Dear ASM colleagues:
As many of you have heard, the scientific community lost a great friend and leader
with the passing of Dr. Edgar J. DaSilva on Sunday, October 28th. Dr. DaSilva
had been a member of ASM for 31 years during which he demonstrated time and
again, his passion for microbiology and dedication to promoting the ideals of the
Society.
ASM began working with Dr. DaSilva to build an important partnership with
UNESCO in 1987, while he served Director of the Division of Life Sciences at
UNESCO. These efforts soon led to the establishment of the ASM/UNESCO Travel
Grants, ASM/UNESCO Visiting Resource Person, and ASM’s involvement in the
Microbiology Resource Center (MIRCEN) network.
Following his retirement from UNESCO in 2001 Dr. DaSilva was invited to join the ASM International Committee as Special Adviser on European Activities, a position which he held until last Sunday. In addition to his service on the IC, Dr. DaSilva was actively involved with ASM in many other areas over the years. His contributions to Microbe Magazine, presentations at ASM General Meetings, leadership in developing lasting relationships with partner organizations such as UNESCO were invaluable.
Dr. DaSilva’s long and illustrious career began at the University of Bombay where he obtained his Master’s and Doctoral Degrees for work with cyanobacteria. As a NORAD and UNESCO scholar he continued his research work in Norway and Sweden.
During his time at UNESCO from 1975 - 2001 Dr. DaSilva was instrumental in the planning and implementation of UNESCO’s regional network programs in Africa, the Arab States, Latin and Central America, and Southeast Asia, as well as the global research and training network in the management and use of microbial resources for sustainable development. In 2001, he was appointed Professor Extraordinary in the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the University de Vrystaat in South Africa and visiting Professor at the International Centre for Biotechnology, Osaka University, Japan.
On behalf of the International Committee, I would like to extend my condolences to all of you that had the pleasure to know Dr. DaSilva as a friend and colleague. His absence will certainly be felt and his legacy remembered.
Emeritus Professor, Department of Biosci
Edgar J DaSilva
I first got to know Edgar DaSilva in the mid-1970s when I was invited to join the UNEP/Unesco/ICRO Panel on Applied Microbiology. We interacted frequently over the next decade or so through the work of the Panel and, subsequently, in the operation of the MIRCEN network. Edgar was an extraordinarily committed man and countless individuals and organizations in the developing world especially will remember him with affection and for the opportunities he opened up for them. For me he epitomized completely the spirit of the United Nations in his vision and actions, and his ability to work to wonderful effect in the Panel with the likes of Martin Alexander, Carl-Goran Heden, Roger Porter, David Pramer, Maurits la Riviere, Jacques Senez, H. Taguchi and so many others andthereby demonstrating unequivocally how microbiology could and can be developed for the common good. Eventually Edgar became Director of the Life Science Section of Unesco and in his eulogy of Professor Heden (the first chair of the Panel) on the occasion of his 80th birthday he wrote of him as “An individual who personified all that is best in national, regional and international co-operation in microbiology…(he)… brought to his team, individuals from all over the world from various academic institutions, non-governmental organizations and associations with one singular aim which was simply to help, encourage, and instill indigenous resource development, self-reliance, self-sufficiency and sustainable development which, today, are catchwords, soundbites and slogans, but, that in reality were truly and well articulated over two decades ago”. Edgar would be embarrassed if he thought that such an epithet might be directed at himself but I can think of no more fitting and deserved tribute to pay him. Edgar DaSilva was great fun to be with and many a time after a day’s closely argued debate and detailed planning he was the most convivial companion with whom a stream of jokes, anecdotes and shared memories would often keep us amused until the early hours. He never seemed to have much time for holidays but from time to time he and my family and I would relax together in Paris, Cardiff or Canterbury but even then his passion for what he saw as his life’s work would never be far from his thoughts. In personal terms I have much to thank Edgar for and underpinning it all was a strong, generous and lasting friendship. A man to be admired for his integrity, determination, fortitude and compassion; I, like so many around the world, will miss him greatly.
Alan T Bull
Canterbury, November 2007
|
Dr Mamadou Gueye |
May 7, 2008 |
ISRA-MIRCEN
Dr Edgar J. DaSILVA was a scientist, convinced of the utility of the
micro-organisms in the life of the men and the plants. He contributed
much to the installation in Africa (Cairo, Nairobi and Dakar) of the
MIRCEN culture collection of nitrogen fixing micro-organisms for
fighting, with lower cost, against malnutrition and for alleviating
poverty. All Africa will be grateful to him, for ever."
Mamadou Gueye
Dr Mamadou Gueye
ISRA-MIRCEN
Laboratoire Commun de Microbiologie (LCM) IRD-ISRA-UCAD
BP 1386, DAKAR, Sénégal
Former Prime Minister, Amman-Jordan
With deepest sorrow and sadness, I was shocked to hear the passing away of my close friend Edgar DaSilva in Mumbai, India.
Edgar who handled the biotechnology field in the science sector was so devoted to his work and I worked closely with him as an Assistant Director General for the science sector and later as a Deputy Director General at UNESCO.
Edgar has established the Biotechnology Action Council (BAC) from pronounced scientists from all over the world, and contributed immensely to the development of biotechnology in the developing world.
I have published with Edgar an E-publication on the state of biotechnology in the developing world, together with Prof. Elias Baydoun, Director General of the Arab Academy of Science.
I believe that the biotechnological field in the third world has lost an hones, and devoted scientist and friend.
Indeed, his contribution and legacy win live on.
Prof. Adnan Badran
Former Prime Minister
President, Petra University
Amman-Jordan
|
Walter Erdelen |
December 11, 2007 |
Asst Director-General, Natural Sciences
In memory of Edgar DaSilva
Walter Erdelen, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO, Paris
It is with great sadness that we learnt about the demise of our former colleague Dr Edgar DaSilva. His death is a significant loss to the scientific community, particularly in the inter-governmental context, to which he has contributed immensely for over 4 decades.
Dr DaSilva joined UNESCO in 1974 and was quickly noticed for his diligence and enthusiasm. His foresight and perception of science in the global context allowed him to be proactive in identifying scientific priorities and developing new and appropriate thrusts for UNESCO’s programme actions.
He was instrumental in the planning and implementation of several UNESCO regional and international programmes in applied microbiology and biotechnology as well as in the development of the global networks dealing with the management and use of microbial resources and training opportunities in the fields of marine and plant biotechnology. He was a co-founder of the Microbiological Resource Centers (MIRCEN) all around the world and played a major role in the establishment of the Biotechnology Action Council (BAC). Through these two programmes he made a considerable contribution to the development of biotechnology research and training worldwide; this is evident from the recognition of his work at the regional level as well as in the international arena. He had a knack for developing strong links with international programmes for co-ordinated action on topics of common interest. He was a strong supporter of the International Organization of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (IOBB), built strong links with the World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC), played an important role in the conferences on the ‘Global Impact of Applied Microbiology’ (GIAM), among many others. In addition he mobilized several extra budgetary programmes in close cooperation with UNEP and UNDP and donor Member States for activities in national development in biotechnology and regional cooperation in microbiology.
During his time with UNESCO, and I dare say before and after as well, he honed his passion for teaching and knowledge transfer in his own area of specialization of microbiology and also in biotechnology. He worked tirelessly to develop training initiatives and set up fellowship and professorship programmes to stimulate scientific exchange. He was a strong proponent of international scientific collaboration as a means to promote development and provide developing countries with the tools to drive their own scientific research.
Many of his colleagues will remember Edgar DaSilva as a diligent professional in the service of UNESCO’s Member States, particularly the developing countries. He was hardest on himself, demanding a rigorous and efficient approach to work.
More recently he was co-editor of the theme “Biotechnology” for the UNESCO-sponsored Encyclopedia for Life Support Systems [EOLSS].
He will always be remembered by his colleagues and the scientific community for his competence, dynamism and dedication to capacity building in the life sciences and biology education in developing countries.
Our sincere condolences go to his family and close friends.
