We were fortunate to host 25 Fellows during the 2025-26 academic year, representing 17 different countries. The Fellows were hosted across all four of Imperial's Faculties.
If you would like to know more about the scheme, or are interested in hosting a Fellow, please contact gdfellowship@imperial.ac.uk
features
Jecinta Arrey Ayamba
Jecinta is a PhD student at the University of Buea in Cameroon. Her research focuses on developing diagnostic antibodies for river blindness to better monitor treatment programs and support the WHO's 2030 elimination goals. At Imperial Jecinta was hosted by Professor Faith Osier in the Department of Life Sciences.
Abdullahi Babatunde
Abdullahi is a PhD student at Africa Business School in Morocco. His research examines how organisations emerge, grow and sustain themselves in informal and under-institutionalized market systems. At Imperial Abdullahi was hosted by Dr. Tim Weiss in the Department of Management & Entrepreneurship.
Belinda Boateng
Belinda is a PhD student at the University of Ghana. Her research looks at the bio-ecology of the Coreid bug and the implications of it's management in coconut fields. At Imperial Belinda was hosted by Dr. Angela Meccariello in the Department of Life Sciences.
features
Abhisek Sahoo
Abhisek is a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in India. His research focuses on developing AI-assisted catalysts to convert agricultural and industrial waste into sustainable fuels and chemicals, supporting clean energy transition in developing countries. At Imperial, Abhisek was hosted by Prof. Jason Hallett in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
Deborah Ekusai Sebatta
Deborah is a researcher at Makerere University in Uganda. Her research explores the ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding human genomic data sharing in collaborative research, investigating how policies and regulatory frameworks across Ugandan institutions shape this process. At Imperial, Deborah was hosted by Dr. Ines Cebola in the Department of Metabolism, Digestion & Reproduction.
Dilshan Hedigalla
Dilshan is a researcher at the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka. His research focuses on developing a smart, active compression garment integrating soft pneumatic actuators to deliver real-time, dynamic pressure for Chronic Venous Disease patients, featuring continuous pressure sensing and wireless control for personalised profiles. At Imperial, Dilshan was hosted by Prof. Thrishantha Nanayakkara in the Department of Design Engineering.
features
Fatima Ez-Zahraa Bazay
Fatima is a researcher at Mohammed V University in Morocco. Her research develops explainable deep learning tools that analyse functional MRI brain imaging data to identify patterns distinguishing individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder from neurotypical individuals. At Imperial, Fatima was hosted by Prof. Ben Glocker in the Department of Computing.
Fatima Sajid
Fatima is a researcher at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad in Pakistan. Her research develops electrochemical sensing materials combining metal-based compounds with 2D conductive materials to create accurate, stable sensors for detecting chemicals such as glucose, with applications in health monitoring and wearable devices, including flexible skin-attachable sensors. At Imperial, Fatima was hosted by Dr. Felice Torrisi in the Department of Chemistry.
Fatoumata Cisse
Fatoumata is a researcher at the Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé in Burkina Faso. Her research investigates how climate change impacts malaria transmission by studying wild-caught Anopheles mosquitoes to assess how temperature changes affect vector biology, with data feeding into mathematical models to predict future global malaria distribution. At Imperial, Fatoumata was hosted by Dr. Joseph Challenger in the School of Public Health.
features
Florent Yalinkpon
Florent is a researcher at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin. His research focuses on predicting cotton yield in Benin using machine learning models with temporal agronomic, climatic, and spatial covariates, with a focus on model performance across varying sample sizes. At Imperial, Florent was hosted by Dr. Tobar Felipe in the Department of Mathematics.
Francis Dzabeng
Francis is a researcher at the University of Ghana. His research looks at strengthening health data systems using data-driven approaches to improve disease surveillance, developing a Virtual Knowledge Graph system to unify fragmented healthcare data and enable real-time disease pattern analysis. At Imperial, Francis was hosted by Prof. Ceire Costelloe in the School of Public Health.
Giesberta Shaanika
Giesberta is a researcher at the University of Namibia. Her research examines the cooling potential of nature-based solutions in Windhoek, combining satellite temperature analysis and community surveys to understand urban heat exposure and determine how green infrastructure such as trees and community gardens can strengthen climate resilience. At Imperial, Giesberta was hosted by Dr. Jessica Thorn in the Centre for Environmental Policy.
features
Huda Ghalwash
Huda is a researcher at Kafrelsheikh University in Egypt. Her research develops a sustainable method for extracting high-value Albumin protein from Tilapia fish waste using green ionic liquid solvents, achieving high-efficiency extraction for use in biomedical applications such as tissue engineering and wound healing. At Imperial, Huda was hosted by Prof. Jerry Heng in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
Kathy Kwanang
Kathy is a researcher at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon. Her research investigates how Rare Earth Elements become concentrated in weathered soils over a nepheline syenite complex in Cameroon, using mineralogical and geochemical techniques to trace REE accumulation processes, supporting global resource security and economic opportunities in Africa. At Imperial, Kathy was hosted by Dr. Martin Yan Hei Li in the Department of Earth Science & Engineering.
Kritika
Kritika is a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi in India. Her research focuses on understanding slope instability during extreme rainfall and the role of root-soil interaction in governing slope behaviour, using field investigations and numerical modelling to develop nature-based solutions to enhance slope resilience in the Himalayan region. At Imperial, Kritika was hosted by Dr. Tiago AV Gaspar in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.
features
Leontine Ndogou
Leontine is a researcher at Iba Der Thiam University of Thiès in Senegal. Her research uses Generalized Additive Models and Structural Equation Modelling to analyse climate-malaria relationships in south-eastern Senegal, identifying a critical two-week lag to enable better-targeted Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention campaigns. At Imperial, Leontine was hosted by Dr. Matthew Cairns in the School of Public Health.
Spandita Mitra
Spandita is a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in India. Her research investigates long-term shifts in Western Disturbances over 70 years, examining their influence on the Indian Summer Monsoon and their role in driving extreme rainfall events over the Himalayas, ultimately supporting improved weather forecasting and disaster preparedness across India. At Imperial, Spandita was hosted by Prof. Friederike Otto in the Centre for Environmental Policy.
Victoria Damilola Awe
Victoria is a researcher at Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya. Her research combines numerical simulations, machine learning, and experimental validation to optimise 3D printing parameters for carbon fiber-reinforced PEKK polymer motor housings for electric motorbikes, improving the accessibility and affordability of electric vehicles. At Imperial, Victoria was hosted by Prof. Robert Hewson in the Department of Aeronautics.
features
Winfrida Mwita
Winfrida is a researcher at KCMC University in Tanzania. Her research focuses on designing age- and context-specific interventions to help young injury patients in Tanzania reduce harmful alcohol use. At Imperial, Winfrida was hosted by Dr. Aldina Mesic in the School of Public Health.
Winnie Kulei
Winnie is a researcher at Mount Kenya University in Kenya. Her research investigates how malaria control tools such as bed nets, ceiling nets, and vaccination interact under a changing climate in Homa Bay County, using machine learning to predict malaria prevalence and identify the most effective prevention strategies across Western Kenya. At Imperial, Winnie was hosted by Dr. Lucy Okell in the School of Public Health.
Amir Suhail Ummathoor
Amir is a researcher at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in India. His research develops a device that recreates airway muscle behaviour inside human lungs to observe changes during diseases like Asthma and COPD, helping to better understand airway remodelling and accelerate discovery of new treatments. At Imperial, Amir was hosted by Dr. Bernardino de la Serna in the NHLI.
features
Azizahon Turakhujaeva
Azizakhon is a researcher at Tashkent State Technical University in Uzbekistan. Her research focuses on developing energy- and resource-efficient systems for melting aluminium alloys. She investigates the effects of microalloying elements on casting properties, energy demand, and resource waste, using microstructural and thermal analysis to examine heat flow behaviour. At Imperial, Azizakhon was hosted by Prof. Christopher Gourlay in the Department of Materials.
Mengly Long
Mengly is a researcher at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi in Thailand. His research applies computational topology optimization at the porescale to design the microscopic electrode structures of Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries, automatically identifying optimal internal channel configurations to minimize energy losses and maximize battery efficiency, advancing large-scale, safe, and long-lasting energy storage solutions. At Imperial, Mengly was hosted by Dr. Sam Cooper in the Department of Design Engineering.
Mbitekamboh Richard Wankie
Mbitekamboh is a researcher at the University of Buea in Cameroon. His research focuses on making renewable energy mini-grids smarter and more reliable by developing intelligent control systems that help solar-powered mini-grids integrate with the main electricity grid, providing stable and resilient power to communities. At Imperial, Mbitekamboh was hosted by Dr. Adrià Junyent-Ferré in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering.