"Scientific Diasporas"

Read the full article by Béatrice Séguin, Peter A. Singer and Abdallah S. Daar in Science magazine (Science 16 June 2006: Vol. 312. no. 5780, pp. 1602 - 1603). (Subscription required.)

Excerpt:

Among the 60 participants, there was very little systematic S&T interaction with their COs (countries of origin) . The participants could be divided into three broad categories: interested and/or concerned, leaders, and those who had experienced networks.

Forty-one individuals fell into the category of interested and/or concerned, of whom 25 had a strong desire to "help" but were not aware of any ready vehicles through which to offer assistance. When we asked why they had not initiated formal linkages, participants listed reasons such as lack of time, financial barriers, lack of infrastructure in their CO, or they said that no one, including their CO, had asked for their contributions. Some scientists said they were at a disadvantage because they were still in the process of building their careers in Canada. In one scientist's words "I do not have the freedom (to initiate linkages) because I am not a principal investigator." Other participants echoed this sentiment and said that even if they tried to initiate collaborations with their CO, they would not have credibility unless they held a high-profile position in the developed world. Finally, a common response among these participants was to look at the study notice as a "call for help," and although the notice made no mention of this, they hoped they were being recruited for an existing program.

Nine individuals were actively engaged in projects in or with their COs. They have contributed to S&T capacity-building in various ways such as serving a scientific advisory role in academic institutions, organizing joint research projects, organizing "traveling expert panels," forming a transnational life-science company spanning Canada and the CO, and partnering with a Canadian company to help it enter his CO's market. Among these leaders was an executive officer of a biotechnology firm, principal investigators in academic research centers, and a Ph.D. student. One of these participants was contacted by a diaspora initiative based in his CO. However, he said he received few e-mails from this organization, and his evaluation was that "things start but they don't finish."