ECR

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) convened a virtual briefing session on 10 June 2026 for the first batch of Cohort 2 fellows under the ARUA Early Career Researchers (ECR) Fellowship Programme. The session brought together 32 researchers from across Africa who have recently begun their six-month placements at ARUA Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoREs).

ARUA joined fellow partners in Nairobi, Kenya, on 15–16 April 2026 for the CB‑SITS Africa Validation Workshop, convened under the 2026 Annual CB‑SITS Partners’ Meeting hosted by the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA). The workshop formed part of a Carnegie Corporation of New York‑supported initiative to build a comprehensive, digital Capacity Building and Scientific Impact Tracking System for Africa (CB‑SITS Africa).

When African researchers write, Africa should hear it. Yet for many, research still culminates in theses and journal articles that are largely accessed and read only by peers and disciplinary specialists.​ The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) is determined to change that story by supporting its Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to move from “research done” to “research heard, seen and used.”​

Dr. Rapheal Wangalwa is a Lecturer in the Department of Biology at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Uganda. He holds a PhD in Biology with specialization in Ecology and Ethnobotany. He is dedicated to advancing ecological research and biodiversity conservation while applying science-based solutions to pressing environmental and public health challenges. With expertise in ecology, microbiology, and GIS/Remote Sensing, he contributes to evidence-based policy and capacity building. Dr. Wangalwa is a PI/Co-PI on several projects, including the FUNGI-BIP a mycorrhizal fungi study project (SPUN-Funded), INTERACT-Africa green technologies initiative (EU-Funded), agro-climatic suitability modelling for key food crops (GoU-Funded), and the Novartem™ and pharma-grade excipients development project (GoU-Funded).

Dr. Ravaka Felandranja Andriatsitohaina, PhD in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from University of Antananarivo, is a lecturer-researcher at the Institut Supérieur de Technologie Régional de la Côte-Est, University of Toamasina, Madagascar. Her research focuses on the remediation of degraded soils, particularly those affected by erosion, as well as soils polluted by microplastics and heavy metals, with a strong emphasis on soil health and environmental sustainability. An alumna of the TWAS-SISSA Lincei and Eugen Ionescu programs, she is also the founder of Lonatany Madagascar, a consultancy firm supporting rural communities in their transition toward sustainable agricultural practices.

Dr. Ruth Lorivi Moirana is a lecturer at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Tanzania and a researcher at the University of Nairobi (UoN) in Kenya. She holds a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from NM-AIST which was obtained in 2023. She specializes in structural materials, with a focus on the remediation and treatment of contaminated soil, water, and wastewater. She is currently investigating the interactive behaviour between fluoride and soil elements in fluoride-contaminated soils. Dr. Moirana has received numerous honors, including being the 1st Runner-up in a business plan competition in 2022 and the Top PhD student in research and innovation at the School of Materials, Energy, Water, and Environmental Sciences (MEWES) in 2023 and won the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talent Award for Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024.

Dr. Saeed Ibn Idris Kofi Yeboah is a postdoctoral fellow under the ARUA–Carnegie Early Career Research Fellowship at the Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, South Africa and a staff member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana. He holds a PhD, MSc and BSc in Environmental Engineering and Management from UENR. His research spans water–environment–health interactions, spatial hydrology, climate impacts and environmental risk assessment. Saeed has received competitive awards, including World Bank ACE scholarships, international mobility grants, recognition in the U&AI SDGs Youth Innovation Bootcamp and has published in reputable international journals. His current work examines the fate and transport of pathogens under current and future climate and socioeconomic scenarios, while contributing to research and capacity-building activities within the ARUA Water CoE.

Dr. Steve Ngoy Kabemba is a construction engineer and postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Construction Economics and Management at the University of Cape Town. He holds a PhD in Construction Management from the University of Zambia and recipient of the ARUA Mastercard–Carnegie Early Career Research Fellowship (2025) and Erasmus+ Mobility Grant at Riga Technical University (2023–2024). His research focuses on sustainable construction technologies, alternative building materials, and low-carbon housing. He manages the Journal of Construction Business and Management, lectures, serves on scientific committees, supervises postgraduate students, and engages industry and policymakers on construction innovation and carbon-reduction strategies.

Dr. Susan Kamundia is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the African Centre of Excellence for Inequality Research (ACEIR), University of Cape Town, where she earned her PhD in Economics. She also holds a Master in Economics (Econometrics) and a Bachelor in Economics and Statistics from Kenyatta University, Kenya. Her research focuses on poverty and inequality, particularly multidimensional and asset-based poverty measurement across countries such as Kenya and South Africa. She has worked on spatial economics, maternal and child health, and impact evaluation. Susan has received research grants from the African Economic Research Consortium and ACEIR and was a UNU-WIDER PhD Research Fellow in 2021.

My name is Dr. Toleshi Teshome Ketema. I am a researcher and lecturer at the Chemistry Department and a Postgraduate Program Director at Bonga University, Ethiopia. I graduated from Jimma University by PhD in Analytical Chemistry on July 1, 2024, MSc in Analytical Chemistry from Haramaya University on June 28, 2018 and BSc in Chemistry from Jimma University on June 18, 2016. My research focuses on the synthesis of nanomaterials for diverse applications, particularly in sensing and photocatalysis for applications in agriculture, food safety, and water quality. I have a proven track record of publishing numerous articles in esteemed international and national journals. I am actively involved in the Society for Women and HIV/AIDS in Africa, Ethiopia, where I have successfully conducted training on school-based peer learning related to gender inequalities.