Calestous Juma

Calestous Juma (9 June 1953 – 15 December 2017) was a Kenyan scientist and academic, specializing in sustainable development. He was named one of the most influential 100 Africans in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the ''New African'' magazine. He was Professor of the Practice of International Development and Faculty Chair of the Innovation for Economic Development Executive Program at Harvard Kennedy School. Juma was Director of the School's Science, Technology and Globalization Project at Harvard Kennedy School as well as the Agricultural Innovation in Africa Project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In light of his great achievements and thought leadership in the application of science, technology and innovation to policy and sustainable development, BMGF in 2021 launched a fellowship in his honour, the Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship to fund exemplary African scientific leaders. ''For this Fellowship, "leadership" is demonstrated by scientists who have not only the expertise to do transformative science on the ground but also the experience, networks, and skills to anchor health and development R&D in their communities, design or co-design projects with local and global partners, and mobilize key institutions in their countries. spearheading matters of global health after the COVID 19 pandemic.

His last book, ''Innovation and Its Enemies: Why People Resist New Technologies,'' was published by Oxford University Press in 2016.

Juma was elected to the Royal Society of London, the US National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, the African Academy of Sciences and the New York Academy of Sciences. Provided by Wikipedia