Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI)
Host: African University of Science and Technology
(AUST)
-Shola Odusanya (PhD)
African University of Science and Technology
&
Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO)
1
ACE-PAMI May 2014
The Development Challenge
(History of S&T and Materials in Africa)
• With the exception of Africa, it has long been recognized that
world class science and technology are the engines of
economic growth (value addition to people & natural
resources)
• Within this context materials science and engineering is
the field that provides the knowledge to
i) extract/recycle,
ii) process and
iii) add value to natural resources and ideas
( Example: Cement and Dangote)
The Development Challenge
(History of S&T and Materials in Africa)
• Such value addition has been achieved in Europe, North America,
Australia and most recently, … in Asia.
• So why not in Africa?
• -- In Sub-Saharan Africa where most of the resources are
concentrated we are only just beginning to recognize the
importance of materials as a discipline for interdisciplinary
education and research
The Materials Resources of Africa
• Africa is one of the richest continents in mineral resources
* Iron ore in Liberia and Nigeria,
* Aluminum in Ghana,
* Chromium in DRC,
* Gold in Ghana,
* Titanium in Kenya and South Africa,
* Platinum in Zimbabwe and South Africa,
* Diamond in Liberia, South Africa, etc …
* Rare earth metals across most of Africa
* Limestone (for cement) in different parts of Africa
* Oil and Gas all over (e.g., Gulf of Guinea)
* Etc, … Etc. ….
The Materials Resources of Africa
• But: Knowledge of how to extract and process these raw
materials into wealth is limited across the continent
• There is also the need to develop strategies to recycle waste
materials into wealth and sustainable technologies that address
African needs in housing, water, infrastructure, energy,
transportation, ….
Materials:
The Major Driver of Technological Advancement
• Materials have always been a major driver in technological change…
– Alloys
– Semiconductors
– Polymers
Hard materials
Soft materials
– …
Africa Must Not Be Left Behind!
Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI)
Ensuring Africa is not left behind
• The Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI) is an
interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary center that is dedicated to
demand-driven materials education, research and innovation that
can address African problems
• PAMI is a regional center with members from:
* Senegal,
* Gambia,
* Ghana,
* Nigeria, and
* Cameroon
PAMI will focus on:
– Training of a critical mass of people in materials across West and
Central Africa (short courses and MSc/PhD programs)
– Interdisciplinary materials research that address African needs
(biomaterials, materials for energy, materials for oil and gas,
sustainable housing/infrastructure and water purification)
– Outreach to girls (WISE), high schools and industry
National --Regional --International
Partnerships
• Within West and Central Africa: Cheikh Anta Diop University (Senegal),
University of Gambia, University of Ghana, KNUS T (Ghana), University of Buea
(Cameroon)
• Within Nigeria – the key stakeholders include the NUC (NGREN), Nnamdi
Azikiwe University, University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu
Bello University, Kwara State University, Sheda Science and Technology Complex
(SHESTCO), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure
(NASENI).
• Beyond Africa – Princeton University, Rutgers University, Worcester
Polytechnic Institute, Tufts University, The Ohio State University, Arizona State
University, Blaise Pascal, International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP).
A team approach will be used to integrate across borders and across
disciplines
President of AUST
PAMI Industrial
Advisory Board
(PIAB)
PAMI
International
Scientific Board
(ISAB)
PAMI
Executive
Committee
(PEC)
Center
Leader/Director
PAMI
PAMI (PI)/Deputy
Center Leader
PEC
Sub-Committees
Focused
Research
Groups
Seed
Groups
International
Collaboration
Board (ICB)
PAMI
National/
Regional
Partners
PAMI
International
Partners
PAMI
Regional/National
Sub-Committees
Core
Depart
ments
PAMI Secretariat
PAMI
Industrial
Outreach
PAMI
Educational
Outreach
Examples of Strategies for Systems-Based
Interdisciplinary Approach in PAMI Program
 Advanced Materials (Bio and
Nano)
 Targeting of disease
 Alternative energy
 Societal Development
 Affordable infrastructure e.g.
recycling of agricultural &
industrial waste
 Value addition to
people, minerals and
natural products (Africa’s silicon)
Academic Programs MSc/PhD/Short Courses
4 key activities being offered by the ACE
 World Class Educational Programs – Accredited MSc/PhD
Programs in Materials Science and Engineering
 Short courses for industry, Policymakers, Scientists and Engineers
(Industry-driven and Capacity-development-driven)
training in materials for Health, Energy, Oil and Gas and
Sustainable Housing/Infrastructure (including water)
 Entrepreneurship Programs – Certificate Programs in
Business and Innovation, Biomedical Innovation and
Energy and Environmental Innovation
 Distance learning modules for the diffusion of knowledge
across West and Central Africa – National/Regional Partners,
Schools and Girls (WISE)
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Key 4 Activities to Attract Regional Students
 Partnership with key regional institutions - University of
Ghana, KNUST, University of Buea; Cheikh Anta Diop
University; University of Gambia
 Advertising and promotion of PAMI across West and Central
Africa
 Scholarship schemes for regional students with strong
emphasis on the recruitment of females
 Working with DTCA and African governments to recruit
students from regional countries
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Key ACE partners
 Industrial Partners: TOTAL, Schlumberger, WAPCO, Dangote




Cement, Karshi Solar Energy Plant, Neimeth Pharma
Government: NUC/NGren, DTCA, NITDA, NCC, RMRDC,
NABDA, SHESTCO, NASENI, NIPRID, NARICT and FIIRO
International Universities: Princeton University; Arizona State
University; University of Sao Paulo; Rutgers University; Stanford
University; Worcester Poly Institute; Tufts University and Blaise
Pascal University
Regional Universities: University of Ghana, KNUST, University
of Buea; Cheikh Anta Diop University; University of Gambia
National Universities: ABU, UNILAG; UNIZIK; KWASU &
OAU.
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4 activities for externally generated
revenue
 DTCA program – funding of regional capacity
development programs
 Demand-driven training programs/short
courses e.g. oil and gas, mineral processing and
extraction, solar and biomaterials
 Proposal development to international agencies
– NIH, AFOSR, EU, AU, Carnegie, Rockyfeller
 Industrially funded research programs e.g.
TOTAL, Schlumberger, Dangote, Karshi and Neimeth
 Funds from these efforts will sow the seeds for PAMI’s
sustainability beyond World Bank Funding
Key 4 activities to achieve the quality benchmarks
(DLIs)
 Academic DLIs
 National, regional and international accreditation
 Proactive recruitment of students from national/regional partners
 Needs-blind scholarships to students based purely on merit
 Research and Development DLIs
 Focused Research Groups (FRGs) and Seed Grants (SGs)
 Reward successful individuals with international travel fellowships.
 Industrial Partnership DLIs
 Establishment of Materials Industry Advisory Board (MIAB)
 Demand-driven short courses and industry day activities.
 Administrative DLIs
 Secretariat management of financial and administrative monitoring,
management, auditing and reporting requirements.
Key selected Disbursement Linked
Indicators (selected DLIs)
 No of MSc and Phd Students-percent of which is regional
 50 PhDs and 200 MSc students
 40 % Regional Students with 30% Regional Female
 No of publications-percent of which is regional
 40 Total and 30-40% Regional Co-authorship
 Any international accreditation?
 WFEO
 International Doctoral Programs
3 success factors/innovative features of the
ACE – sustainable and inclusive approaches
 Systems-based interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research
integrating physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, social
sciences, medicine, engineering, modeling and experiments to
develop novel systems and solutions to African problems in health,
water, housing/infrastructure and energy (alternative and fossil
fuel)
 Training of a critical mass of Africans in the new and emerging
field of materials science and engineering – developing a pipeline
from schools to universities and industry/government agencies
across West and Central Africa – degrees, train the trainer programs
and short courses
 Partnerships with industry and government to translate
impact of materials to society
Summary and Concluding Remarks
• This talk presented an overview of PAMI
• The first part of the talk included an overview of the
•
•
•
•
development Challenge that PAMI seeks to address
This was followed by a brief description of the key strategies
PAMI will adopt to achieve results
The proposed efforts of PAMI in education, research and
innovation and Industrial partnerships were then reviewed
We hope to use the network approach to diffuse knowledge and
train a critical mass of Africans that can use materials to address
African needs
Like the Asian Tigers before us we look forward to a new
generation of African Lions…
THANK
! YOU!
THANK
YOU!