Chica YINKA-BANJO

Transforming Africa by improving mining safety

The role of women and girls in science is essential for African youth to reach its full potential. Women leaders in science will be central to Africa’s success in the next fifty years. At AIMS we are breaking down the barriers for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and promoting gender equality by influencing policies and changing attitudes to support African women and girls in science.

For example, Dr. Chika Yinka-Banjo, PhD graduated from AIMS in 2010. She completed her PhD in Computer Science at the University of Cape Town (UTC) in South Africa shortly after. In her research at AIMS and UTC, she developed robotic systems to conduct mining safety inspections preventing dangerous accidents and saving miners lives. She will return to her home Nigeria and plans to establish a Robotics and Artificial Intelligence research unit at the University of Lagos to perfect her work and develop the applications to make resource extraction safer and more sustainable. In 2013, Dr. Yinka-Banjo was honoured with the prestigious L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Fellowship Award for her outstanding contribution to science in Africa.

Our alumni hail from 42 African nations

At AIMS our students and alumni are our greatest indicators of success. We are proud to have produced 1,222 graduates, one-third of whom are women. Our alumni hail from 42 African nations, and are fast becoming leaders in academia and industry across Africa and around the globe.

Our remarkable success rate will continue with the support of donors like you. There are thousands of deserving students with incredible drive to solve challenges who have some of the most remarkable stories, but they need you to help them realize their dreams.