Mary Adebayo is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Economics at the University of Zululand. She holds both a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Economics from Caleb University, where her undergraduate and Master's research examined service-sector growth and the relationship between foreign direct investment and economic expansion in West Africa. Mary's doctoral work focuses on how macroeconomic policies can mitigate the risks posed to the financial sector as a result of climate change. She investigates the design and efficacy of green-adjusted macroprudential tools that align environmental sustainability with financial resilience across African economies. Skilled in advanced econometric techniques, including regression analysis and DSGE modelling, Mary also explored the impact of green growth on human capital, demonstrating that environmental policies can bolster both planetary health and workforce development. Beyond her academic pursuits, she contributes to community outreach through the Climate Research Group at the University of Zululand. Mary aspires to shape policy frameworks that protect vulnerable populations and drive sustainable development throughout the continent.

Joseph Kwadwo Asuming is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department for the Study of Religions at the University of Ghana, Legon. His doctoral research explores the role of religion in peacebuilding during Ghana's Fourth Republic, with a focus on how Christianity, Islam, and African Indigenous Religions contribute to sustaining national peace. He holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in the Study of Religions from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.

Joseph is currently participating in a student research exchange at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg in Germany under the Erasmus+ programme. He looks forward to enriching the Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship with this intercultural and intellectual experience. His research interests include religion and society, interfaith and intercultural relations, peace and conflict studies, and African theology. He has presented his work at both local and international conferences, including the Swiss Society for African Studies (Bern), the World Christianity Conferences (U.S. and Ghana), and the African Association for the Study of Religions (Abuja). His work aims to bridge scholarship and practice in building peaceful, pluralistic societies.

Brenda Birungi is a Doctoral Candidate at Makerere University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, where she is enrolled for a PhD in Social Anthropology. Brenda holds a Master's in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, both from Makerere University. She has a keen interest in refugees, humanitarian assistance, and cross-border mobility. Her previous studies include: informal cross-border transportation, impacts of COVID-19 and humanitarian aid among the urban refugees in Kampala, more specifically the South Sudanese, and witchcraft (in)securities among urban refugees. Currently, Brenda is researching settlement-based South Sudanese refugees through her doctoral study, Receiving Cash Amidst Competing Norms: The case of Breastfeeding South Sudanese Refugees in Bidi-bidi Settlement, Uganda. In this study, she explores how South Sudanese breastfeeding mothers navigate their cultural norms to receive cash transfer assistance.   

Martin Ayankaa Ihembe is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, where he also works as an assistant lecturer. He holds a bachelor's degree and a Master's of Science in political science from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a Master's of Arts in political science from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Martin's research interests straddle democracy and democratisation, governance and development, institutional reforms, comparative electoral systems, judicial politics, and party politics. He is a recipient of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation (HFG) fellowship (2019-2020). Martin has academic publications in reputable journals and book chapters. His most recent publication, Coalition or Government of National Unity? Critical Reflections on the 2024 Elections in South Africa was published in Politikon. Martin also writes opinion columns in a Nigerian national daily, BusinessDay, and Intervention, an online news outlet, on governance and electoral politics.

Tsebaot Melaku Kelemework is a PhD candidate at the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), Uganda. Her research explores the intersection of politics and religion, focusing on the theological and epistemological foundations of Ethiopian secularism. Her dissertation, The Christological Debates of Mentawinet/Nufaque and the Foundations of Ethiopian Secularism: Mysteries from Miaphysite Christianity, critically examines the historical and conceptual tensions between Miaphysite Christianity and Zemenawinet (Ethiopian modernity). Grounded in a decolonial approach, her work challenges the uncritical application of Eurocentric secular frameworks to Ethiopian contexts. Tsebaot's research foregrounds indigenous spiritual sources—particularly the theological/homiletical and epistemic traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC)—as central to rethinking dominant understandings of secularism, modernity, and decolonization. Her work engages Miaphysite Christian thought as a site of theoretical and political insight that exposes the limitations of Western secular categories. By drawing on these sources, she seeks to illuminate alternative frameworks for interpreting Ethiopian history and politics.

Ms. Suzan Laker is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Curriculum and Media Studies, Faculty of Education, Muni University. Ms. Laker holds a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Liverpool and a Bachelor's in Arts Education degree from Gulu University. She is currently pursuing her doctoral studies in the Department of Linguistics, English Language Studies, and Communication Skills at Makerere University. 

Ms. Laker's professional career started in 2015 when she was retained at Gulu University as a Graduate Trainee. She later enrolled and completed her Master's, which landed her a job at Muni University as an Assistant Lecturer of English Language Studies. On top of her teaching role at Muni University, Ms. Laker holds several administrative positions, including being the treasurer of the Academic Staff Association and assisting in the coordination of the arts and humanities programs in the Faculty of Education.  Regarding her research interests, Ms. Laker is passionate about areas of language and society, methods of English language teaching, materials development, discourse analysis, and the pragmatics of language.

Aphiwe Mhlangulana is a PhD candidate at the University of Cape Town, where she is pursuing a PhD in Psychological Research within the Psychology department. Aphiwe is also a member of the Hub for Decolonial Feminist Psychologies in Africa. She is also a research partner at the Feminist Internet Research Network with the University of Cape Town team. Her research interests include feminist digital activism, black women's experiences of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and student activism and advocacy against gender-based violence. Aphiwe has experience working as a researcher and as a research facilitator in projects studying experiences of violence and trauma. Aphiwes' PhD research is titled: Black African women journalists and bloggers' experiences of technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The research looks at how technology-facilitated gender-based violence is used to silence black women journalists and bloggers who work around feminist issues. 

Janet Mundando has been a Lecturer of civic education at the University of Zambia since June 2016. She is ardent about human rights, especially women's rights, a passion that has evolved out of 6 years of experience, helping to hone her skills and expertise in research, teaching, and consultancy. Her most recent project was a consultancy she undertook for the Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR), "An Analysis of the Status of Women and Their Participation in Leadership in Zambia," in November 2024. Janet is a British Institute for Eastern Africa fellow after being awarded the Annual Thematic Research Grant in 2024. In 2012, Janet received the University of Zambia Staff Development Fellowship Award after winning the Dean's award for the best graduating female student in the School of Education and the Brighton Hangandu best graduating student in the Bachelor of Arts with Education Program, respectively.

Janet holds a Master of Arts degree in Gender Studies and a Bachelor of Arts with Education degree, both obtained from the University of Zambia in 2015 and 2011, respectively. Janet is a dedicated and driven individual who excels as a team player, consistently demonstrating a strong work ethic and self-motivation.

Junior Brian Musenze is a PhD student at Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), Makerere University, Uganda. He holds a Bachelor of Philosophy from the Consolata Institute of Philosophy, Kenya, a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Community Development from Kyambogo University, Uganda, and an MPhil in Social Studies from Makerere University, Uganda. His interest in scholarship takes the decolonising approach, which stems from a commitment to addressing and challenging established norms and promoting critical discourses that move beyond a mere global North-South divide in understanding postcolonial Africa. Mr Musenze is currently working on the project titled "State and Society in the modern tradition: Rethinking state formation and political power in the Busoga region of Uganda". In this project, Junior Brian critically re-examines governance and grassroots political structures, exploring the role of actors from below in state formation and how they exercise and constitute their agency. Mr. Musenze is also a part-time faculty member at Kyambogo University, where he teaches courses in Sociology and Community Development.

Ms Roselyne Karegi Mutura is a PhD student in the Department of Literature at the University of Nairobi, where she also serves as an auxiliary lecturer. She holds a Bachelor of Education (Arts) degree and a Master of Arts in Literature from Kenyatta University. Her academic and professional journey reflects a strong commitment to literary studies, with a particular focus on postcolonial literature, trauma studies, and cultural memory. Her ongoing doctoral research, titled "Reconstruction of the Self: Narration of the Trauma of (Post)Colonialism and Recovery in Ngugi wa Thiong'o's Fiction," explores the intersections of (trauma) narrative, identity, and healing in postcolonial contexts. Through both her teaching and research, Ms Roselyne contributes to critical conversations on memory, resistance, and the enduring effects of colonialism in African literature.

 Ms. Rutendo Vimbainashe Nazare is a young development professional. She holds a Master's Degree in International Relations from the University of Sydney, Australia, a Postgraduate Certificate in Political and International Studies from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a Major in International Studies from the University of Pretoria, in South Africa. Her Master's degree thesis focused on how China's policies on economic development have affected the global discourse and actions on environment and climate change. As a young Pan-Africanist, her interest is to keenly contribute to a dynamic Africa through regional integration that is driven by good governance. She is currently a second-year PhD student at Rhodes University in the Department of Political Science and International Studies in Makhanda, South Africa. Her main interests are peace, security, sustainable livelihoods, and development. She is a keen scholar of Africa's growth and its global relations for socioeconomic transformation, as well as exploring the role of citizen-driven development.

Utilization of Radio Programmes in Dissemination of Climate Change Adaptation Information to Farmers in Nyando and Lower Nyakach Sub-counties, KenyaGeorge Otieno Ojuondo is a PhD candidate in the Department of Journalism at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and an Assistant Lecturer at Maseno University in Kenya, where he teaches development communication, Introduction to Journalism, and Media House Management among other areas of interest. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from the University of Nairobi and has a rich background in teaching, media production, and development communication. George's professional experience spans the international development sector, including a role as a communications advisor for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in India, Regional Communications Manager, Save the Children Sweden covering East, Central and Southern African Countries His current doctoral research focuses on the utilization of radio programmes in disseminating climate change adaptation information to farmers in Nyando and Lower Nyakach Sub-counties, Kenya. George's research interests encompass climate communication, media for development, communication for development, and the integration of traditional knowledge into climate change adaptation strategies. Through his work, he aims to amplify the role of media—particularly radio—in fostering community resilience and promoting informed decision-making to address environmental challenges.

Athanas Mutisya is a Ph.D student at the Department of Literature Studies at the University of Nairobi. He holds a BA and MA (Literature) from the University of Nairobi. He is currently an auxiliary lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Umma University, and the South Eastern Kenya University. His research interests are in memory studies, war narratives, life narratives, women's studies, and African Feminism. His Ph.D. research focuses on the autobiographies of ex-child soldiers in Africa, with the title of his dissertation being: Narrating Violence and Peace: War Memory in Selected Ex-Child Soldiers' Autobiographies from Africa.

Victory Kudzai Semba is a Doctoral Candidate in History at Stellenbosch University and a 2024–2026 Lisa Maskell Fellow, specializing in national security. She holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in War and Strategic Studies from the University of Zimbabwe. Before her doctoral studies, she served as a lecturer in Peace and Security Studies at Lupane State University for two years, where she was actively engaged in teaching and mentoring students with a strong focus on peacebuilding and security policy reform in Southern Africa. Her current doctoral research offers a historical analysis of the shifting police-military relations in Zimbabwe and their consequences for national security from 1980 to 2024. Her work explores the nuanced intersection between regime and national security, contributing a vital perspective to ongoing debates. Victory's passion for national security is rooted in her interest in the concept's evolution from traditional state-centric models to more inclusive approaches that integrate human security and prioritize the safety and well-being of individuals.  She aims to influence the development and implementation of informed, contextually relevant national security policies across Southern Africa and beyond through her research and expertise.

Mohammed Tiyumtaba Shaibu is a Ghanaian and a doctoral candidate at the University of Ghana. He holds an MPhil in Agribusiness from the University of Ghana (2016) and a BSc Agriculture Technology with majors in Agricultural Economics and Extension from the University for Development Studies, Tamale (2007). He also holds a certificate in Local Economic Development from Wageningen University and Research. His Master's thesis proposal won him two awards, including the Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions Project and the A. G. Leventis Scholarship Foundation awards. Mr Shaibu's PhD studies are being funded by the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET). 

He has been part of several teams in the implementation of several collaborative research projects, such as "The integrated management of crop-livestock agro-forestry systems for improved climate-smart agriculture and goat value chains in northern Ghana; Strengthening small ruminant value chains in Ghana north; climate change and variability implications for fodder production and goat value chains in northern Ghana; Candidate fodder trees or shrubs for sustainable livestock production in north of Ghana. Shaibu has 16 publications in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and a book, and has made presentations, orally and as posters, in both local and international conferences. Shaibu's research interests are in crop-livestock systems, climate change issues, and agricultural value chains and marketing. Shaibu is married with five children, all females.

Essays on Liquidity Gluts, Credit Markets and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan AfricaMbongeni Welcome Shongwe is a PhD candidate at the University of the Witwatersrand and an Associate Macroprudential Specialist at the South African Reserve Bank in the Financial Stability Department. His research focuses on liquidity gluts, credit markets, and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, combining advanced econometric techniques with policy relevance. He holds a Master's degree in Applied Economics and Finance and Investments from the University of the Witwatersrand. His professional background includes senior roles at the Central Bank of Eswatini, where he led macroprudential research and financial stability assessments. He has contributed to regional policy development through his work with the SADC Financial Stability and Macroeconomics Subcommittee and the African Research Network Technical Committee. Mr. Shongwe's recent publications include "Triggers of Liquidity Glut in Central and West African Countries" (IRPSI, 2024) and "How to Best Nudge Taxpayers? The Impact of a Tailored Letter Experiment in Eswatini" (IDS, 2024). A recipient of the Governor's Award in 2022, he is recognized for his ability to bridge rigorous research with practical policy solutions across the African financial landscape.

Izu Daniel Lifuka Sichinga is an LGBTQI+ hate crimes researcher, policing scholar, and criminologist from Chingola, Zambia. His work at the Centre of Criminology, Public Law Department, University of Cape Town, focuses on queering and decolonising criminology/policing in Africa. His recent research explores the experiences, perceptions, and challenges faced by frontline police officers dealing with LGBTQI+ hate crimes in Cape Town. This work has earned him the best PhD presenter award at the 2024 International Network for Hate Studies Biennial Conference. It is set for publication in The Palgrave Handbook of Criminology and the Global South, scheduled for later in 2025.

Izu is a PhD candidate in Criminology investigating how LGBTQI+ police officers navigate their identities within the South African Police Service. Passionate about higher education, Izu aims to train Africa's next generation of critical social scientists. He firmly believes that Africa's grand challenges—ranging from crime and security to health, education, politics, economics, and the environment—require interdisciplinary and critical social scientists who can communicate in multiple domain languages.