Honouring women in science in Africa

L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science 2016 fellows with judges

Impacting the lives of people around the planet, their discoveries are offering new solutions and answering vital questions. Their ground breaking innovation is advancing entire fields of research and even opening new ones.

The fellow’s work and research is contributing to curing diseases, increasing food supplies, enabling sustainable development, helping ensure the survival of our planet to better understand our universe, adding to our knowledge of the very foundations of life.

“Our changing world has never been in greater need of women and their discoveries. With the For Women in Science programme, the L’Oréal Foundation is committed to promoting these women in science who will change the world. We are determined to fight for science and to build a more beautiful world together,” stated Sandeep Rai, managing director, L’Oreal South Africa.

As part of the programme, 14 female scientists from across Sub-Saharan Africa have been honoured for their work and impact in the scientific field. This year applications were received from 26 countries which is testament to the increasing awareness of the program and the brand’s commitment to advancing women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

The recipients of the Post-Doctoral Fellowships of 10,000 Euros each are:

Raquel Garcia, Angola, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, project:  Effects of plant invasions on native ectotherms under a warming climate.

Stephanie Fanucchi, South Africa, University of Cape Town and CSIR, with her project: Deciphering the roles of non-coding RNAs in immune gene regulation.

The recipients of the Doctoral Fellowships of 5,000 Euros each are: 

Juliet Sackey, Ghana, University of South Africa (UNISA), project: Biomimicry of the multi-scaled architecture on selected butterfly wings for photonic applications.

Millicent Akotam Agangiba, Ghana, University of Cape Town, project: Investigating E-government Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in Developing Countries - The Case of Ghana.

Madina Mohamed Adia, Uganda, Makerere University, project: Bioactivity, Toxicity and Phytochemistry of selected medicinal plants used by Rukararwe and Prometra Herbalists in treatment of malaria in Uganda.

Luicer Anne Ingasia Olubayo, Kenya, University of Witwatersrand, project: Construction and functional characterization of Genotype E of Hepatitis B virus replication competent plasmids with authentic endogenous promoters.

Angela Karoro, Uganda, University of South Africa (UNISA), project: Solar selective properties of the ‘Laser treated tubular cobalt-alumina nanocomposite’.

Bibi Nafiisah Chotun, Mauritius, University of Stellenbosch, project: Hepatitis B virus-related liver cancer in South Africa: Investigations into the risk profile of a previously unscreened population from the Western Cape, South Africa.

Colette Njiki Chatue, Cameroon, University of Dschang, project: Petrogenesis of the Numba granitic pluton (SW – Cameroon).

Rokhiya Dia, Senegal, Université de Thiès, project: Numerical simulation of velocity and pressure fields for fluid flow through microtubes with complex geometries: Application to the flow dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid along a shunt device in patients with hydrocephalus pathology.

Eseoghene Umukoro, Nigeria, University of Johannesburg, project: Experimental and computational study of the electrochemical and photo-electrochemical oxidation of organic pollutants at carbon based-semiconductor composite electrodes.

Penelope Dobrowsky, South Africa, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, project: Legionella Species Persistence Mechanisms in Treated Harvested Rainwater.

Usisipho Feleni, South Africa, University of Western Cape, project: Smart bio-electrochemical sensing and signaling of inter-individual responses to breast cancer treatment.

Xandri Schoultz, South Africa, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, project: Novel rhenium-benzazole complexes as anti-cancer agents.