Africa Initiative: An Update

UMC Meeting19 December, 2006

GOALS•Increase knowledge of the role of African weather, climate, and biogeochemical processes in the Earth system

• Develop research applications, local-to-regional operational systems, and effective dissemination strategies that improve lives in Africa

•Enhance the capacity for atmospheric research in Africa by investing in sustainable infrastructure and education

“any solution proposed for Africa must be based on the continent's own perception of its needs, and on the dynamics of its own economic and political environment.”

David Dickson, Director

SciDev.Net

Strategies• Deep collaboration with African Universities and National

Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS)

• A community effort, with participation from universities, agencies (Howard, Penn State, NOAA)

• Coordination with international science programs (AMMA, Thorpex)

• Partnerships to create impact in Africa (ZedEx, AAAS, Foundations)

• Enhance individual activities while building a UCAR (coordinated, long-term, institutional-level, significantly externally funded) program

STEPS• Identify and prioritize themes addressing local needs & global

questions– African Universities, National Metrological & Hydrological Services

(NMHS), and African Science Organizations– UCAR, Universities (e.g. Penn State, Howard), International Science

Projects (AMMA, Thorpex), Agencies (NOAA)

• “Research for applications” around these priorities– Funding from partners focused on societal impact

• World Bank, WHO, Gates Foundation– Implementation by African NMHSs & Universities, with support

from UCAR community

• Develop dissemination mechanisms with partners specializing in communicating with diverse stakeholders– AAAS, MS Virtual Earth, Ranet

A plan focused on West Africa

• Internal priority for capacity-building activities, aligned with identified priorities and partners

• Pilot projects that enhance existing activities while allowing program development

0. AAAS-UCAR African Scholars Program

1. Educational Opportunities: February workshop in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

2. Enhanced Observational Capacity: Radar network in West Africa

3. Enhanced Modeling Capacity: WRF in Ghana

0. AAAS-UCAR African Scholars Program

• Support for 20 African Post-docs a year to do research at UCAR

• $100K start-up funds to support return to Africa

• Development of African Network of Scientist

• Sabbatical support for US scientists to work in Africa

2. February Workshop• Burkina Faso and Mali want to host a workshop

for W. African NMHS folks

• Hands-on, Discussion-oriented format

• Opportunity to introduce UCAR activities

• Ground truthing for AI activities

• Thorpex is aware and participating

3. Radar Network• Two new EEC Doppler C-band weather radars (in

Burkina Faso) upgraded with NCAR HIQ receiver and analyses software

• A Doppler C-band radar in Mali with the NCAR HIQ receiver and analyses software

• Network Mali and Burkina Faso radars

• Stream data to UNIDATA for collaborative analyses

• Training program in the calibration and maintenance of radars and software

Burkina Faso infrastructure

Mali

Weather radar and project locations

Radar locations

Real-time dataBamako, Mali

http://www.rap.ucar.edu/projects/westafrica/bamakoradardata/images/BamakoDbz/

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