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OWSD stories

Inspiring OWSD Members

Here, we bring you the stories of some outstanding OWSD members who have overcome obstacles, faced challenges and, against the odds, achieved their goals. Now, these women scientists influence and inspire others; read about them below.

November 05, 2023

Mary Adjepong

Africa Ghana

A nutrition scientist from Ghana nourishing future generations: unlocking the potential of OWSD Early Career fellowship

Biomedicine represents the future of healthcare, aiming to intercept diseases before they arise and tailoring solutions to each individual's unique needs.
September 12, 2023

Mavis Agyeiwaa Acheampong

Africa Ghana

An Early Career fellow developing a "one-stop" solution for Ghana's chili pepper farmers

Just give me the seed and I will continue.
March 16, 2023

Winfred Mueni Mulwa

Africa Kenya

Kenyan physicist develops magnetic refrigeration to improve livelihoods of camel milk sellers

“Ten to fifteen years from now, people, not only in Kenya but in the African continent, will switch to magnetic refrigeration”
January 19, 2023

Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

Africa Nigeria

"I went for gold" a Conversation with Olubukola Oluranti Babalola: from OWSD Fellow to Vice President of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)

My dear girls in science: be strong, inquisitive, curious, assertive, resilient, and focused. Go for gold!
September 28, 2022

Pamella Kageliza Kilavi-Ndege

Africa Kenya

A physicist from Kenya protecting vulnerable populations from radiation and other contamination risks

I want to be in the boardroom. I want to be part of the policy mechanism. I want my influence to go higher than the classroom.
September 28, 2022

Raquel Matavele Chissumba

Africa MOZAMBIQUE

An immunologist from Mozambique working to find a locally available treatment for COVID-19 in African populations

I have to think of something that can help us, that we can use based on resources that we have. The lack of things is the biggest inspiration in my life. I want to help my country.
June 27, 2022

Alkhansa Mahmoud

Arab Countries Sudan

A PhD fellow from Sudan making breast cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy

The main problem in radiotherapy is that most cancer cells are resistant to radiation.
June 27, 2022

Ossénatou Mamadou

Africa Benin

West Africa's only micrometerologist is working to better understand variability in her region's climate

I wanted to do applied physics, not theoretical physics… I really wanted to use all of the knowledge that I acquired at university to explain our environment.
June 23, 2022

Afrah Khairallah

Arab Countries Sudan

An OWSD fellow from Sudan targeting malarial enzymes to develop new drugs

What has surprised me is the way technology is emerging and affecting the current state of research.
March 29, 2022

Maram Ali Ahmed Musa

Arab Countries Sudan

An experimental-turned-theoretical physicist from Sudan is perfecting nanomaterials for clean water

When I am seeing an impact, that’s what makes me as a scientist feel an achievement
March 29, 2022

Somphouthone Phimmachak

Asia & Pacific Lao PDR

With the help of the Early Career fellowship, Lao's first herpetologist is protecting the country's rich biodiversity

I’ve been working on reptile and amphibian biodiversity for 10 years, and I know that there are still new species that need to be described.
December 10, 2021

Onyinye Akunne

Africa Nigeria

An OWSD fellow from Nigeria is helping ensure that clinically ill children can receive safe antibiotic treatment.

I desire to see my country, Nigeria, become a leading destination for impactful clinical studies.
December 03, 2021

Munawar Sultana

Asia & Pacific Bangladesh

A microbiologist from Bangladesh working on a vaccine for Foot and Mouth Disease

What fascinated me is that only 5% of microorganisms are harmful, and the rest are beneficiary.
September 30, 2021

Bintu Nabintu Ndusha

Africa Congo, Dem. Rep

An OWSD fellow is using nitrogen-fixing bacteria to combat malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The fellowship has really impacted my career.
September 16, 2021

Sayma Serine Chompa

Asia & Pacific Bangladesh

A PhD fellow from Bangladesh hopes bacteria might be the answer to mitigate salt stress in rice crops

I intend to disperse my achieved knowledge as one of the leading researchers in my country in the domain of microbial biotechnology, to support sustainable and prosperous agriculture.
September 16, 2021

Claire D'Andre Hirwa

Africa Rwanda

An agricultural scientist on a mission to save Rwanda's indigenous chickens

I wanted to show women that it was possible that when you do agricultural sciences, you can go on and do more for your career development.
June 22, 2021

Mavis Owureku- Asare

Africa Ghana

A Ghanaian food scientist revolutionizing the use of tomatoes in her country

By creating links between food research and industry, she hopes to enhance food security both in Ghana and in Africa as a whole.
June 18, 2021

Faten Bashar Kamal Eddin

Arab Countries Syria

A PhD fellow from Syria is developing ultrasensitive sensors to diagnose dopamine deficiencies.

After my postdoc, I will return to Syria and work to achieve my big dream, which is to establish a research center.
June 17, 2021

Maryse Dadina Nkoua Ngavouka

Africa Congo, Republic

An Early Career fellow from Congo developing hybrid grid systems for sustainable energy

When you are following your passion, people will always see what you are doing. People will see that you are doing something different, and they will help you.
March 22, 2021

Sumaia Al-Ghuribi

Arab Countries Yemen

An OWSD fellow from Yemen was able to continue her education in Malaysia

Due to the war in Yemen, I had stopped studying for two years. This opportunity gave me the chance to complete my postgraduate studies.
March 01, 2021

Mashura Shammi

Asia & Pacific Bangladesh

An environmental chemist exploring the interplay between organic compounds and greenhouse gas emissions in one of the world's largest river systems.

Dr.
March 01, 2021

Sylla Salma

Africa Senegal

The PhD fellow on track to becoming Senegal's first astrophysicist has big plans for her country's astronomy community.

If we do research, in addition to establishing connections with other researchers, we must also communicate and do a lot of outreach in order to share our science with the community.
February 19, 2021

Dora Murielle Rajonhson

Africa Madagascar

A PhD Fellow from Madagascar studying "bat bugs" in Thailand

In today’s scientific environment, in which most PhD scientists concentrate on a single specific discipline, I might shift toward a more systemic view to approach the challenge in infectious diseases.
November 10, 2017

Christelle Noelle Dzesse Tekouo

Africa Cameroon

Mastering Materials and Opening Minds

All this has broadened my knowledge for this domain of science, gave me an open mind and also allowed me to learn many things.
November 10, 2017

Salina Parvin Banu

Asia & Pacific Bangladesh

Leading Bangladesh to Food Security

The OWSD award helped me not only to become the researcher I am today, but also to become a leader in research.
November 11, 2016

Mahfuza Begum Mahfuza

Asia & Pacific Bangladesh

Recognition and Confidence in my Professional Arena

" I can boldly declare that OWSD rewarded my brilliance thus giving me recognition and confidence in my professional arena and placed me in national and international scientific communities.”
November 11, 2016

Linda Dyorisse Nyamen Mbong

Africa Cameroon

Overcoming Obstacles on the Academic Track with OWSD

“Am very proud to say that I am encouraging other Cameroonian female scientists to apply for the OWSD fellowship programme and some of them have obtained the grant."
October 21, 2016

Muna Mohamed Elhag

Arab Countries Sudan

Fighting Climate Change for Agro-Pastoral Communities in Sudan

OWSD's guidance and support allowed me to uncover hidden courage and realize aspects of myself that I never thought I possessed.
October 20, 2016

Marycelin Baba

Africa Nigeria

To the White House and Beyond

I owe ‘what’, ‘who’ and ‘where’ I am in my career and professional practice today to OWSD because without the PHD Fellowship, all my achievements today would have been nothing but bleak.
July 01, 2015

Nashwa Eassa

Arab Countries Sudan

We need Women in Decision-Making Positions

When I got my OWSD fellowship, it was an amazing feeling. Before getting the letter, my academic career was a dream, the letter made it possible.
June 30, 2015

Dalia Saad

Arab Countries Sudan

An PhD fellowship alumna launches an OWSD National Chapter in her home country

I really want to do something for my country. Being part of the Sudan national chapter has given me that chance.

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