Overview of MRC Vision Shaping up the Mauritius of tomorrow through - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Overview of MRC

Vision “Shaping up the Mauritius of tomorrow through research, technology and innovation” Mission "Promoting and pioneering research for sustainable development to enhance the quality of life of the people of Mauritius"

Objectives (MRC (Amendment) Bill 2014)

Foster, promote and coordinate research and development, and innovation, inline with the economic, technological and social needs of Mauritius Encourage commercial utilisation

• f

research and development, and innovation, results in the national interest Foster the development of a research culture Promote science and technology Enhance private sector participation in research and development and innovation

• Research Grant

Schemes

• Innovation &

Commercialization Schemes

• Capacity Building/

Award Schemes

• Research Support

Schemes 20+ Applied Projects

• Geothermal power
• E-waste Management
• Seaweed Industry (6 Projects)
• Coconut Industry (2)
• Natural Fibre Develop (2).
• Science Park
• Toxic plants
• Water Quality
• Neurological rehabilitation
• Mauritian Innovation and IP

Framework

• Wind on High-Rise Buildings
• Social Attitude Survey
• Summer Time
• Work & the Family
• Discrimination at the

Work Place

• Street Children in

Mauritius

• KABP survey on

Substance Abuse

• KABP survey on anti-

corruption values in Secondary Schools

• Crime and Violence
• Domestic Violence

Recent Activities

• LBOI Technical

Advisor

• Innovation Committee
• Science , Technology &

Innovation Policy

• Science Education
• Water Quality
• Pedestrian Wind

Safety – High Rise Buildings

Commercialisation of R&D Output

(About 500 Projects )

Research Funding Agency Science & Technology Science & Technology Adviser to Government Social Research (CASR)

Coordinated R & D Initiatives

Research Grant Schemes Innovation & Commercialization Schemes Capacity Building/ Award Schemes Research Support Schemes

Current Priorities of the Council

Ocean Economy Sustainable Resource Management Human Resources Life Sciences Information and Communication Technologies Socio-Economic Issues and Emerging Sectors

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

GDP/capita (US$) Year GDP/capita (USD)

Source: Central Statistical Office, World Development Indicators

Tourism/ Financial / ICT Textile Agriculture

12% 26% 62% 12% 32% 56% 7% 29% 64%

4% 27% 69%

Rodrigues Natural Science Ocean Related Agronomy/ Plant Science Social Science Energy

Government’s vision is to make of the Republic of Mauritius, within the next ten years, a nation fully conscious of its immense potential as an Ocean State. Maritime territory (EEZ) – 2.3 million km2

1000 x land space of RoM 4 x size of France 3.5 x size of Madagasgar 30 x size of Ireland

RoM is a big OCEAN STATE Net Size of RoM = 1/3 size of Europe “We’ve barely scratched the surface of that Ocean”

Blue

Aquaculture Salmon, Trout, Oysters Seaweed Culture Pearl Culture Thalassotherapy Cosmetics Desalinated Mineral Water Healthcare Products Pharmaceutics Aquaponics Inland Tourism High Purity Marine Salt

Deep Ocean Water Applications

Environment Friendly ORGANIC Jobs & Wealth Rev: Rs 5 billion yearly (Foreign Currency) Democratisation

• f Economy

Science & Technology Driven Renewable Energy

High Quality Salt Desalination Plant Deep Sea Bottled Mineral Water 6oC 20oC AQUACULTURE Increase Temp Increase Temp Remove Nutrients 25oC

A Land Based Oceanic Industry

High Value Seaweeds, Oysters & Pearls Oceanarium

1000M

SPA Thalassotherapy Cooling Station Air Conditioning Hotels/Buildings Pump 13oC High Value Fish (Salmon, Lobster)

Low Temperature Rich on Nutrients Rich in Minerals Medicinal Properties Pharmaceutical + therapeutic Properties

The Energy Landscape in Mauritius

500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500

GWh

Electricity Consumption 2000 – 2010- 2025

CIA World Factbook, 2011

40% 25% 17% 2% 4% 8% 2% 2%

2025

Coal Fuel Oil Bagasse Hydro Waste to energy Wind Solar PV Geothermal 44% 28% 14% 3% 4% 6% 1%

2020

Coal Fuel Oil Bagasse Hydro Waste to energy Wind Solar PV 45% 31% 13% 3% 5% 2% 1%

2015

Coal Fuel Oil Bagasse Hydro Waste to energy Wind Solar PV 43% 37% 16% 4%

2010

Coal Fuel Oil Bagasse Hydro

Long-Term Energy Strategy 2009-2025, Ministry of Renewable Energy & Public Utilities, October 2009

Electricity Generation 2012

Transportation -implementation on a pilot basis Electricity Generation – feasibility study and implementation

www.siemens.com

Offshore Wind Turbines

RoM has an Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.3 million Km2. The ocean offers immense potential for generating electricity, especially for a small island state like Mauritius. Our country’s primary energy consumption in 2010 was approximately 2700GWh, 80% of which came from fossil fuels. Wind energy is recognised worldwide as a proven technology to meet increasing electricity demands in a sustainable and clean way.

CETO

www.carnegiewave.com

TIDAL ENERGY

www.siemens.co.uk

SeaGen Turbine

www.euinfrastructure.com

OpenHydro Turbine

www.ocean7.at

Salinity Gradient Power

Local Seaweeds of commercial potential

Ulva lactuca Padina spp. Sargassum binderi Sargassum aquifolium Gracilaria salicornia Hypnea cornuta

Aim of the project: The main goal is to convert pineapple leaves and banana trunks - no value waste products -into highly priced eco fabrics

Banana fibre 45 mm clippings Mix 80% wool + 20% BF Slubbing Yarn Knitted material

High quality of fibres obtained from pineapple leaves and banana trunks

www.dharmatrading.com www.dbathis.com

Experimental Wheat Cultivation in Mauritius

Land Preparation and Furrowing Seeding

Potential applications

• f toxic

plants

Insecticide/ Weedicide Medicinal applications Agriculture Biofuel Antifouling agents Raw materials Cosmetics

Research on Plants

MORINGA OLEIFERA,

the miracle tree

Social Sciences Mauritius Research Council

Cabinet took note on the 16th of August 2013 that Government will be setting up an IIT like research academy in Mauritius in close collaboration with the IIT Delhi. It would be operated under the aegis of the Mauritius Research Council in close collaboration with the IIT Delhi. It aims at promoting scientific excellence and fostering Scientific Development in Mauritius, through state of the art Scientific and Technical Research to generate new cutting-edge knowledge. It envisages being a world class research platform attracting the best students from Mauritius, Africa and Asia in the field of scientific research. The IITRA was launched on the 23rd of July 2014.

Goals of the IITRA

Provide a world class research based educational platform for full time and part time post graduate research leading to MS(R) and PhD degree awards. Attract foreign researchers to Mauritius, including Scientific Experts from the Mauritian Diaspora. Attract foreign students to Mauritius

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of South Africa signed in February 1998 The MoU covered four (4) broad areas of co-

• peration:

Joint Research Projects Technology Transfer Sharing of Intellectual Property Commercial Business Opportunities

A Video Conference was organized with the CSIR by the MRC in collaboration with the University of Mauritius on 29th April 2009 at the UoM under the context of Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation. The SANBio Network Director (Professor Luke Mumba) visited stakeholders in Mauritius from 19-21 May 2008 to discuss with them areas for collaboration

• n SANBio initiatives.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Republic of South Africa visited the MRC from 15th to 17th October 2008. The objective of the visit was to explore potential areas related to opportunities for cooperation in the cross-cutting field of Science and Technology, including ICT and Space

• Science. The 12-Member Delegation was led by the Director General of the

DST, Dr Phil MJWARA.

• 1. Square Kilometer Array (DST)
• 2. The establishment of a Bioinformatics Regional

Node at the University of Mauritius within the framework of the SANBio of NEPAD

• 3. Capacity Building on Intellectual Property Rights

(DST, SARIMA, NIPMO)

Aim

To create a National Centre for HPC enabling cutting edge research with high impact on the Mauritian Economy.

Objectives

1. To facilitate high-end research and foster innovation 2. To provide processing time to research institutions, academic institutions and private sector 3. To facilitate human capital development through high-level training 4. To strengthen collaboration among researchers and promote Private- Public Partnership

Applications

Big Data Analysis 3D Modelling and Simulation (CFD, weather forecasting, chemical modelling, etc.) Parallel processing Distributed computing Cloud storage

Specialist Interest Groups

Bioinformatics Airline industry Telecommunication Engineering Research Meteorology

Centre for HPC National Centre for HPC

Big Data 3D modelling and simulation Parallel Computing Distributed Computing Cloud Storage

South Africa Mauritius

Thank You For Your Attention

Mauritius Research Council Level 6, Ebene Heights 34, Cybercity Ebene Mauritius Tel: (230) 465 1235 Fax: (230) 465 1239 Email: mrc@intnet.mu Website: http://www.mrc.org.mu

(All correspondence should be addressed to the Executive Director)