Akure Hosts African Space Generation Workshop (AF-SGW)

Opeyemi Olugbemiro November 14, 2017November 14, 2017

Its 2 days to the first African Space Generation Regional Workshop in Akure…

An excellent array of speakers and industry players have been confirmed for the event and it is something that you shouldn’t miss.

The African Space Generation Workshop (AF-SGW) is a two-day regional workshop for students and young professionals in the African region. The event which will be held on 16-17 November 2017 in Akure City, Nigeria is hosted by the Centre for Space Research and Applications(CESRA), Federal University of Technology, Akure.

The workshop will have up to 100 African delegates between 18 and 35, especially university students (BSc, MSc, PhD students) and young professionals working in the African space sector. The discussions are expected to produce recommendations to relevant public, private and non-governmental stakeholders, helping to shape and providing insight into the future of the African space sector.

Furthermore, reports from the projects will be presented at conferences and included in the SGAC annual report submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS).

The workshop will have working groups with the overall aim of producing tangible deliverables resulting from robust discussions by the participants. The participants will be divided into 4 groups where they will discuss selected topical issues or themes that are relevant to the role of space science in the society – these discussions will be coordinated by Industry Mentors. The four groups will feature one of the following topics:

Space Technologies Development in Africa
Roles of STEAM in Developing the Space Industry in Africa
Space in Driving the African Economy/Aerospace Start-up
African Space Policy

You can check the workshop’s webpage for materials on the various topics.

Some of the speakers, moderators and industry experts who have been confirmed for the 1st African Space Generation Workshop include:

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Seidu Mohammed (Director General, National Space Research and Development Agency NASRDA).
Hubert Foy (Director, African Centre for Science and International Security AFRICSIS).
Prof. George Maeda (Assistant Professor, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan).
Dr Ganiy Agbaje (Director, African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education ARCSSTEE).
Prof. Oludayo Olugbara (Associate Director, Space Science Centre Durban University of Technology South Africa).
Aboubakar Mambimba Ndjoungui (Gabon Space Agency).
Ms. Abimbola Alele (Managing Director, Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited NIGCOMSAT).
Jeff Demain (CEO, Hantheon. USA).
Dr. Geoffrey Okengo (Head of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Nairobi Kenya).

Working Group Moderators and other Industry Experts include:

Mr. Benjamin Bonsu (Project Lead, GhanSAT)
Dr. Francis Chizea (Director of International Cooperation, National Space Research and Development Agency NASRDA)
Dr. Olufemi Adebesin (Senior Faculty and Space Weather Research Scientist, Landmark University Omu Aran)
Dr. Nana Ama Browne Klutse (Manager/Senior Research Scientist, Remote Sensing and Climate Centre, Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute)
Oluseye Soyode-Johnson (Regional Partner, African Technology Foundation)
Lulu Makapela (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa)

You can access the tentative workshop schedule here.

The event is strictly for registered delegates and you can still register by buying your ticket if you have not done so.

If you have any question, do not hesitate to email af-sgw@spacegeneration.org