Events Archive
Jefferson Science Fellow visits Sudan
Professor Osama O. Awadelkarim, the Jefferson Science Fellow and Senior Advisor in Science and Technology in the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the African Affairs Bureau (AF/PDPA) and the Office of Science and Technology Cooperation in the Bureau of Oceans and Environment and Scientific Affairs (OES/STC) at the U. S. State Department, visited Sudan June 16-23. The Embassy’s Public Affairs Section hosted the visit. During his stay in Khartoum, Dr. Awadelkarim visited the colleges of Science, Engineering, and Technology in the University of Khartoum, the Sudan University of Science and Technology, El-Neelain University, Al-Ahlia University, and Computer Man College.
Mr. Awadelkarim gave presentations in these universities on the topics of “Nanotechnology” and “Nano/Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (N/MEMS).” During his visits, he met with the vice chancellors and deans in these universities and discussed ways of enhancing collaboration with American researchers in science and technology. Dr. Awadelkarim also gave a public lecture in Al-Sharjah Hall titled “On the Globalization of Science and Technology and their Role on Economic Development.” Sudanese science policy-makers, academics, researchers, students, and the local media were in attendance.
Dr. Awadelkarim is a professor of engineering science and mechanics, and associate director for the Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization (CNEU) at the Pennsylvania State University. His visit to Sudan, part of a regional tour in which he is also meeting with scientists in Addis Ababa and Dar-es-Salaam, comes in the framework of efforts by the Department of State to enhance public outreach to scientists in Africa.
Dr. Awadelkarim, together with the Public Affairs staff at the Embassy, met with the Minister for Science and Technology and the State Minister for Higher Education and
Scientific Research. The visit provided a rare opportunity for public diplomacy among science and technology administrators and researchers as well as the undergraduate and graduate students in Khartoum. Promoting science diplomacy is a relatively new endeavor for the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, but visits by the Public Affairs Section to private and public universities in recent months have allowed timely sharing of publications on scientific topics, ranging from HIV/AIDS and malaria, to computer technology and the digital gap.