Issue 13 | December 2021 | Programs, events and news for Africa Institute members & partners
Achieving equity and increasing access:
a Global Skills Opportunity program
The Africa Institute is pleased to lead the Achieving Equity and Global EDI-D-I Competence in the Canadian Health Sector Workforce project, an initiative aimed at enhancing opportunities for undergraduate students in health professional programs at Western and the University of Manitoba. The project will provide opportunities for students from underrepresented groups to participate in international learning experiences and is part of the $95 million Global Skills Opportunity program, an important component of Canada’s International Education Strategy.
Message from the Director
Dear colleagues,
I am pleased and proud to celebrate the outstanding contributions of you all as part of the Africa Institute community. Over the last 17 months, thanks to the dedication, competence, and human touch of Dr. Melanie Katsivo, we have been able to engage an increasing number of scholars and students across Western and internationally, making The Africa Institute an essential and impactful entity within the institution.
The recent successful project on “Achieving Equity,” funded through the Global Skills Opportunity program, focusing on health care professions, is an additional important milestone achieved by our institute. Once again, I would like to acknowledge the leadership of Dr. Katsivo in this important initiative.
Congratulations to Melanie for being named a recipient of the 2021 Western Award of Excellence, which is a further testament to her work, professionalism, and reputation within our community. I also would like to convey my sincere appreciation to Eunice Annan-Aggrey for her exceptional work as administrative assistant over the last six months.
Finally, I wish a peaceful and restful holiday season to all of you. I look forward to continuing to work with you in the new year.
Sincerely,
Saverio Stranges
Welcome Dr. Oloya
We are pleased to welcome and acknowledge Dr. Opiyo Oloya as Western’s inaugural Vice-President of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The Africa Institute shares Dr. Oloya’s vision to make Western a welcoming space for all persons, including equity-deserving groups, and looks forward to continued collaboration with Dr. Oloya as he leads Western’s equity work.
New centre launches, seeks Postdoctoral Associate
The Western Centre for Climate Change, Sustainable Livelihoods and Health (WeCLISH) has a broad mandate of engaging researchers, policymakers, civil society organizations and students to conduct cutting edge research and build capacity on critical environmental issues that impact humanity in the twenty-first century. WeCLISH comprises an interdisciplinary group of researchers who focus on general themes including climate change, food and water security, environmental hazards, health and agriculture.
WeCLISH recently launched a call for applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Associate in Climate Change, Sustainable Livelihoods and Health. Apply at the link below by December 31, 2021.
African Conversations Series
The African Conversations Series is held monthly by the Africa Institute to engage in discussions on key and pertinent African topics. A talk with a flexible format is held each month featuring panels, single speakers, or workshops. In essence, it is a forum for presenting contemporary African and African Diaspora topics.
Plan to attend our next conversation:
January 27, 1:30 pm - Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Sarki, The Aga Khan University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa
Recent Presentations:
September 2021
"Biomedical engineering in low-resource settings (LRSs)"
Dr. Leandro Pecchia of the Applied Biomedical Signal Processing Intelligent eHealth Lab (ABSPIE) of the University of Warwick provided an overview of the ABSPIE Lab in Africa, including the creation of a framework for assessing medical locations in low-resource settings, designing medical devices resilient to low-resource settings, and several frugal designs of medical devices.
October 2021
Two of our members shared insights from their PhD thesis projects related to Africa’s history.
Dr. Chinelo Ezenwa:
“Bible Translations and Literary Responses: Re-reading Missionary Interventions in Africa through Local Perspectives”
Dr. Nassisse Solomon:
"Rooted in History, Representations and Perceptions of Ethiopian Identities in Canada."
Africa-Western Collaborations Day 2021
The Africa Institute presented an engaging panel that featured African Climate Science researchers – Dr. Amadou Gaye from Senegal, Dr. Matiwo Ensermu from Ethiopia and Dr. Chewki Ziani-Cherif from Algeria. This was followed by an afternoon workshop where Young Scholars (CAYSC) reflected on the day's proceedings.
We are grateful to our all our members and partners for your contributions to a successful Africa-Western Collaborations day 2021.
Recent Awards & Member News
Congratulations to Dr. Melanie Katsivo, for being named a recipient of the 2021 Western Award of Excellence.
Congratulations to Dr. Ian Cunningham and his collaborators at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda for receiving funding from Academics Without Borders to support an innovative project for faster malaria diagnosis.
Canada-Africa Young Scholars Coalition (CAYSC)
CAYSC is establishing a Canada-Africa Alumni Network to connect people of African heritage or identity and their allies, in the spirit of Pan-Africanism. The Network is a hub for mentorship and collaboration for young and established scholars and practitioners working on topical issues in Africa. Join us today!
