B. Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Events
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This community contains non-peer reviewed slide sets (PDF format) and audio/video recordings (MP4 format) from events and presentations during those events, and in which ASSAf participated or where ASSAf was represented. The content of the collections listed have not been peer-reviewed, but it is believed that it can contribute to the academic discourse, and be used in the advancement of science and discussions/decisions around science.
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Item AI-driven Science: Solving Old Mysteries or Inspiring New Questions?(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)AI-driven science is revolutionising how we approach long-standing theoretical questions, providing solutions to puzzles that have perplexed humanity for centuries. Examples include confirming the existence of gravitational waves, which allow us to predict cosmic phenomena, and solving the structure of complex proteins, which accelerates drug discovery. AI's ability to process and analyse vast datasets far exceeds human capabilities, enabling the resolution of mysteries that were previously beyond our reach. AI-driven research is not just about solving existing puzzles; it's about unlocking entirely new realms of inquiry. The concept of "Alien Intelligence" suggests that AI's unique thought processes can lead to novel hypotheses and methods of investigation. AI's pattern recognition capabilities can identify previously unnoticed correlations in large datasets, potentially leading to breakthroughs in understanding complex systems like the human brain or climate change. Therefore, AI will not only extend our knowledge frontier but also redefine it, inspiring inquiries into phenomena we have yet to imagine. This debate was intended to juxtapose the perspective that AI-driven science will primarily solve existing theoretical puzzles, with the view that it will fundamentally transform the scientific inquiry process, inspiring entirely new questions and fields of study.Item Mpox in South Africa: Awareness, Action, and Prevention(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Mpox has become a notable public health issue. This zoonotic disease is caused by the monkeypox virus. Although it was first identified in Central and West Africa, recent outbreaks have occurred worldwide, showing its potential to spread beyond traditional endemic areas. South Africa, with its diverse population, complex healthcare system, and strong connections through travel and commerce, faces unique challenges in managing and controlling mpox outbreaks. Given the rising risk and public health implications of mpox in South Africa, raising awareness, sharing knowledge, and coordinating efforts across various sectors is crucial for an effective response. This webinar aimed to bring together healthcare professionals, public health officials, researchers, and policymakers to discuss the current state of mpox in South Africa, explore prevention strategies, and enhance the country’s readiness to respond to future outbreaks. Key objectives of the webinar: • To educate participants on the epidemiology, transmission, and clinical presentation of mpox in South Africa. • To explore strategies for preventing mpox spread, including vaccination, community engagement, and public health communication. • To discuss the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing mpox and improving outbreak preparedness in South Africa.Item 12th ASSAf Presidential Roundtable on Perspectives on the Quality of Life and Well-being of the Elderly in South Africa(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)As of 2022, it is estimated that more than 5 million people, approximately 9%) of South Africa’s population are aged 60 years. Notably, over 60% are females . The increase of the elderly has great impact on socio-economic factors such as access to health care, income, housing etc. The government introduced an Older Persons Act (2006) to establish a framework which aimed to empower, care and support older persons, while promoting their status, rights, wellbeing, safety and security. However, the government’s efforts to successfully design and facilitate support mechanisms for the elderly to live well and independently within the community have been rather slow. In light of this, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) hosted the 12th ASSAf Presidential Roundtable Discussion titled “Perspectives on the Quality of Life and Well-being of the Elderly in South Africa” virtually on 14 August 2024. The discussions were led by Prof Himla Soodyall (ASSAf Executive Officer); Prof Crain Soudien, Emeritus Professor in Education and African Studies, UCT; Prof Elena Moore, Professor of Sociology, UCT and Ms Femada Shamam, CEO of The Association for The Aged. The panellists provided expertise on the on the state of quality of life and well-being of the elderly in South Africa, followed by recommendations on the roles that government, business, research institutions, civil society and the society should play in order to improve the ageing experience and quality of life of the elderly. The ASSAf Presidential Roundtables (PRT) on Science, Scholarship and Society are evidence-based dialogues that bring together high-level experts and stakeholders to address critical issues affecting society at large and are of interest to a broad audience. The roundtables are hosted bi-annually by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and are moderated by the President of the Academy.Item Democratising knowledge through Open Science(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); Botswana Academy of Science (BAS); Kingdom of Eswatini Academy of Sciences (KEAS); Lesotho Academy of Science and Technology (LAST); Academy of Science (TAS) in Malawi; Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences (ZAS)The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), in partnership with the Botswana Academy of Science (BAS), Kingdom of Eswatini Academy of Sciences (KEAS), Lesotho Academy of Science and Technology (LAST), the Academy of Science (TAS) in Malawi and Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences (ZAS) hosted a collaborative workshop on Democratising Knowledge through Open Science: A collaborative Workshop on 27 August 2024. This workshop assisted to better understand the role of African Academies of Science in advancing Open Science on the African continent.Item One Health in Africa: Recognising the Environmental Role(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The One Health approach recognises that the fields of human, animal and the environment are inter-connected and inter-dependent. The World Health Organisation defines 'One Health' as an integrating, unifying approach to balance and optimise the health of people, animals and the environment, and highlights that it is particularly important to prevent, predict, detect and respond to global health threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the key One Health concerns have been zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, emerging infectious and vector-borne diseases, food-borne diseases and climate change. Recently, there have been calls for increased attention to the environmental dimension of One Health, which is relatively neglected within the One Health triad at this time. There is a particular need for increased understanding of the shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface in Africa. This webinar aimed to: • Increase understanding of the current status of research and action on One Health in Africa. • Present selected African case studies, with special emphasis on the role of the environment in One Health. • Bring attention to the under-studied relations between environment and health within One Health. • Engage with priorities and future directions for One Health in Africa.Item Large Language Models (LLMs): Smart Work or Academic Doping?(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)LLMs are transforming academic research and publishing by significantly increasing scholars' productivity. A 2023 Nature survey revealed that nearly a third of scientists use generative AI for manuscript preparation, with LLMs aiding in tasks such as coding, brainstorming, and literature reviews. LLMs help overcome language barriers and allow researchers to create personalised models tailored to their fields, automate repetitive tasks, and boost productivity, leading to faster publication readiness and enhancing the research journey. However, LLMs raise significant issues, including biases and exploitation in their training processes and generating errors or inaccurate information. This outsourcing of thought (and, of course, the facilitating of outright cheating by students and scholars) raises concerns about overburdening journal editors, peer reviewers, and course administrators alike. The ease of generating papers with LLMs is increasing the volume of lower-value research, making it harder to identify impactful studies and threatening the integrity and sustainability of scientific publishing. This debate juxtaposes the optimistic view of LLMs as catalysts for scientific progress with critical perspectives on their potential todilute research quality and integrity.Item Public session on the programme: Role of National Academies and Universities in Promoting Human Rights and Enhancing Equality Proceedings Report(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies(IHRN)The 14th Biennial Meeting of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (IHRN) on the Role of National Academies and Universities in Promoting Human Rights and Enhancing Equality Prof André Keet, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Transformation at the Nelson Mandela University, delivered the keynote address. Prof Keet highlighted and acknowledged the role of universities and academies in upholding, improving and promoting human rights and equality agendas for all, the threat against academic freedom and the role that the scientific, health and engineering disciplines play in furthering the agendas on human rights and enhancing equality. This was followed with 5 panels exploring the themes of: (a) Equity in Global Collaborations; (b) Gender Equality and Gender-Based Violence; (c) Addressing Stigma and Discrimination; (d) Safeguarding Academic Freedom; and (e) Advancing Social Justice through Promotion of Access to Health Care.Item Early career scholars panel on: The Role of National Academies and Universities in Promoting Human Rights and Enhancing Equality Proceedings Report(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies(IHRN)The 14th Biennial Meeting of the International Human Rights Network of Academies and Scholarly Societies (IHRN) began with an Early Career Scholars Panel, during which up-and-coming scholars deliberated on present-day global human rights issues. The moderator of the panel was Prof Catherine Burns (Associate Professor of Medical History, University of Witwatersrand) and the panel members were Lt Col Dr Esewu Mxolisi Mathebula (South African Association of PhDs), Mr Michael Martin (New Voices in Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, U.S. National Academies), Prof Mzukisi Njotini (Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Fort Hare, South African Young Academy of Science) and Prof Martha Bradley (Associate Professor in the Department of Public Law, University of Johannesburg, Future Professors Programme). In this session, the Early Career Scholars gave their perspectives on topics related to the theme of the IHRN meeting, ‘The Role of National Academies and Universities in Promoting Human Rights and Enhancing Equality.’ The session had posed a greater number of questions than it had provided answers for. However, some questions stood out, namely how scholars communicate their scientific knowledge in ways that are respectful and dignified, but still critical and engaged across class, gender, hierarchy and region. ASSAf was acknowledged for bringing scholars and colleagues from learned societies together at this event and addressing current and controversial issues. Science can correct itself only through processes such as this.Item ASSAf's First Webinar in the Series on polemics in Artificial Intelligence (AI) titled: AI has gone too far OR has it only just begun(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)ASSAf’s Scholarly Publishing Unit hosted the first webinar in the series on polemics in Artificial Intelligence (AI) titled: "AI has gone too far OR has it only just begun" on 22 May 2024. This discussion explored the different perspectives on AI's trajectory, looking at both the cautionary stance that fears its unchecked growth and potential harm and the optimistic view that celebrates its achievements and future promise.Item Catalysing Change: A Global Health Approach in the Wake of Pandemics(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Académie Nationale des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal (ANSTS) and Ethiopian Academy of Sciences (EAS), 2024) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina; Académie Nationale des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal (ANSTS); Ethiopian Academy of Sciences (EAS)Over the past four years, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically disrupted daily life, severely stressed health systems across the globe and exposed stark inequalities in managing global health crises. It has revealed significant shortcomings in disease surveillance and data sharing and highlighted the urgent need to strengthen global health research. The strategy of intensive containment of the COVID-19 pandemic often came at the expense of managing other infectious diseases, such as Tuberculosis and HIV, leading to uneven and nationally focused solutions. The need to develop a more equitable and unified strategy for global health, particularly in preparing for and responding to future pandemics has become apparent. The webinar on “Catalysing Change: A Global Health Approach in the Wake of Pandemics”, brought together experts from national and international health bodies, the political arena, and the pharmaceutical industry to address the pressing issues of global health politics and pandemic prevention. The webinar focused on ensuring equitable access to medications and vaccines, fostering global health research, and improving surveillance and data-sharing mechanisms. It takes on the conference brief “Global Health Approach for Infectious Diseases – A Proposal for the Next Decade”, a joint publication by the national academies of Ethiopia, Germany, Senegal, and South Africa, which resulted from the workshop “Infectious Diseases beyond COVID-19” in Berlin on 23 and 24 May 2023.