Labor & Economic News Blog

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Engineer Pushes for Science Education to Create 'Brain Gain' excerpts from an Interview with Dr Ernest Simo
Adaeze Okongwu
Washington, DC

Supporters of an initiative to improve the quality of science and engineering in Africa say the creation of the Nelson Mandela Institute for Knowledge Building and the Advancement of Science and Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa (AIST) is a key step in training and supporting the doctors, nurses, engineers and software designers who will further Africa's development.

Dr. Ernest Simo is the first African-born finalist in NASA's astronaut selection process and also pioneered the creation of Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), Low Earth Orbiting satellite systems (LEOs) and Personal Communications Services (PCS). He left Cameroon in 1974 to attend university in the UK, but maintains an interest in science and technology on the continent. In an interview with AllAfrica, Simo said that technological innovation is an essential part of improving quality of life in Africa.

 



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