Published April 18, 2022
By Edwin Naidu
Internationally acclaimed African scientist Ameenah Gurib-Fakim served as the first female president of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018.
Before venturing into politics, she enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education, including as pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Mauritius from 2004 to 2010.
She has won several awards such as the 2007 L’Oréal-UNESCO Prize for Women in Science, the African Union Commission Award for Women in Science in 2009, and six honorary doctorates.
Gurib-Fakim talks to SciDev.Net about her life as a scientist, and what influenced her academic and political careers.