WorldFish has announced the three winners of this year's Board of Trustees awards in recognition of outstanding achievements by staff from offices worldwide.
Dr. Stephen Hall, Director General of WorldFish, presented the awards at the center's headquarters in Penang, Malaysia.
The winners were:
• Board Research Support Award: Ms. Chin Hooi Bing. "For proactive teamwork that has enabled the work of a whole division."
• Board Research Award: Dr. Eric Baran.
"Eric’s work on Mekong fisheries merits recognition not only for its intrinsic quality and impact on policy and poverty, but also because of the example it sets for other staff working in the CGIAR in which the importance of demonstrating tangibles impact of our work is greater than ever before."
• Board Special Award for 2011: Dr. Gamal El Naggar and the staff at Abbassa.
• "Dr. Gamal El Naggar and the staff at Abbassa displayed amazing integrity and conscientiousness in looking after one another and maintaining the WorldFish program of research in Egypt even while dramatic unrest impacted the entire country."
Further details regarding each award follow:
Board Research Support Award
Ms. Chin Hooi Bing
The unsung heroes who provide support for scientists at WorldFish play a pivotal role in the organization, and this has a major impact on the success of our science and management delivery.
In a year of change, one person has stood out with her willingness to adapt to the changing environment, embracing the challenges of change, rather than fearing them. Ms. Chin Hooi Bing, Discipline Associate in the PESS Division, is the winner of this year’s ‘Research Support’ Board Award for her high commitment to her work and support to the PESS Division.
The headquarters-staff of the PESS unanimously consider Hooi Bing as a person who quietly, efficiently and patiently helps the entire unit, especially in times of urgent need. Hooi Bing has provided excellent support to assist in the delivery of science while ensuring we maintain WorldFish’s reputation with partners and donors.
In 2011 Hooi Bing has been a tremendous support with all the changes that have taken place within the organization and PESS – the introduction of CGIAR Research Programs and the OCS project. She has welcomed and guided new staff members and interns in their first few weeks at the Center. Moreover, her pro-active approach, her ability to anticipate future events, and to provide PESS with necessary and accurate advice, is very much appreciated by PESS and the entire center.
When asked a question, Hooi Bing's response will invariably start with “I will….”, and be delivered with a smile. This teamwork reflects the ethos of our organization, and is appreciated by Center staff, leadership and the Board in the giving of this award.
Board Research Award
Dr. Eric Baran
For five years the threat of dam construction on the lower reaches of the Mekong has posed the single greatest threat to the fisheries of the basin, and to the nutrition and livelihoods of some 22 million people in Cambodia and Laos.
While governance conditions in the basin mean the role of science and improved information in influencing policy decisions is often unclear, WorldFish has been sought out in the region as the single most important source of objective advice on the state of the Mekong’s fisheries and on the impact that dams will have on them and the people that depend on fish for their livelihoods. Our reputation as an objective analyst and broker of information – the “partner of choice” on these issues, is due almost exclusively to the work of one scientist.
Dr. Eric Baran has been leading the center’s work on the impact of dam construction on the fisheries of the Mekong Basin, and in earning significant recognition for this within both the basin and the international science community.
In 2010, Eric’s leadership of the fisheries component of the Strategic Environmental Assessment of dams on the Mekong, conducted under the auspices of the Mekong River Commission concluded in a recommendations that were endorsed by the World Bank, 19 international donors and selected national authorities in the basin, and were also used by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, reflecting one of the most successful recent examples of the Center’s impact on policy. This work was also drawn upon for 45 media articles, another very strong reflection of the relevance of our work.
In 2011, Eric followed up on this work by leading an analysis of the fisheries impacts of the Xayaburi dam in Laos. The results of this work again received substantial media exposure (20 articles including in Science, Financial Times, BBC News, The Guardian) and were reflected in Cambodia’s official position with regard to the dam. On 15 April 2011 the Cambodian and Vietnamese prime ministers asked Lao to halt the Xayaburi dam, which they did, and set in place a moratorium period of 10 years.
Eric has also maintained a strong research output in the primary science literature including an article in the high impact journal Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Science.
In summary, Eric’s work on Mekong fisheries merits recognition not only for its intrinsic quality and impact on policy and poverty, but also because of the example it sets for other staff working in the CGIAR in which the importance of demonstrating the tangible impact of our work is greater than ever before. It is with pleasure that the Board awards Eric Baran with the 2011 Board Research Award.
Board Special Award for 2011
Dr. Gamal El Naggar and the staff at Abbassa.
In 2011 Egypt experienced dramatic unrest and the events surrounding the ‘Arab Spring’ were felt around the world. On the ground in Egypt there was serious disruption in banking, telecommunications, transport, fuel and food supplies, and concerns over safety of staff and security of facilities at Abbassa.
Under these very difficult and uncertain circumstances, Dr Gamal El Naggar and the staff at Abbassa displayed amazing integrity and conscientiousness in looking after one another and maintaining the WorldFish program of research in Egypt.
Since its inception in 1997 the Aquaculture and Research and Training Center, Abbassa, has played an important role in WorldFish’s program of research and capacity building. Working with a wide range of private and public-sector partners, these activities have helped in the development of the continent’s most successful aquaculture industry. The development impact in the country has been significant, helping stabilize prices and making highly nutritious fish affordable to the poor.
Under these very difficult circumstances, and at a time when the first reaction of many staff in many institutions was to stay at home, Dr. El Naggar reorganized work schedules, organized daily staff meetings, anticipated the shortages and potential security threats and took the actions necessary to ensure our staff and facilities were safe and that work continued. Of particular note is that a critically important set of experimental trials, comparing the production performance of the Abbassa strain of genetically improved Nile tilapia with that of the best commercially available strain, was completed as planned, the data compiled and analyzed and the results forwarded to the genetics team in Penang
The effort made by the Abbassa staff are recognized by the leadership and Board and so a special award for 2011 is made to Dr. Gamal El Naggar and the staff at Abbassa in recognition of their exceptional contribution to management, administration and research support.
About WorldFish
WorldFish, a member of the CGIAR Consortium, is an international, nonprofit research organization committed to reducing poverty and hunger through fisheries and aquaculture.
About CGIAR
CGIAR is a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research centers who are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations.
For more information or to request an interview:
contact: Toby Johnson, Senior Media Relations Manager
Mobile Tel: +60 175 124 606
Email: t.johnson@cgiar.org
Web: worldfishcenter.org
Photography: flickr.com/photos/theworldfishcenter/