Fellows

Dr. Mohamed Khamis Said, a Tanzanian geographer and environmentalist, has dedicated his career to understanding human-nature interactions. Born with a passion for human systems, he pursued geography, graduating with a BAED in Geography from the State University of Zanzibar in 2007, MSc in Natural Resources Management from the University of Dodoma (UDOM), and a PhD from the University of Dar es Salaam. As an academic at UDOM’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Mohamed employs political ecology to analyze the intricate relationships between society and environmental resources. His research spans social institutions, natural resources management, environmental conservation, climate change, coastal …

Marion Ouma is a Research Associate with the South Africa Research Chair Initiative (SARChl) on Social Policy at the University of South Africa, where she also completed her PhD.) Both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are from the University of Nairobi. She is a two-time recipient of the Next Generation of African Researchers (2016 & 2017). She was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI), Uppsala, Sweden. She has held visiting fellowships at NAI and the University of Bayreuth, Germany. Her research interests include social policy, social protection, policymaking, and the political economy of Africa’s development. She

Getahun Fenta Kebede is an Assistant Professor in the African Studies Program, College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities at Addis Ababa University. He holds a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Trento, Italy. Additionally, he has three MA degrees: a Joint European Master’s in Comparative Local Development from a consortium of four European Universities, an MA in Economic Geography, and an MA in Rural Livelihoods and Development, both from Addis Ababa University. With over 20 publications, his research focuses on migration, forced displacement, urban poverty, informal labor markets, social protection, social capital, social network analysis, and inclusive

Getnet Tesfaw Demise (PhD) is an Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Wollo University in the Department of Psychology. He earned his PhD in Social Psychology from Addis Ababa University, where he also completed his Bachelor’s degree in Educational Psychology and his Master’s degree in Social Psychology. Dr. Getnet has been serving at Wollo University since November 2007. From 2011 to 2013, he served as Head of the Department of Psychology, Wollo University. His research interests focus on youth and childhood studies, psychosocial issues, particularly in the context of parental migration and conflict situations. He has published peer-reviewed articles and

Dr. Dickson Otieno Okello is a Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management at Egerton University, Kenya. With a PhD in Agribusiness Management, he specializes in entrepreneurship (ILO Certified Trainer), value chain analysis, agribusiness support services, and sustainable agriculture. His research focuses on climate-smart practices, resilience, and the economic impact of agricultural innovations, employing advanced econometric and statistical methods. Dr. Okello has over eight years of experience in teaching, mentorship, and project management, particularly in agripreneurship and community engagement. He has attracted and managed multiple research grants, including projects funded by the World Bank, IFAD, and the

Chukwudi is a geographer, environmentalist, and peacebuilder, with a Ph.D. in Population and Development Studies from the University of Calabar. He has made significant contributions across science, policy, and practice in critical areas such as peacebuilding, climate change, and environmental hazard mitigation, among others. His research has been widely published and presented at prestigious conferences such as the Globelics in Accra, NetSci-X in Tokyo, United Nations University Merit’s MEIDE conference in Abidjan, the Conflict Research Society conference in Edinburgh, and so on. Currently, he serves as the Peacebuilding Program Coordinator (Capacity Building) at the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the

Dr. Hlengiwe Ndlovu is a Senior Lecturer at the Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of the Witwatersrand, where her doctoral research examined state-society relations in post-apartheid South Africa. She also has a Master’s and Honours in Industrial Sociology and a BA in Sociology and International Relations. Dr. Ndlovu’s research navigates the intersections of gender, governance, protest politics, violence, and decolonial feminist thought. She has held academic positions at the University of the Western Cape, University of the Free State, and Nelson Mandela University, and has been

Dr. Teverayi Muguti is a Postdoctoral Researcher associated with the History Department at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He holds a BA Honors Degree in Economic History (University of Zimbabwe), an MSc in Intelligence and Security (Bindura University of Science Education – Zimbabwe), and a PhD in History (Stellenbosch University). He has published book chapters and journal articles engaging themes including African border studies, interstate diplomacy, and borderland community livelihoods in southern Africa. He also has growing interests in African sports history, particularly the cue sport of pool. He has been awarded various research awards, including the Lisa Maskell PhD

Dr. Margaret Monyani is a Senior Migration Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) based in Pretoria, South Africa. She holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand and brings over a decade of experience in migration governance, peacebuilding, and human security across Africa. Her work focuses on the intersection of migration, displacement, and regional policy development, with a particular emphasis on the protection of mobile populations and the role of state and non-state actors in humanitarian governance. She has led multi-country research projects on migration, gender, and security, contributing to both academic research and

Bendicto Kabiito is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Governance, Peace, and International Studies, in the School of Arts and Social Sciences of Uganda Martyrs University. His academic background spans philosophical studies, peace and conflict, environmental conservation, and climate protection. He is a recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation International Climate Fellowship (2018-2019) for young climate protection leaders. His work spans multiple areas, including peacebuilding, peace and conflict research, environmental conservation and climate protection, conflict resolution research, traditional justice systems, environmental justice, and climate protection governance. Owing to his deep interest in the use of nature-based solutions for