DAKAR, Senegal (AP) – Evelyn Gitau became hooked on chemistry in high school in Kenya. Alta Schutte remembers nearly losing her father to cardiovascular disease in the South African mining town where she grew up. Axel Ngonga, born in Cameroon, was fascinated as a child by ants, following them to figure out their patterns.
These sparks sent the three on a track to working with cellular immunology, web technologies and other specialized fields.
Gitau, Schutte and Ngonga are among a formidable group of Next Einstein fellows, 15 innovators who are paving the way to build Africa’s expertise in science, technology, engineering and math with the help of governments, donors and academics.
State leaders, policy makers, global companies and some of the brightest minds on the continent gathered in Senegal this week to spotlight the fellows at the Next Einstein Forum, meant to establish funding, foster collaboration and find solutions for development in these four fields, known together as STEM. The forum also stressed that women’s roles and opportunities in the fields need to be strengthened for Africa to realize its full potential.
The March 8-10 forum, initiated by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and to be held next in Rwanda in 2018, chose the African fellows so they could present their research, meet each other and draw from a vast network of nearly 1,000 people to advance their work and reduce isolation within their field. Here, they rubbed shoulders with Senegal President Macky Sall, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and research and science ministers from various countries as well as funders.