In its fourth edition, Nairobi Ideas Night invited experts who are creating solutions to local developmental challenges i.e. ‘working on it’ to take the stage and share their work. Hosted as part of the Next Einstein Forum’s 2019 Africa Science Week - Kenya, our speakers were drawn from the fields of storytelling, technology, maths, conservation, and digital media.

“You don’t have to like STEM,” began Mawazo Institute CEO Dr. Rose M. Mutiso speaking to a group of young school girls during the 2019 Africa Science Week-Kenya Girls in STEM Career Day. “But we all have broad interests and talents. Whoever you are, I would like to urge you to broaden your skillset.”

At their most basic, all plastics are polymers. From the Greek word 'Polumeros' meaning 'having many parts', polymers are large molecules made up of smaller units that are joined together to create a long chain.

In October of this year, the Mawazo Institute board met for its first annual board meeting, culminating a months-long recruitment and induction process. Chaired by Mawazo co-founder, Rachel Strohm, the board will enable Mawazo to move forward decisively in its vision, while ensuring we achieve our goals. We spoke to Rachel about how the board members were selected and what this new board means for Mawazo’s future.

As part of Africa Science Week-Kenya (ASW-Kenya 2019), we celebrated six Kenyan women who are 30 and under, and breaking barriers as young, female, scientists. Meet the 2019 Breaking Barriers women who include a policy engineer, a software designer, and a microbiologist.

Mawazo’s two days at Mpala were packed with sights to see and science to learn. From what we know, Mpala is gearing up for many more years of strengthening Kenyan science, as shown by the recent completion of their genomics lab which will help contribute to the wider effort to turn Kenya into a country known not just for its field sites, but also for its original contributions to conservation science.

Shifting gears, Professor Mary Abukutsa- Onyango, was asked about her opinion on men’s responsibilities in addressing gender imbalance in places of leadership within academia. The solution she suggested was quite simple. “Stop looking at women as women inside the boardroom,” she addressed the men in the room pointedly. “Treat me the way you would treat any other professional.” 

Through this exhibit, YSK is strengthening the ecosystem for STEM and STEM education in Kenya. Building on a history of other successful science fairs, YSK’s Exhibition Week links youth to government, academia, private sector, civil society, and others to help them upscale both their research, and their projects.

Mawazo partnered with DAAD to create a specialized two-day training that would give attendees a deeper understanding of what leadership within the sciences looks like and help scholars develop the tangible skills required to be leaders within their fields. Over two days, experts led trainings in topics that included leadership, communication, conflict management, personal branding, and networking. These were coupled with insightful panel discussions on issues relevant to local researchers.

“Chemistry is Cool,” we certainly agree. Which is why we were thrilled to host five young girls at the Mawazo office in May as part of their “Chemistry is Cool” class. The students, ranging in ages from 9 to 11 years old, were taking part in a home-schooled Chemistry class in Nairobi when they came across Mawazo CEO, Dr. Rose M. Mutiso (a Material Scientist), as they searched online for African scientists.

Melisa’s work has brought her to the attention of HEVA Fund’s new initiative. The Cultural Heritage Seed Fund is intended, “to support the seeding of dynamic creative industry projects, which pioneer new ways of creating inclusive and sustainable growth through the sharing and preservation of Kenya’s cultural heritage.” Which is exactly what Melisa’s interrogation into the use of VR and animation is doing.

Our 2018 PhD Scholars represent a diversity of fields, with each of them focused on tackling areas of research that are crucial to our Kenyan and African identities and livelihoods.

“As we look back, 2018 ASW-K marked an important step forward for science in Kenya. Encouraging and supporting scientists who have come before us and creating room to nurture aspiring scientists who will one day impact Kenya and the world in significant and powerful ways. “

“April 25th marks National DNA Day, a day commemorating the completion of the Human Genome Project and the discovery of DNA's double helix structure in 1953. Sixty-six years on from this initial groundbreaking discovery, and sixteen years after the completion of one of the most ambitious international scientific research projects, what have we learned about ourselves through genomics, the study of DNA?”

“Equality begins with giving women the same opportunities to succeed (or fail) as their male counterparts. Mawazo not only supports women researchers and scholars in developing academic and professional skills but also engages with women in all areas of our work.”

“In the last year, Mawazo did just that: They selected an inaugural cohort of 10 Mawazo PhD Scholars out of a pool of over 170 applicants, a group of talented women all under the age of 40 who are currently completing doctoral studies in Kenya.”

‘“According to the National AIDS Control Council, about 18% of people living with HIV in 2015 in Kenya were adolescents and young adults, aged 15 – 24 years, and they contributed to about 51% of new HIV infections among adults and the prevalence was twice as high amongst women than men.”

“There is an urgent need, therefore, to establish strategies for reducing the risks associated with climate change in every aspect of our economy.  My research seeks to shed light on how weather and climate variability affects the travel behaviour of commuters in Nairobi and the various ways they use to cope with the impacts.”

“A specific threat to coffee crop cultivation in Kenya is the infestation of the Antestia bug, a pest native to Africa.”

“Poor farming methods, overgrazing and deforestation are the most common cause of catchment degradation in Kenya.”

The Conversation Africa’s Natasha Joseph asked researchers working in fields as varied as physics, technology law, palaeontology and biomathematics to share their lessons and experiences as women in STEM – and what those who want to follow in their footsteps should expect.