Dr. Brenda Namumba

Dr Brenda Namumba is the first woman to be awarded a PhD in Astrophysics in Zambia. Dr Namumba is currently an SKA postdoctoral fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), studying the evolution of nearby galaxies using SKA precursor telescopes at radio wavelengths. She has been involved in numerous research projects and has many publications in high-impact factor journals. She has successfully led MeerKAT observing proposals and is part of the MHONGOOSE survey team, which is one of the eight large MeerKAT survey projects.  She has collaborated with numerous international institutes, including the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalucía and the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands. Furthermore, she has presented her results at various international conferences. Dr. Namumba plays an active role in numerous initiatives aimed at encouraging more young people, especially women, to pursue science, both in her home country of Zambia and beyond. She spends time mentoring young girls who want to pursue STEM-related careers as part of Project Kuongoza (which empowers women and girls across the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa). She is also consistently involved in giving presentations on science outreach and engagement. Dr. Namumba has received multiple international awards for her consistent and impressive achievements. These include the L’Oréal Women in Science award in 2022 and the Science by Women “Women for Africa” award in 2021, as well as numerous fellowships and grants.