Ubuntu Science: Building International Collaborations with Africa

The field of electronic structure theory is especially suitable for widespread adoption in emerging economies in Africa: along with the increasing availability of open-source codes and cheaper high-performance computing, many of the scientific questions that electronic structure addresses are particularly pertinent to Africa such as solar power. However, academic isolation is a key obstacle for building thriving groups throughout Africa, both for intracontinental collaboration, and for broader international cooperation. Here I focus on two community efforts to address this: the African School of Electronic Structure: Methods and Application (ASESMA) and the US-Afri Innovation Fund (which was supported by an inaugural APS Innovation Fund). Following an overview of the achievements of both programs featuring some special guests, I will discuss the future challenges for this vision, and how all physicists can contribute to further building a global scientific community.