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Opening Address delivered by Director General Dr Phil Mjwara at the Ebbe Nielsen Prize Ceremony during the Fourth Global Biodiversity Information Facility Science Symposium
2006-04-05 13:35
BMW Pavilion Auditorium, Waterfront, Cape Town
Director General
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Opening Address by the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena, of the Ebbe Nielsen Prize Ceremony at the Fourth Global Biodiversity Information Facility Science Symposium 5 April 2006 Venue: BMW Pavilion Auditorium, Waterfront, Cape Town (Delivered on behalf of the Minister by the Director General, Dr Phil Mjwara)Director of Ceremonies; Chairperson and Head of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Science Committee, Dr Wouter Los; Chairperson of the Governing Board, Dr David Penman; Executive Secretary of GBIF, Dr Jim Edwards; Members of the GBIF Governing Board and Science Committees; Mr John Wieczorek, Recipient of the 2006 Ebbe Nielsen Prize; Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen South Africa is honoured to be the host of the 12th Governing Board of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), GBIF Committee meetings and the Fourth Science Symposium. I welcome you all to the 2006 Ebbe Nielsen Prize Ceremony. Dr David Penman and Dr Wouter Los will, respectively, address you on the Ebbe Nielsen Prize and introduce the 2006 Prize winner, Mr John Wieczorek of the University of California, Berkeley. I would like to begin by expressing my congratulations to Mr Wieczorek who has played a truly exceptional role in biodiversity informatics by contributing significantly towards the efforts to develop standards and protocols that allow biodiversity databases to be integrated with one another. We are informed that his combination of technical expertise and humanity has helped unite communities of data providers, and that his leadership has been instrumental in developing community-based, distributed database networks in specific biodiversity fields. We commend him for his efforts, and are confident that he will continue to serve as one of the truly exemplary and world-renowned role models of scientific excellence who are working hard to serve and unite the interests of communities in the field of biodiversity informatics. We understand that Mr Wieczorek will be using the prize money to expand his work in projects in Brazil, Argentina, Madagascar and Russia, and wish him every success in his current and future endeavours. I also want to commend the GBIF Governing Board for establishing this unique prize to honour the memory of Dr Ebbe Schmidt Nielsen, a truly inspirational leader in the fields of biosystematics and biodiversity informatics This prize, in short, is the only one in the world that is given in the area of biodiversity informatics, and is awarded each year to an exemplary researcher who combines biosystematics and biodiversity informatics research in an exciting and novel way. Later on, Mr Wieczorek will throw more light on his work when he presents the keynote address, on why he was awarded the 2006 Ebbe Nielsen Prize, and why he is considered a true protégé to follow in the famed footsteps of Dr Nielsen. The Ebbe Nielsen Prize, and the exposure it accords to the areas of biodiversity and biosystematics, serves as a stimulus to promote research studies and careers in biodiversity informatics among young scientists and technology students, who comprise a cohort of desperately needed researchers of tomorrow. It also kindles interest in the study and preservation within the global biodiversity community. Advances in scientific knowledge, through research and development, communication technology, and innovative institutional structures should come together to enhance the process of technology transfer and capacity-building in biodiversity conservation. However, striking a balance between human development, and maintaining sustainability of our ecosystems and the rich life within them, remains one of the key challenges that require attention from all sections of society, including policy makers and the scientific community. For this reason, South Africa has placed a high premium on developing the next generation of scientific researchers and providing a nurturing, facilitating and encouraging environment for them to develop and enhance their skills. South Africa is at once confronted by unique opportunities and challenges. We boast several areas where we hold geographical and/or knowledge advantage, such as astronomy, human palaeontology, biodiversity, mining and minerals and indigenous knowledge. As a country we are indeed blessed with a spectacular variety of plant and animal species. Few other countries can rival our biodiversity. We are ranked the third most biologically diverse country in the world, which hosts some species of plants and animals that can be found nowhere else. Yet, though we have more than enough natural resources, we need to complement this by developing the human resources to enable us to take full advantage of what South Africa has to offer. Human capital development will remain a cornerstone of the Research and Development strategy of our country. My department firmly believes that South Africa’s youth should form the nucleus of any plan geared towards transforming the science sector and our country, and we are committed to improving and ensuring sustainable productive participation by our young people in the science system. We believe that our young scientists are the custodians of our country’s economic and social well-being; a life force that drives our blueprint for transforming the national science system through which we hope to change the fortunes of our country and its citizens for the better. By coordinating, facilitating and funding several public and private national initiatives; and by utilising various platforms of scientific communication, such as this biodiversity focused Science Symposium and the coverage of such prestigious prizes as the Ebbe Nielsen, we hope to provide more information on, empower and generate a sense of excitement amongst our youngsters to pursue science oriented careers. We are trying to do everything possible to expose our youth to many science oriented careers. But the one we need to promote more diligently, as you are doing so here this week, is in the often overlooked field of biodiversity informatics and biosystematics. I sincerely thank you for your efforts and initiatives, which are also advancing the goals we have set for ourselves. I am confident that South Africa’s continued relationship with GBIF will be a long and fruitful one. I thank you. |
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