2023
May
Afretec recently held its first entrepreneurship workshop at The American University in Cairo, a member institution of the network. The three-day event focused on discussing the network's approach to entrepreneurship with selected experts working within the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Africa. Panel discussions and working sessions encouraged open dialogue around setting the direction for Afretec entrepreneurship efforts in 2023 and beyond.
April
Mani & Luhanga speak at UN Commission on Population and Development 56th session
CMU-Africa’s Ganesh Mani and Edith Luhanga presented at the UN’s 56th session of the Commission on Population and Development which took place on April 13, 2023. The virtual event, titled “Towards Quality Education & Common Good: A Roadmap for Transformation of Education & Health,” was sponsored by the Women’s Health and Education Center (WHEC) and focused on providing children with access to early education.
Thornburg discusses Grid Fruit refrigeration tools
Vermont Business Magazine
CMU-Africa’s Jesse Thornburg, cofounder of Grid Fruit, talked with Vermont Business Magazine about his efforts to bring data-driven intelligence to food retail operations. He has been building and employing commercial refrigeration tools that make recommendations to optimize energy use while also helping grocers stay responsive to alerts from utilities about the load on the grid. “The total effect is reduced demand during peak times which is good for global warming and, because it reduces expensive spikes in energy use, good for the business owner as well,” Thornburg said. “The two work hand in hand.”
March
CMU-Africa students speak about takeaways from climate change conference in Florida
CMU-Africa students Hadiza Umar Yusuf and Nadia Lorraine Niyonsaba attended the Apen Future Leaders Summit in Miami, Florida from March 2 to March 11, 2023. At the conference, they connected with young leaders such as themselves to talk about climate change and how it affects our world. Both participants reflected on the summit’s effect on their personal choices to be more environmentally friendly: “I have also been inspired to reduce my carbon footprint in my daily life by adopting sustainable practices such as using energy-efficient appliances, using reusable bags and bottles, etc.,” Yusuf says.
Four Engineering alumni celebrated in the most recent Tartans on the Rise class
CMU
In the most recent class of Tartans on the Rise, four Engineering alumni will be recognized for their substantial contributions in their fields and their communities. These included Rohyt Belani (2002), Emmanuel Chebukati (2018), Michelle O’Malley (2004), and Hooman Radfar (2004).
Afretec mentioned in ITWeb
IT Web
The importance of the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec), led by CMU-Africa, was highlighted in an interview with Stanley Mpofu, CIO of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). Wits, located in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a member institution of Afretec.
Students launch leadership collective
CMU-Africa students launched a leadership collective on February 24 as a community-wide initiative to bring together students, alumni, staff, and faculty, to promote and build leadership potential, both individually and collectively. The CMU-Africa Leadership Collective is a student-led initiative that aims to inspire, cultivate, and empower student leadership across key issues in African communities. The vision of the Collective is to support and develop ethical, transformative leadership in every CMU Africa graduate. The Collective will provide a platform for all our students to embark on their journey toward making meaningful and lasting contributions in their communities.
February
Gueye quoted on increase in fraudulent activities
Business Day
CMU-Africa’s Assane Gueye discussed the importance of staying mindful online as recent reports document sharp increases in money lost due to fraudulent activities. As Africa becomes more digitally connected, growing cybersecurity threats could hinder financial inclusion online. “We should be more intentional that these technologies will bring more good and not harm,” said Gueye.
Vernon appointed member of IEEE RAS Women in Engineering’s new committee
CMU-Africa’s David Vernon has been appointed member of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Women in Engineering’s new committee: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. The IDEA committee aims to provide travel support to disadvantaged groups for RAS’ flagship conferences such as ICRA, CASE, or IROS.
Jaramillo quoted on hydropower research
Yale Climate Connections
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo spoke to Yale Climate Connections about her research on hydropower as a potential energy source for Sub-Saharan Africa. The advantages of hydropower include its renewable properties and its ability to function when solar power cannot. “Africa has a lot of solar power potential,” Jaramillo says. “Solar is not available at night, but hydro could be.”
January
Air Quality and Urban Pollution Workshop held at CMU-Africa
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
CMU-Africa held an international workshop aimed at addressing air quality challenges and needs in Africa. With over 80 attendees, the three-day workshop aimed to facilitate discussions and promote collaborations among researchers. Nearly 50 abstracts and poster presentations related to the monitoring and improvement of urban air pollution were presented. This event was sponsored by Afretec and was a follow-up to the June 2021 “Pilot Design for Air Quality in Africa” virtual workshop.
Luhanga receives OWSD Early Career Fellowship Award
OWSD
CMU-Africa’s Edith Luhanga recently won an Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) Early Career Fellowship. This prestigious fellowship will provide Luhanga with financial support to develop her research program as well as valuable professional and networking opportunities.
2022
December
Shirley participates in energy and environmental research webinar
Physics World
CMU-Africa’s Rebekah Shirley presented on current energy and environmental research in a live webinar titled “Energy Transitions and Sustainable Transformations in Africa.” The webinar aimed to highlight how the latest research findings will address a variety of challenges related to Africa’s energy systems and climate resilience.
Students gain valuable entrepreneurship training
KT Press
CMU-Africa students participated in innovative entrepreneurial training during the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Rwanda. Engaging in lessons and discussions designed to teach practical skills, students gained hands-on experience establishing businesses and overcoming challenges.
Wangari supported by Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
The Guardian
CMU-Africa alumna Rahab Wangari honed valuable leadership skills and received social, academic, and financial support through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Helping over 40,000 students to date, the program supports the educational pursuits of economically disadvantaged youth and is projected to assist over 100,000 students by 2030.
Earth Observation Hackathon conducted at CMU-Africa
African Union
CMU-Africa, in partnership with other agencies, held a five-day Earth Observation hackathon aimed at supporting the future planning and management of natural resources. Participants gained valuable knowledge about selecting, processing, and analyzing data in a cloud computing environment.
October
Students participate in 2022 Deep Learning Indaba
Deep Learning Indaba
Three CMU-Africa students participated in the 2022 Deep Learning Indaba.
- Moayad Elamin, MSEAI
- Ofentse Phuti Rice, MSIT
- Mastel-Pierrette Mahoro, MSIT
The Deep Learning Indaba is the annual meeting of the African machine learning community with the mission to strengthen African machine learning. The event was held August 21-26 in Tunis, Tunisia.
Sanders and CMU-Africa students quoted on Mastercard partnership
Tribune-Review
Dean Bill Sanders and CMU-Africa students Junias Bonou and Opelo Tshekiso were quoted in the Tribune-Review about the impact of CMU-Africa and the recently-announced partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
July
MSIT student and her startup recognized
CMU-Africa student Gladys Inabeza's (MSIT '23) startup Casual Payroll was selected as one of the top four startups in StArfrica Exchange Week in Germany. Casual Payroll is a tech solution that manages workforces with stress-free salary disbursement.
Jaramillo publishes research on future of hydropower in Africa
Nature Climate Change
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo has co-authored a study that examines the role of hydropower as an energy source in Africa in the near and distant future. “Our work contributes to a better understanding of the climate-induced impacts on hydropower resources in Africa and potential risk mitigation opportunities,” reads the study, which was published in Nature Climate Change.
Jaramillo quoted on sustainable flying solutions
Popular Science
EPP’s Paulina Jaramillo spoke to Popular Science about the limitations of making flying more environmentally friendly. One obstacle, she said, is that solutions like sustainable fuels and improved engines are not widely available because they are still being developed. “There’s very little they can do immediately,” Jaramillo says.
June
Edith Luhanga receives Women in STEM Award
2022 Africa Science Week
CMU-Africa's Edith Luhanga, postdoctoral researcher, received the Women in STEM Award during the 2022 Africa Science Week.
CMU-Africa student awardees congratulated by the president of Nigeria
Daily Post Nigeria
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari recently met with Nigerians residing in Kigali, Rwanda, and congratulated CMU-Africa's Ayobami Esther Olanrewaju and Favour Aderinto on being awarded the Lakshmi Subramanian CMU-Africa Student Excellence Award. "I am proud of you all, and I remain ever proud of our Nigerian youths excelling, at home and abroad," he said.
Rawn receives Scott Institute for Energy Innovation’s Seed Grant
Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation
CMU-Africa's Barry Rawn received a seed grant in the tenth annual round of Scott Institute Seed Grants. He will use funds to repair and update an instrument called the Portable Phasor Measurement Unit. This equipment will be used in a project called, “Data-Driven Model Creation for Rwandan Grid Stability – Equipment Repair.” It is slated next for use in Rwanda, where it will be installed in a substation with the co-operation of Rwanda Energy Group (REG).
Spring/Summer 2022 Engineering Magazine published
Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering
The College of Engineering published its Spring/Summer 2022 magazine issue. The issue features CMU-Africa's Allen Robinson, Gbemi Disu, Sandra Malaika, and alumna Ayobami Esther Olanrewaju.
Three Mastercard Scholars honored at graduation
Three CMU-Africa Mastercard Scholars were given special honors at graduation. Faith Bagire (MS ECE) was recognized with the Jeremiah N. Mpagazehe Rising Researcher Award. Ayobami Esther Olanrewaju (MSIT) and Favour Aderinto (MS ECE) earned the Lakshmi Subramanian Student Excellence Award.
May
Luhanga research team mentioned in article on SIM cards
Biometric Update
CMU Africa’s Edith Luhanga and her research team were mentioned in a Biometric Update article for their research into the impact of linking identities to SIM cards. There is a proposal by South Africa’s telecoms regulator to link individuals’ biometric data to SIM cards in an attempt to stop fraud. Luhanga’s research will study how citizens adapt to the requirement and how the market for SIM card fraud reacts to the change.