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African Materials Research Society

African Materials Research Society

By African Materials Research Society

Listen on as AMRS brings you educational content on materials science and it's applications in the context of African Development.
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Episode 3: Maaza on Platforms, iThemba Labs and Photonics

African Materials Research SocietyJul 27, 2021

00:00
51:39
Episode 3: Maaza on Platforms, iThemba Labs and Photonics

Episode 3: Maaza on Platforms, iThemba Labs and Photonics

Prof Malik Maaza, a native of Algeria and a permanent resident of South Africa since 1996, is a joint staff member of iThemba LABS, a national facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the University of South Africa (UNISA).

He holds the prestigious United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. He is a pioneer in South Africa of the field of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

The Professor is not only a well-accomplished and globally acknowledged authority in his field, but he is also a passionate educator who has graduated no less than 80 Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy students under his direct supervision.

His work has been recognized worldwide through a number of awards, including the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Award in Scientific Excellence, which he received on 28 January 2018 in recognition of his efforts as the pioneer and architect of Nanotechnology on the African continent.

In November 2018, he received the coveted Jose Vasconcellos World Award of Education in Hong Kong, which is granted by the World Cultural Council in recognition of deserving individuals who are renowned educators and experts in the field of education and research, and to legislators of education policies who have brought about significant influence in enriching the culture of mankind.

Since his return to the African continent, where he has chosen South Africa as his adoptive home, Prof. Maaza has contributed in various ways to strengthening the scientific landscapes both at the African and South African levels as well as their global visibility.
Another gem pushing Africa's Nanotechnology forward, visit his LinkedIn.
Jul 27, 202151:39
Episode 2: Dr Amal Kasry demystifies Nano and Builds Capacity for Innovation

Episode 2: Dr Amal Kasry demystifies Nano and Builds Capacity for Innovation

An academic/scientist with a wide range of international experience in Condensed Matter Physics, Photonics, and Nano-biotechnology, with innovative achievements! Dr. Kasry has over 15 years of experience in R&D projects (in both academy and industry in 7 different countries), and 6 years’ experience of undergrad and postgrad teaching, besides hands-on experience in technology transfer and intellectual property issues.
Dr. Kasry received her PhD in Material Science/ Biophysics at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPIP), and the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany in 2006. Her major work was on using surface plasmon fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS) in bio-sensing applications; she developed a biosensor which is of 22-time higher sensitivity than the conventional SPFS sensor. After a one-year postdoc at the MPIP, she was a postdoc fellow at the Center of Cell Analysis and Modeling (CCAM) at UConn health center, Connecticut, USA, where she worked on live cell imaging by dark field light scattering. She was then appointed for two years as a research associate at the department of Bioscience in Cardiff University, UK, during this time she led the activity of designing biochips based on DNA Nano-tethers to study protein-protein interactions on the surface in collaboration with GE Health Care.
In 2009, she was appointed as a senior research scientist in the Egypt nanotechnology Center (EGNC) in a collaboration project between the Egyptian government and IBM Research; she performed her research at IBM T. J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY, USA. During this time, besides performing her research related to carbon nanomaterials, specifically graphene, she was involved in the strategic conceptual design of the EGNC in Cairo. After a short time as a senior research scientist in the R&D division of the Nitto Denko Asia Technical Center (NAT) in Singapore, she joined the Biosensor Technologies Department at the Austrian institute of Technology (AIT) in Vienna as a scientist to work on OFET biosensors besides graphene related research. In 2015, she joined the Basic Science Department, Faculty of Engineering at BUE. She taught at the faculty of industrial education in Egypt and at the Bioscience department in Cardiff University.
Dr. Kasry is a corresponding author and co-author of several peer reviewed articles and holds several patent applications in the fields of photonics, optical biosensors, protein-protein interactions, fluorescence spectroscopy and carbon nanomaterials, she is also an author of one book and co-author of seven book chapters. She is regularly invited as a speaker in many national and international meetings and institutes. She is also a reviewer for: AIP, ACS, Wiley, a COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) expert, and DAAD programs evaluator (starting 2016) Dr. Amal Kasry is a member of the American Chemical Society, a member of the Max Planck Alumni association (MPAA), and a founder of the MPAA-Egypt group. Since January 2019, she is the ambassador of the MPAA in Egypt. Recently Appointed as a CHIEF of Section for Innovation and Capacity Building in Science and Engineering at UNESCO.

We really think her LinkedIn does more justice for this titan.

Jul 16, 202141:34
Episode 1: Dr Mufamadi speaks Nabio & Nanomedicine

Episode 1: Dr Mufamadi speaks Nabio & Nanomedicine

Dr. Maluta Steven Mufamadi (dubbed 'Dr. Nano') is currently the founder and Managing Director of Nabio (Pty) Ltd, co/founder of the South Africa Nanotechnology Symposia series (Health, Safety & Environment) and Merck SA Bridging Day (via his Industry Bridge Program Initiative). 

Nabio Consulting provides a wide range of Consulting services, Science Communication, and Contract research (Laboratory and Desktop)

Nanomedicine Ambassador Programme, is an initiative of Nabio Consulting(PTY)LTD in which graduates are recruited via the Department of Science and Innovation - National Youth Service Programme. Graduates received the training for year in the following programmes:

  1.  Science      communication, 
  2. Leadership, 
  3. Project Management and Research (Laboratory and Desktop)

        Call for applications to participate in the Department of Science and Innovation's National Youth Service Programme 2020/21

Dr. Mufamadi has also assisted during the following programmes:

  • 2017 L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Awards in Africa and Symposium on Clinical Research in Africa (SCRiA). 
  • 2013 he successfully completed the Next Generation Scientist (NGS) program in Nanomedicine at Novartis Pharma, Basel, Switzerland . 
  • He has served as the adjudicator/advisor and facilitator of the GAP Innovation Competitions by The Innovation Hub Management Company (TIHMC), 
  • Germany-DAAD scholarship, 
  • British Council International FameLab (South Africa), and many more.

Dr. Nano has earned his PhD in Pharmaceutics from Wits University, Entrepreneurship short courses (University of Pretoria) and [Ecole Polytechique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland]. 

He has authored and co-authored three patents, one filled by World Intellectual Property Organization, several peer-reviewed scientific publications, congress abstracts and book chapters. He was featured in the media, The Star, Pretoria newspapers, and SAFM, etc.

Dr Mufamadi is currently a P-member of the National Nanotechnologies Committee at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

To learn more about his works, visit Nabio Consulting and enquire via mail: steven@nabioconsulting.co.za or steven.mufamadi@gmail.com 

Jun 30, 202132:13