Crick African Network Fellows Aïda Sadikh Badiane and Yaw Bediako have recently been competitively selected as affiliate members of the African Academy of Sciences.
The African Academy of Sciences affiliate members programme recognises promising early career African researchers from all areas of science. Aïda and Yaw are part of a group of forty affiliate members appointed this year, and they are two of only ten members appointed who are working in life sciences. The members will receive support in their professional development in areas including scientific leadership, communication, grant writing and collaborative research.
Aïda and Yaw are both studying the malaria parasite and carrying out part of their Crick African Network fellowship in Jean Langhorne’s group at the Crick, but with different specialisms. Aïda focuses on disease control and Yaw studies the immune system’s response to malaria.
“The aims of the AAS affiliates programme line up closely with my Crick African Career Accelerator Award,” explains Aïda. “It’s an opportunity to continue my training to become an independent, expert scientist leading a research group and providing guidance to national level disease elimination and control programmes. Developing research networks in Africa will not only be beneficial to scientists, but to the public as a whole as health-related projects develop.”
“The AAS affiliates program provides a mentorship environment where I will be able to learn important leadership skills crucial to success as an African research leader,” says Yaw. “Beyond my own career, I am passionate about inspiring young Africans to aspire to become world-changing scientists. Being showcased as an AAS affiliate will hopefully inspire other young Africans to be ambitious in their dreams and achieve great success in science.”
