This document summarizes the first meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Women for Africa Foundation. The committee aims to promote development in African countries by supporting African women scientists. In its pilot phase from 2014-2016, the foundation will offer 8 senior research fellowships at 4 Spanish research centers for African women scientists working in health, energy, water, climate change, agriculture, or food safety. The long-term goals include expanding the program, creating a database of African women researchers, and building a sustainable network to collaborate between African and Spanish scientific institutions.

1. 1st Meeting oftheScientificCommitteeof
WomenforAfricaFoundation

2. Africa has experienced a 6% growth (2000-2010),
secondonlytothe Fair East, butthis has
notbeenaccompanied by anequivalentgrowth in
thewelfareofthepopulatioThemajorityofAfricancounntriesinvest far lessthan 1% of
their GDP in sciencewithexceptions (ie, Kenya 0.98%)
Scientificproduction in thecountriesmembersofthe AU
representslessthan 2% ofthe global productionbutits
growthrateisoneofthehighest. Africa has
thehighestcollaborationscore.
Womenscientistrepresentbetween 20 and 40% ofthe
scientists in Africa (Spain 38%)

3. SCIENCE BY WOMEN
aimstopromotedevelopmentofAfricancountries
throughsupportingAfricanwomenscientists
GOALS:
Topromotethewomen´saccesstoscienceandtechnology in Africa
Tosupportthem in theirresearchcareers
Tohelpthemmakingtheirachievements visible
Topromotetheirleadership in theinternationalcommunity

4. SCIENTIFIC
COMMITTEE
Chair: Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega (President “WomenforAfrica, WxA”)
MembersoftheparticipatingResearchInstitutions in Spain:
# Maria A. Blasco (Director CNIO)
# Carmen Castresana (Director CNB)
# Silvia Carrasco (Director Innovation ICFO)
# AntoniAndreu (Director ISCIII)
Scientificleaders (Spain& USA):
# Margarita Salas (President Fundación Severo Ochoa, AdvisoryBoardWxA)
# Cristina Garmedia (PresidentGenetrix, AdvisoryBoardWxA)
# Pedro Alonso (Director ofthe Malaria Programme, WHO)
# LondaSchienberger (Director EU-USA Project onGender in Science, Medicine,
EngineeringandInnovation at Stanford University)

5. SCIENTIFIC
COMMITTEE
Scientificleaders (Africa):
# Sonia Abdelhak, Group LeaderBiomedicalGenomics, Institute Pasteur, Tunis
# FatimataDiaSow, ECOWAS Commissionerfor Social AffairsandGender
# Glenda Gray, President Medical ResearchCouncilofSouthAfrica
# Salimata Wade, Group Leader, FacultyofScience&Technology, Dakar
# Francisca NnekaOkeke, ProfessorofPhysics, Universityof Nigeria
Governing body:
# Maria A. Blasco, Chair (CNIO)
# Carmen Castresana (CNB)
# Silvia Carrasco (ICFO)
# Anna Fumarola, Secretary (WxA)

6. PILOT PHASE
2014-2016
AreasofResearch (fundamental orapplied):
Health
Enery, Water&ClimateChange
Agriculture&FoodSafety
ParticipatingExcellenceResearchCenters:
SpanishNationalCancerResearch Centre (CNIO)
InstituteofPhotonicSciences (ICFO)
National Centre forBiotechnology (CNB)
Carlos III HealthInstitute (ISCIII)

7. PILOT PHASE
2014-2016
Programof “Senior ResearchStays”:
AfricanWomenscientists (laboratoryleaders)
Working in theareasofresearchinterest
A total of 8 sabbaticalfellowships at the 4 centers
Durationofapprox. 6 months (flexibility)
Projectsthataimedforscientificexcellenceandimpact
Amplifyingimpact, “hubcapability”
NotwithdrawingtalentfromAfrica, workingwithAfrica
Building real collaborativeprojects: new ideas,
newfundingopportunities& more diversity

8. LONG-TERM PHASE
Long-termstrategy:
Toconstruct data base ofAfricanWomenResearchers
ToexpandtheprogramtoPhDsandpostdocts
Diversifyingareasofactivity
Tocreate a networkofbeneficiaries
Todevelopevaluationtools
Achievinginternationalprogrammevisibility

9. TOBUILDBRIDGESWITHAFRICANWOMENSCIENTISTSANDINSTITUTIONS
TOVALUE&PROMOTEAFRICANRESEARCH DONE BY WOMEN
TOWORKTOGETHER

10. TOBUILDBRIDGESWITHAFRICANWOMENSCIENTISTSANDINSTITUTIONS
TOVALUE&PROMOTEAFRICANRESEARCH DONE BY WOMEN
TOWORKTOGETHER