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The ACCESS approach to science education and training – a model for

Africa?

Neville Sweijd, George Philander and Carl Palmer

An unprecedented research & training consortium

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Institutional Context

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Understanding a changing planet

Reducing the Human Footprint

Adapting the way we live

Innovation for Sustainability

1. Observation, monitoring and adaptive management.

2. Dynamics of the oceans around southern Africa.

3. Dynamics of the complex internal earth system.

4. Linking the land, the air, and the sea.

5. Improving model predictions at different scales.

1. Waste minimization methods and technologies

2. Conserving biodiversity and ecosystems services

3. Institutional integration to manage ecosystems and the services they offer

4. Doing more with less

1. Preparing for rapid change and extreme events

2. Planning for sustainable urban development in a South African context

3. Water security for South Africa

4. Food and fibre security for South Africa

1. Dynamics of transition at different scales -mechanisms of innovation and learning

2. Resilience and capability

3. Options for greening the developmental state

4. Technological innovation for sustainable social-ecological systems.

5. Social Learning for sustainability, adaptation, innovation and resilience.

science& technologyDepartment:Science and TechnologyREPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

EXTENDRESEARCH CAPACITY

(Programmes, Chairs, Forum)

MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL MASTERS DEGREE/S

INNOVATION PROGRAMME In Earth System Sciences & Sustainability Innovations(Develop Framework and

Implementation Modalities)

INTEGRATE GC INTO THE HCD PIPELINE(Undergraduate Student Exchange & Bursaries; Youth Civic Science & Sustainability Learnership,

Teacher Education and Schools Programme Partnerships)

Objective 1

Objective 2

Public and private sectorlinks & work integrated learning system (e.g. R&V Atlas & district Municipalities HCD) 

Community‐based social learning & resilience

Contribution to NSI:450+ new scientists, increased access and retention; increased research and learning capacity for GC innovations and resilience

Strategic Partnerships to ensure that existing initiatives are leveraged

SUMMARY OF THE 2GCNRP HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

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ACCESS Perspective

Recognizing our globally critical, unique,

but poorly studied region in the

global earth system

ACCESS Research & Services

The inner circle represents the geographicalfocus of ACCESS. A coupled ES model will bethe centrepiece of the study of why we are in aspecial place in a special time!

Biogeochemical cycles Hydrology & catchment dynamics

Climate Variability Land Use / Cover

Implementing a globally enviable platform for harnessing our unique knowledge assets and learning potential

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LONG TERM CLIMATE & IMPACTS

• Participate in long term climate modeling experiments (e.g. CORDEX)• Model development and adaptation• Develop regional tools (e.g. downscaling)• Produce useful information (time and space• scales – GIS)• Collate SADC‐wide information on adaptation• Applications in various sectors.

ACCESS Research & Services

Implementing a globally enviable platform for harnessing our unique knowledge assets and learning potential

SEASONAL / INTER-ANNUAL CLIMATE PREDICTABILITY

• Integrated observing system• Climate system analysis• Model implementation• Model development• Multi‐model predication systems• Applications in various sectors

A SPECIAL PLACE IN A SPECIAL TIME

MARINE & COASTAL, ESTUARINE SYSTEMS• Integrated observing system• Understanding the response of the marine system to climate drivers • Integrate trends and predictions and test the marine response• Develop a oceanographic forecasting   system• Understanding, quantifying, collating and mapping marine ecosystem goods & services• Applications in various sectors (R&V)• Integrating social and natural sciences

NACOF

OceansAfrica

ACCESS Research & Services

Implementing a globally enviable platform for harnessing our unique knowledge assets and learning potential

A SPECIAL PLACE IN A SPECIAL TIME

WATER RESOURCE DYNAMICS

• Integrated observing system• Hydrological water model development• Focus of several key catchments• Integrate climate data into hydrological models.• Integrate trends and predictions and test the hydrological response• Applications in various sectors• Integrating social and natural sciences

URBAN & RURAL LANDCOVER & LANDUSE• Quantifying the historiogeography of LCC• Quantifying and mapping drivers and  responses of LCC (scales).• Understanding the implications of LCC (ecological, climate feedback, risk & financial)• Understanding trajectories of LCC• Predicting impacts of GC on and from LCC

IDEWS

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ACCESS Research & Services

Implementing a globally enviable platform for harnessing our unique knowledge assets and learning potential

A SPECIAL PLACE IN A SPECIAL TIME

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES & LIVELIHOODS

• Basic information on livelihood dependence• Quantifying and mapping vulnerability• Models for management • Incorporating change trajectories• Developing applications• Integrating social and natural sciences

BIOGEOCHEMISTRY / PALEOCLIMATE & ES MODELLING

• Looking at the larger time and space scale• Paleoclimate of southern Africa• Biogeochemical cycles in savannas, southern ocean, coastal systems.• Southern African contribution of global  picture• Development of ES model • Integration of GC themes into one  conceptual space

MISSION TO EARTH

Superheroes!

92 post-graduatesHonours to post-doc70% Black (including non-SA)12 Research institutions

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• Pipeline ProgrammeCareer Education School & Student programmesMedia programmeAdopt a school class

• Undergraduate ProgrammeHabitable Planet WorkshopsStudent participation programmeAdopt a school programmeInter-institutional exchanges

• Post Graduate ProgrammeResearch BursariesPost-graduate Workshops (Inter-institutional)Post-grad participation programmeAdopt an UndergraduatePost-grad teaching programmeCo-supervision programme

• Young Professional ProgrammeEarly Career WorkshopsPost-doc teaching programmeResearch tools curriculum

A robust, creative, innovative and productive end-to-end Education & Training Portfolio: Implementing the scaffolding for the development

of knowledgeable, confident & skilled people

Education & Training PortfolioMasters students & High school learners encounter

Habitable Planet Eastern Cape July 2012

ACCESS supported participants: Stats and Modelling Course July 2012

Early Career Workshop 2011

ACCESS Education & Training

Apartheid has not ended – many examples of this,not least of which is in Education

“Shortage of qualified black students” (no shortage of black students)

Shortage of Black Professionals (Accountants)

What are we getting wrong after 16 years of democracy?- Not attracting people to science careers- Lack of opportunity- Problems with HDIs- Lack of teaching and supervision capacity

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About Habitable Planet

1. The content is not wholly novel – the approach is

2. Funded by DST

3. Goal: To inspire, motivate, demystify and recruit mainly black undergraduates into ESS from all disciplines

4. Set of core lectures – given by students and graduates of HPW

5. Specialist and localised lectures, field trips and fun

6. Engender critical thinking (e.g .both sides of the CC argument, challenging evolution sceptics)

8. Beyond HPW – supporting recruits, expanding the concept

7. Engender self-confidence and self-belief

Held 12 so far, one in Namibia and one in Kenya in July 2013

Fig. 1. Demographics of HPW students at Namibian HPW. (A) Left pane shows by race (a=Asian, b=black, c=coloured, O= other and W= White). Right pane show by institute with HDI denoting an historically disadvantaged institute and nHDI denoting otherwise.

About Habitable Planet

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ACCESS Education & Training

Integrated Training at 4 stages – high school, undergraduate, post-graduate, early career – connecting stagesNational ESS curriculum (accredited short courses) ----National M.Sc

National / regional Post Doc Programme- International post docs (variety of models)- Well organised and managed programme (all fields)- Groups of post-docs distributed across region- Connected to ACCESS Themes (science context)- National/ regional events- Teaching and supervision (National Curriculum)- Publications and experience

We need money – DST has funded ACCESS generously but have their limits- for competitively well funded post-graduates

- for post-doc programme- Expansion in Africa- For an efficiently run and managed programme

A vision for ACCESS

The “A” in ACCESS

“Applied Centre for Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS),the body at present central to global change research in South Africa” ‐Minister NalediPandor (13/07/2011)

SKA

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International Partnerships

International

“Applied Centre for Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS),the body at present central to global change research in South Africa” ‐Minister NalediPandor (13/07/2011)

SKA

An unprecedented research & training consortium

Domo arigato!