IUCr and IUPAP awarded an ICSU grant

We are delighted to report that the IUPAP-IUCr project “Utilisation of Light Source and Crystallographic Sciences to Facilitate the Enhancement of Knowledge and Improve the Economic and Social Conditions in Targeted Regions of the World” has been approved and funded under the 2016-2019 ICSU Grants Programme. The intent of the ICSU Grants Programme is to foster engagement among ICSU Scientific Unions by addressing long-standing priorities for ICSU members in developing science education, outreach and public engagement activities, and to mobilise resources for international scientific collaboration.

The IUPAP-IUCr proposal, prepared by Sekazi Mtwinga, Sandro Scandolo for IUPAP and Michele Zema for the IUCr, and supported by as many as 25 institutions (including UNESCO, ICSU-ROA, ICSU-ROLAC, ICTP, TWAS, IUMRS and several large-scale facilities), has received maximum grades on all of its aspects: relevance to the thematic topics; innovation; scientific quality; cost effectiveness; proposed participants.

Through this project, “ICSU will partner with IUPAP and IUCr to enhance advanced light source (AdLS) and crystallographic sciences in Africa, the Middle East, Mexico and Caribbean. Recognizing that AdLSs and crystallography are revolutionizing many disciplines, this project will accomplish the following: (1) develop a Strategic Plan for each region to grow and enhance its AdLS and crystallography user communities; (2) establish a Colloquium Programme for each region to recruit new AdLS and crystallography users; (3) publish an Information Brochure that describes AdLSs, crystallography, and the many fields that they impact; (4) facilitate researchers' visits to AdLS and crystallography facilities; and (5) convene a meeting at UNESCO Headquarters to present the regions' Strategic Plans and define the charge for more detailed Business Plans that include feasibility studies of constructing AdLSs in regions where they do not yet exist. By enhancing AdLS and crystallographic sciences, the regions' peoples will benefit from the research that will tackle such devastating viruses as Zika, Ebola and HIV. Moreover, considerable progress will be achieved towards sustainable sources of clean energy. Finally, the regions contain important archaeological and paleontological treasures to be explored by the beams from AdLSs. Thus, a major outcome of this project will be a buy-in by governmental officials that AdLSs and crystallography will bring major advances in their countries' socioeconomic development.”