The University of Michigan’s African Presidential Scholars program was established in 2008. It brings early-career faculty from African universities to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for a period of four to six months. The African scholars conduct research, attend seminars, write and present papers, and expand their academic network. Each African Presidential Scholar is paired with a mentor from the University of Michigan faculty.
This fall there are 12 early-career African faculty on the University of Michigan campus studying a wide range of topics from the American political process to stormwater management. The scholars come from Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Priscilla Mante from Ghana is conducting research on medicine from tree bark that can be used to treat epilepsy seizures. Dr. Mante stated that “there is a lot of misconception about epilepsy in Ghana. It can be seen as a curse. Unfortunately, I don’t have all the equipment in Ghana for this research. The time at University of Michigan helps me further it by testing and modelling.”
Dr. Mante is a lecturer in the department of pharmacology at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. She holds a bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in pharmacology from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
More information about the University of Michigan program may be found here.
