Program aims to get science and technology back on track CAIRO: While the past decades have been marked by a gradual shrinking of Egypt's research and development muscle, a new program launched by the country's biggest research center is working to whip the country's scientific sector into shape. For the past six months, an elite group of 220 Egyptian scientists have been laboring away as part of a massive program at the National Research Center (NRC), which is tackling projects focused on biotechnology, biology and material sciences. The program, called "The Road to Nobel, is a bid to keep Egyptian scientists working here at home and an ambitious program that aims to increase the vitality of the domestic sector. "The idea was trying to avoid brain drain, Dr Esmat Abdel Ghaffar, vice president of research at the NRC, told The Daily Star Egypt. "We believe there are very good candidates from international universities that deserve the environment to be creative, she says. One such scientist is Mahmoud Saker, a plant biotechnologist who received training in Germany, Italy and the US and is now involved in a project which studies the anti-viral and tumor-fighting properties of medicinal plants. The research, which is still in its infancy, is a joint project between the NRC, the German University and the University of Heidelberg. As their findings accumulate, Saker and his colleagues will submit their research to the European Union for extra funding, which can in turn spawn more research. While Saker says that the environment is improving here for scientific research, "if you're looking at income, some prefer to work outside Egypt. Indeed, Saker says he has colleagues who have chosen to continue their research outside the country because of the simple fact that they get paid more. Still, Saker's success is an inspiring chapter in a bleak reality. According to Ghaffar, many Egyptian scientists complete their PhDs only to find that their skills can't be put to work at home. Currently, an estimated 10,000 Egyptian scientists and doctors are working outside the country in developed nations in Europe and North America. By contrast, Ghaffar says that the scientists working at the NRC "were all here already and simply needed to be put to work. "We're trying to prevent them from leaving. We're afraid that they're upset with the difficulties facing the scientific community. Funding is the main problem. According to Ghaffar, research and development spending in Egypt represents 0.019 percent of the total national expenditure. "The least acceptable ratio is between two or three percent, she says, noting that most of the funds should come in the form of private sector investment, which can be spurred by government policies which are non-existent here. "In Israel, for example, it's eight percent, and in the US, it's about six percent, she says. By comparison, the "Nobel plan is budgeted at about LE 1.5 million whereas the NRC's annual budget for its staff of 5,000, is about LE 6 million. "The general atmosphere in Egypt isn't accustomed to the idea of scientific research, adds Ghaffar, noting that many private business owners operating factories and firms in Egypt are "short sighted . "They don't spend money on research and development. They just want easy returns. But while most governments offer tax breaks for firms willing to invest heavily in research and development, no such programs exist in Egypt, she says. "We are not a rich country. The government doesn't have enough money, but still, they spend it in different ways, says Ghaffar, alluding to the construction of the new Egyptian Museum in Giza, which is budgeted at about LE 2.5 billion. "All of the research spending in Egypt is LE 500 per year. Do you think this is fair? You have to take care of the essentials before you pay for the luxuries, says Ghaffar. While the "Nobel project - which aims to increase the number of patents registered by Egyptian scientists - started with ten areas of study, Dr. Ghaffar says that results will only be substantial if the program's limited funds are focused on key areas where Egypt already has an edge. "I believe we have a good base in material science, which includes nanotechnology and advanced materials. The caliber of the people in these groups is established. They've had international publications and they're getting patents, she says, adding that about 80 scientists are currently working in these areas. "We really need support. These are clever people and they deserve it. We hope that in 20 years, we will achieve something promising. Twenty years isn't a long period to reform an institution.
