Speaker
Prof.
Simon Connell
(University of Johannesburg)
Description
The African Light Source Foundation and the African Light Source Steering Committee has been active in unifying a broad global collaboration of stakeholders towards the common goal of a Light Source in Africa. The stakeholders are many, and their contributions have been given profile and recognised in this Conference. In addition, this conference has heard about the vast spread and also the excellence of research by African scientists in collaboration with their colleagues globally. Many of the research programmes are of great impact, especially for Africa. The user base and the involvement of young people has grown dramatically. There has been a growth also in the local infrastructure and institutions. There is an increasing profile of the programme scientifically and politically.
Where to from here ?
The AfLS2 Conference has targeted specific outcomes which we will now focus on to produce the documents summarising conference outcomes. We look forward to the general progress of the Roadmap, but specifically, we would like to see a Pan African ethos for the African Light Source establish itself very strongly. We would like to see Regional Facilities established and supported strongly by local governments as well as our international stakeholders. We would like to see sustainable and deep regular Schools and User Meetings. We would like to see longer term trainings and residences of African Scientists at International facilities. We would like to see several African Beam Lines at major international facilities, focussing on our strengths, such as heritage research, the biosciences and all sciences related to materials and resources. We would like to see African Consortia membership of these International Facilities.
Ultimately this will strengthen the discussions towards an African Light Source itself.
Primary author
Prof.
Simon Connell
(University of Johannesburg)
