TWAS General Conference Concludes in Brazil

TWAS General Conference Concludes in Brazil:

"The TWAS 10th General Meeting concluded in Brazil with a series of testimonials to outgoing president, C.N.R. Rao and a listing of the highlights that had taken place during the four-day event......

"'The conference's superb scientific sessions,' notes Hassan, 'featured a lecture by Nobel Prize winner David Gross (Physics 2004) on string theory and presentations by the winners of the Trieste Science Prize and TWAS medal and prize lectures. In addition, there were symposia focusing on advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology, global change and developing countries, and life sciences in Africa.'

"TWNSO also held a forum on Financing Science, Technology and Innovation that was attended by more than 20 ministers of science and technology from the developing world and the Brazilian participants, led by the Brazilian minister of science and technology, Sergio Rezende, organized a half-day session on advances in science and technology in Brazil.

"'With all of the activities taking place, it is difficult to signal out one event above all others,' says Hassan. 'But I think it's fair to say that the successful organization of the first-ever TWAS Regional Conference of Young Scientists, with presentations from some 30 young scientists from Latin America and the Caribbean, was one of the highlights of the four-day event. Not only was it exciting to hear about the excellent work being done by our youthful colleagues, but it also clearly reflected the Academy's commitment to the future. The high quality of the work presented and discussed at the conference – and especially the high quality of the work of young researchers – bodes well for the future of science in the developing world.'"