Wikipedia

Marga Gual Soler

María Margarita Gual Soler is a Spanish science diplomat, policy advisor, international speaker and educator. She is best known for helping elevate the role of science in international diplomacy and strengthening the connections between science, policy and society. She played a major role in promoting science diplomacy around the world by developing its educational and training approaches with the Center for Science Diplomacy of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).[1] She advised the science diplomacy strategies of several governments and the European Union[2] and helped re-establish the scientific linkages between the United States and Cuba.[3] Gual Soler has received many fellowships and awards, including the Global Competitiveness Leadership Fellowship at Georgetown University, was named one of 40 Under 40 Latinos in Foreign Policy by The Huffington Post[4] and is a former Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar. In 2019 she was selected to join Homeward Bound, the largest-ever expedition of women in Antarctica.[5]

Marga Gual Soler at the UN Headquarters in New York City.

Early life and education

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Gual Soler was born and grew up in the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. She received her BS in biology from University of Barcelona in Spain, and her PhD in Molecular Biosciences from the University of Queensland in Australia.[6] She trained with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in New York, helping to elevate the voices of the scientific community in the transition from the Millennium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).[7][8]

Science diplomacy career

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As an expert in science diplomacy, Gual Soler helps organizations around the world strengthen the linkages between science, technology and international affairs, with a focus in developing leadership skills for the next generation of globally engaged scientists and engineers. As Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University, she designed new science diplomacy education and training curriculum,[9] which she later expanded as senior project director at the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy.[10] In this role, she led training programs in science policy, science diplomacy and science advice in over 20 countries, in partnership with universities, foreign ministries, academies of sciences and international organizations including The World Academy of Sciences, the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, UNESCO, the Global Young Academy, and the International Network for Government Science Advice, among many others.[11] She launched the first online course on science diplomacy,[12] analyzed and mapped mechanisms to engage scientists and engineers with policy around the world,[13][14] and served as associate editor of the journal Science & Diplomacy.

Gual Soler oversaw the implementation of a landmark science cooperation agreement between AAAS and the Cuban Academy of Sciences following the re-opening of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba in 2015.[15][16][17] In a 2015 article in Slate magazine she reflects: " I could have never imagined that someday I would be able to use my scientific skills to help improve relationships between two countries that have been enemies for nearly six decades.”[18]

Gual Soler supported the science diplomacy strategies of the governments of Spain, Panama,[19] Mexico, and the European Union. As member of the Research, Innovation and Science Experts (RISE) high-level advisory group to European Commissioner Carlos Moedas,[2] she contributed to two books on the future of research and innovation in Europe[20][21] and advised two Horizon 2020-funded projects: "Inventing a Shared Science Diplomacy for Europe (InsSciDE)"[22] and "Science Diplomacy for Global Challenges (S4D4C)".[23]

Public engagement with science

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Under the auspices of UNESCO, Gual Soler helped launch the Latin American chapter of the World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS) with Mandë Holford,[24] and co-founded the Science Slam Festival, a new science communication initiative combining science and performing arts in Latin America, held in Spain, Mexico, Uruguay and Paraguay.[25] She also led policy engagement for the European project “Participatory Engagement with Scientific and Technological Research through Performance (PERFORM).[26]

She is an advocate for women and minorities in science, frequently writing and speaking on the challenges that women in STEM fields face globally.[27][28] She spoke at the 2018 March for Science in Washington, D.C., on the benefits of global scientific collaboration. She is a member of Homeward Bound,[5] an annual leadership program held in Antarctica to help raise the visibility, collaboration and policy impact of women on the future of the planet.

Honors and awards

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  • Global Competitiveness Leadership Program at Georgetown University (2014)[29]
  • 10 Latinas Think Big Innovators to Watch (2016)[30]
  • 2016 Stylish Scientist by Future-Ish (2016)[31]
  • 40 Under 40 Latinos in Foreign Policy by The Huffington Post (2017)[32]
  • 100 Spanish Experts in Innovation (Los 100 de Cotec) by Fundación Cotec[33]
  • Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar (2017)
  • Homeward Bound Women in Leadership Program (2018)[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Developing the Next Generation of Science Diplomats | Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies". graduate.dartmouth.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Research, innovation and science policy experts group (RISE)". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  3. ^ "MEDICC Review | Promoting Scientific Cooperation in Times of Diplomatic Challenges: Sustained Partnership between the Cuban Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science" (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  4. ^ Calderon, Josue Lopez (19 October 2016). "40 Under 40: Latinos in Foreign Policy". HuffPost. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "HB4 (2019) Participants | Homeward Bound". Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  6. ^ "United Nations curious to learn from UQ student". Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  7. ^ Gual Soler, Marga (21 August 2013). "From the Lab Bench to the U.N." Science | AAAS. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  8. ^ Gual Soler, Marga (6 January 2014). "Voices of NGOs on Science, Technology, Innovation and Culture for Sustainable Development and achieving the MDGs". Figshare. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.894440.v1. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. ^ "New program helps students navigate the complex world of science diplomacy". ASU Now: Access, Excellence, Impact. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Future Science Diplomats Receive a Range of Training at AAAS". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Science Diplomacy Education Network". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Science Diplomacy: An Introduction". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Connecting Scientists to Policy Around the World". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  14. ^ "International Collaboration in Connecting Scientists to Policy". Science & Diplomacy. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Science Diplomacy Visit to Cuba Produces Historic Agreement". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  16. ^ "U.S. and Cuban Scientists Explore Advances to Fight Cancer". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  17. ^ "U.S.-Cuba Scientific Collaboration Advances". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  18. ^ Gual Soler, Marga (26 October 2015). "The Critical Role Science Plays in International Diplomacy". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Taller sobre hoja de ruta de la Diplomacia Científica Panameña". mire.gob.pa. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Europe's future : open innovation, open science, open to the world : reflections of the Research, Innovation and Science Policy Experts (RISE) High Level Group". publications.europa.eu. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  21. ^ "Research and innovation in Europe – what's next?". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  22. ^ "Marga GUAL SOLER - InsSciDE". www.insscide.eu. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  23. ^ "Marga Gual Soler to join S4D4C's advisory board". EU Science Diplomacy. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  24. ^ "WAYS-UNESCO Science Forum in Latin America and the Caribbean | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". www.unesco.org. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  25. ^ "Empezó las actividades del Sciencie Slam Festival". La Nación (in European Spanish). Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  26. ^ "Perform". www.perform-research.eu. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  27. ^ Gual Soler, Marga (21 November 2013). "On #ManicureMonday and the Sexy/Smart Dichotomy of Girls in STEM". HuffPost. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  28. ^ GenderInSITE at the AAAS-TWAS Science Diplomacy workshop, 8-12 June 2015, 14 September 2015, retrieved 16 May 2019
  29. ^ "Global Competitiveness Leadership". lalp.georgetown.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  30. ^ Pérez-Litwin, Angélica (22 December 2015). "10 Latinas Think Big Innovators to Watch in 2016". HuffPost. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  31. ^ "2016 Stylish Scientist List". Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  32. ^ Calderon, Josue Lopez (19 October 2016). "40 Under 40: Latinos in Foreign Policy". HuffPost. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  33. ^ "Cotec | Mapa de expertos los 100 de Cotec" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 16 May 2019.
External media
Audio
  Marga Gual Soler: on science diplomacy as a contact sport, Science Soapbox
Video
  AAAS Science Diplomacy Online Course
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