S&T in Development: Ending Extreme Poverty

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) partners to end extreme poverty and promote democratic societies while advancing our security and prosperity. As the federal government’s lead development agency, USAID programs 1% of the federal budget in over 80 countries around the world across numerous technical sectors, including global health, food security, water and sanitation, education, environment, and humanitarian assistance. In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and end extreme poverty as we know it, USAID needs to bring together diverse partners to catalyze the next generation of breakthrough innovations. That is why USAID established the Global Development Lab in 2014. The Lab focuses on leveraging the promise of science, technology, innovation, and partnership which reflects USAID’s broad embrace of innovation to bring about positive change and solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. This presentation will frame the issues USAID seeks to address and explore the important role of science and technology (S&T) in international development programming, whether working for an implementer, donor, or in academia. Additionally, the presentation will share S&T fellowship opportunities at USAID for physicists at any career level.