9 September 2008, the prestigious African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards Programme. The objective of the pro- gramme is to give out scientific awards to top African scientists for their scientific achievements and valuable discoveries and findings. The programme is implemented at national level for young researchers, re- gional level for women scientists and conti- nental level open to all scientists. The Con- tinental level is the highest and level of the programme. Prizes are awarded to top Afri- can scientists in each of the following two sectors (a) Life and Earth Sciences; and (b) Basic Science, Technology and Innovation at the national, regional and continental lev- els. The African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific Awards Programme is imple- mented using a set of rules of procedure. This is one of the holistic and deliberate measures taken by the Commission to maintain science and technology on top of Africa’s development, cooperation and po- litical agenda. The Commission urges its Member States, Regional Economic Com- munities and other key stakeholders to popularize science among African citizens, empower them, celebrate their achieve- ments and promote all efforts to transform scientific research into Africa’s sustainable development.
The Commission is implementing the re-
gional component of the programme through the Regional Economic Communi- ties which continue to serve as fundamental pillars for the execution of regional develop- ment. Each successful laureate walks away with a Cash Prize of USD 20,000, a Medal and a Certificate.
For the 2015 Edition, the successful laure-
ates are from the North and East African Regions. The programme was jointly imple- mented by the Regional Economic Commu- nities and the Commission. This Brochure gives brief highlights of the outstanding achievements of these laureates. Northern Africa Region Laureate
Prof. Merzouk Hafida
Prof. Merzouk Hafida, born on 07.22.1962,
in Tlemcen, Algeria, married with three chil- dren, graduated from the University of Tlemcen, where she received her Diploma DES in biology and Magister in animal biol- ogy. She was recruited as a teacher assis- tant in 1992 at the Institute of Biology, and provides courses and practical works to stu- dents in biochemistry and physiology spe- cialty. Having a training scholarship abroad, she completed her doctoral researches at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, in the field of maternal nutrition, macrosomia and fetal growth retardation.
After Ph.D. thesis, she took the lead of a
magister on physiology and cellular patho- physiology and conducted several magister theses on topics relating to cell dysfunction and diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. She became a professor in 2004 and directed several doctorate theses in nutritional biochemistry. She has served in many administrative positions. Currently, she is the director of PPABIONUT labora- tory where she manages several research projects on preventive nutrition and bioac- tive molecules, in collaboration with French teams in Dijon, Evry and Strasbourg.
Very involved in her research, she is the au-
thor of numerous international publications and participates in several international con- ferences. Expressing the wish to make known to the public the results of her re- searches, she is now an active member of the Algerian society of nutrition and ortho- molecular medicine SANMO. Her integra- tion into the SANMO society allows her to provide information on the importance of adequate nutrition for general population, and to promote preventive measures focus on maternal and children nutritional educa- tion.
Recently, she has embarked on a project to
study the chronic effects of low doses of pesticides on health, and a project on the beneficial effects of Algae consumption with international collaboration. Her strong re- search on nutrition and health make her convinced that she will add value and con- tribute positively to scientific excellence in Algeria and also in Africa. Eastern Africa Region Laureate
Prof. Yalemtsehay Mekonnen
Prof. Yalemtsehay Mekonnen was born in
Asela, Ethiopia on May 30, 1955. She was honored with a prize from his Emperor Haileselassie for scoring great distinction in Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate Exami- nation.
She joined Addis Ababa University (AAU) in
1972 obtaining her B.Sc degree in Biology in 1977. She was then employed as a graduate assistant in the Department of Bi- ology, Faculty of Science where she joined the first graduate programme launched in the Department. She recieved her M.Sc de- gree in Zoology in 1980 with the first batch of graduates as the first woman both at the AAU and the country.
She obtained her PhD in Human Physiology
from the University of Heidelberg Germany in May 1992. She was promoted to the rank of full professor in January 2009. She was awarded with several research grants and fellowships nationally and internationally. To give some examples, the Ethiopian Science and Technology Commission, the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization, the Brit- ish Council, the International Foundation for Science, the Third World Academy of Sci- ences, the German Academic Exchange Service and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany.
Her main scientific work focuses on:
Medicinal plants that are used by communi-
ties and test them in the laboratory if they have medicinal importance and assessing health hazard to humans, animals and the environment due to chemicals and other contaminants that are by-products of agri- cultural practices or industries. She has col- laborated with researchers in Ethiopia and abroad and advised many graduate stu- dents. The outcome of her research work is exemplified by 92 publications in national and international peer reviewed scientific journals. Currently she is engaged in teach- ing and continuing her research activities in the College of Natural Sciences, AAU. In addition she is engaged in several profes- sional activities (E.g. Member of the New York Academy of Sciences, Board member of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences, Ex- ecutive Board President of the Society of Ethiopian Women in Science & Technol- ogy).
On a personal note:
She has great passion to motivate the
young specially women to be confident and successful in their professional career in particular and their overall walk in life in general DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
Machakos University Won the 2020 Owsd (Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World) Early Career Fellows Programme. the Fellowship Awardee, Dr. Veronica Okello, Was Among the 23 Women Selected
Download ebooks file Socio cultural Dimensions of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Africa An Indigenous Response to Deadly Epidemics Godfrey B. Tangwa all chapters
Machakos University Won the 2020 Owsd (Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World) Early Career Fellows Programme. the Fellowship Awardee, Dr. Veronica Okello, Was Among the 23 Women Selected
Download ebooks file Socio cultural Dimensions of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Africa An Indigenous Response to Deadly Epidemics Godfrey B. Tangwa all chapters
