UNN enlists 800 students and staff with New York Academy of Sciences
By Chido Nwakanma

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka has enrolled 300 lecturers and 500 post graduate students as members of the prestigious New York Academy of Sciences in efforts to boost learning and provide world class resources in the school.



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The agreement with the New York Academy of Sciences was signed Thursday, February 4, 2010 at a ceremony at the 250 Greenwich Street New York offices of the Academy.

Dr. Chima Nwanguma of the Department of Biochemistry led two others -Dr. Nnaemeka Chukwuone and Dr. Ben Okwo - to sign the agreement.

According to Dr. Nwanguma, UNN obtained from the Academy a special concessionary fee of $20 per person as against the standard membership fee of $126. The University will pay the initial fees for its lecturers.

Said Nwanguma, "The significance is that as many staff as possible would get the opportunity of unrestricted access to the online resources and archival materials of the Academy dating back 100 years. In this age, it is important to have international linkages and to be abreast of developments across the world of scholarship."

Lecturers in many Nigerian universities lack access to international scholarly publications and resources due to funding constraints. Nwanguma confessed that his own membership of the Academy lapsed as he could not keep up with dues.

Post graduate students of the University of Nigeria would also benefit from the initiative. They would be enrolled as members of Science Alliance, a programme that provides career education, development and training.

"Through live events, webinars, and a dedicated website, Science Alliance provides unparalleled opportunities to learn and network with individuals across institutions and disciplines. It serves over 4000 young scientists and the larger Academy membership", the Academy states.

Established nearly 200 years ago in 1817, the New York Academy of Sciences was founded in downtown Manhattan by a group of physicians "favourable to the cultivation of Natural Science." The third-oldest scientific society in the United States, the Academy has become not only a notable and enduring cultural institution in New York City, but also one of the most significant organizations in the international scientific community.

Throughout its history, the Academy's membership has featured leaders in science, business, academia, and government, including U.S. Presidents Jefferson and Monroe, Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur, Charles Darwin, Margaret Mead, and Albert Einstein. Today, the NYAS President's Council includes 26 Nobel Laureates as well as CEOs, philanthropists, and leaders of national science funding agencies. The Academy numbers 24,000 members in 140 countries and 400,000 unique visitors access the NYAS Web site each month.

The Academy has a three-pronged mission: to advance scientific knowledge, to help resolve the major global challenges facing society with science-based solutions, and to increase the number of scientifically informed individuals.

Academy members enjoy free admission to 100+ events and webinars, as well as free online access to the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences and eBriefings.