People
Organiser
malebo sephodi
malebo sephodi (she/they) is a South African Feminist writer and interdisciplinary scholar. She is a non-resident fellow at IPATC, University of Johannesburg and a doctoral candidate in the Information Systems Department at the University of Cape Town. She is interested in the intersections of society and digital technology.Faculty
Odilile Ayodele
Dr Odilile Ayodele is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC). She holds a D.Litt. et Phil in Political Studies at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), and obtained her BA, BA (Hons), an MA in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. She completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the South African Research Chair: African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy at UJ. Odilile is currently the convenor of the South African Association of Political Studies (SAAPS) research committee on international relations and diplomacy, an associate editor and book review editor of the Journal of BRICS Studies, as well as the book review editor of the African Journal of Political Science. Her current research projects centre on Global Technopolitics including, the international relations of technology, and digital diplomacy in Africa.
Simona Simona
Dr. Simona Simona is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Sociology and Assistant Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zambia. He is also a non-resident fellow at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC), University of Johannesburg. He holds a PhD in Sociology and Quantitative Social Science Methods, and a Master of Research (MRes) in Sociology and Research Methods from the University of Glasgow. His research work generally uses advanced quantitative techniques to examine the influence of individual and structural factors on social and health outcomes. He is also interested in teaching quantitative social science methods and data science, including different software packages for data management, visualization, and statistical modelling.Speakers
Tendani Mulanga Chimboza
Dr. Tendani Mulanga Chimboza is a Lecturer at the University of Cape Town (UCT). She also serves as the Scientific Engagement Lead for the Cybersecurity Capacity Centre for Southern Africa (C3SA). Tendani conducts research in Social Informatics and Digital Ethics, specifically research on cyberpsychology, digital parenting, digital activism, and ICT policy. She is passionate about investigating aspects of technology use that unintentionally exclude or marginalize certain groups in society. Tendani holds a Doctorate in Information Systems from UCT and a master’s in arts degree from the University of Western Cape. Before joining UCT, Tendani worked as a Communication Specialist at Saratoga - an IT company based in Cape Town.
Vissého Adjiwanou
Vissého Adjiwanou is a professor of Demography and quantitative and computational methods in the Department of Sociology at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), and adjunct professor at the Department of Demography (Université de Montréal). He directs the Lab on quantitative and computational social science. He is also affiliated with the Centre on Population Dynamics (McGill University). He received an M.A in Statistics from the National School of Statistics and Applied Economics (ENSEA-Cote d’Ivoire), an M.A in Economics of Development at the Centre for Studies and Research on International Development (CERDI- France) and a PhD in Demography from the Université de Montréal (Canada). His research focusses on population issues in sub-Saharan Africa and in Canada, including fertility, family dynamics, gender inequality, reproductive health, and integration of immigrants from SSA in Canada.
Sarah Mulombo Mulaji
Sarah Mulombo Mulaji is a PhD candidate at the University of Cape Town, Department of Information Systems. Sarah is also a Senior Teaching and Research Assistant in the same department since 22020. Sarah's research interests involve information & cybersecurity management and distributed systems, like Blockchain, appplications in organisations and society. Sarah has co-authored some journal articles and conference papers.
Anthony Kaziboni
Dr Anthony Kaziboni is Head of Research at the Institute for the Future of Knowledge. He holds a doctorate in Sociology from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He researches hydropolitics, migration and social inequalities. He is the Regional Representative for South Africa for the International Sociological Association's (ISA) Clinical Sociology Research Group. In 2018 he received the prestigious Outstanding Early Career Award in Clinical Sociology by the ISA's Clinical Sociology Research Committee in Toronto, Canada. He has [co]authored publications in accredited journals and books as well as newspaper articles.
Vukosi Marivate
Prof. Vukosi Marivate is the ABSA UP Chair of Data Science at the University of Pretoria. He is an Associate Professor of Computer Science. Vukosi works on developing Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence methods to extract insights from data. A large part of his work over the last few years has been in the intersection of Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. Vukosi's work in this area focuses on techniques to improve tools for and availability of data for local languages or low resource languages. Vukosi is a co-founder of Deep Learning Indaba (https://deeplearningindaba.com/). He currently serves as a chief investigator on the Masakhane NLP project (https://www.masakhane.io/) and on the steering committee of the Lacuna Fund (https://lacunafund.org/). As part of his vision for Data Science, Vukosi is interested in Data Science for Social Impact (https://dsfsi.github.io/), using local challenges as a springboard for research. In this area, Vukosi has worked on projects in science, energy, public safety and utilities. Vukosi is a co-founder of the Deep Learning Indaba, the largest Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence workshop on the African continent, aiming to strengthen African Machine Learning.
Sisanda Nkoala
Dr Sisanda Nkoala is an award-winning academic interested in South African media and rhetoric. She is employed as a senior lecturer in the Media Department at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the Language and Transformation coordinator for the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the institution. She is also a leader in the South African journalism sector, serving as a public representative on the South African Press Council, a South African National Editors Forum member, and a member of the appeals tribunal of the Film and Publications Board. Before joining academia, she was a journalist and won an award for her work on missing children and the 2015/2016 #RhodesMustFall protests.
Emmanuel Olamijuwon
Emmanuel Olamijuwon is a Lecturer in the School of Geography and Sustainable Development at the University of St Andrews, UK. His research interest lies at the intersection of technology, sexuality, & population health in low-and-middle-income countries. His recent projects (SouthScieX, FaMeLynk, SHYad.NET) combine data from traditional data sources (such as the DHS), with digital traces (Facebook and Twitter) and Online surveys to illuminate the complexity of a number of social and health issues such as knowledge inequality, suicide ideation, as well as sexual and reproductive health.
Zintathu Mazamane
Zintathu is an experienced professional with a strong background in research, management consulting, policy and strategy development. Currently, she is in the process of completing a Master of Urban Studies in Urban Management from the University of the Witwatersrand. Due her strong passion for promoting women’s advancement into leadership positions, she has dedicated her master’s research to Examining Tactics that Women in Management Positions Employ to Navigate Institutional Culture while Promoting Development. This research was inspired by the prevalent institutional culture that subjects women to many forms of systemic forms of discrimination, which prevents their ascension into decision making roles and positions of influence. As an aspiring leader and expert in her field, Zintathu has worked as a research lead and development consultant in diverse economic sectors, providing valuable insights to stakeholders such as government, private sector and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). This informs her well-rounded approach in managing projects, conducting research, and analysing complex data into valuable insights. In 2020, Zintathu started her own consulting firm that provides advisory services to through market research, and she has been operating independently for almost three years now. Her major achievements in entrepreneurship thus far include being accepted into a Business Acceleration Programme in 2023 and breaking out into international markets by landing an American NGO as a client.
Samson Faboye
Samson Faboye is a doctoral candidate at the Urban and Regional Planning Department, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He holds a Bachelor's and Master’s Degrees in Architecture from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria and a Master of Urban Studies (With a Speciality in urban Politics and Governance) Degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. His ongoing doctoral research explores the future of traditional governance systems in response to expanding urbanisation in North West and KwaZulu Natal Provinces of South Africa. His research interests revolve around Architectural Heritage Conservation, Development and Urban Policy. Samson was one of the participant at the 2022 Summer School in Computational Social Science (SICSS) hosted by the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS) and Institute for PanAfrican Thought and Conversations (IPATC). He is also a recipient of the 2022/2023 Adam Smith Fellowship from the Mercatus Center of the George Mason University, USA and an 2022/2023 inaugural Edgeland Institute Fellow on the impact digitalisation on Urban Security.Tech Support
Nompumelelo Ndawonde
Ms. Nompumelelo Ndawonde is a Researcher at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC). She is currently a PhD student at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa. She obtained a Masters of Political Science, a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in International Relations (cum laude), and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (cum laude), all from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa. Ms. Ndawonde was awarded academic exchange scholarships for studies at the University of Calgary in Canada, and the University of Uppsala in Sweden. Her key research interests include regional organisations, trade, and development.Teaching Assistant
Aubrey Mpungose
Aubrey Mpungose is a PhD student at the University of KwaZulu Natal. He is interested in social/political theory, political participation, neighbourhood contexts and behaviour/outcomes, and the broader field of political economy.Participants
Shaka Bob
Authors Biography Shaka Keny Bob Shaka is an Institute of French Research in South Africa (IFAS-South Africa) 2021, research fellow and is also a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology at Stellenbosch University. Previously, Shaka has served as a sessional lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Witwatersrand and has also served as a research consultant for the Women in Informal Employment Globalising and Organising (WIEGO) and DataFirst at the University of Cape Town. His research interests include social policy, informal work, gender studies and the ongoing changes to labour markets in the developing South context. Shaka holds a Masterof Arts in Social Policy and Labour Studies which was attained cum laude at Rhodes University in 2018. His doctoral thesis focuses on the ability of informal workers to adapt to COVID-19- related shocks and the case for social protection in the City of Cape Town, South Africa.
Mmamashilo Herminah Mmako
Mmamashilo Herminah Mmako is a Master's candidate at the University of Pretoria. Herminah is an affiliate and researcher at the University of Pretoria's African Center for the Study of the United States (ACSUS-UP). Her research is focused on geopolitics in specific reference to the United States-China geopolitical contest in the Indo-Pacific and its implications for Africa's regional inclusion. Herminah holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Sciences (cum-laude) and Honours in International Relations (cum-laude) from North-West University.
Dieu-Donne Fangnon
I'm a master student in machine learning. I'm working on my computer vision and reinforcement learning research projects. Open to work in PhD projects, or internship.
Kennedy Manduna
Kennedy is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the International Research Group on Authoritarianism and Counterstrategies (IRGAC) of the Rosa Luxemburg-Stiftung, hosted by the Wits School of Governance (WSG) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. For the past seven years, I have been a researcher, teaching assistant and lecturer within the WSG and Wits Business School (WBS). He completed his PhD in Political Economy and Public Policy in 2022 at the WSG.
Makhethe Makamase
Makhethe Makamase is a Doctoral candidate in International Relations at the University of Pretoria (UP), an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Political Science (at UP) and a Researcher at the Centre for Mediation in Africa (CMA). She has experience in research and administrative work in roles at the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD) a Think Tank associated with the University of South Africa (UNISA), the CMA, UP, and transcultural work experiences. She is an alumni of the Managing Global Governance (MGG) Academy (2021) by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), a programme aimed at enhancing dialogue and knowledge between the global south and Germany/Europe towards sustainable and effective cooperation.
Matsidiso Bambo
Matsidiso Bambo is a second year MA in Social and Psychological Research student at the University of the Witwatersrand and a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. She is also an alumna at the University of Johannesburg.
Bimbo Fafowora
Bimbo L. Lolade Fafowora is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Rhodes University, South Africa. Her doctoral research focuses on the media representation of women in political leadership positions in Nigeria. Before acquiring her doctoral degree, Bimbo had earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Her research interests are Media Construction and Representation, Gender equality, Politics, Music, Culture, Fake News, Media Literacy, and Circular Economy.
Takaedza Madzikanda
I am a Sociology PhD candidate at the University of Johannesburg - researching digital networking and transnationalism and how these impact identity negotiation processes. I hold an MA in International Relations (University of Bedfordshire) and an LLB - Gov. & Politics (University of Hertfordshire).
Juliet Nanfuka
Juliet Nanfuka has a background in media and works in the digital rights space on various initiatives aimed at advocating for an internet that is free, fair, and open in Africa. She is interested in the cross paths of social innovation, technology and society.
Pamella Gysman
Pamella Gysman is a Master's graduate in Women's and Gender Studies at the University of the Western Cape. She is an interdisciplinary scholar and feminist writer. Her research is interested in the intersections of identity, culture and performance as forms of citizenship and belonging.
Ayantola Alayande
Ayantola Alayande is a Research Assistant in Digitalisation and Public Sector Productivity at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge. Prior to Cambridge, he worked as a Research Executive (Quants/Client Services) at Kantar, London office. He holds degrees from the University of Edinburgh and the KDI School of Public Policy.
Liliane Manitchoko
Liliane Manitchoko is a demographer and holds a PhD in biostatistics. Having lived and worked in Cameroon as a demographer, Liliane has experience in collecting and analysing demographic and health data, as well as research on the demographic dividend in Africa. As a biostatistician, she has worked on statistical models to take into account temporal variations in drug exposure in order to better assess the risk of adverse effects. To complete her methodological skills, Liliane is currently interested in machine learning methods and pursuing a specialised master's degree in Big Data (management and analysis of massive data) at Télécom Paris.
Tinashe Sithole
Tinashe Sithole (PhD) is a visiting research fellow at the Politics and International Relations department at the University of Johannesburg. His research interests focus on democracy, governance and international political economy- focusing on challenges of development for African states in the global world, elections, human security and peace and conflict. Tinashe is interested in applying computational tools to his field. His main research project aims at studying the impact of social media on democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Daniella Ojekere
I am a data scientist with experience in building predictive Models with extensive knowledge of Python frameworks, libraries, data structures, and data modeling with 5 years of experience as a data scientist and 2 years of machine learning. I currently work with Python, SQl, PowerBi, Microsoft Excel, and AWS, I have been a data scientist and a project administrator for international research grant projects in the United Kingdom, Uganda, Sweden, and Nigeria. I am an ardent reader and love writing and finding new problems to solve. In my free time, I like enjoying nature and am always on the lookout for adventures and contributing to open-source projects.