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After having benefitted from a DAAD scholarships, many scholars made their way: Today, they are successful and internationally acclaimed scientists, hold leadership positions in the academics, governments and international organisations, and above that, are strong supporters of a young generation of upcoming scientists in Africa.
Our website will mirror the achievements of our former scholars and publish selected portraits in a lose order. We invite you to send us names and contacts of DAAD Alumni across Sub-Saharan Africa whose work and commitment you feel deserve to be known beyond their work place.
We continue our series with a Tanzanian Scholar.
Mayunga Habibu Hemedi Nkunya
Born 20th of December, 1952 in Tabora, Tanzania.
Married with three children
Academic background:
- Ph.D in Organic Chemistry, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1984)
- M.Sc. in Chemistry, University of Dar es Salaam, 1979
- B.Sc. Chemistry/ Statistics, University of Dar es Salaam, 1976
Current positions:
- Executive Secretary, Tanzania Commission for Universities, since July 1st, 2007, and
- Professor for Chemistry, University of Dar es Salaam, since July 1st, 1994
Previous positions (selection):
- 1999 – 2006: Chief Academic Officer, University of Dar es Salaam
- 1999 - 2006: Member, National Examination Council of Tanzania
- 2000 – 2005: Member, National UNESCO Commission
- 1997 – 2006: Member, Honorary Degrees Committee, University of Dar es Salaam
- 1997 - 1999: Dean, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam
How did you become a DAAD scholar?
After completing my Ph.D. in The Netherlands, I vowed to excel in my research by pursuing postdoctoral research in natural products chemistry. I identified the research group of Prof. Dr. Hans Achenbach, then at the University of Erlangen, who was doing similar work as I had started at the University of Dar es Salaam. This was in 1986. I went to the University of Erlangen in March 1987 for a 3 months’ scholarly visit funded by DAAD.
What are your strongest memories of being a DAAD scholar and doing research
in Germany?
I faced some language problems as I could not speak German and at that time not many Germans spoke English. But people were very friendly to me and even the Germans who were unable to speak to me invited me for lunch and beer.
I remember the diligent working spirit of the Germans. Therefore, I immediately caught up with that spirit. Thus, there were occasions when Professor Achenbach would come to the lab 10.00 pm, 12.00 mid night, 2.00 am or 6.00 am the following day and I was usually there. I took up that working spirit upon return to Tanzania. Prof. Achenbach usually took me together with his family for shopping, lunch, parties etc. I am still in touch with one of my former German colleagues, two years ago we had a joint scientific publication. I had continued to collaborate with Prof. Achenbach and his group till about 2002 when he retired, but continued to be in touch with his assistants.
How did this opportunity of getting a DAAD scholarship
change your life?
It developed my academic career through continued collaboration with the research group of Professor Achenbach. Thus, of my 58 scientific publications in international journals to date, 11 are jointly with Prof. Achenbach and his group. That collaboration also benefited 13 out of the 50 postgraduate students I have supervised in terms of analytical facilities at the University of Erlangen. The collaboration helped to make our laboratory one of the most productive in Eastern Africa. I was able to attract M.Sc. and Ph.D. students from other countries from the region. I have also been able to collaborate with other German professors through visits by my research students at the universities of Freiburg (Michael Heinrich), Halle (Ludger Wessjohann), Jena (Isabel Sattler) and Potsdam (Erich Kleinpeter).
What are your current areas of interest/ profession?
After getting into administration – first as Faculty Dean, then Chief Academic Officer of the University of Dar es Salaam and now Executive Secretary of the Tanzania Commission for Universities - my involvement in research is just at the level of supervision of postgraduate student. However, I continue to publish in international journals even with my heavy administrative responsibilities, my most recent scientific publication appeared this year (2008).
What are your future objectives?
I like to be engaged in research but focus more on innovation and invention through multi-disciplinary research in collaboration with other scientists in the country and abroad, as we have already started. I would also like to publish one or two scholarly books based on the research results from my academic career.
What, according to you, does it take to become a DAAD scholar?
One needs to be objectively determined to build an academic career, then only one will be acceptable by a German colleague to be hosted in his / her institution.
