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 Anna Diop 
Home Mentor - Abdala Gamby Diedhiou, Dept of Plan 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