African Academies Diaspora Fellows Program

The African Academies Diaspora Fellowship Programme provided support for African academies to invite African diaspora members to collaborate on policy initiatives or other activities designed to strengthen the host academies. Funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Academy of Science of South Africa; German National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina; Royal Society (UK); IAP; and Working Group member Prof TJ Higgins (Australia), a total of $75,000 was awarded to seven grantees, selected through a competitive process. Diaspora fellows collaborated with their host academies on a variety of scientific, policy, strategic or development initiatives, in each case contributing specialized expertise and/or unique perspectives unavailable with the academy’s own network. Consistent with the focus of the larger Harnessing STI initiative, all projects were designed to address aspects of one or more strategic frameworks: the host academy’s own strategic plan; the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) strategic plan; STISA-2024; and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The AADFP Grantees: 

Burundi Council of Young Scientists
Using Science, Technology and Innovation to Improve Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture to Achieve Food Security
Host Academy Lead: David Niyukuri, Co-Chair
Diaspora Fellow: Emery Nibigira, Blaise Pascal University, France; Secretary, Burundi Council of Young Scientists

Ghana Young Academy
Development of a 5-Year Strategic Plan for the Ghana Young Academy
Host Academy Lead: Priscilla Kolibea Mante, Co-Chair
Diaspora Fellow: Alice Matimba, Wellcome Genome Campus, UK; Member, Global Young Academy

Académie Nationale des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal
Creation of a Database of the Skills of the Senegalese Diaspora and Definition of a Strategy of Their Mobilization for the Development of Senegal
Host Academy Lead: Mam Binta Gaye, Administrateur de programmes
Diaspora Fellow: Mahamadou Lamine Sagna, Schiller International University, France

Nigerian Academy of Science
Combatting Drug Abuse and Antibiotic Resistance: A Public Lecture
Host Academy Lead: Oladoyin Odubanjo, Executive Secretary
Diaspora Fellow: Sunny E. Ohia, Texas Southern University, USA; Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Science

Nigerian Young Academy
Multidisciplinary Research: A Cornerstone for Sustainable Development
Host Academy Lead: Tope Olomola, President
Diaspora Fellow: David Mba, De Montfort University, UK; Foreign Member, Nigerian Academy of Science; Foreign Member, African Academy of Science

South Africa Young Academy of Sciences
Building Science and Policy Capacities of Young Academies of Science
Host Academy Lead: Edith Shikumo, Secretariat
Diaspora Fellow: Saleem Badat, The Andrew W Mellon Foundation, USA; Member, Academy of Science of South Africa; Board Member, South Africa Young Academy of Sciences

Sudanese National Academy of Sciences (SNAS)
Developing Approaches for the Incorporation of Nanotechnology in the Science and Engineering Education in the Sudan
Host Academy Lead: Mohamad H A Hassan, President
Diaspora Fellow: Osama O. Awadelkarim, Pennsylvania State University, USA; Fellow, Sudanese National Academy of Sciences