Mawazo Ideas Podcast
The Mawazo Ideas Podcast gives a public platform to Africans who are making an impact with their Big Ideas. In five seasons of the podcast, we have featured interviews with African experts in science and policy. We discuss their science journeys, climate change mitigation and conservation, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent.
In Season 6 of our podcast, we delve into the experiences of African women in research through six compelling episodes. We explore why these women choose to pursue a PhD, the dynamics of research mobility, and how they secure funding for their studies. Additionally, we examine the challenges of studying in politically unstable regions, the crucial role of community support, and the unique obstacles they face—from gendered issues and Black tax to balancing work and personal life. Join us as we uncover the diverse realities and inspiring journeys of African women scholars.
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Episodes
48 episodes
Disparate Youth: What Young Academics Have to Say
The Season 7 finale features a compelling roundtable with young academics, Chebet Koske and Dorcas Mwigereri, discussing the realities of navigating the African academy. They tackle challenges like limited resources, mentorship gaps, and sideli...
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Season 7
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Episode 6
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48:28
Research in the Age of “Gen Z”
How are youth shaping and influencing the African research ecosystem and its future? As the youngest generation in the field, they bring with them a unique perspective, and technological implications as digital natives along with their desires ...
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Season 7
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Episode 5
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1:03:15
Is the African Academy Broken? (BONUS)
If the African academy is broken, how can it be reimagined? In this bonus episode with Prof. Wandia Njoya, we pick up our conversation on how to build alternative systems that encourage intellectual freedom and critical thinking. We examine the...
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Season 7
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Episode 4
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1:05:27
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Brain Drain and the Impact on the African Knowledge Economy
Can we reimagine education and create alternatives, or is the African university under siege? With Prof. Wandia Njoya, an Associate Professor of Literature who loves to stretch academic boundaries, we explore the stifling of African talent with...
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Season 7
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Episode 3
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40:05
Bridging Policy and Research to Advance Governance in Africa
We sit down with Dr. Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, senior economic policy expert, former Nigerian Minister and Vice President for the World Bank's Africa Region, and founder of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance to examine how policy im...
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Season 7
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Episode 2
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51:21
Reframing Youth in Academia: Age vs. Experience
What does it means to be a “young” researcher in Africa? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Mutua, a computer science lecturer and Mawazo Fellowship alumnus, to discuss the unique challenges and growth opportunities for young acade...
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Season 7
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Episode 1
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36:13
Research in the Shadow of Conflict
In this Sixth and Final Episode of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast Season Six, scholars explore the impact of conflict on African women researchers.The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (
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Season 6
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Episode 6
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46:28
A Fellowship of Funders: Finding Financial Support for Your PhD
The team explores how African women scholars fund their doctoral studies in this fifth episode of Season Six of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast. The scholars take us on a daring journey of crowdsourcing funding information, seeking familial support, p...
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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52:24
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A Woman's Journey into the Research Realm
This season of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast, we are exploring the Realities of African Women in Research. Join us as we dive into what it truly means to pursue a PhD on the continent on as an African woman.For the first episode of the...
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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1:22:38
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Rising from the Research Fringe: A PhD Saga
In this fourth episode of season 6 of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast, the team explores how women scholars pioneer, research, and generally exist on the margins of academia. Scholars explore the gendered experiences of women academics thr...
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Season 6
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Episode 4
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57:41
May The Force Be With You: Community in a Scholarly Quest
In this third episode of season 6 of the Mawazo Ideas Podcast, the team explores the role of community in the PhD journey. Scholars communicate in information sharing, innovation, publication, and evaluating each other’s work, esta...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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1:17:08
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A New Frontier: PhD Journeys into the Unknown
In this second episode, we delve into the topic of Research Mobility among African women scholars.According to Momeni et al. (2020), academic progress is significantly influenced by international collaboration among researchers. Researc...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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47:44
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A Science Quiz Night: The Future of African Cities
In 28 years, African cities are projected to be home to 950 million people and by the end of this century, 2100, Africa is projected to be the only continent with a growing population. This is according to the
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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1:04:18
It's Getting Hot in Here: A Science Quiz Night about Climate Change
Mawazo builds platforms to help scientists communicate on the issues of our time. To unpack what the climate change looks like for the African continent we hosted a live quiz night that put local celebrities to the test against experts. With th...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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45:37
How To: The investment pathway between ideas and impact for researchers
The research to commercialisation pipeline is plagued with a lot of unknowns and many researchers don’t know where to start when thinking about how to attract funding for their ideas. In this episode, we replay a taped discussion with industry ...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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35:22
How To: Fixing chronic food insecurity in Kenya’s ‘Bread Basket’
Dr. Jacqueline Kariithi is a trailblazing environmental scientist working in the Mt. Elgon region of Kenya, which makes up part of the country’s bread basket. Although the region supplies a large share of the nation's maize crop, which is criti...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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56:52
How Co-Visioning can Reshape Research in Africa
What might the future of education look like for Africa? In this episode, we share a discussion with Julia Jenjezwa, a Zimbabwean product designer and educator, and Dr. Wangui Kimari, a Kenyan urban scholar. Both Julia and Wangui use human-cent...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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1:06:17
Season 5 Trailer: African Futures
How are African ideas being used to build the future of the African continent? Season 5 of the Nairobi Ideas Podcast returns September 15th under a brand new theme; 'African Futures'. Don't miss our new season as we talk to ...
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2:46
The Threat of Climate Change to our Oceans & African Statehood
Our oceans are becoming "hot, sour, and breathless," says Dr. David Obura, a marine biologist supporting coral reef research and conservation in Africa. In this episode, we explore how our oceans are changing as a result of climate change and t...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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33:04
Impacts of Climate Change on Women and Girls in Malawi
What is gender based violence and how is it impacted by Climate change? It is estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. During displacement and times of crisis which may be caused by war...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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29:55
Conservationist Dr. Paula Kahumbu on Biodiversity Loss in Kenya
As we celebrate Wangari Maathai Day on March 3rd, we are bringing you a re-run of our interview with Dr. Paula Kahumbu, a leading figure in Kenya's conservation sector. Dr. Paula Kahumbu is an award-winning Kenyan conservationist and the curren...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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22:16
How Climate Change impacts Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa
What is food security and why does it matter? Ensuring food security is one of the sustainable development goals - SDG 2 - which targets zero hunger. To help us understand the effects of climate change on food security in sub-Saharan Africa, we...
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27:59
Activism and Initiatives to Mitigate Climate Change
In the fight against global warming, changes in individual behavior and system-level changes are being encouraged to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions necessary to limit global warming to “safe” levels. To better understand climate change...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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1:00:44
Demystifying Carbon Markets for Africa
Carbon produced by human activities is the largest contributor to global warming. The social cost of carbon is a measure of the economic harm from those impacts. In this context, carbon credit development and trading is considered to be a cost-...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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33:47
