Volume 9, Issue 1
January - March 2020
CONTENT
Chair's Foreword
Akin-Ojo's Physics Hub is an Inspiration for African Science Development
Earth Science Events
References and selected reading
Chair's Foreword*
We appreciate one of Africa's most influential scientists, Omololu Akin-Ojo of the East Africa Institute for Fundamental Research and consider how his vision could elevate science development in Africa. Primarily, Akin-Ojo's ideas are important in the drive to stem the ongoing brain drain of African scientists and loss of trained personnel to industrialised nations.
Akin-Ojo's Physics Hub is an Inspiration for African Science Development
Omololu Akin-Ojo is an African science visionary committed to making an international science hub in Africa [1], starting off his bold venture with his own subject area. He teaches theoretical physics at the East African Institute for Fundamental Research (EAIFR), which was opened by the Rwanda government in 2018 on the back of the governments prioritisation of STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) so that 90% of scholarships awarded are to STEM students. This is part of Rwanda's plan to promote scientific literacy [2].
When Akin-Ojo first became interested in science as a youngster, he taught himself how to write computer code, but did not have the access to computers necessary to test the code he had written. His father despaired at the lack of opportunity for his son and encouraged him to study in the United States, where he was resident for 14 years and gained his PhD in physics.
In 2012, Akin-Ojo returned to Nigeria to teach at the African University of Science and Technology, in Abuja before moving on to teach Theoretical Physics in his current role. The physics hub established by Akin-Ojo is rapidly becoming an international confluence point for world physicists, with visitors hailing from within Africa (Tanzania) and beyond (Iran, Australia, Argentina, etc). Akin-Ojo's idea to attract international scientists to an african hub is also given a boost by the Rwanda government, which has worked to create an attractive and safe environment for science collaboration to flourish.
Akin-Ojo admits he finds difficulty trying to hang on to his talented students, who he encourages to stay and stem the African brain drain rather than pursue opportunities abroad; but admits that he struggles to retain the talent. One of the measures he has resorted to is encouraging diasporan scientists educated abroad to return to teach and lead workshops, etc.
This is all very much in line with the African Union's ten year plan to stem the loss of African professionals with critical technical skills - estimated to reach 70,000 people annually [3]. The losses of qualified personnel annually are staggering: including emigrating doctors making up 75% of all their trained physicians in Mozambique, 70% in Angola, 59% in Malawi, 57% in Zambia and 51% in Zimbabwe. In the case of engineers, migration is leaving countries like Kenya with just 0.155 engineers per 1000 citizens and Tanzania with even less at 0.048 engineers per 1000 citizens. On average Africa as a whole has about the same ratio of engineers to population as Tanzania, with just just 0.046 engineers per 1000 citizens. The desired ratio Africa needs is about 3.58 engineers per 1000 citizens.
Akin-Ojo envisages that the motivation of the students in delivering original international standard research at his physics hub, would lie in addressing the hardships students know from day-to day, such as lack of water, lack of light/electricity, etc. He is relentlessly practical in his outlook and is not looking for African science development to be stalled due to lack of resources. Rather, he makes the powerful case that African research can work within its means to deliver tangible research progress with the resources that are at disposal; citing the example of his own field of research, theoretical physics, which requires nothing more than basic paper and pencil and the employment of ingenious thought experiments to delve into the deepest topics of research including even questions of cosmology and related topics such as dark matter.
It is refreshing to come across an African scientist with Akin-Ojo's optimistic outlook which looks to inspire the progress of science on the continent, making use of whatever resources already lie at our disposal.
When Akin-Ojo first became interested in science as a youngster, he taught himself how to write computer code, but did not have the access to computers necessary to test the code he had written. His father despaired at the lack of opportunity for his son and encouraged him to study in the United States, where he was resident for 14 years and gained his PhD in physics.
In 2012, Akin-Ojo returned to Nigeria to teach at the African University of Science and Technology, in Abuja before moving on to teach Theoretical Physics in his current role. The physics hub established by Akin-Ojo is rapidly becoming an international confluence point for world physicists, with visitors hailing from within Africa (Tanzania) and beyond (Iran, Australia, Argentina, etc). Akin-Ojo's idea to attract international scientists to an african hub is also given a boost by the Rwanda government, which has worked to create an attractive and safe environment for science collaboration to flourish.
Akin-Ojo admits he finds difficulty trying to hang on to his talented students, who he encourages to stay and stem the African brain drain rather than pursue opportunities abroad; but admits that he struggles to retain the talent. One of the measures he has resorted to is encouraging diasporan scientists educated abroad to return to teach and lead workshops, etc.
This is all very much in line with the African Union's ten year plan to stem the loss of African professionals with critical technical skills - estimated to reach 70,000 people annually [3]. The losses of qualified personnel annually are staggering: including emigrating doctors making up 75% of all their trained physicians in Mozambique, 70% in Angola, 59% in Malawi, 57% in Zambia and 51% in Zimbabwe. In the case of engineers, migration is leaving countries like Kenya with just 0.155 engineers per 1000 citizens and Tanzania with even less at 0.048 engineers per 1000 citizens. On average Africa as a whole has about the same ratio of engineers to population as Tanzania, with just just 0.046 engineers per 1000 citizens. The desired ratio Africa needs is about 3.58 engineers per 1000 citizens.
Akin-Ojo envisages that the motivation of the students in delivering original international standard research at his physics hub, would lie in addressing the hardships students know from day-to day, such as lack of water, lack of light/electricity, etc. He is relentlessly practical in his outlook and is not looking for African science development to be stalled due to lack of resources. Rather, he makes the powerful case that African research can work within its means to deliver tangible research progress with the resources that are at disposal; citing the example of his own field of research, theoretical physics, which requires nothing more than basic paper and pencil and the employment of ingenious thought experiments to delve into the deepest topics of research including even questions of cosmology and related topics such as dark matter.
It is refreshing to come across an African scientist with Akin-Ojo's optimistic outlook which looks to inspire the progress of science on the continent, making use of whatever resources already lie at our disposal.
Earth Science Events
April 16-17, 2020
Earth and Space Science and Engineering
VISION:
VENUE: Cape Town, South Africa
June 29, 2020
International Conference on Oceanography and Earth Sciences
VISION: Aims to bring together leading academic scientists, professors, students and research scholars to exchange experiences and share research results about all aspects of oceanography and earth sciences,
VENUE: Marrakesh, Morocco.
November 5-6, 2020
International Conference on Earth Sciences and Climate Change
VISION: Various aspects of earth sciences and climate change including, biodiversity, bio-degradation, conservation, deforestation, impact on human health health among many other issues.
VENUE: Marrakesh, Morocco.
References and selected reading
1] Lewton, T., The Man making Rwanda into a Hub for Physics, Quanta Magazine, 2020.https://www.quantamagazine.org/omololu-akin-ojo-is-making-rwanda-into-a-hub-for-physics-20200303/
2] University World News Africa Edition, University seeks massive increase in STEM students, by J. d'amour Mbonyinshuti, September 2019.
3] University World News Africa Edition, African Union devises ten year plan to stem brain drain, by W. Kigotho, February 2018.
*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana/Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi (Nigeria), Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria).
2] University World News Africa Edition, University seeks massive increase in STEM students, by J. d'amour Mbonyinshuti, September 2019.
3] University World News Africa Edition, African Union devises ten year plan to stem brain drain, by W. Kigotho, February 2018.
*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana/Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi (Nigeria), Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria).
