eGY General Meeting March 5-6 2008

Boulder, Colorado

Alem Mebrahtu

alemmeb@yahoo.com

Mekelle UniversityPhysics Department

Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia

The Electronic Geophysical Year, 2007-2008

What has been done?

A. Ethiopian Leveli. Awareness creationii. Establish a national forum: “eGY

Ethiopia”

B. African Level• Efforts to reach out people• Attempt reach AU (NEPAD) officials

Communication with the int. community

The Electronic Geophysical Year Africa

The Electronic Geophysical Year Africa

Challenges

I. Poor connectivityII. Limited knowledge in ICT (computer admin.)III. Funding IV. Sustainability of eGY Africa

The Electronic Geophysical Year Africa

Opportunities

i. Interest of faculty members and studentsii. Commitment from University administrators

(letter from the president of MU)iii. National leaders and the private sector are

showing interests toward ICT & Space Science: NEPAD initiative on Tele-education, medicine

and Internet Connectivity (Funded by India) iv. Willingness and interest from the international

community (IHY and EGY communities)

Sululta to get 91M Eth Birr (10 M US$) ICT University

February 28, 2008 (Fiche-Ethiopia) News A ground breaking ceremony was held for

the construction of a 91 million Birr Information Communication Technology (ICT) University in Sululta town, at the suburb of the Capital.

The University would be constructed jointly

by the Ethiopian and the South Korean governments. The University that will be constructed to commemorate Ethiopian soldiers who sacrificed their lives while serving under the UN during the Korean War.

What to do next?i. Establish national eGY Africa groups (forums)ii. Develop strong link among African Scientific

Networks (national groups) etc, and with int. groups

(http://sirius-c.ncat.edu/asn)(http://sirius-c.ncat.edu/asn/EGY-Africa)iii.Organize regional and national trainings etc. iv. Reach out funding organizationsv. Find out what other bodies have related

interests and what programs they run in Africa vi. Lobby the AU(NEPAD) to have a policy to

improve Internet capabilities in African Universities

Work with existing National Education and Research Networks

The Electronic Geophysical Year Africa

Quote from letter of the president of MU“Dear eGY Community, I would like to inform

you that we support the eGY Meeting and we will include eGY Africa as one of the major international activities of our University. On behalf of the Mekelle University and myself I wish you a great meeting in Boulder. Please also come and visit the Mekelle University”

Prof. Dr. Mitiku Haile, Mekelle University President

He also expressed the commitment of MU to collaborate with institutions represented at this meeting

The Electronic Geophysical Year Africa

Thank

you

all !!