South Africans are among the 29 early career African scientists who have been selected to receive research funding under the Future Leaders – African Independent Research (Flair) programme for 2020. Other recipients come from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Sudan and Uganda. The 29 scientists were selected from a competitive group of more than 400 applicants.

Flair is a joint programme by the African Academy of Sciences and the UK’s Royal Society, and is supported by the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund. Its aim is to allow African scientists to develop independent research careers without having to leave Africa and hopefully lead to them heading their own research teams in African institutions.

Each of the selected scientists will receive up to £300 000 (or $391 500) to carry out research over two years. The Flair programme was launched last year and the scientists who won fellowships under Flair 2019 are still carrying out research funded by the initiative and significantly contributing to African science in their disciplines.

The research projects being funded under Flair 2020 are diverse. They include new sustainable agriculture and fisheries techniques, improved cleaner energy storage methods, mitigating the worse effects of climate change by managing water shortages and focusing on African acute health conditions. 

“The AAS welcomes the new cohort of Flair grantees to our growing postdoctoral family,” affirmed AAS executive director Professor Nelson Torto. “Postdoctoral programmes are vital in training and developing early career researchers into research leaders whose scientific leadership will influence policies that will promote the socioeconomic development of the continent.”

“Climate change, food sustainability, emerging disease, these are challenges facing us all, but the risks they pose to individuals and ecosystems across Africa are especially pronounced,” highlighted Royal Society foreign secretary Professor Richard Catlow. “That’s why we’re proud to be part of a programme that is investing in the next generation of African scientific leaders, as they research solutions and adaptations to these challenges.”

“This programme extends well beyond the grant recipients themselves,” he pointed out. “Our first cohort of Flair fellows are forging partnerships across institutions and disciplines, supporting young African PhD candidates and postdocs, and helping strengthen the research economies in countries such as Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and the wider continent. We know this second cohort of talented Flair researchers will match their success.”