Empower the Careers of 10 Young African Scientists

By Clare Elwell – Co-Founder and Trustee

After a challenging year we are pleased to report that the 62^nd London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) took place in July and was a great success. The Forum was run as a hybrid event with 60 students attending in person and over 400 students joining online from across the globe. The event was attended by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal in her new role as Patron. Students engaged with world class scientists from a number of disciplines including Professor Sarah Gilbert who led the Oxford University vaccine development team, former President of the Royal Society Professor Lord Martin Rees and celebrated space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE.

The pandemic prevented students from the Sub-Saharan region travelling to London to attend the Forum this year but we were pleased to support the online attendance of scholarship awardee Marina from Kenya. As well as engaging with the lectures and online visits, Marina had the opportunity to interact with students from all over the world. We look forward to continuing to support Marina, along with our other alumni students, as they pursue their careers in science enhanced by their experiences and connections from LIYSF.

Links:

• Young Scientists for Africa
• London International Youth Science Forum

 We start this report with the very sad news that our co-founder and trustee, Tim Rooke, passed away in February 2021. Tim was a huge driving force behind our efforts to support African young scientists and held this cause very close to his heart. Inspired by his energy we will continue the work that Tim started in empowering as many students as possible to benefit from the life changing opportunities your donations provide.

Plans for the 62^nd London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) are well underway. This year’s LIYSF will be a hybrid event with attendees gathering in person in London and joining virtually from all over the globe. Students will engage with world class scientists from a number of disciplines including Professor Sarah Gilbert who led the Oxford University vaccine development team, former President of the Royal Society Professor Lord Martin Rees and celebrated space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE.

Whilst it is not feasible to bring African science students to London this summer we are working with our partners and alumni to enable students to join online from various African hubs and setting in places structures for a sustainable approach for virtual and in person attendance at future LIYSF events.

Links:

• Details of LIYSF event 2021

The primary objective of Young Scientists for Africa is to sponsor enthusiastic and talented young students from sub-Saharan Africa to attend the prestigius London International Youth Science Forum in London held in July for the past 61 years. Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal has recently agreed to be the patron of LIYSF, following in the footsteps of her father, Prince Philip.

The 2020 LIYSF conference was cancelled due to the Corona Virus so we were unable to sponsor students for that event.  However, the 2021 event, being held between 28th July and 11th August 2021, is to go ahead, currently as a virtual STEM Programme. To this end we are considering how to sponsor students for the event, bearing in mind the availability and reliability of technology in certain part of the African continent,  and suitablity of study rooms for the students in their own locality. 

We are very hopeful that we can sponsor students for the 2021 LIYSF event and thereby offer them a lifetime opportunity to develop and pursue their passion for science.  Like their alumni we expect them to take forward the learning in their chosen scientific area for the benefit of themselves and their country, where scientists are urgently required.

Any further sponsorship you are able to provide will be gratefully received. 

100% of donations go to sponsoring worthy young African science students.

Thank you again to all of you who have donated and continue to donate as part of our GlobalGiving fundraising campaign.  

Along with the rest of world we have been adjusting to a new reality brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful that all of our alumni YoSA students are safe and well in their respective countries. The 62nd London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) which was due to take place this summer waspostponed until next July.  We hope that the event can operate in the normal way and will delay student selection until we have better information about the nature and scope of next year’s event.

We are using this time to expand our network of African partners with whom we collaborate to identify and select talented young scientists who will benefit from our scholarships in the future. We have held discussions with the following organisations and are excited about future possibilities when we can plan with more certainty:

We remain connected with our YoSA alumni students as they continue their journeys in science as best they can in the current environment. Now more than ever we need a diverse community of scientists to address the global challenges we face. 

Thank you for helping us support young African scientists to achieve their potential in changing the world.

Thank you again to all of you who have donated and continue to donate as part of our GlobalGiving fundraising campaign.  

Along with the rest of world we have been adjusting to a new reality brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful that all of our alumni YoSA students are safe and well in their respective countries. The 62nd London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) which was due to take place this summer has been postponed to next July, but we are pleased to confirm that the stellar line up of speakers announced in our last newsletter will be contributing to the 2021 event. 

We are using this time to expand our network of African partners with whom we collaborate to identify and select talented young scientists who will benefit from our scholarships in the future. We are currently in discussions with:

We are also staying connected with our YoSA alumni students as they continue their journeys in science. Christa from Rwanda was awarded a YoSA scholarship to attend LIYSF in 2017 and whilst there was inspired by a chemistry lecture and a visit to the Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute to pursue a career in the health sector.  She completed a degree in pharmacy and started work at a Rwandan pharmaceutical company. Christa was invited back to LIYSF in 2018 and 2019 as a staff member and the management skills she acquired resulted in a promotion to COO of her company, sharing what she had learnt as examples of best practice for colleagues.  She has also returned to university to study for a Master’s in Business Administration and will graduate later this year.

Now more than ever we need a diverse community of scientists to address the global challenges we face. Thank you for helping us support young African scientists to achieve their potential in changing the world.