L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards recognise young UCT researchers tackling Africa’s grand challenges

Four University of Cape Town (UCT) researchers – three doctoral students and a postdoctoral fellow – are among 30 outstanding scientists recognised in the Fondation L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents Award programme. This accolade is a hat tip to their pioneering research that is shaping Africa’s future across various scientific disciplines.

A total of 25 PhD and five postdoctoral students from several African countries were recently selected by a jury of esteemed African scientific experts. They were awarded for their innovative work in tackling major scientific challenges including food security, public health and climate change.

Recognised from a pool of nearly 800 applicants, the awardees receive financial support, leadership training and skills development in communication and negotiation, including tools to navigate gender biases in the scientific field. PhD candidates receive a research grant worth €10 000, while postdoctoral researchers are awarded €15 000 to advance their work.

“In general, women may face a major challenge in maintaining a long-term professional career in science as the primary caregivers.”

For over 15 years, the Fondation L'Oréal and UNESCO has worked together to platform the scientific excellence of researchers throughout the continent and encourage women to pursue careers in science.

Meet UCT’s awardees

Inspired by her mother’s work in science, Eelu, a PhD mathematics student in the Department of Statistical Sciences, is using mathematical modelling to improve malaria elimination strategies in Namibia. 

Her research projects future malaria cases and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of various interventions. She is currently working with the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme in Namibia to help optimise available resources to reduce malaria cases.

“I integrate malaria, biology, health systems and stakeholder expertise to provide robust, viable recommendations for prevention and treatment programmes and decision-making,” Eelu explained.

As a woman in science, Eelu described her success as a testament to the abilities of women and girls to pursue and achieve any goal, against all odds. “In general, women may face a major challenge in maintaining a long-term professional career in science as the primary caregivers,” she said.

Nandutu, a postdoctoral researcher in computer and information sciences, is harnessing AI to investigate child brain development. She is affiliated with the Artificial Intelligence Research Unit (AIRU) and the Neuroscience Institute (NI). She is developing formal concept ontology models – a way of organising medical knowledge – to help neuroscientists better understand conditions affecting brain development in children. 

 

“I use ontologies to acquire and organise complex knowledge and state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to design preliminary models. This will help us determine the extent to which these techniques can help neuroscientists identify and better understand the factors influencing early childhood brain development, including infections, prenatal exposure to substances, the environment and brain structure,” she said.

 

Her research aims to predict the risk of children developing particular neurodevelopmental conditions and neurological disorders, ultimately improving early diagnosis and treatment strategies.
 

Mbithe Nzomo, Department of Computer Science

Wearable health devices have revolutionised healthcare. Nzomo, a PhD candidate in computer science, is using AI to analyse such data and enhance early disease detection and prediction. Her research focuses on predicting the likelihood of developing serious conditions, such as atrial fibrillation (AF) – a heart rhythm disorder that increases the risk of stroke and heart failure. 

 

“My approach combines pattern detection in health data with AI-driven knowledge models to help predict and mitigate conditions such as atrial fibrillation before they become life-threatening,” Nzomo said.

 

Her automated reasoning system can be used to assess risk factors and propose potential preventative measures which will ultimately improve healthcare outcomes through proactive treatment strategies.
 

“These challenges have made me stronger, more adaptable and willing to step outside my comfort zone.”

Sambatriniaina Rajohnson, Department of Astronomy
 

Using South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope situated 90km outside the small Northern Cape town of Carnavon, Rajohnson is mapping the Vela Supercluster, a massive but previously obscured cosmic structure.

“By detecting hydrogen emissions and analysing the radio waves emitted by the gas, we can map these hidden galaxies and their possible impact on the Universe’s expansion,” she said. 

As a woman in astronomy, Rajohnson has overcome limited access to resources and equipment by collaborating with experts and finding creative solutions. "These challenges have made me stronger, more adaptable and willing to step outside my comfort zone," she said.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, policy shifts, cultural changes and gender initiatives are helping turn the tide on underrepresentation. While the number of women in science is growing, UNESCO estimates that only 31.5% of researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa are women. This highlights the importance of investing in African women scientists, whose contributions are vital in addressing local and global challenges.