FLAIR: Nigerian, 19 others get £300,000 grant

A Nigerian scientist, Oluwaseyi Shorinola and 19 others from Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Zimbabwe are in Naivasha, Kenya for two days from 4 to 5 April 2019, for the second anniversary of the FLAIR (Future Leaders – African Independent Research) research fellowships, organised by the African Academy of Science, (AAS).   The 2019 FLAIR funded scientists were […]

A Nigerian scientist, Oluwaseyi Shorinola and 19 others from Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Zimbabwe are in Naivasha, Kenya for two days from 4 to 5 April 2019, for the second anniversary of the FLAIR (Future Leaders – African Independent Research) research fellowships, organised by the African Academy of Science, (AAS).

 

The 2019 FLAIR funded scientists were selected from a competitive pool of more than 700 applicants. Their research is diverse, ranging from providing renewable energy solutions and addressing climate change, to tackling food security and targeting health and environmental problems that are most acute for people living in African countries.

 

For the organisers, it is significant that the scheme has encouraged some of the scientists to return to the continent from countries like the UK and America to continue their careers in African institutions.

 

They said in a statement that, “This is an important part of the programme – attracting scientists back from the high-income countries where they have completed their postdoctoral training so that they can play a part in building the research infrastructure at home.

 

Adding that, “To keep improving its scientific output, Africa needs to pay urgent attention to growing and retaining its scientific talent and FLAIR is one of a number of initiatives through which the AAS is tackling this issue.”

 

Shorinola’s research focuses on using genetics to improve the yield and quality of wheat production in East Africa, at Kenya’s International Livestock Research Institute.

 

No less than 30 FLAIR fellowships will be awarded in 2019. They will get £300,000 (US$391,500) each over two years