The African Studies Center (ASC) recently welcomed nine early and mid-career scholars from universities across Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Rwanda, and Ethiopia to the Ann Arbor campus. They constitute the winter cohort of the University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) Program and will remain in residence through the end of May.

Established in 2009, UMAPS is the university’s flagship program for engagement with colleges and universities across Africa. Since its inception, the program has hosted 254 scholars representing diverse disciplines and nationalities.

Omolade Adunbi, ASC director and professor of Afroamerican and African studies, anthropology, and law, says:

 “As we brace for Michigan winter this semester, we are welcoming nine amazing early-career scholars from seven African countries to our campus. These scholars help strengthen our community through their engagement with students, staff, faculty, and our Ann Arbor neighbors. The ASC is excited to support these scholars’ career advancement while they strengthen our connections to Africa and deepen our understanding of the continent”. 

The highly competitive program attracts applications from scholars in all disciplines working at universities and colleges across the continent. The scholars in this winter cohort are as follows:

Nuniyat Abebe is a lecturer and AI researcher at Addis Ababa University, specializing in natural language processing. With a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Gondar and a master’s in information science and systems from Addis Ababa University, she is dedicated to advancing technology and empowering others through teaching. At U-M, she aims to enhance her research skills through seminars, workshops, and collaborative environments. U-M Faculty Host: Yousif Hassan, Ford School of Public Policy

Zainab Bello is a lecturer in industrial design at Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria. Her research focuses on indigenous textile design and its adaptation to contemporary fabrics. At U-M, she will expand her doctoral research on textile and fashion innovation. U-M Faculty Host: Anya Sirota, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

Tata Coulibaly is a virologist and cancer genetics researcher at the Pasteur Institute of Côte d’Ivoire. She coordinates the Genetics and Cancer Laboratory, working on mutations related to colorectal and prostate cancers. At U-M, she will collaborate on precision medicine in West Africa. U-M Faculty Host: Simpa Salami, School of Medicine

Brigitte Irankunda is a Rwandan gynecologist and obstetrician dedicated to advancing women’s health and reproductive rights. She graduated from the University of Rwanda’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences and has worked at leading hospitals, including King Faisal Hospital in Rwanda, gaining expertise in managing high-risk pregnancies and performing gynecological surgeries. Currently pursuing a fellowship in Family Planning and Reproductive Health at Saint Paul’s Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dr. Irankunda is deeply committed to expanding access to quality reproductive healthcare. U-M Faculty Host: Sarah Compton, School of Medicine

Bahati Kayaga is an assistant lecturer at St. John’s University of Tanzania. Her expertise includes environmental studies and renewable energy initiatives. At U-M, she will contribute to projects focused on mobilizing social assets for productive renewable energy use. U-M Faculty Host: Kelly Askew, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

Kefilwe Vanessa Mokwebo is an electroanalytical chemist with a PhD and background in water research and materials science. She also manages laboratory operations and research teams. At U-M, she will further her work in advanced electroanalytical methods. U-M Faculty Host: Pierre Poudeu-Poudeu, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

Janet Munakamwe is a senior lecturer and researcher from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. She specializes in migration, labor, gender, and development. At U-M, she will continue her work on sociopolitical transformation through interdisciplinary research. U-M Faculty Host: Brian Klein, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

Kassim Tawiah is a lecturer in statistics at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana. His work involves mixed models, biostatistics, and overdispersed models in public health. At U-M, he will develop extended trivariate Poisson regression models for maternal and child mortality data. U-M Faculty Host: Kerby Shedden, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

Yetunde Ajayeoba is a lecturer at Osun State University, Nigeria, specializing in energy and solid-state physics. Her research explores two-dimensional materials for flexible optoelectronics. At U-M, she will study energy band and plasticity modulations in MoS2/Ga2O3 heterostructures. U-M Faculty Host: Ted Goodson, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts