{"id":27041,"date":"2022-10-10T13:42:20","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T13:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/ncst-awards-15-innovative-projects-concludes-7th-council-meeting"},"modified":"2022-10-10T13:57:27","modified_gmt":"2022-10-10T13:57:27","slug":"ncst-awards-15-innovative-projects-concludes-7th-council-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/ncst-awards-15-innovative-projects-concludes-7th-council-meeting","title":{"rendered":"NCST awards 15 innovative projects, concludes 7th council meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Fifteen projects related to Science, Technology And Innovation (STI) have been awarded by the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) on October 7 during a networking and cocktail event that gathered STI local and global experts.<\/p>\n

The event which aimed to help participants network, share ideas and establish collaborations was part of the 7th NCST Council Meeting, which was held under the theme \u201cIntegrating STI across all sectors to stimulate Rwanda\u2019s economic growth\u201d from October 6.<\/p>\n

The winners who secured $90,000 each were in two categories: 5 for Women in Science Research and Innovation (WIS) Grant and 10 for phase 1 of Rwanda Innovation Challenges for Academia-Industry Research and Development Collaboration (RIC-R&D) Grant.<\/p>\n

The women who secured WIS grant include Dr Annette Uwineza from University Teaching Referral Hospital of Kigali, Dr Delphine Abijuru from Rwanda Energy Group, Peace Bamurigire from University of Rwanda – College of Science and Technology, Annonc\u00e9e Mukeshimana from ULK Polytechnic Institute as well as Dr Claire D\u2019Andr\u00e9 Hirwa from Rwanda Agricultural and Animal Resources Board (RAB).<\/p>\n

The RIC-R&D grantees include Prof Vincent Sezibera and Prof Elias Bizuru from University of Rwanda, Celine Umurenzi of Candela Tech ltd, Dr Moise Busogi from Kigali Collaborative Research Centre, Leandre Berwa from Second Life Storage, Dr Esdras Nshimiyumuremyi from IPRC Tumba, Dr Didace Ndahimana from University of Rwanda, Dr Florence Uwamahoro from the same university, Andre Ndagijimana from the National Industrial Research and Development Agency-NIRDA, as well as Dr Gershome Abaho from the University of Rwanda.<\/p>\n

Talking about WIS Grant, Eugene Mutimura, Director of NCST, said the grant aims to help women and girls to become research leaders.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor all research and innovation projects,\u201d he said. \u201cAt least 30 per cent of the team should be women scientists, but we are making another step to give them a chance to become research leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

NCST also incentivises \u201cwomen and girls in science\u201d through annual celebrations and offering awards to best women and girls (Rising Star, Best women Researcher & Women Leadership awards) and \u2018Women in Science\u2019 grant to enable them become leaders of successful projects.<\/p>\n

Talking about projects that received RIC-R&D grant, Mutimura emphasised that they are special and are expected to change the lives of Rwandans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe realised that academician researchers needed to move from their workplaces, universities and different research institutions, and go on field to partner with others to do research that births innovations and contribute to the development of Rwandans,\u201d he said, adding that NCST currently supports 106 projects that were granted around Rwf4 billion.<\/p>\n

Each project secures $90,000 and according to Mutimura, when the grantees work well for a year and a half, they receive additional Rwf300 million to further develop their projects.<\/p>\n

He said that during the 7th NCST Council Meeting, they also invited Rwandan scientist researchers who live in diaspora to explore what is being done in Rwanda and partner with locals to build strong research excellence.<\/p>\n

Patrick Ndengera is one of the invited researchers. He lives in Montreal, Canada.<\/p>\n

He said they are going to officially start working with Rwandan researchers and mobilise diaspora-based ones in over 50 countries to join hands with local universities and their students to do research.<\/p>\n

Those partnerships, according to Ndengera, will help them to secure grants to implement their projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis initiative has potential,\u201d he continued. \u201cWe already toured different universities and private sector institutions and observed their challenges as well as how we can help in solving them. We found that possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celine Umurenzi, Founder of Candela Tech ltd, is one of the innovators who received a grant for her project titled \u201cDesign and Performance Analysis of the Candela Model 1 \u2013 A Novel Electricity Generating Biomass Cookstove.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said it is unique given that it is made for people in the rural area where they will be able to use a cook stove for cooking purposes and as a source of electricity as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stove will also help them to cook faster without ruining the environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is an innovation given that all other stoves need solar radiation, but ours will use biomass (renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals).\u201d<\/p>\n

NCST is also supporting Rwanda Innovation Challenge (RIC) for 34 grantees predominantly youth who are mentored and trained at Rwanda Polytechnic and LEARP Labs.<\/p>\n

According to the institution, over 50 per cent of beneficiaries are at the level of commercialisation and tangible technology breakthroughs.<\/p>\n\r\n