2020 OWSD PhD Fellows Announced

November 09, 2020

Twenty-six women from the developing world have been awarded OWSD PhD Fellowships, supporting them to pursue their PhDs in STEM subjects at institutions across the Global South.

OWSD is happy to introduce the 27 women who have been awarded the 2020 PhD Fellowship. Hailing from 16 countries in all four OWSD regions of the developing world, the new fellows will be supported to pursue their PhDs in STEM subjects at institutions in another country in the Global South. They intend to focus their PhD research on subjects ranging from the links between HIV and cardiovascular disease, to species adaptation in human-dominated landscapes, to the effectiveness of different management strategies on pasture productivity. Meet all of the 2020 fellows below, and click on a name below the photos to learn more about that fellow.

From left to right: Dianah Rose Abeho; Maimonah Eissa Sheikh Al-Masawa; Belthasara Assan; Emilienne Houevo Dai

From left to right: Sèna Donalde Dolorès M Deguenon; Hussna Elnoor Mohammed Abdalla; Nyepudzai Charsline Gatsi; Desta Mulu Gebeyehu

From left to right: Ahuefa Golda Faridah M B Kegbe; Vanelle Larissa Kenmogne; Rosmaelle Kouemo; Suzanne Hippolite Magagoum

From left to right: Elina Maharjan; Matabishi Adelphine Mpenda; Kanganwiro Mugwanda; Nyasha Charity Mukonowenzou

From left to right: Elizabeth Gloria Isendi Murila; Ndunge Mutua; Jennifer Nambooze; Julieta Augusto Nhampossa

From left to right: Nadia Osman; Miary Raselimanana; Fatema Roshan; Haregewoin Bezu Woldekidan; 

From left to right: Sumaya Yousof Yassin Kambal; Xochilt Esther Zambrana Areas; Shishita Zahan Zisha

Full-time fellowship at University of Cape Town, South Africa

Project title: Automated UAV based cadastral mapping for customary land in Uganda

Full-time fellowship at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia

Project title: The effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-eerived exosome (UC-MSC-Exo) and nanoformulation on atopic dermatitis

Full-time fellowship at University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Project title: Modelling zoonotic infection: the case of Buruli ulcer in Ghana

Sandwich fellowship at University of Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

Project title: Domestication of the bush banana Uvaria chamae P. Beauv.: insights from ethnobotany, biochemical, and eco-phenotypic assessment in Benin

Sandwich fellowship at University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Project title: Climate risks and social, economic and environmental vulnerability of the coastal zone of Benin

Full-time fellowship at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Project title: Digital imaging and signal processing

Full-time fellowship at University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Project title: Optimization of gallium oxide (Ga2O3) nanomaterials for gas sensing applications and the development of a sensitive, efficient and low-cost gas sensor that operates at low-temperature.

Sandwich fellowship at Kaimosi Friends University, Kenya

Project title: Production and optimization of bioethanol gel fuel, briquette fuel, and biofertilizer from selected agricultural wastes and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) around Bahir Dar, Northern Ethiopia and Western Kenya

Sandwich fellowship at Makerere University, Uganda

Project title: Wild relatives of cultivated leafy vegetables of Solanum in West Africa: biodiversity, distribution, conservation gaps and adaptation

Full-time fellowship at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa

Project title: Drug repurposing for cancer precision medicine: High-throughput drug screening as an integrative precision medicine platform in drug repurposing for South African cancer patient cohort

Full-time fellowship at ICTP - East African Institute for Fundamental Research (EAIFR) for the University of Rwanda, Rwanda

Project title: Investigation of the transport properties of many-body systems for the disorder potential

Sandwich fellowship at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Project title: Evaluation of combined effect of biopesticides on crop pests

Project title: Investigation of exposure levels of aflatoxin B1 and hepatitis B status in children with chronic malnutrition in Rwanda

Full-time fellowship at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa

Project title: Synthetic circuits and metabolic engineering of a bacterial chassis for probiotics

Full-time fellowship at Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Project title: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) mediated cardiovascular diseases onset: exploring the link between immune activation/inflammation and cardiac fibrosis in HIV-infected individuals

Sandwich fellowship at ICTP - East African Institute for Fundamental Research (EAIFR), Rwanda

Project title: AB-INITIO study of V2O5.nH2O and WO3.nH2O; 2D materials for electrochemical energy storage application

Sandwich fellowship at University of Cape Town, South Africa 

Project title: A Deep learning model for neonatal postprandial hypoglycemia screening, early symptoms detection and treatment

Full-time fellowship at University of the Free State, South Africa

Project title: Isolation and characterization of anticancer compounds and antioxidant compounds from selected plants (Prunus Africana, Annona muricate and Elaeodendron buchananii) in Uganda

Full-time fellowship at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Project title: Optimization of water allocation under physical restrictions

Full-time fellowship at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Project title: Exploring metabolite biomarkers associated with bioherbicidal activity of Gluconacetobacter spp against Striga hermonthica and metabolite reprogramming to control Striga infestation

Full-time fellowship at University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Project title: Species’ adaptation in human-dominated landscapes: Insights from dwarf chameleons (genus Bradypodion)

Full-time fellowship at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Project title: Assessments of different management strategies on productivity of pastures in western Big Pamir, Wakhan district, Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, using geospatial technologies

Sandwich fellowship at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa 

Project title: Aptamer-based detection of AURKA gene for diagnosis of endometrial cancer

Project title: Characterization and identification of candidate polymorphisms for environmental adaptation in African cattle

Full-time fellowship at National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico

Project title: Geophysical modeling in the Pacific margin of Nicaragua: A contribution to the tectonics of the Nicaraguan territory

Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Project title: The influence of coronavirus as an indicator in sewage wastewater treatment plant: Effect and impact to human and environment