eGY-Africa reducing the digital divide for science in Africa Alem Mebrahtu, Mekelle University, Ethiopia Victor Chukwuma, Olabisi Olabanjo Univ., Nigeria Charles Barton, Australian National University Les Cottrell, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, USA Monique Petitdidier, CETP/CNRS, France Peter Fox, UCAR, Boulder, USA CODATA-21, Kyiv, 6 October 2008 NSF

World Views Population Tertiary Education from Internet Users 2002 Area

African Situation Access to the Internet is so desirable to students, teachers, and scientists in Africa that they spend considerable time and money to get it. Many students surveyed, with no Internet connection at their universities, resorted to private, fee-charging internet cafes to study and learn. Internet Café in Ghana Reference:

孫子兵法孫子兵法

Dawn of the machine-readable Web

Integrative science - integrated data

Courtesy: Mark Parsons

Earth & space science informatics responses One Geology CGI ESSI US National Geoinformatics System Informatics Division CEOS-WGISS GEOSS Architecture & Data Committee ESSI IUGG

From IGY to eGY Data access Data discovery Data release Data preservation Data rescue Capacity building - reducing the Digital Divide Outreach & Education Virtual Observatories

The eGY philosophy In the Earth and space sciences and elsewhere, ready and open access to the vast and growing collections of cross-disciplinary digital information is the key to understanding and responding to complex Earth system phenomena that influence human survival. We have a shared responsibility to create and implement strategies to realise the full potential of digital information and services for present and future generations.

“Knowledge is the common wealth of humanity” Adama Samassekou Convener, UN World Summit on the Information Society

Implementation guidelines for GEOSS Data Sharing Principles GEOSS is … an important contribution to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals ….. …. emphasis on addressing the needs of developing country users.

SCID: Ideal Data System for ICSU … Increase global knowledge and reduce the knowledge divide between richer and poorer countries by providing universal and equitable access to scientific data and products.

PingER Methodology Internet 10 ping request packets each 30 mins Remote host, typically a server Monitoring host Ping response packets Measure round trip time, loss, jitter, and reachability Data Repository at SLAC Once a Day

Voice & video (de-jitter)Network & Host Fragility Data TransferCapacity

Years behind Europe 6: Russia, Latin America; 7: Mid-East, SE Asia, 10: South Asia, 11: Central Asia, 12: Africa

Executive: Alem Mebrahtu (Ethiopia), Victor Chukwume (Nigeria), Monique Petitdidier (France), Abebe Kibede (USA), Colin Reeves (Netherlands), Jean-Pierre Tchouanchoue (Cameroun), Victor Rochon (USA), Charles Barton (Australia), Les Cottrell (USA/UK), Arsène Kobea (Ivory Coast), Mohamed Gaye (Senegal), …. eGY-Africa raise awareness (problems and benefits) strengthen cooperation influence policy + decisions. Goal: better Internet access for African scientists and educators Use the voice of the scientific community at the institutional, national, and international levels (advocacy) IUGG

eGY-Africa Program Organisational infrastructure (lever off eGY and IHY) National groups (use existing networks) Website, newsletter, conference presentations, articles (to share information and raise awareness) Measure Internet performance (PinGER Project) Survey present status, problems, and benefits (Questionaire) Collate policy statements (naming and shaming) and case histories 2009 Workshop in Africa (jointly with others?) Work with related programs CODATA, UN-GAID (eSDDC), IAP, ICTP, INASP, IST-Africa, UN-ECA, GIRAF, …

Visit and go to eGY-Africa Contact: Interested in getting involved?