in different research projects and has published several research papers both in high level international conferences and peer reviewed journal articles.

Nataliia Sokolovska heads the "Knowledge and Society" research program at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society in Berlin. She works at the interface between science, politics and society and is interested in ways on how to increase societal relevance of research and develop convenient quality assurance mechanisms in science-policy advice. Recently, she was part of the project repod - the Repository for Policy Documents - where a centralized German-wide platform for policy documents from academic research was created. This resource is expected to make advisory documents searchable across disciplines in a targeted manner and ensure uniform quality management. Currently, she reflects on ways how technical infrastructures can support mediators at the science-policy interface and how such technical resources can be created on an international level. In 2021 she was an advisor in the CRISP – the Crisis Science Project of the German Ministry of Education and Research, dedicated to developing a prototype solution for providing evidence in public decision-making during acute crises as COVID-19. Previously Nataliia worked in online journalism and as an editor in the Ukrainian and Russian departments of Deutsche Welle.

Dr.Charity Wayua is the Director of IBM Research Africa labs located in Kenya and South Africa; whose mission is to develop what’s next in computing.
As Director, Charity is responsible for fostering the local innovation ecosystem and building partnerships with government, industry academia and start-ups and identifying, attracting, and managing top talent and generally strategy and technical execution.
Today her teams are leveraging artificial intelligence, quantum computing and hybrid cloud in areas such as climate and sustainability and healthcare etc.
Before this role, Charity played multiple technical roles leading teams developing technology solutions in agriculture, public sector, financial services, and education resulting in solutions that have transformed businesses and government and impacted people’s lives.
She has received several awards and recognition including Kenya’s top 40 women under 40, a head of state commendation in Kenya, IBM’s Outstanding Technical Achievement Award and Best of IBM (awarded to top 0.25% IBMers annually) among others.
She obtained her undergraduate degree from Xavier University, (Ohio, US) and a PhD in Chemistry at Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana, US) where her research was focused on developing targeted therapeutics and imaging agents for lung, pancreatic and colon cancers.
She is passionate about leveraging science and technology to address Africa’s grand challenges and is a strong advocate for bringing science, innovation and data at the intersection of policy, development and business.

João joined GDN in Oct 2018 as a Program Associate and increased his responsibilities in Apr 2019 to manage the Global Development Awards Competition (GDAC) as a Senior Program Manager. In 2023 was promoted to Director of the Global Development Conference (GDC) and therefore in charge of both GDN's flagship program (GDAC) and event (GDC). João is currently pursuing EUI’s Global Executive Master.

João received his Masters in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minho, PT, with a post-degree in Translational Medicine (Institute for Interdisciplinary Innovation. Université Livre de Bruxelles – ULB, BE) and another in Health Crisis Management in LMICs (European University Institute – EUI, IT). Prior to joining Global Development Network (GDN), João was an interim Scientific Officer at the European Research Council [ERC] (Executive Agency) at the European Commission where he managed, supported the evaluation, and did the scientific and financial monitoring/assessment of million euro grants on projects related to the field of Life Sciences (in particular on Diagnostics, Therapies, Applied Medical Technology, and Public Health). João was the President of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Portugal and later the Liaison Officer of ESN International towards the European Students Union and the Lifelong Learning Platform, as well as a member of the Expert Group of the European Youth Forum on Erasmus+ and funding of youth organizations. Furthermore, he has acted as Evaluator for the European Commission on calls related to Higher Education, youth, and non-formal education topics.

Sir Peter Gluckman ONZ KNZ FRS heads Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures (www.informedfutures.org) in the University of Auckland. He is chair of the International Network of Government Science Advice (INGSA) and President-elect of the International Science Council (ISC). From 2009-2018 he was first Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Ministers of New Zealand. He trained as a paediatrician and biomedical scientist, publishing over 700 papers and several academic and popular books in animal science, developmental physiology, growth and development and evolutionary biology and evolutionary medicine. He co-chaired the WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. Sir Peter has written and spoken extensively on science-policy, risk assessment, science-diplomacy and science-society interactions.

Ian Wiggis is the Director of International Affairs for the Royal Society where he leads the Society’s global engagement.  Before joining the Royal Society, Ian worked at the University of York in several roles including leading the University’s Brexit contingency planning and serving as the first Director for the York-Maastricht Partnership, the universities strategic relationship with Maastricht University.  Ian is also a former British Diplomat including postings in Moscow and in Washington D.C. where he was Deputy Head of the Embassy’s political section.

Since September 2023, Laurent Bochereau has worked as a research and innovation counselor at the EU Delegation to the African Union where he contributes to strengthening EU-AU cooperation in the areas of higher education, research, and innovation. He gained a Laureate from the Ecole Polytechnique, a Master's degree from the University of California, and a PhD from the University of Paris Sorbonne. After several years working as a research project leader at INRAE, he served two years in the French Ministry for Research. He joined the European Commission in 1995 where he occupied several middle management positions and had several postings in the EU Delegations in Washington, Beijing and Moscow.

Ronald Munatsi is a doctoral researcher in development studies at the University of Johannesburg through the Pan-African Collective for Evidence. He is also the Director of the Zimbabwe Evidence Informed Policy Network (ZeipNET), a civil society organization working to interface evidence and policy. Ronald possesses more than fifteen years of experience in evidence-informed decision-making and knowledge management. He has effectively led a number of initiatives, including Building Capacity to Use Research Evidence (BCURE) supported by UKAID, Strengthening Research and Knowledge Systems supported by the International Network for Advancing Science and Embedding Rapid Reviews in Health Systems Decision Making in Zimbabwe (ERAZ), supported by the World Health Organisation. Presently, he is leading the Distilling and Availing Research Evidence for Parliament of Zimbabwe (DARE PoZ) project, which is funded by IDinsight. The goal of this project is to enhance the institutional procedures and research staff capacity to support the legislative process through the provision of high-quality evidence in an accountable and transparent manner.

Dr. Lassina Zerbo is a distinguished Burkinabè diplomat and scientist with a remarkable career spanning both the private sector and the international public service. His expertise, leadership, and innovative approach to diplomatic science have left an indelible mark on the global stage.
As the former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, in his 2021 policy statement, Dr. Zerbo prioritized making electricity accessible to all, underpinned by a safer and more cost-effective energy approach. His ambitious program aimed to implement a project involving modular nuclear reactors, foreseeing a path to providing the country with reliable and affordable energy.
In addition to his governmental service, Dr. Zerbo made a substantial impact on the international stage during his tenure as the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) from 2013 to 2021. His leadership transformed the CTBTO into a global center of excellence for nuclear test monitoring, fostering trust and collaboration among member states.
His initiatives extended beyond nuclear disarmament. Dr. Zerbo fervently advocated for the entry into force and universalization of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
He spearheaded the Science and Technology and Diplomacy for Peace conferences, drawing together prominent scientists, experts, and representatives to discuss matters relating to nuclear test bans and global peace.
Furthermore, Dr. Zerbo currently serves as the Chairman of the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, a position initiated by President Paul Kagame to promote the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology in various sectors such as energy, medicine, water, and agriculture.
His contributions and commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament have garnered numerous international accolades, including the "Dostyk" State Decoration from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Grand Silver Decoration of Honor for services to the Republic of Austria, and the Grand Honor of Russia. Additionally, he has been recognized as a Professor Honoris Causa by the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo and received several other prestigious awards for his dedication to global peace and security.
Dr. Lassina Zerbo's diverse experience, combining high-level governmental responsibilities and international diplomatic achievements have positioned him as a respected figure in the global scientific and diplomatic community, leaving a lasting impact on international relations and peace initiatives

Winnie is the Research and Academic Coordinator at the AIMS Research and Innovation Centre (AIMS RIC), a role intersecting research, academics, and science communication. With Quantum being a core research focus at AIMS RIC, Winnie’s work involves driving innovation and advancing knowledge in Data and Quantum. Leveraging her expertise in research and data analysis, she works closely with researchers, students, and industry partners to identify and pursue research opportunities. She has tutored for the Quantum Quest, a 5-week program where AIMS partners with the University of Amsterdam, QuSoft, Ruhr University Bochum and CASA to introduce African high school students to Quantum Computer. By the end of the quest, students understand what quantum bits and quantum algorithms are and their importance. During this adventure, students become friends with Alice and Bob who live in the year 2058, and tinker with quantum computers after school. During the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78), Winnie was invited as a speaker for the Science Summit venturing into the Quantum Revolution in Africa; unleashing the power of Quantum Technologies. Currently, she is part of the team developing a Quantum Blueprint for Rwanda, following the recently launched Global Quantum Blueprint by the World Economic Forum.

Dr. Jaakko Kuosmanen is the Academy Secretary of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. He has previously been the Chief Coordinator of Sofi - a national science advice development initiative that led to the establishment of a new science-for-policy platform in Finland. Jaakko holds a PhD in Politics From the University of Edinburgh, and he has worked as a research fellow and lecturer at the Martin School and Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. He has advised the prime minister’s offices on science-for-policy work on four different continents, and he is a long-time member of the National Foresight Steering Group at the Prime Minister’s Office in Finland. Jaakko also holds an Adjunct Professor position at the University of Helsinki.

Tanja Kuchenmüller, M.A., M.Sc, coordinates the Evidence to Policy and Impact unit in the Research for Health Department, Science Division, at World Health Organization Headquarters. The unit has the dual mandate of (1) strengthening country's capacity in generating, translating, and using the best available research evidence in policies and practice, and (2) providing leadership on policies in research to ensure access and scale-up. Until July 2020, she coordinated the Knowledge Management, Evidence and Research for Policy-Making unit at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, encompassing a number of regional networks and initiatives related to health research and evidence-informed policy-making, including the WHO Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet), Europe.

Denis Naughten TD has been a directly elected MP in Ireland for over 27 years and is also currently Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Working Group on Science and Technology, where he has spearheaded the drafting of a Charter on the Ethics of Science and Technology which is a framework to guide decision-making and to ensure that science and technology are used for the wellbeing of humanity and environmental protection.
He passionately believes that more robust structures and relationships must be developed between the scientific community and MPs. One of the primary objectives of both professions is to solve problems for the benefit of society and he is working to build the bridges needed for this to happen.
Denis has served as an Irish Cabinet Minister responsible for Energy, Climate, Communications, Environment, and Natural Resources in addition to three separate Councils of the European Union Ministers.
Over his career, he has gained immense experience as; an opposition spokesperson (shadow minister) across four separate portfolios, chair of two parliamentary committees, and a member of nine separate parliamentary committees.
This experience, along with a passion for evidence-based policymaking and a background in science has made his contributions to the science / policy interface, stimulating and invaluable.

David Budtz Pedersen is Professor of Science Communication at the Humanomics Research Centre, Aalborg University (Denmark). His research focuses on the management, communication and evaluation of science and technology. He is a regular adviser to the European Commission, EU Joint Research Centre, Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, and a member of the Norwegian Research Council. Lately, Prof. Pedersen was appointed Knowledge Broker on Algorithms, Data and Democracy by a coalition of research funding agencies. He serves as an active member of the International Network of Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) and as an external funding adviser for the European Research Executive Agency.

Daan du Toit started his career in the South African Government with the then Department of Foreign Affairs where he trained as a diplomat. Since 2002 he has been attached to the Department of Science and Technology (now the Department of Science and Innovation), where he has notably served as the Department's representative in Europe, based in Brussels. In 2014 he was appointed as Deputy Director-General responsible for the portfolio International Cooperation and Resources. In 1 April 2024, he has been appointed as Acting Director-General: Department of Science and Innovation.
Over the years he contributed to multiple initiatives in support of a diverse and rich international partnership portfolio for South African science diplomacy. He represented South Africa in diverse multilateral forums, including the OECD, BRICS and United Nations, and various structures related to African regional and continental cooperation. In February 2021, the Square Kilometer Array Observatory, the global radio telescope project, elected him as the Vice Chair of its Council.

Prof. Rongping Mu received his B.S. (1983) and M.S. degree (1990) from the University of Science and Technology of China, and his Ph.D. degree (2001) from Technische Universität Berlin, Germany. He has been working as teacher in Hefei University of Technology from 1983-1990, and at the Institute of Policy and Management (IPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) from 1990. Prof. Mu is now Professor at the Institutes of Science and Development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Director of the CAS Center for Innovation and Development, and editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Science Research Management. He is also the President of the Chinese Association of Science of Science and S&T Policy Research. Prof. Mu has contributed to National Innovation Policies and the 11th Five Year Plan for National Capacity-building for Innovation. He has published a book on “Technology Transfer from Germany to China: Case Studies on Chinese Carmakers and Parts Suppliers“ and some books concerning Technology Foresight in China. He has led more than 20 research projects, inter alia financed by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Science and Technology, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research interests include S&T & Innovation Policy, Technology Foresight, R&D Management, and Competitiveness of High-Tech industry.

Eva Liliane Ujeneza is a Mathematics Lecturer and the Director of Quality Assurance at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture. She holds a BSc in Applied Mathematics from the former National University of Rwanda, a master’s level Postgraduate Diploma in Mathematical Sciences and an MSc in Environmental and Geographical Sciences from the University of Cape Town. Currently pursuing her doctoral studies in Mathematics at the University of Stellenbosch, her research focus is on modeling the long-term CD4+ T-cell response to antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients.
Ujeneza specializes in mathematical and statistical modeling, addressing significant public health challenges, especially infectious diseases. Her research led to science-based solutions in Rwanda, earning her the eLife ‘Ben Barres Spotlight’ Award and the Rwanda National Council for Science and Technology ‘Women in Science Rising Star’ Award in 2021. In 2020, she contributed to Rwanda's multi-sectoral joint task force for COVID-19, providing evidence-based recommendations for pandemic prevention, management, and control.
Eva Liliane Ujeneza actively engages in projects exploring the impact of environmental factors on public health outcomes. As the co-founder and co-Chair of the Rwanda Young Academy of Science (RYAS), she promotes science excellence and diplomatic relations. Ujeneza also serves as the Founding Vice President of the Rwandan Association for Women in Science and Engineering (RAWISE), advocating for gender equality and empowering women in STEM fields. Through these roles, she mentors aspiring female scientists, aiming to inspire the next generation and contribute to evidence-based global policies at the intersection of climate and health.

Alice Higiro is a Project Manager with 10+ years of experience, currently the Project Director of Smart Cities at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation in Rwanda – and the Head of the Rwanda Smart City Hub, where her portfolio includes developing Smart City initiatives to transform Rwandan cities into smart, sustainable and resilient environments for citizens and visitors of Rwanda.
She is also a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Alumni, and a World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Shaper Alumni– Kigali Hub, and she sits on a number of Organization Boards.
She holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Business Studies from Cardiff Metropolitan University, a MBA from the University of South Wales and is currently pursuing the PMP certification.
Alice is a young professional, passionate about technology and its power to change and improve lives. She is an ardent creative arts enthusiast with talent and experience in a number of Arts disciplines, and she is also a public speaker.

Naser Faruqui is the Director of Education and Science at IDRC where he leads a global team that helps vulnerable children and adults benefit from high-quality education and strong science systems in which women emerge as leaders, producing essential knowledge and innovations. Naser holds an Executive MBA from Queen’s University, a Master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Ottawa, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. His areas of expertise include education, water management, urban development and climate change, science and innovation systems in developing countries, science diplomacy, open science, and digital innovations for improving education, entrepreneurship, and governance. Naser oversees programs such as the Science Granting Council Initiative (SGCI), the Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa (AI4D), and the Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) program in collaboration with the Global Partnership for Education. He is the chief architect of IDRC’s Open Access to Research Outputs Policy and Chairs IDRC’s Open Data Working Group.  He has published widely, most recently on science, innovation, and AI.

Dr. Jan Marco MÜLLER is the Coordinator for Science Diplomacy and Multilateral Relations, European Commission, DG Research and Innovation
Following his PhD in Geography, Jan Marco Müller's career included management positions at environmental research centres in Germany, Italy and the UK. After being an Assistant to the Director-General of the Joint Research Centre JRC (2009-2012), he managed the office of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission (2012-2015) and then helped setting up the Commission's current Scientific Advice Mechanism. 2017-2020 he worked for the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) as Coordinator for Science Diplomacy. 2020-2022 he served as first Science & Technology Advisor of the European External Action Service (EEAS), before joining DG Research and Innovation as Coordinator for Science Diplomacy and Multilateral Relations. Jan Marco Müller is a Fellow of the International Science Council.

Dr. Patricia Gruber serves as the Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State. In this role, she engages with academic and private-sector research communities to inform foreign policy priorities and promote international science and technology collaboration.
Before her current role, Dr. Gruber served as the Director of Research at the Office of Naval Research where she was responsible for the Navy’s fundamental research portfolio and led the development of the Naval S&T Strategic Plan. She also served as the technical director for the Office of Naval Research Global and led a group of 50 scientists and engineers who facilitated international research collaboration.
Other experiences include serving as the Vice President/General Manager of Maritime Systems at Battelle, the Deputy Director at the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University, and technical management and business development positions at AT&T, Bell Laboratories, and Marconi Communications.
Dr. Gruber received a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from Pennsylvania State University, and a master’s and a Ph.D. in applied marine physics from the University of Miami.

Sélim Louafi is Deputy Director for Research and Strategy at the Centre International de Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad, Montpellier, France). He has served in multiple key positions at different levels of the science-policy continuum: as an academic recognized for research in the Science and Technology Study field on the global governance of genetic resources (Marie Curie Fellow, International Visitor Leadership Programme (USA); coordinator of a multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder research project on the diversity of crop diversity management systems in West Africa); as a knowledge broker (head of the biodiversity Programme in a think tank (IDDRI, Paris); member of the capacity building task force of IPBES; member of the first international external evaluation panel of IPBES, Qualified Member of the Economic, Ethical and Social Committee on the French High-level Council on Biotechnology); and as a UN civil servant in charge of an International Treaty at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). He has also led SPI-specific activities in support of FAO work on Genetic Resources policy and has coordinated multi-national work for the Chief Scientist’s Office of FAO to develop draft guidance for strengthening national-level science policy. He has recently been selected as a working group member of the EU Science Diplomacy initiative (Jan 2024-June 2024).

Menico Rizzi is a professor of biochemistry at the University of Piemonte Orientale, Italy,  where he coordinates a research group focusing  on the study of biochemistry and structural biology of proteins of medical relevance in the context of infectious diseases linked to poverty. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of universities and Research - ANVUR - where he has been in charge of coordinating activities on evaluation in the medical area, evaluation of Doctoral programs, and research on research evaluation. In 2022 he was elected to the Steering Board of the global initiative "Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment" (coara. eu). Expert at the World Health Organization for the International Non-proprietary Name  (INN) program, member of the Steering Committee of the WHO initiative 'School of INN' and of the task force for the development and implementation of the 'African Union - European Union Innovation Agenda'. He has participated as a speaker/organizer in dozens of National and International congresses on topics covering scientific research and/or quality assurance in higher education.

Yasushi Sato teaches science and technology policy at Niigata University, Japan. After graduating from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tokyo in 1994, he became an official at the Science and Technology Agency (Now the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). He then did his graduate study in the history of science and technology at the University of Pennsylvania, earning his Ph.D. in 2005. While pursuing an academic career, he belonged to the Japan Science and Technology Agency's Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), which is a public think tank for science and technology policy in Japan. His research themes have so far focused on the history of postwar science and technology, public funding for research and development, and scientific advice for policy making. His publications include "Building the Foundations for Scientific Advice in the International Context" (Sato, Koi, and Arimoto), Science and Diplomacy 3(3): 25-48 (2014), and "Rebuilding Public Trust in Science for Policy-Making" (Arimoto and Sato), Science 337: 1176-7 (2012). He has also participated in the OECD Global Science Forum's projects on scientific advice from 2013 to 2018.

DR. JACKIE KADO is the Executive Director of the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC). NASAC is a consortium of twenty-nine science academies, with membership drawn from all spheres of science. Dr. Kado holds a Doctorate in Human Development from the Atlantic International University, USA, a Master of Arts degree in Project Planning and Management, and a Bachelor of Education degree in Mathematics and Commerce from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She has over twenty years’ of experience in managing initiatives that promote the science-policy interface in Africa. She is an astute believer in using homegrown solutions to overcome Africa’s developmental challenges, especially to achieve self-determination. In her opinion, science has a role to play in any such efforts to remain sustainable and African-led.  Besides serving on various international committees and boards, Dr. Kado also provides intellectual input to several regional and global initiatives.

Dr. Prince Koree Osei is the Centre President for the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana, overseeing strategic direction and academic excellence to advance STEM education and research. Through this position, he fosters partnerships, leads student development, and drives innovation, embodying a commitment to excellence and inclusion in mathematical sciences education. 
Dr Osei is also the Lead Scientist and research chair in quantum science at the Quantum Leap Africa (QLA) at AIMS RIC in Kigali, Rwanda, a role that allows him to oversee and guide theoretical investigations, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to explore the potential applications of quantum science. 
Dr. Osei serves on the World Economic Forum Council for the Future of Quantum Economy, a network whose role is to provide a global platform for Governments, Businesses, and Academia to understand the potential, shape the development of Quantum, and prepare for the introduction of quantum technologies into the economy. He is also on the Advisory Committee for the Open Quantum Institute (OQI) at CERM, contributing to global initiatives to shape the future of quantum technologies.
Previously, he was a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, a Fields-Perimeter and Perimeter Institute research fellow in Canada, and the Academic Manager for AIMS Ghana.
Dr. Osei trained as a theoretical physicist specializing in quantum gravity and topological quantum computing. He has a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Ghana.

ingsa 2024 CO-chairs:

Remi Quirion

Oladoyin Odubanjo

PLENARY SPEAKERS

Hon. Gaspard Twagirayezu

Andrea Hinwood

Sonja Ochsenfeld

Soledad Quiroz

Sujatha Raman

Wee Hoe Tan

Chris Tyler

Romain Murenzi

Tracy Brown

LISE KORSTEN

JEREMY FARRAR

JUSTINE NZWEUNDJI

ANN GABRIEL

CHARLOTTE WATTS

Manssour Bin Mussallam

Geoff Mulgan

Mathieu Ouimet

Shaheen Motala-Timol

Alfred R. BIZOZA

Macharia Kamau

CONNIE NSHEMEREIRWE

ADELINE CYUZUZO

Kayihura Muganga Didas

Terrence Forrester

Kristiann Allen

Rokia Ballo

JAMES WILSDON

SESSION SPEAKERS

ALMA MONDRAGON

PETRA LUNDGREN

Indigo Strudwicke

Salvatore Aricò

ALEXANDROS MAKARIGAKI

KEVIN GOVENDER

CHAGUN BASHA

Remya Haridasan

Dorothy Ngila

Chomora Mikeka

Eugene Mutimura

Binyam Sisay

Ahmed Bawa

Marga Gual Soler

Alexis Roig

JOHN N. LAVIS

Gift A. Kadzamira

Rita AGHA

Nadira Karunaweera

Sameh Soror

ANTHONY VANKY

María Estelí Jarquín

Anne-Sophie Stevance

Edmond Sanganyado

Carlos Matsumoto

Motoko Kotani

Mubeen Goolam

Precious Lukhele

Fadi El-Jardali

Henriette Canino

Esperance Munganyinka

Rini Astuti

Thema Monroe-White

Agnieszka Gadzina-Kołodziejska

Liliana Pasecinic

Romaric Odoulami

Louis Sibomana

Nataliia Sokolovska

Charity Wayua

João costa

Peter Gluckman

IAN WIGGINS

Laurent Bochereau

RONALD MUNATSI

LASSINA ZERBO

Winnie Nakiyingi

Jaakko Kuosmanen

Tanja Kuchenmüller