AAS announces appointment of new Executive Director

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The African Academy of Sciences Governing Council is today announcing the appointment of Prof Nelson Torto, a prolific analytical chemist, as its Executive Director of the Academy with effect from 14 August 2017.

Torto, who was appointed after a continental search process, replaces Dr Tom Kariuki who had been Interim Executive Director since the departure of Prof Berhanu Abegaz in February.

“We are very pleased with the appointment,” says AAS President Prof Felix Dapare Dakora. “As a Fellow, Prof Torto has been actively involved in the activities of the Academy and brings a sense of commitment. He has served in programme, fundraising, executive and leadership levels that will be useful to propel the Academy in greater heights.”

Until his appointment at the AAS, Prof Torto was the Chief Executive Officer of the Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation. He holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Lund University in Sweden. He started his career as a method development chemist at the BCL Mine in Selebi Phikwe.

He joined the University of Botswana’s Chemistry Department as a staff development fellow in 1993 and subsequently rose to the rank of Associate Professor. In 2008, Prof Torto joined Rhodes University as a Professor in Analytical Chemistry and subsequently led the Chemistry Department for 3 yearsRead more ....