AAU hosted a public lecture featuring Professor Gebisa Ejeta from the United States who spoke on science, technology, and innovation and their potential in the acceleration of progress towards sustainable development.

While many countries in the Global North have harnessed  science, technology and innovation to make breakthroughs, accelerate and  improve human development and people’s lives , the professor said nations in the Global  South have not harnessed the opportunities to leapfrog stages of development.

He said strengthening  science and innovation systems can lead to the creation of open, transparent, and meritocratic systems of governance that also further fuel sustainable development, adding science, technology, and innovation should be cornerstones of the  economy in Africa.

The professor also addressed aspects relevant to aspirations of Africa for science and development and attendant challenges standing in the way of acceleration of innovation, investment and productivity and the role of universities as  drivers and catalysts engaged in the promotion of  science, research and development for better futures in the nations of the continent.

The need for African universities to position themselves  at the forefront of national scientific and technological advancement for the improvement of lives and sustainability of economic growth as well as the provision of infrastructure and regulatory frameworks  to support science , technology and innovation systems was raised as an important consideration.

The centrality of science and technology innovation support and the creation of incubation centers to fill national innovative gaps was also raised in the public lecture.

The professor showed how the future of the continent hangs on the quality of its science, technology and innovation and the viability of institutions running relevant capacity development programs.

The  event drew academics,  students and other guests from across the university.

Acclaimed as one of the world’s leading plant geneticists, the Guest Speaker Distinguished Purdue University Professor Gebisa Ejeta received a medal from President Joe Biden for his “outstanding contributions to the science of plant genetics” and won the prestigious World Food Prize for developing a sorghum hybrid.

Professor Ejeta is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy, Fellow of the Crop Science Society of America, and Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.

Editor-in-Chief: Dr Amanuel Gebru

Managing Editor: Abraham Girmay

Photograph: Fikremariam Beyene