{"id":77340,"date":"2021-06-07T15:59:44","date_gmt":"2021-06-07T13:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiig.de\/the-fellows-of-the-fourth-sprint-introduce-themselves\/"},"modified":"2025-10-09T12:53:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T10:53:00","slug":"the-fellows-of-the-fourth-sprint-introduce-themselves","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hiig.de\/en\/the-fellows-of-the-fourth-sprint-introduce-themselves\/","title":{"rendered":"The fellows of the fourth sprint introduce themselves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t\t\t\"key-de\"\n

\n\t\t\tThe fellows of the fourth sprint introduce themselves\t<\/h2>\n\t

In response to our Call for Applications<\/a>, we received an overwhelming number of outstanding applications. We are proud to announce and recognise our 25 participants, a mix of academics and practitioners from 14 African countries, across a wide range of disciplines and focus areas.<\/p>\n

The Sprint<\/a> is a collaborative, open environment during which participants are expected to work with peers and experts from around Africa and beyond to produce evidence-based reflections on the digital economy and its implications particularly for Africa. We are pleased to introduce our fellows cohort that will take part in the endeavour.<\/p>\n\t

HIIG Research Sprint | FELLOW<\/strong>S<\/h3>\n&nbsp\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Adio-Adet Dinika<\/b>
\nAffiliation: University of Bremen, Germany
\nArea of Focus: Digitalisation, digital labour rights, digital economy \n<\/td>\n <\/tr> \n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Animata Kidiera<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Gaston Berger University, Senegal
\nArea of focus: digital law, AI ethics
\n
\nStatement: “Taking part at the sprint has been a great challenge, opportunity and discovery for me as a PHD candidate dealing since newly about framework regulatory and ethics AI. I hope further that digital issues in Africa as data security may be highlighted and addressed.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Ay\u00e7a Atabey <\/b>
\nAffiliation: University of Edinburgh
\nArea of focus: data protection, information privacy, human rights\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Bendjedid Rachad Sanoussi<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Internet Society\/ KNUST
\nArea of focus: network & telecommunications engineering
\n
\nStatement: “Africa has a great potential for development thanks to digital technology, especially with the youth population. The dynamism of the youth counts a lot. Our Africa needs our young people to see their differences not as a gap but as an opportunity to do better for themselves and their communities. Also, girls and women must increasingly be encouraged to seize the digital opportunity.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Benjamin Akinmoyeje<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Namibia University of Science and Technology
\nArea of focus: digital health applications
\n
\nStatement: “Participating in the virtual sprint gives me the opportunity to build capacity and engage in the discourse of how Africa should play in the digital transformation era. It will be of immense importance if the virtual sprint can produce leaders and champions with capacity to shape Africa’s broader engagement positively towards the ethical adoption of AI and digital transformations moving forward.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Blaise Bayuo<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
\nArea of focus: technology & financial access, health technology\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Bridget Boakye<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
\nArea of focus: internet policy, AI ethics
\n
\nStatement: “I was interested in being a part of the Sprint given the intersection of the topics explored and my work in internet policy. It’s been a great opportunity to join likeminds committed to designing policy solutions fit for the challenges of digital age.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Emma Ruiters<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Genesis Analytics
\nArea of focus: digital economy, ICT policy\n<\/td>\n <\/tr> \n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Fatih Obafemi<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Future Proof Intelligence
\nArea of focus: technology law, blockchain, cryptocurrency
\n
\nStatement: “It is time for Africa to take a creator position and not just a consumer position with respect to emerging technologies. Developing a strong inclusive and comprehensive regulatory framework is a good way to start. I am excited to be part of this Fellowship where topics like this are discussed.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Halefom Abraha<\/b>
\nAffiliation: University of Malta
\nArea of focus: cross-border data & jurisdiction, internet governance\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Ibtissam Chafia<\/b>
\nAffiliation: Mohammed 6 Polytechnic University\/ OCP Group
\nArea of focus: data science, machine learning \n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Jaquelene Mwangi <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Harvard Law School
\nArea of focus: law, technology, innovation \n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Julius Mboizi <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Harvard Law School
\nArea of focus: technology policy & regulation \n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Lydia Namugabo <\/b>
\nAffiliation: University of South Africa
\nArea of focus: information systems\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Michael Asiedu <\/b>
\nAffiliation: University of St. Gallen
\nArea of focus: digital censorship \n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Ngwinui Azenui <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Denison University
\nArea of focus: economics, structural change
\n
\nStatement: “We are in an increasingly globalized and knowledge-based era, and African countries are working towards becoming emerging markets and adopting new technologies. Well-defined rules, policies and better working institutions are necessary for African countries to reap the benefits of digitalization and develop their own technologies. The sprint helps foster such discussions and policy recommendations.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Oarabile Mudongo <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Research ICT Africa; University of the Witwatersrand
\nArea of focus: AI surveillance, facial recognition
\n
\nStatement: “With increased digitalization and datafication, there is a great need for global discourse on data policy and society. A topical issues I’m very passionate about, now this fellowship helps foster these debates through advocacy, multilateral collaboration and inputs from various stakeholders.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Odilile Ayodele <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Independent
\nArea of focus: International relations, digital transformation \n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Olusesan Ayodele <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Obademi Awolowo University
\nArea of focus: technology management, information engineering
\n
\nStatement: “Africa should not experience digital colonization, the best time to act is now. My inclusion as a fellow in SPRINT has provoked my thought to design a regional ICT policy framework as a panacea towards digital sovereignty in the continent.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Peace Amuge <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Women of Uganda Network
\nArea of focus: digital human rights, internet governance\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Peter Mmbando <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Southern Africa Youth Forum
\nArea of focus: digital rights & inclusion \n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Sadrag Shihomeka <\/b>
\nAffiliation: University of Namibia
\nArea of focus:educational technologies, digital literacy
\n
\nStatement: “Digital literacy serves as a pillar for digital liberated minds in Africa. Thereofre, my passion on digital ethics, online rights vs offline rights as well as digital de\/colonialism initiatives prompted me to actively take part in this sprint. To me this sprint is an additional extension of direct democracy and online particiaptory sovereignity in Africa.”<\/i>\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Sylvia Mutua <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Communication University of China
\nArea of focus: content governance, digital literacy \n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Tarirayi Machiwenyika-Mukabeta <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Bindura University of Science Education
\nArea of focus: educational technology, computer science\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n      <\/td>\n Winnie Kamau <\/b>
\nAffiliation: Talk Africa
\nArea of focus: data journalism, data visualisation\n<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\t

About the research project<\/h2>\n

The research sprint is part of the NoC<\/a> research project “The Ethics of Digitalisation – From Principles to<\/a> Practices<\/a>“, which aims to develop viable answers to challenges at the intersection of ethics and digitalisation. Innovative formats facilitate interdisciplinary scientific work on application-, and practice oriented questions and achieve outputs of high social relevance and impact. The project promotes an active exchange between science, politics and society and thus contributes to a global dialogue on the ethics of digitalisation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Besides the HIIG, the main project partners are the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, the Digital Asia Hub, and the Leibniz Institute for Media Research I Hans-Bredow-Institut.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The project is under the patronage of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and is funded by Stiftung Mercator<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Project Team<\/strong><\/h3>\n