e gy-africa reducing the digital divide for science in africa
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CODATA-21, Kyiv, 6 October 2008. e GY-Africa reducing the digital divide for science in Africa. Alem Mebrahtu , Mekelle University, Ethiopia Victor Chukwuma , Olabisi Olabanjo Univ., Nigeria Charles Barton , Australian National University - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
eGY-Africareducing the digital divide
for science in Africa
Alem Mebrahtu, Mekelle University, EthiopiaVictor Chukwuma, Olabisi Olabanjo Univ., Nigeria Charles Barton, Australian National UniversityLes Cottrell, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, USAMonique Petitdidier, CETP/CNRS, FrancePeter Fox, UCAR, Boulder, USA
CODATA-21, Kyiv, 6 October 2008
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World Views
Population
Tertiary Education fromhttp://www.worldmapper.org/
Internet Users 2002
Area
African Situation
Access to the Internet is so desirable to students, teachers, and scientists in Africa that they spend considerable time and money to get it.
Many students surveyed, with
no Internet connection at their universities, resorted to private, fee-charging internet cafes to study and learn.
Internet Café in Ghana
Reference: www.arp.harvard.edu/AfricaHigherEducation/Online.html
孫子兵法
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Dawn of the machine-readable Web
Integrative science - integrated data
0 11 11 01 00 00 11 01 10 11 1
Courtesy: Mark Parsons
Earth & space science informatics responses
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One Geology
CGI
ESSI
US National Geoinformatics System
Informatics Division
CEOS-WGISS
GEOSS Architecture & Data Committee
ESSIIUGG
From IGY to eGY
Data access
Data discovery
Data release
Data preservation
Data rescue
Capacity building - reducing the Digital Divide
Outreach & Education Virtual Observatories
The eGY philosophy In the Earth and space sciences and elsewhere, ready and open access to the vast and growing collections of cross-disciplinary digital information is the key to understanding and responding to complex Earth system phenomena that influence human survival.
We have a shared responsibility to create and implement strategies to realise the full potential of digital information and services for present and future generations.
“Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity”
Adama SamassekouAdama SamassekouConvener, UN World Summit on the Information SocietyConvener, UN World Summit on the Information Society
Implementation guidelines for GEOSS Data Sharing Principles
GEOSS is … an important contribution to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals …..
…. emphasis on addressing the needs of developing country users.
SCID: Ideal Data System for ICSU
… Increase global knowledge and reduce the knowledge divide between richer and poorer countries by providing universal and equitable access to scientific data and products.
PingER Methodology
Internet10 ping request packets each 30 mins
Remote host, typically a server
Monitoring host
Ping response packets
Measure round trip time, loss, jitter, and reachability
Data Repository at SLAC
On
ce a Day
Voice & video (de-jitter) Network & Host Fragility
Data Transfer Capacity
Years behind Europe 6: Russia, Latin America; 7: Mid-East, SE Asia, 10: South Asia, 11: Central Asia, 12: Africa
Executive: Alem Mebrahtu (Ethiopia), Victor Chukwume (Nigeria), Monique Petitdidier (France), Abebe Kibede (USA), Colin Reeves (Netherlands), Jean-Pierre Tchouanchoue (Cameroun), Victor Rochon (USA), Charles Barton (Australia), Les Cottrell (USA/UK), Arsène Kobea (Ivory Coast), Mohamed Gaye (Senegal), ….
eGY-Africa
• raise awareness (problems and benefits)• strengthen cooperation• influence policy + decisions.
Goal: better Internet access for African scientists and educators
Use the voice of the scientific community at the institutional, national, and international levels (advocacy)
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IUGG
eGY-Africa Program
• Organisational infrastructure (lever off eGY and IHY)National groups (use existing networks)Website, newsletter, conference presentations, articles (to share information and raise awareness)Measure Internet performance (PinGER Project)Survey present status, problems, and benefits (Questionaire)Collate policy statements (naming and shaming)and case histories2009 Workshop in Africa (jointly with others?)
Work with related programs CODATA, UN-GAID (eSDDC), IAP, ICTP, INASP, IST-Africa, UN-ECA, GIRAF, …
Visit www.egy.org and go to eGY-Africa
Contact:[email protected] [email protected]@anu.edu.au
Interested in getting involved?