The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) is pleased to announce the appointment of Evelyn Gitau, PhD, as the Chief Scientific Officer effective 01 April 2024. Evelyn will contribute to the strengthened delivery of the SFA Foundation’s scientific programmes for the ultimate strengthening of African science. 

Driven by its five-year strategy, From Science to Impact and by the need to provide holistic support to African scientists, innovators and their institutions across the research value chain, the SFA Foundation has recently reorganised the delivery of its programmes guided by its strategic thematic areas of health; climate and environment; and agriculture.  

“As we appoint a Chief Science Officer, we entrust not just a role, but a beacon of innovation and progress in the delivery of our science programmes. With Evelyn, we embrace a visionary leader who will leverage science and innovation to boldly shape Africa’s future,” said Prof Tom Kariuki, the Chief Executive Officer for the SFA Foundation. 

Evelyn is a seasoned scientist and science leader who joins the SFA Foundation from the African Population and Health Research Center where she had been director of programmes for nearly a decade. She has a combined record of about 20 years of medical research with a commitment to mentoring and supervising researchers, believing that the next generation of research leaders in Africa must be at the forefront of the continent’s development agenda, to shape decision-making and policy with evidence. 

Her strategic acumen and global exposure coupled with her deep interdisciplinary expertise in impact evaluation, implementation research, cellular immunology, molecular biology including proteomics and genomics, and infectious diseases, will be pivotal in navigating and steering SFA Foundation’s programmes to greater heights. 

“As Chief Scientific Officer, my vision is to champion science and innovation that not only push the boundaries of human knowledge but also catalyse positive change in society. This will enable Africa to harness the power of science to tackle our most pressing challenges and build a healthier, productive and more sustainable future for generations to come. I am looking forward to leading the programmes unit and contributing to the Foundation’s plan to strengthen, support and promote Africa’s science and innovations ecosystem,” said Evelyn Gitau.