Brac University brought together globally renowned scientists and thought leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities towards building a world-class scientific environment in the Global South.
The discussion, titled “Standing on Our Own Feet: Developing Homegrown Science Technology in the Developing World through Activism”, was the first session of “The NOW Talk” series organized by the School of Data and Sciences at the Merul Badda campus in Dhaka on Sunday.
The distinguished panel of discussants featured Professor Ashoke Sen, winner of the Breakthrough Fundamental Physics Prize and a leading authority on string theory, and Professor Suvrat Raju, recipient of the ICTP Prize and Nishina Asia Prize in recognition of his work on quantum aspects of black holes.
They were accompanied by Professor Jaya Mehta, a senior economist at the Joshi Adhikari Institute of Social Studies in Delhi specializing in agricultural economics and sustainable development, and Professor Mahbubul Alam Majumdar, Dean of the School of Data and Sciences.
Member of the Board of Trustees of Brac University Sadaf Saaz, moderated the event.
During the discussion, the speakers mentioned the importance of fostering scientific excellence within developing nations, overcoming systemic challenges, and advocating for worker rights as a crucial part of technological progress.
Professor Ashoke Sen shared his experience of coming up with scientific breakthroughs amidst resource constraints, highlighting the power of intellectual resilience.
Professor Suvrat Raju highlighted that brain drain prevention was vital for developing countries.
“Achieving this requires the establishment of strong institutions and the allocation of adequate resources to attract and retain talented individuals,” he said.
Professor Jaya Mehta mentioned the importance of integrating activism with scientific and economic advancements to promote inclusive development and ensure equal opportunities for all.
Professor Mahbubul Alam Majumdar highlighted the importance of a strong foundation in fundamental sciences. He mentioned the need to create local solutions through knowledge generation to address local problems and cited Grameen Bank and Brac as examples.
Regarding nurturing homegrown talent, he shared his experience of discovering the remarkable potential of young minds in Bangladesh. He stressed the need to build strong institutions to provide such minds with the opportunities to contribute and serve the nation.
