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DRIAR Project Field Training School – 11th-22nd July 2022

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2 years ago

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The Deputy Principal, CoNAS, Prof. Juma Kasozi (5th L), Dean School of Physical Sciences, Prof. Michael Owor (4th L), Head Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies, Dr. Arthur Batte (R), the overall DRIAR Project Coordinator, Dr. Sarah Stamps (C), and Makerere University Project Coordinator, Dr John Mary Kiberu (2nd R) with officials and participants at the opening ceremony on 11th July 2022, at the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology Building, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University.
The Deputy Principal, CoNAS, Prof. Juma Kasozi (5th L), Dean School of Physical Sciences, Prof. Michael Owor (4th L), Head Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies, Dr. Arthur Batte (R), the overall DRIAR Project Coordinator, Dr. Sarah Stamps (C), and Makerere University Project Coordinator, Dr John Mary Kiberu (2nd R) with officials and participants at the opening ceremony on 11th July 2022, at the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology Building, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University.

Dry-Rifting in the Albertine-Rhino Graben (DRIAR) Project

The DRIAR Project Coordinator at Makerere University, Dr John Mary Kiberu welcomes participants to the workshop.
The DRIAR Project Coordinator at Makerere University, Dr John Mary Kiberu welcomes participants to the workshop.

Makerere University signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Virginia Polytechnique Institute and State University, the leading institution of the consortia of universities participating in the Dry-Rifting in the Albertine-Rhino Graben (DRIAR Project), to conduct geophysical, geochemical and geological studies of the Albertine-Rhino Graben in Uganda.

Dr. Sarah Stamps, Principal Investigator presents an overview of the DRIAR Project.
Dr. Sarah Stamps, Principal Investigator presents an overview of the DRIAR Project.

As part of the activities, the DRIAR Project in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development – Uganda is conducting a two-week field training school for staff and students from the Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies and the Department of Physics at Makerere University. The training taking place at Botany-Zoology Lecture Theatre, College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) was officially opened by the Acting Principal, Prof. Juma Kasozi today, 11th July 2022.

Part of the audience attending the DRIAR Project training.
Part of the audience attending the DRIAR Project training.

It will cover modules including; GNSS Geodesy, Magnetotellurics, Active Seismology, and Passive Seismology.  Fieldwork will be conducted in; seismology, structural geology, geochemistry, and magnetics. Trainers include: Dr. Sarah Stamps, Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Virginia Tech, also Principal Investigator, DRIAR Project; Dr. Fola Kolawole, Assistant Professor at Columbia University; Prof. Rob Evans, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; and Prof. Suzan van der Lee, Northwestern University, USA.  

The Deputy Principal, CoNAS, Prof. Juma Kasozi officially opened the training on behalf of the Principal.
The Deputy Principal, CoNAS, Prof. Juma Kasozi officially opened the training on behalf of the Principal.

About the Dry-Rifting in the Albertine-Rhino Graben (DRIAR) Project

The DRIAR project funded by the United States National Science Foundation is an international collaborative group aimed at addressing geological questions surrounding magma-poor continental rifting in the Albertine-Rhino grabens. The three-year project (December 2020 to November 2024) consists of leading geoscientists from multiple disciplines across the United States and around the world. The project goal is to apply geophysical, geological, geochemical, and geodynamic techniques to investigate the Northern Western Branch of the East African Rift System in Uganda.  

The Dean School of Physical Sciences, Prof. Michael Owor addressing participants.
The Dean School of Physical Sciences, Prof. Michael Owor addressing participants.

Under the project, a wide range of geophysical, geological, and geochemical observations will be collected, and numerical modeling of the region will be performed to advance understanding of how the magma-poor rifts form and evolve.  The project team seeks to unravel the physics leading to the new breakage of the earth’s crust in the region, in addition to better understanding of continental rifting. Additionally, the project seeks to improve data on estimates of carbon dioxide transfer into the atmosphere that occurs during continental rifting, advancing rifting models used for exploring natural resources, and creating new insights into seismic hazards associated with active faulting. The project will involve analysis of Global Navigation Satellite System data collected in Uganda. The scientific results of this project will be communicated, in part, through short educational videos geared towards public audiences.

The Head Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies at CoNAS, Dr Arthur Batte welcoming participants at the opening ceremony.
The Head Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies at CoNAS, Dr Arthur Batte welcoming participants at the opening ceremony.

The Project supports three Ugandan PhD students based at universities in the United States namely: Ms. Asenath Kwagalakwe, Virginia Tech; Mr Hillary Mwongyera, University of Kansas; Mr. Albert Kabanda Northwestern University.

Makerere University activities on the project

  1. Assist in the recruitment of MSc and PhD students for training in the US
  2. Participate in data sharing, processing, and interpretation
  3. Contribute to manuscript writing
  4. Help with the installation and download of geophysical data
  5. Provide field vehicles for use during project fieldwork
  6. Recruit guides and drivers
  7. Participate in the evaluation of the project
  8. Support for obtaining research permits for USA collaborators

Project partners;

  1. Makerere University
  2. Virginia Tech.
  3. University of Delaware
  4. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
  5. North-western University
  6. University of Kansas
  7. Midwestern State University

Details on the project at: https://vtx.vt.edu/articles/2021/12/science-eastern_africa_fift_sarah_stamps_lab.html

Some of the participants at the opening ceremony.
Some of the participants at the opening ceremony.

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Hasifa Kabejja

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World Aquaculture Safari 2025: Biggest Aquaculture Meeting in Africa

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5 days ago

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December 17, 2024

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WORLD AQUACULTURE SAFARI 2025: Biggest Aquaculture Meeting in Africa, 24th-27th June 2025, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
  • WORLD AQUACULTURE SAFARI 2025: Biggest Aquaculture Meeting in Africa
  • Date: 24th-27th June 2025
  • Venue: Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda

*****About the Conference

East Africa is the fastest growth node for aquaculture on the African continent. This is predominantly as a result of the farming of tilapia, but several other species contribute to the sector. East Africa is also a world leading region in the farming of seaweed, with exciting developments around several other marine species such as sea cucumber and more.

The EU-funded TRUEFISH Project, which seeks the advancement of aquaculture in the Lake Victoria Basin, showcased the region to the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Board in 2022, which was well accepted and led to the pinning down of June 2025 as a suitable date for an aquaculture conference in the region. This in turn led to the signing of a hosting agreement between WAS and Landell Mills as an implementing partner of TRUEFISH.

Through Egypt (2022), Zambia (2023) and Tunisia (2024), the African Regional Aquaculture (AFRAQ) Conferences have shown steady growth. It is however important to emphasize that Aquaculture Safari 2025 is a World Aquaculture Conference, incorporating both the continental event and the showcase global event. Undoubtedly, it will address key African topics such as tilapia and catfish production, but the conference will cater to a global audience covering a diverse range of presentations, species, meetings, discussions, workshops and more. Commitments of participation have been received from the likes of the FAO, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the African Union and others.  The trade show and exhibition promises to assemble the largest selection of aquaculture goods and service providers under one roof, in Africa, to date.

*****Theme and aim of the Conference

Organized under the theme “Aquaculture on the Rise,” World Aquaculture Safari 2025 aims to:

  1. Showcase the aquaculture industry in Africa and globally
  2. Forge international collaborations and linkages, in areas such as research, development, species sectors, feeds, investments, markets, trade and more.
  3. Unify the global aquaculture sector.

*****Expected participants and activities lined up for the Conference

Participants will range from academia to state officials, from technology providers to students, from farmers to fish buyers and exporters, and more. Apart from papers from across the world, plans are also afoot for an extensive farmer’s day, several side events such as aquaculture investment and seaweed workshops, and a field day to visit some of the largest fish farms on Lake Victoria. African countries will also showcase their aquaculture sectors in the trade show, allowing for global networking.

For international visitors the tourism opportunities before and after the conference are limitless. These include trekking for gorillas and chimpanzees (get your permits early!), visiting some of Africa’s famous Big Five game reserves in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, visiting or rafting the Nile River, witnessing the majestic Murchison Falls, seeing Mount Kilimanjaro or experiencing the tropical seas of Zanzibar.

Africa awaits its international aquaculture guests with excitement. Details loading soon. Registration will also open soon on the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) website – https://www.was.org/.

For details on World Aquaculture Safari 2025: https://www.was.org/Magazine/2024/04/38/ 

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Hasifa Kabejja

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CARTA Fellow Anywar Attends 2024 World Science Forum

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3 weeks ago

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December 2, 2024

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Dr. Godwin Anywar, at the 2024 World Science Forum that took place in Budapest, Hungary from 20th-23rd November. College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Godwin Anywar, cohort 6, Makerere University, attended the 2024 World Science Forum that took place on November 20 – 23, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary. At the forum, he participated in a side event: ‘Trust in Science’, a workshop for early career researchers organized by the Global Young Academy (GYA) and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP). 

On November 26 – 28, 2024, he attended the twentieth annual meeting of the African Science Academies (AMASA 2024) and the General Assembly of the Network of African Academies of Sciences (NASAC), in Algiers, Algeria. He presented on ‘Promoting Science Diplomacy for Sustainable Development in Africa’ as one the co-leads of the Science Diplomacy in Africa working group of the Global Young Academy’. 

Godwin also participated in the Uganda Text Book Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association (UTANA)- hybrid symposium on authorship capacity where he moderated a panel session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and academic authorship. With the theme ‘Capacity building for academic and nonfiction authorship for Africa’s Transformation’ the symposium took place from November 14 -15, 2024 in Kampala, Uganda. 

Additionally, he attended and moderated a session on the regulation and registration of herbal medicinal products (HMP) in African countries. Organized by the Society for Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research (GA) in collaboration with PharmaConnect Africa NPC and The Natural Products Research Network for Eastern and Central Africa (NAPRECA), the session was part of an eSeminar series ‘Regulation of Natural Products – a Global Challenge’.

Source: CARTA Newsletter Issue 83

Mark Wamai

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Natural Sciences

CARTA Fellow Anywar Appointed Member of BMC Editorial Board

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6 months ago

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July 5, 2024

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Dr. Godwin Anywar (2nd Right) displays his certificate after attending the Science Diplomacy Course in Trieste, Italy, from June 17 to 21, 2024. Photo: CARTA.

Godwin Anywar, cohort 6, Makerere University, was appointed a Member of the editorial board of BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies on June 18, 2024. The appointment is on a rolling basis, renewable after every two years.

He also attended the Science Diplomacy Course in Trieste, Italy, from June 17 to 21, 2024, under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Washington, DC, USA, and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy.

Source: CARTA Newsletter Issue 78

Mark Wamai

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