Africa news roundup: 7-13 February

Five Africans elected to World Academy

There are five African scientists, three of them women, among the 36 new fellows elected to The World Academy of Sciences. Two of the Africans come from Kenya and Uganda, and three from South Africa. The latter include Glenda Gray, who is an A-rated researcher as well as head of the South African Medical Research Council, and Lynn Morris who is the director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Nicholas Biekpe, a professor in finance and econometrics at the University of Cape Town, is the third South African. Jane Catherine Ngila from Kenya is a researcher in nanomaterials at Kenya’s national oil company. David Serwadda is a former dean of Makerere University’s school of public health in Uganda and a renowned HIV/Aids researcher. The fellows will be inducted at TWAS’ general meeting later in 2020.