Cheick Modibo Diarra

Cheick Modibo Diarra
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Researcher, Chairperson
Principal country concerned : Column : History/society

Born in 1952 in Nioro du Sahel (Mali).

Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra is an aerospace engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and an interplanetary navigator for five major space missions including the Mars Pathfinder and the Mars Observer. Dr. Diarra was also the Manager of the Mars Exploration's education and public outreach program, which increased excitement about science and mathematics among children in the United States through their direct experience with the Mars missions. As a result of this work and his other accomplishments, Dr. Diarra was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) to promote science and technology education, as well as the development of entrepreneurs, he also received, in New York City, the Africa-America year 2000 award for Science Education. The Pathfinder Foundation is an outgrowth of that commission and of the joint objectives of UNESCO, JPL and Dr. Diarra.

Immediately upon accepting this commission, Dr. Diarra recognizes the valuable contribution that his colleagues at JPL, Caltech (California Institute of Technology), and other technology institutions could provide. He has already obtained the commitment of numerous leading scientists and technologists willing to dedicate some of their time to train center staff, and to lead seminars.

In November 1999, he established the African Summit on Science and Technology, SASNET, continental association of African scientists and engineers to support his efforts. In 1998, the education concept behind the Pathfinder Foundation was field tested in Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. In each of these countries, workshops designed to enhance science and mathematics teaching in elementary schools as well as curricula, were conducted. In Mali, a summer long communications technology workshop was facilitated by student volunteers for the benefit of schools and the local communities.

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Organizations

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Articles

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Partners

  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
  • FURTHER ARTS
  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

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