The African academic community at LSE recently welcomed the first two African Research Fellows to the School. They are Dr Sergio Chichava and Dr Ama de-Graft Aikins who are based within LSE IDEAS and LSE Health respectively for a period of six months.

Sergio Chichava joins us from the Instituto de Estudos Sociais e Economicos (IESE) in Mozambique where he is a Senior Researcher alongside his lecturing duties at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. His research interests are currently focused on the role of Brazil and China in the agricultural sector in Mozambique. While here at LSE, Chichava will work closely with Dr Chris Alden in International Relations on Rising Powers in Africa, but he is full of anticipation at experiencing the unique culture throughout LSE.

“Given my expertise on the relationship between the emerging nations and Africa, I feel I can contribute a great deal of that debate within LSE. I am also looking forward to being fully embedded in the dynamic academic environment here at the School. After all, it is one of the best institutions in the world.”

While Chichava is newcomer to the School, de-Graft Aikins is, in a sense, returning home. She is an LSE alumna having completed her PhD in the Institute of Social Psychology in 2004. She has been teaching at the Regional Institute for Population Studies at the University of Ghana since 2009 where she is currently an Associate Professor . De-GraftAikins is presently doing research on diabetes and obesity among Ghanaians in Ghana and Europe and the development of community-based cardiovascular disease interventions in Ghana.

“I am honoured to be a recipient of the LSE African Research Fellowship and to be based at LSE Health for the duration,” she said.

“I am looking forward to making a useful contribution to the LSE African Initiative and to LSE Health, particularly through my research collaboration with Dr Ernestina Coast on health systems and the public health challenges of urbanization and chronic diseases in Africa.

“I will be prioritising grant applications for research that facilitates partnership between LSE Health and the Regional Institute for Population Studies.”