Dr Dalia Saad
My contributions to science and the impact this has had on society
I am very passionate about science and about advancing science. I am involved in different programs that advocate for science through the Organization for Women in Science in Developing countries (OWSD), I am an executive committee member of South Africa national chapter and I founded Sudan national chapter in coordination with OWSD international in 2015. My vision is to use this chapter as a channel to contribute to the advancement of women in science and technology in Sudan, bringing together like-minded women scientists to work for science. The chapter organizes capacity building workshops and seminars and provides mentors for young women scientists and also advocate to encourage young girls to pursue a scientific career, for this they target high schools. This year, the newly established chapter was able to nominate a member for the organization executive board, the nominated Sudanese women is now the vice president (elections was held at the general assembly in Kuwait May 2016). This is the first time ever that Sudan held this position. However, as I am a resident of South Africa, I am involved more actively in OWSD activities in SA, we organize capacity building workshops for OWSD awardees who study in South African universities, we also have mentoring programs and other activities that encourage young girls to take science subjects and also support women scientists at different career levels. On other hands, within my area of expertise, I chose to avoid abstract science, instead addressing the societal issues within my area of research as to have more impactful research with evidence based knowledge that better serve our communities “I believe that the knowledge needs to be extended beyond the confines of the university campus; the society is the laboratory” I believe that technological innovation needs to serve a broader vision and is not an aim in itself.