Scholarships and Grants for Africans – Compiled by the AAU (Third Edition)
November 22, 2022
Association of African Universities and the African Academy of Sciences Record Key Successes Under the Science Granting Council’s Research Management Project
December 5, 2022Press Release – Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) Announces the Winners of its First Students Innovation Research Awards
Accra, Ghana (November 23, 2022) – The Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) project is pleased to announce the winners of its maiden Students Innovation Research Awards (SIRA). Established by the Regional Facilitation Unit for ACE Impact, the Association of African Universities (AAU), with support from the World Bank, the award recognizes and promotes excellent research and innovation with both scientific and societal value, that responds to Africa’s developmental challenges.
Four Hundred and Twenty-Eight (428) applications were received from ACE Impact students in the 11 participating countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo) since the announcement of the call for applications in September 2022. The first round of the transparent and fair review process, guided by the award’s stipulated criteria led to the selection of 65 eligible student research for the next round of review. Following the initial screening, an independent committee of experts representing the five thematic disciplines (Agriculture, Applied Social Sciences/ Education, Environment, Health, STEM) of ACE Impact Project thoroughly assessed each submission. Subsequently, 15 research projects (three from each thematic discipline) were selected for the awards. It is worthy to note that seven (7) out of the fifteen (15) projects were led by women.
The selected awardees received a cash grant between $2000-$4000 each (summing up to a total of $50,000 cash prize) and certificates of research excellence. The awards were presented at the closing ceremony of the 8th ACE Impact Regional Workshop held in Gambia from 14th -18th November 2022.
The Students Innovation and Research Awards (SIRA) is focussing on students to boost their interest in implementing the skills and knowledge acquired and aims at driving national and regional development through research.
Below is the list of awardees.
| AGRICULTURE | |||
| Name | Centre | Research Topic | Position |
| Ms. Gouegni Edwige Flore | Center for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB), Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria | Immunogenic Potentials of Trypanosoma Congolense Flagellar Pocket Membrane Bound Acid Phosphatase | 1st |
| Mr. Magangi Wilfred Abincha | West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana | Breeding Investigations to Support Cassava Biofortification through Genomics, Phenomics and Bioinformatics | 2nd |
| Mr. Krampah Eric Appiah | Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECOR), University of Cape Coast, Ghana | Laboratory rearing of mangrove oyster (Crassostrea tulipa) larvae on local microalgae isolates | 2nd |
| ENVIRONMENT | |||
| Ms. DJASSOU Adjoavi Colette
|
Valorisation des Dechets en Produits a Haute Valeur Ajoutee (CEA-VALOPRO), Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny Cote d’Ivoire | Elaboration d’éco matériaux pour la construction à partir de béton incorporant des granulats de pneus usagés.
|
1st (Tie) |
| Ms. OUEDRAOGO Habibou
Co-Researchers: Dr. SORE Seick Omar; Dr. NSHIMIYIMANA Philbert
|
Collège d’Ingénerie: Institut International de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE), Burkina Faso | Durabilité des briques en terre comprimées stabilisées aux géopolymères
|
1st (Tie) |
| Ms. Maduka Chinonye Medline | Center for Oilfield Chemicals Research (CEFOR), University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria | The use of organics to formulate brake fluid | 3rd |
| HEALTH | |||
| Ms. YONGOIKYO KUMAWUESE ABIGAIL | Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER), Benue State University, Nigeria | Formulation of Infant Food with Fortified Mango Fruit Flour | 1st |
| Dr. TRAORE/MAïGA Safiatou
|
Centre de Formation, de Recherche et d’Expertises en Sciences du Medicament, Burkina Faso
|
Developpement D’une Creme A Base De Miel Et De Beurre De Karite Du Burkina Faso Pour Le Traitement Des Brulures Cutanees
|
2nd |
| Mr. Aliyu Mukhtar | Centre Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB), Nigeria | Prevalence of Microsporidia In Association With Plasmodium Falciparum and Wuchereria Bancrofti in Anopheles Gambiae Within Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Samaru Campus) | 3rd |
| STEM | |||
| Mr. OZOUDE CHINEMEREM JERRY
Co-Researchers: Mr BASI KINGSLEY JOB
|
Centre for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED), University of Nusukka, Nigeria | Design, optimization, and fabrication of perovskite solar cells for low-cost manufacturing of solar panels in Africa
|
1st |
| Ms. Iji Juliana Omonya
Ms Uzochukwu Maryann Ifeoma; Ms Odili Cynthia Ujuh
|
Nigeria | Un système d’information hospitalier intégré pour le dépistage et le suivi de la drépanocytose | 2nd (Tie) |
| : Mr. DIALLO Al Hassim
|
Centre of Excellence for Mathematics, Informatics and ICT(CEA-MITIC), Senegal | Un système d’information hospitalier intégré pour le dépistage et le suivi de la drépanocytose | 2nd (Tie) |
For further enquiries related to the Awards, please contact:
- Mr. Schenineda Ankomah via email skankomah@aau.org
- Mr. Enoch Kpaani via email tekpani@aau.org
For media related enquiries contact:
Millicent Kyei via makyei@aau.org
About SIRA
The Students Innovative Research Awards (SIRA) is an initiative of the Association of African Universities (AAU), with support from the World Bank, to deepen the project’s commitment to advancing the production of innovative and impactful knowledge. As the ACE Impact project aims to advance the quality, quantity, and access to post-graduate education within the region, through this award scheme, the project is recognizing exceptional research with both scientific and societal value undertaken by students from the 53 African Centres of Excellence.
Visit https://sira.aau.org/ for more information on SIRA
