José Jackson-Malete is the Co-Director of the Alliance for African Partnerships (AAP) at Michigan State University, a new initiative established by the University to develop new, innovative ways of partnering with African institutions. She has responsibilities for establishing a robust network of innovative partnerships among MSU, African universities, and other international partners; ensuring that the AAP has a governance structure that reflects and promotes the model of co-creation; strengthening capacity at partner institutions, particularly in the area of research and innovation management; promoting programs for women in science as well as attracting a diversity of resources necessary to achieve its vision of impact.

José is the former President of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) and leads SARIMA’s efforts in the professionalisation of Research Management. She was previously the Director of Research and Partnerships at the Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI), the Deputy Director of Research at the University of Botswana and a faculty member of the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus in Jamaica. She is a food scientist with Masters and PhD from Cornell University and Michigan State University, respectively, and has over 25 years experience in research, teaching and working in industry in Africa, the Caribbean and the USA, particularly within the Agriculture sector. She maintains an active research program that focuses on processing and adding value to indigenous fruit and vegetable products, ensuring quality and safety, contributing to food and nutrition security, while improving livelihoods for communities.