J&J Innovation Announces Winners of First Champions of Science

Johnson & Johnson Innovation announced the five winners of the first Champions of Science: the Africa Storytelling Challenge. This challenge aims to highlight the pathways of scientists and innovators working in Africa, and pay tribute to the impact of their work on families, communities and the world. “The stories of scientists working on the African continent are often unknown. Yet the work they do is vitally important, and their stories are often remarkable and inspiring,” commented Seema Kumar. Deputy Director General of Innovation, Global Health and Communications Policy at Johnson & Johnson. “By presenting the contributions of talented scientists and creators in Africa, we hope to establish public engagement and inspire African youth to pursue careers in science to help change the trajectory of human health. ”

The challenge has received more than 100 applications from researchers and creators from 22 African nations, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda. An independent committee of scientists, science journalists and policy makers selected the laureates. They will receive a cash prize of USD  5,000, have their history published and receive international publicity. Later in the day, at a special session at the AAAS  (American Association for the Advancement of Science) annual meeting , Johnson & Johnson will host a prize ceremony with a roundtable highlighting the winners. Prominent African leaders will speak out on exciting scientific and technological developments underway across the continent, and Johnson & Johnson will facilitate a discussion on the importance of even greater engagement of science champions around the world whole.

“I congratulate the winners of the Science Champions: the Narrative Challenge in Africa, whose stories highlight the diversity and depth of scientific innovation taking place across the African continent,” said HE Mmamoloko Kubayi. Ngubane, Minister of Science and Technology in South Africa, who was represented by high-ranking personalities at the ceremony. “I firmly believe that we need to create more awareness among the public of the remarkable work done by African precursors in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. I am delighted that we have the opportunity to celebrate the stories of these outstanding champions of science. ” The Storytelling Challenge in Africa is part of Johnson & Johnson’s ongoing effort to attract and catalyze science champions, and to engage people of all generations, from all walks of life, in a vision of limitless possibilities. brought by science.

Science Champions: Africa Narration Challenge winners

Dr. Askwar Hilonga from Tanzania, whose story evokes his invention of a low-cost water filter for purifying contaminated water in rural areas

Elizabeth Kperrun from Nigeria: her story is about her work in developing award-winning tools for language learning in children.

Philippa Ngaju Makobore from Uganda: She describes how she and a team of engineers designed a prototype of a non-invasive, automated infusion regulator to safely and accurately control intravenous fluids and medications in reduced resources, including some hospitals and healthcare spaces with unreliable power supply.

Maame Ekua Manful from Ghana: She presented her journey of setting up a young company to create fortified foods to address the problem of vitamin A deficiency, which is prevalent in developing countries.

Levit Nudi, Kenya, tells how he has developed an innovative mobile app to prevent the use of counterfeit or poor-quality medicines.

Earlier this year, Johnson & Johnson Innovation announced Dr. Mahmoud Bukar Maina as the winner of the Africa Storytelling Challenge, in its YASE edition open to the July 2018 meeting of Young African Scientists in Europe (Young African Scientists). in Europe).

Champions of Science: Judges of the Storytelling Challenge in Africa

An independent panel of judges who selected the winners consisted of:

• Luc Allemand, science journalist and editor-in-chief of Afriscitech.
• Rebekah Corlew, Project Director, Mass Media Scholar, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• Carly Cox, Civic Engagement Project Leader at Research! America.
• Francois Davel, Director of the Science Forum in South Africa, Department of Science and Technology in South Africa.
• Aidan Gilligan, CEO of SciCom – Making Sense of Science (‘making sense of science’).
• Mark Henderson, Director of Communications at Wellcome Trust.
• Nathalie Munyampenda, Executive Director of the Next Einstein Forum.
• medicine (research) Tolu Oni, a graduate of Medicine and Surgery, Senior Clinical Research Associate, Epidemiology Unit of the Council of Medical Research, University of Cambridge.
• Ron Winslow, independent science journalist, former assistant bureau chief, health and science, The Wall Street Journal; former president of the National Association of Scientific Writers. – Medical Buyer Bureau