2016 AAAS Annual Meeting (February 11-15, 2016)

February 10 - 15, 2016

Library of Alexandria and Global Research Engagement

The past 30 years has seen a rapid increase in interest in global health research, as evidenced by the field's doubling of publications every 5 to 9 years. Science has also become global, partly as a result of “the death of distance” associated with the Internet. Research productivity in many developing nations has not matched the overall rise, however, with only 1.3% of health-related publications coming from Africa, for example. Those involved in global health and science often work in silos, unaware of what others are doing, leading to missed opportunities for improving health locally and globally. This symposium provides an overview of global health research productivity outside the traditional approach of the U.S. government, highlighting the responsibility of scientists to share research findings with different organizations and disciplines. Specifically, panelists discuss the global health efforts of the U.S. Department of Defense, Project Hope, AAAS, and the Library of Alexandria in Africa. The session explores the need to build a Library of Alexandria science grid on the Internet to share knowledge and improve scientific productivity in developing countries. The symposium provides information on what areas of global health different groups are engaged in and ways to improve scientific productivity and build global bridges.