Training the next generation of international scientists: female collaborations in Uzbekistan

Laurel SaitoUniversity of Nevada Reno, USAKristina ToderichUzbekistan Academy of Sciences, UZBEKISTANDilorom FayzievaUzbekistan Academy of Sciences, UZBEKISTAN

Uzbekistan

Gained independence from Soviet Union in 1991

447.4103 km2

Population: 28 million Literacy: 99.3%

Bukhara

Uzbekistan

Double land-locked country

Agriculture is about 17% of GDP Cotton is dominant crop

(11% of GDP in 2009) Natural resources

Natural gas Mining Aral Sea

Courtesy of ZEF

1960

2004

Cultural aspects for women

90% of girls receive secondary education (2000-07)

8% of women receive tertiary education (2000-07)

59% of women of 15+ years are in labor force (2010) Down from 75% in 1990

18% of seats in lower house of parliament held by women (2008)

15% of seats in upper house of parliament held by women (2008)

5% of gov’t ministers are women (2008) 20.3 mean age for marriage

Source: ZEF

Science in Uzbekistan

Academy of Sciences Established 1943 7 branches of disciplines

Universities 24 new institutions established in 1992

International collaborations Provide additional research funding Provide funds for new equipment Provide funds for training of young

scientists

Examples of international female science collaborations in Uzbekistan

Example 1: Study of Khorezm lakes

Study of Khorezm lakes

Lead investigators: Laurel Saito, USA Dilorom Fayzieva, Uzbekistan▪ Head, Hygiene and Environmental Medicine

LaboratoryInstitute of Water ProblemsUzbekistan Academy of Sciences

▪ Ph.D. 1995 Research Inst. of Sanitation, Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, Uzbekistan

▪ Experienced with international collaborations with UK, Germany, Japan, European Union, Medicins Sans Frontiers

Study of Khorezm lakes

Met in 2002 Interest in applying innovative technologies

(stable isotope analysis; SPMDs) to assess ecosystem sustainability

2003-2004 Womens International Science

Collaboration▪ Funding agency: American

Association for the Advancement of Science (through grant from NSF)

▪ Travel grant ($8,000) for proposal preparation

▪ Saito and colleague took trip to Uzbekistan Dec 2003-Jan 2004

Study of Khorezm lakes

Oct 2003 Fulbright Student Fellowship application

submitted for Margaret Shanafield; not funded

Feb 2004 Proposal submitted ($69,000); not funded Integrated watershed management policies

in the Zarafshan River Basin, Uzbekistan Funding agency: National Council for

Eurasian and East European Research

Study of Khorezm lakes

Mar-Dec 2004 International Travel

Grant ($2,500) Funding agency:

University of Nevada Reno

Enabled Fayzieva to visit UNR in spring 2004 for proposal development

May 2004 Visiting International

Fellowship (~$1,200) Funding agency:

Environmental and Water Resources Institute

Enabled Fayzieva to come to US for EWRI conference and collaborate with Saito

Study of Khorezm lakes

Feb-Dec 2006 Fulbright Student

Fellowship awarded for Margaret Shanafield

Jul 2006-Nov 2010 Using stable isotopes,

passive organic samplers, and modelling to assess environmental security in Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Funding agency: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Science for Peace)

€259,000

Study of Khorezm lakes

NATO Science for Peace Project Trained 6 young Uzbek scientists 2 Uzbek and 2 US masters theses

completed on project 2 student manuscripts published 4 additional manuscripts in prep Majority (85%) of funding for Uzbek side No salary coverage for US participants

Study of Khorezm lakes

Nov 2005 Proposal submitted

($179,000); not funded

Assessing human impacts on water resource sustainability in Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Funding agency: World Bank Development Marketplace

Jun 2008 Proposal submitted

($49,994); not funded

Investigating pesticide contamination in small lakes in Khorezm, Uzbekistan

Funding agency: U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation

Study of Khorezm lakes

Mar 2009-Mar 2014 Investigating pesticide contamination in

small lakes in Khorezm, Uzbekistan Funding agency: National Science

Foundation $139,000 Provided funding for soil

core sampling and analysisand microbial experiments

Examples of international female science collaborations in Uzbekistan

Example 2: Use of halophytes to improve saline lands

Use of halophytes

Lead investigators Laurel Saito, USA Kristina Toderich, Uzbekistan▪ Head, Desert Ecology and Water Resources

ResearchComplex Research Institute of Regional ProblemsUzbekistan Academy of Sciences

▪ Coordinator, International Center for Biosaline AgricultureConsultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

▪ PhD 1988 Botany, Russia▪ Experienced with international collaborations

with Norway, Japan, European Union, USA

Use of halophytes

Met in 2004 Interest in determining utility of halophytic

plants as economic resource while rehabilitating saline land and water

Feb 2012 Proposal submitted ($4.975 million); in review Using halophytic plants to improve food

security and environmental quality in dryland ecosystems

Funding agency: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Use of halophytes

Jul 2012-Jun 2014 Modeling halophytic plants to improve agricultural

production and environmental quality in Nevada Funding agency: Nevada Agricultural Experiment

Station $69,200

Soon in 2012-Mar 2014 Utilization of low quality water for halophytic

forage and renewable energy production Funding agency: USAID/NSF $100,000

Lessons learned

Lessons learned

Find the right partner Enthusiastic and responsive Strong English skills Ability to identify good project

participants Share philosophies about

mentoring In-person visits are very helpful Be persistent and keep iterating

Learn from experience Be aware of political hurdles

Lessons learned

Building collaborations for the future

Thank you!

Useful resources

UN Women Watch (http://www.un.org/womenwatch/)