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e GY-Africa reducing the digital divide for science in Africa

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

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e GY-Africa reducing the digital divide for science in Africa

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  1. CODATA-21, Kyiv, 6 October 2008 eGY-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 Les Cottrell, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, USA Monique Petitdidier, CETP/CNRS, France Peter Fox, UCAR, Boulder, USA NSF

  2. World Views Population Area Internet Users 2002 Tertiary Education from http://www.worldmapper.org/

  3. 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

  4. 孫子兵法

  5. Dawn of the machine-readable Web

  6. Integrative science - integrated data

  7. 0 11 11 01 00 00 11 01 10 11 1 Courtesy: Mark Parsons

  8. Earth & space science informatics responses GEOSS Architecture & Data Committee US National Geoinformatics System CEOS-WGISS Informatics Division ESSI One Geology CGI ESSI IUGG

  9. From IGY to eGY • Data access • Data discovery • Data release • Data preservation • Data rescue • Capacity building - reducing the Digital Divide • Outreach & Education Virtual Observatories

  10. 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.

  11. “Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity” Adama SamassekouConvener, UN World Summit on the Information Society

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. PingER Methodology Monitoring host Internet Remote host, typically a server 10 ping request packets each 30 mins Once a Day Ping response packets Data Repository at SLAC Measure round trip time, loss, jitter, and reachability

  15. Data Transfer Capacity Voice & video (de-jitter) Network & Host Fragility

  16. Years behind Europe 6: Russia, Latin America; 7: Mid-East, SE Asia, 10: South Asia, 11: Central Asia, 12: Africa

  17. eGY-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), …. Goal: better Internet access for African scientists and educators Use the voice of the scientific community at the institutional, national, and international levels (advocacy) • raise awareness (problems and benefits)• strengthen cooperation• influence policy + decisions. IUGG

  18. 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, …

  19. Interested in getting involved? Visit www.egy.org and go to eGY-AfricaContact:alemmeb@yahoo.comvictorchukwuma@yahoo.comcharles.barton@anu.edu.au

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