Dr Brende Mamumb
Dr Brenda Namumba, SKA Chair Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wits Centre for Astrophysics, has made history by winning the prestigious 2024 award from the African Network for Women in Astronomy (AfNWA) Early Career Award. AfNWA forms part of the African Astronomical Society which celebrates outstanding achievements by African women in Astronomy.
Dr Namumba was acknowledged for her ground breaking contributions to science and efforts to advance female representation, as well as mentoring the next cohort of African astronomers, particularly women. While Brenda won the Early Career Award, Prof Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane was the winner of the Senior Award for Women. These two exceptional women proved that African scientists are truly at the forefront of the Astronomical future.
During the annual conference of the African Astronomical Society last year in Morocco, her scientific contributions were highlighted and the huge impact on the advancement of the scientific community it had. The winners discussed their research and advocacy work, which led to winning the awards from the African Network of Women in Astronomy, a committee of the African Astronomical Society and the International Science Programme (ISP) of Uppsala University in Sweden.
These scientists had to overcome historical gender biases, but ultimately were lauded for embodying the mission and values of these associations.
Born in Zambia in 1986, science and mathematics were always her strongest subjects and pursuing a career in science was a natural choice for her.
As a physics undergraduate student in Zambia, she had the opportunity to attend her first academic, the International Heliophysical Year SCINDA workshop, thanks to a grant from the ICTP European institution. During this workshop she gained a deep understanding of astronomy and space science, sparking her curiosity to learn more about the universe and our place in it as humans. This experience marked the beginning of my journey as an astronomer.
Upon completing my honours degree in space science and astronomy, she realised her passion for astronomy research and academia, motivating her to pursue a PhD.
Making History
She is the first woman to be awarded a PhD in Astrophysics in Zambia and is currently an SKA postdoctoral fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, studying the evolution of nearby galaxies, using SKA precursor telescopes at radio wavelengths.
Brenda has been involved in numerous research projects and published various research papers in high-impact journals. She has also successfully led MeerKAT observing proposals and is part of the MHONGOOSE survey team, one of the eight large MeerKAT survey projects. She collaborated with numerous international institutes and presented her research results at various international conferences.
Dr Namumba plays active roles in numerous initiatives aimed at encouraging young people, especially women, to pursue science in her home country, Zambia, and beyond. She spends time mentoring young girls who want to pursue STEM-related careers as part of Project Kuongoza. Brenda is also involved in giving presentations on science outreach and engagement.
Awards and Accolades
She has received multiple international awards for her consistent and impressive achievements including the L’Oréal Women in Science award in 2022 and the Women for Africa award in 2021, as well as numerous fellowships and grants.
African Challenges
While having the opportunity to follow her personal passion, Brenda says that as a woman in Zambia, as in many African countries, science-related fields such as astronomy, is still considered male-dominated, affecting the number of women pursuing science careers, including astronomy. These societal norms impact young girls from an early age. “I was fortunate to have parents who did not limit my aspirations. They played a significant role in my achievements by allowing me to choose my career path and provided unwavering encouragement and support.”
With her love for research, Brenda plans to continue her passion and make contributions by addressing existing questions regarding the universe. “I aspire to ensure that every girl across Africa has access to knowledge and quality education; having personally witnessed how education transforms one’s life perspective, allowing her to experience different global cultures and understand that humans are just a small fraction of what constitutes the universe. I hope that every girl child can have the same opportunities for growth and learning.”
“If I can do it, then you can do it even better than what I have achieved” –Dr Brenda Namumba.
