Alliance for African Partnership (AAP), a consortium of ten leading African universities, Michigan State University (MSU), and a network of African research institutes, is excited to welcome the fifth cohort of the African Futures Research Leadership Program to MSU for the in-person portion of the program. Each early career scholar is paired with a faculty mentor from MSU and their home institution for one year of virtual and in-person collaboration to strengthen research skills, innovations in teaching, writing of scholarly and/or policy publications, dissemination of research results and grant proposals.
A consortium-wide initiative, the African Futures program is designed to strengthen the capacity of a cadre of African researchers to return to their home institutions and become scientific leaders in their community, establish long-term partnerships with MSU faculty, co-create innovative solutions to Africa’s challenges, and in turn become trainers of the next generation of researchers.
African Futures Cohort 5:
Alfdaniels Mabingo
Performing Arts and Film
Makerere University
Home Mentor - Sylvia Antonia Nakimera Nannyonga-Tamusuza, Dept of Performing Arts and Film
MSU Mentor – Philip Effiong, Dept of English, Theater Studies & Humanities & Gianina Strother, Dept of African American and African Studies
Gladys Gakenia Njoroge
Pharmacy Practice and Public Health
United States International University – Africa
Home Mentor - Calvin A. Omolo, Dept of Pharmacy Practice and Public Health
MSU Mentor - Yuehua Cui, Dept of Statistics and Probability
Seynabou Sene
Plant Biology
University Cheikh Anta Diop
Home Mentor - Abdala Gamby Diedhiou, Dept of Plant Biology
MSU Mentor - Lisa Tiemann, Dept of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences
Portia T. Loeto
Educational Foundations (Gender Studies Section)
University of Botswana
Home Mentor - Godi Mookode, Dept of Sociology
MSU Mentor - Soma Chauduri, Dept of Sociology
Betina Lukwambe
Aquaculture Technology
University of Dar es Salaam
Home Mentor – Samwel Mchele Limbu, Dept of Aquaculture
MSU Mentor - Abigail Bennett, Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife & Maria Claudia Lopez, Dept of Community Sustainability
Assilah Agigi
Business Management
University of Pretoria
Home Mentor - Alex Antonites, Dept of Business Management
MSU Mentor - Sriram Narayanan, Dept of Supply Chain Management
Miriam Nthenya Kyule
Agricultural Education and Extension
Egerton University
Home Mentor - Miriam Karwitha Charimbu, Dept of Crops, Horticulture and Soils
MSU Mentor - Susan Wyche, Dept of Media and Information Studies
Asha Nalunga
Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics
Makerere University
Home Mentor - Bernard Bashaasha, Dept of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics
MSU Mentor - Saweda Liverpool-Tasie, Dept of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics
Ezinne Ezepue (participating virtually)
Theatre & Film Studies
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Home Mentor - Chinenye Amonyeze, Dept of Theatre & Film Studies
MSU Mentor - Jeff Wray, Dept of English
“We were extremely impressed with the quality and diversity of applications we received for this cohort of the African Futures program. We are excited to build on the successes of past cohorts and continue to evolve this program as we support the next generation of African research leaders,” said Jose Jackson-Malete, co-director of the Alliance for African Partnership.
Differing from previous cohorts, Cohort 5 is piloting a hybrid model of the African Futures program. The scholars began their work in February 2025 virtually, then will spend the fall semester at Michigan State University working closely with their MSU mentor. They will then complete the rest of their year back at their home institution, culminating in a research showcase in February 2026 to share the research they’ve done. Partnerships between mentors and mentees are expected to continue beyond the end of the program and lead to sustainable collaboration and future funding opportunities.
For more information, visit the Alliance for African Partnership website