THE PROJECT Team

Dr Alicia Bowman has over 20 years’ work experience, which combines a researcher profile with teaching and training experience. Her research is interdisciplinary and is strongly situated in the field of gender studies. Her research interests include gender, women’s empowerment, research capacity strengthening, migration and the expansion of students' capabilities through socially- just pedagogies. Her current research focuses on gender inequalities in knowledge production and dissemination in Higher Education Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Juliet Thondhlana has wide-ranging experience teaching, researching, and publishing and is a member of several editorial boards. She has led and managed both small and large impact projects in SubSaharan Africa including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe on topics such as gender and education; decolonisation; organisational and research cultures in universities in Africa; research and grant writing and publishing in Africa; refugee education; educational policy development; entrepreneurship and internationalisation of education and development. She is also the UNESCO Chair in International Education and Development, the Coordinator of the Association of African Universities Europe Regional Office.

Dr Liticia Effah-Manu holds a PhD in Food Science and Technology from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and is a Faculty member at the Department of Food Science and Technology, and the Gender Affairs Officer of Ho Technical University. She was a Research Fellow of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Nigeria during her PhD studies (2017-2021). Dr. Effah-Manu has broad research interests in Gender and Food Systems, Food Chemistry, Nutrition, Sensory Science and a keen interest in Gender Studies. Her dream is to realize nutritional security for the Sub-region through her research and create a positive and lasting impact on the lives of girls and women, helping them achieve their aspirations of economic empowerment and career leadership. 

Dr Felicia Nkrumah-Kuagbedzi holds a PhD in ICT Education with specialization in Cybersecurity from the prestigious World Bank-sponsored Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education (ACEITSE) at the Lagos State University in Nigeria. Her research focus is on investigating effective pedagogical approaches for ICT Education, with a particular emphasis on developing innovative and inclusive teaching methods and promoting digital literacy.  Dr Nkrumah-Kuagbedzi is a passionate advocate for women's advancement in higher education and is one of the founding members of the African Women in Higher Education Network, hosted by the Association of African Universities. She has co-authored articles focused on women advancement, including one published by the University World News.. Currently, she works at the Association of African Universities and plays varied roles, including serving as the Senior Communication and Publications Officer for the AAU, and the Project Officer for a Science Granting Council’s Initiative project funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Canada, which involves 17 countries across Eastern, Western, and Southern Africa.

Professor Evelyn Garwe serves as the Associate Dean for Education at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco, bringing extensive leadership experience from her previous roles as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education and Pro Vice Chancellor of Universities in Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea. Her background includes significant contributions at both institutional and national levels within the African higher education landscape. A widely published scholar in STEM and higher education studies, her expertise is further recognised through her service on the editorial boards of high-impact international journals.

Dr Yinka Somorin is a Researcher and Consultant with almost two decades of experience in the Higher Education sector in Africa and Europe. Until January 2024, he was the Research Culture Specialist (Career Destinations) at the University of Glasgow, UK, where he led initiatives to support and prepare researchers to leverage their skills for different career destinations. As Founder of RBridge Research and Advisory, he deploys his experience to support researchers and improve the quality of research in African institutions through capacity-strengthening initiatives. He is currently a Visiting Professor at Ajayi Crowther University, Nigeria.

Professor Afolake Olanbiwoninu is an accomplished academic and administrator, currently serving as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) at Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Nigeria. She is also a Professor of Food Microbiology with over 13 years’ experience as an administrator in the University system, a researcher and a lecturer. Aside from this, she is an advocate against gender marginalisation. In her last role as Acting Director of Research, Innovation and Linkages, Prof Olanbiwoninu was instrumental in fostering a vibrant research culture at Ajayi Crowther University. Her leadership in this position underscores her commitment to advancing knowledge, driving innovation, and building strong relationships that benefit the university and society at large. Prof Olanbiwoninu is also involved in mentoring and collaboration with other researchers.

Dr Amara Anyogu is a food microbiologist and STEM educator who is intentional about communicating complex ideas in an accessible way to ensure her work connects with diverse audiences. Her research investigates the fascinating world of microorganisms and their interactions in food systems as producers, spoilers, and agents of disease. She is also interested in evidence-based inclusive teaching and learning practices that allow learners from diverse backgrounds to thrive in higher education. Dr Anyogu has published extensively on topics including indigenous fermented foods, microbial food safety, and antimicrobial resistance. She is also passionate about creating spaces where writers can improve their writing skills at any stage in their career. As Senior Academic Mentor in the School of Human Sciences at London Metropolitan University, she supports learners in finding their ‘writing voice’ through facilitating bespoke writing workshops and one-to-one support. As Co-Founder of the Nigerian Applied Microbiologists Network and Editor of the Network's newsletter, she has mentored several early career professionals through the peer-review publication process and provided opportunities to share their scientific knowledge with the general public.