Pioneers of Change: Alumnae of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences
These trailblazers are not only excelling in research and academia but also inspiring a new era of belonging—thus building a legacy for future generations. Alumnae of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), with support from the Henry Luce Foundation’s Women in STEM Program, are redefining what it means for women to lead in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Left to right: Dr. Fadekemi Janet Osaye, Associate professor of mathematics at Troy University, Alabama; Winnie Nakiyingi, Research and Academic Coordinator at AIMS Research and Innovation Centre (AIMS RIC), in Kigali, Rwanda; Rachael Kyalo, PhD candidate in statistics and econometrics at the University of Bamberg, Germany.
Prominent among these pioneers is Dr. Fadekemi Janet Osaye, of Nigeria, an associate professor of mathematics at Troy University, Alabama. In 2019 Dr. Osaye became the first Black woman to earn a PhD in mathematics from the University of Johannesburg. Her achievement did more than set a precedent: It filled a gap in the STEM archive where women’s names have long been overlooked—or entirely gone missing.
Pursuing her doctorate “was an awesome experience,” Dr. Osaye reflects, “but if I had to be the first, then something is wrong. The University of Ghana just graduated its first woman PhD in mathematics; we still have a lot to do!”
Another voice shaping this movement is that of Winnie Nakiyingi, the Research and Academic Coordinator at AIMS Research and Innovation Centre (AIMS RIC), in Kigali, Rwanda. Nakiyingi noticed long ago how women have often been underestimated or isolated by comparison to their male peers. That observation, coupled with her own experiences led Nakiyingi to create the digital storytelling platform Words That Count, which shares real-life accounts of women thriving in STEM. The inspiring platform has become a living digital archive preserving the collective memory of these achievers’ breakthroughs, unique distinctions, and hearty resilience.
As Nakiyingi—who studied for her master’s degree in statistics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal—enthusiastically notes, “This is not just about visibility; it’s about legacy.”
Echoing Nakiyingi’s resolve, Kenyan Rachael Kyalo, currently a PhD candidate in statistics and econometrics at the University of Bamberg, Germany, remarks that “Often, I’m the only woman in the room. It can be isolating, but it’s also motivating.” Kyalo further suggests that “by succeeding in this space, I’m breaking down prejudices so that those who come after me—those who look like me—can thrive.”
Kyalo’s overriding message to young women is clear and empowering: “You don’t need validation to belong in STEM. Believe in yourself and take up your space.”
The SHEROES in STEM Initiative of the Molex Foundation Africa
SHEROES in STEM. Photo courtesy of Molex Foundation.
This growing wave of women leaders in STEM is mirrored in Ghana’s Central Region, where teenage girls are stepping into a world in which many never imagined they could possibly belong: exploring electric circuits, robotics, computer coding, and tech innovation. As many are coming to discover, it’s a world in which science, technology, engineering, and mathematics help women to create, think originally, and shape their own futures.
At the center of this effort is the Henry Luce Foundation-supported initiative “Supporting Heroines in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education and Research Opportunities” (SHEROES in STEM), by the Molex Foundation Africa. Founded in 2024 by lecturer Dr. Patrick Essien, of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, SHEROES in STEM is grounded in one powerful core mission: to educate and empower girls through STEM.
Each year SHEROES in STEM selects sixty girls from remote and underserved communities for a two-week intensive SHEROES in STEM bootcamp. The second cohort to complete the late summer program, which was held at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, in September 2025, created a prototype for a Mars rover-like vehicle expressly designed to monitor illegal mining. The rover was equipped with remote navigation technology, enabling researchers to collect real-time environmental data from the field and transmit it to an app—thus offering a tech-driven solution for tracking environmental damage in hard-to-reach areas.
“Projects like this highlight the girls’ ability to apply STEM concepts to real-world challenges,” says Dr. Essien. He points out how such projects promote not only technical skills but also creativity, teamwork, and a boundless sense of purpose, adding, “Girls aren’t short on talent; what they often lack is opportunity and exposure.” The program also helps participants break free from gender stereotypes. “It’s about opening their eyes to new possibilities,” Dr. Essien explains, “where they’re no longer confined by outdated beliefs.”
A concept of lively and ongoing mentorship lies at the heart of SHEROES in STEM. This applies not only to program managers; every young attendee, as well, is encouraged to lift others —ensuring that each empowered girl will boost those following in her path.
SHEROES in STEM aims to reach 500 girls by 2028, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and vision to lead a new generation of women in the sciences and related professions—and to highlight just how much young women will achieve, given the opportunity. Each success story adds a new chapter to the record of African women’s achievement in STEM, ensuring that the archive of innovation reflects the excellence of those who have so dynamically enriched it.
