Jane Catherine Ngila

"I believe that African women have the capability to excel in the sciences and make Africa advance a lot in socio economic development."

"I hope we can achieve gender equality where women and girls are empowered to ensure inclusive and quality education for all."

"Well, I climbed the academic ladder from tutorial fellow to full professor. In the university there are four to five key performance areas: teaching undergraduate and supervising postgraduate students; research, development and innovation; community outreach; international networks and management or leadership. I have had significant outputs in the five areas."

"I am particularly interested in water research because water is simply vital. Nanotechnology has an essential role to play in purification techniques. Our current methods can filter water to levels that are safe for domestic use, or by up to 80%, but we want to refine them to filter [out] about 100% of water contaminants in one filtration cycle."

"I want us [Africans] to have access to safe drinking water, just as is the case in developed countries such as USA and in Europe."

"We drew water from a river about two miles [about 3km] away. The river where kids went to swim and women laundered their dirty clothes, was the same river we drew water from to fill our calabashes and plastic jerrycans."

"We need these technologies, not just for industrial use, but also for domestic use, for everyday use. So that individual households can mount them in their homes."

"My dream is to produce a commercially viable water nanofilter that removes contaminants in one filtration cycle, enabling rural African families to install affordable water filters in their homes. It is to have a continent where everyone can access safe and clean drinking water."