2. STEM-Trek=Global & Grassroots
STEM-Trek was founded the next summer.
Don’t compete for federal funds (but we do apply for uncompetitive federal grants).
15,000 + in our networks; crowd-source for travel support, mentors and more.
Pay-it-forward element: beneficiaries are encouraged to help others, or to help STEM- Trek in some meaningful way.

3. Main focus group:
Early-career, HPC-Curious scholars from underrepresented groups and regions
HPC = High Performance Computing

4. URISC@SC17 Cohort 18 from 9 countries (Five African)

5. UbuntuHouse@SC18 Cohort 18 from 6 countries (five African)

7. The African HPC Ecosystems Project, led by Bryan Johnston (South African Centre for HPC), now has clusters in 18 locations in 11 countries. They share resources, training and development to support open science throughout the region. Priority sites are Square Kilometer Array “Readiness” sites that must support that project’s 50-year lifespan.
Hardware decommissioned from US, UK and South African centers formed the foundation or this project.
STEM-Trek found decommissioned network hardware for Mauritius (Mozambique pending).

8. Those who aren’t connected are left behind
National Research and Education Networks (NRENs): High- speed network dedicated to research and education (not shared with commercial applications).
Peer with SANReN, Tenet and UbuntuNet Alliance; these relationships will expand your service portfolio and connect you with more prospective collaborators; compatible services and access to FAIR data attracts them (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).

9. Status of National Research and Education Networks in the Ecosystems region (plus eduGAIN adoption) based on a 2017 report by Michael Foley (World Bank), with eduGAIN adoption updates by Nick Roy (Internet2) and NREN updates by HPC Ecosystems stakeholders.
To learn more about NRENs in Africa, visit Michael Foley’s presentation (World Bank):

10. Facilities are Increasingly CI Intensive
Facilities are Increasingly CI Intensive. Research success dependent on robust, reliable, and highly connective CI; quicker time to solution means economic and global competitiveness.

11. Where to find money?
$4.4 Trillion US Budget in 2018
Government (Countries with progressive S&T programs allocate 1-3 percent of GDP for Research)
Nonprofits
Foundations

12. Gross domestic expenditure on R & D 2006-2016 (%, relative to GDP)
Source: Eurostat

13. STEM-Trek programs are typically supported with public and private financial support, plus in-kind donations

14. Other Government Agencies Support International Collaborations
Government funding (from other countries) is prioritized for their researchers, but much of the work concerns global conditions, such as climate, mining, agriculture, public health, commerce, social science, etc.
Principal Investigators from other countries may select international collaborators who will benefit from govt. support. These are grants (not loans) that do not require repayment. They are awarded on scientific merit; there are reporting and research expectations for open science (non-commercial).
Focus on what you do best (or what you have that others want), then market to prospective collaborators.

15. Where to find collaborators?
Scientific journals, Google Scholar, or another such source; learn WHO is working in a specific field (and then contact them directly or ask Elizabeth).
Elizabeth Leake (STEM-Trek) has more than 15,000 connections across four platforms from all domains around the world (academic and industry). If she doesn’t know them, it’s likely she is one connection away and can easily engage them.

16. Corporate Charitable Giving, Nonprofits and Foundations
Highly competitive. You must have someone who can write a compelling proposal. There is low rate of success (1 in 100+). Elizabeth will write proposals, but STEM-Trek takes 20 percent indirect and would manage funds.
Corporate donations; despite the funds arriving in the form of a charitable donation, they almost always expect a return on investment. If they have an interest in the regional workforce, then framing a human capacity development theme could be an effective strategy.
Focus on foundations that support African development (FIRE, Sloan, Gates, Macarthur (African Economic Research), Microsoft (4Afrika), etc.).

17. Questions?
Elizabeth Leake, Director STEM-Trek Nonprofit