Professor Neil Turok will donate the $10,000 monetary gift portion of the 2016 American Institute of Physics’ John Torrance Tate Award for International Leadership in Physics to AIMS.
The donation will be used to set up the Thierry Zomahoun Scholarship at AIMS. Named after the current president and CEO of the AIMS organization, the money will be awarded to an African student currently enrolled in the AIMS Master's program at one of the AIMS' five centers of excellence.
“I would like this scholarship to encourage students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, overcome huge obstacles in their personal development and show outstanding commitment to creating a better future for others,” Turok, director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and the founder of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, said. “Thierry was a street kid who gained three Master's degrees and became an incredible manager and development leader. Africa needs more Thierrys!”
Turok hopes that the cash prize donation will encourage similar contributions from public, private and non-governmental entities – acts that would allow more African youth to receive training in mathematical science.
“This is a great honour,” Zomahoun said. “I am humbled by this scholarship in my name. We are determined to transform Africa into the next global hub for science. All forms of scientific endeavour and especially those that produce tangible results will be encouraged with the aim being to solve challenges in Africa and around the world.”
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