Strengthening diversity and cooperation through international collaborations: A focus on Africa, South America, and the
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A
frica is the second largest continent in terms of size and population.1,2 With approximately 1.256 billion people (about 15% of the world’s population) and a land area of 30.3 million square kilometers (including adjacent islands), it occupies about 20.4% of the earth’s total land area.1 A significant fraction of the people in the Caribbean* and South America are of African descent, and there are many historical and cultural links among the people of these regions.3 South America has 422.5 million people, and the Caribbean has about 39.12 million people;1 hence, the total population of all three areas represents about 20% of the world’s population.1,2 Similarities in climate also mean that common approaches can be explored for establishing sustainable building materials, and the range of development indices offer unique opportunities for collaborations in research and education that can facilitate human development.4 The significant development potential of countries in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean is increasing with the growth in gross domestic products per capita. This has enabled them to be classified by the World Bank as upper middle-income countries,4,5 with incomes greater than USD$12,746 per capita.4 However, the economic indices alone do not reflect the overall levels of development.6 Hence alternative metrics by the Academy of Science of the Developing World,7 the Muslim Majority Countries,8 the Developing Country Collaborations in Plant Genome Research,9 and the United States Aid Agency10 have attempted to present different perspectives. The challenges in health, water and sanitation, energy, and the environment are often of critical importance in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, where about 70% of the population are younger than 30 years of age. There is also a need to develop alternative strategies for the training of science, engineering, * A region comprised of more than 700 islands, islets, and reefs that is southeast of the North American mainland.
and business leaders at all levels of the educational systems.11–16 Such training is necessary to nurture the talent that exists in these regions and to build on the limited infrastructure and challenges in primary and secondary schools. This could also complement global efforts to strengthen skills in these regions.11–49
Diversity
Issues of gender imbalance exist in the representation of women in scientific and engineering positions. This is especially true in leadership roles in the Americas, Africa, and the Caribbean. Therefore, it is important to consider such issues in the selection of scientists and engineers for participation in international collaborations that are designed to promote excellence and diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Although demographics with Africa, South America, and the Caribbean vary significantly, due to differences in history and migration patterns, it is generally accepted that women are underrepresented in science and engineering positions in these regions.5
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