Featured Speaker: Catherine Odora Hoppers

Global Engagement, Human Rights, and Cognitive Justice

Catherine Odora Hoppers

Professor, Department of Science and Technology, and National Research Foundation South African Research Chair in Development Education
University of South Africa

Born in Uganda, Odora Hoppers first studied in her home country and in Zambia before becoming a Swedish citizen and completing her doctorate in social sciences at Stockholm University. She has since forged a multifaceted career as a scholar and policy adviser, serving many leading international organizations in education, gender policy, disarmament, and intellectual property rights. Professor Hoppers received the Nelson Mandela Distinguished Africanist Award in 2015. The award is given to an African who has distinguished himself or herself in public leadership positions. Hoppers's principal areas of interest include: building capacity for trans-disciplinary basic and applied research in support of Africa's development; providing support to policy formulation and implementation for sustainable development and human security in Africa and internationally; promoting the social and economic justice agenda including the rights of local communities; and promoting dialogue across cultures and epistemologies by developing protocols for respectful cultural exchange, strengthening the enfranchisement of Africans, and promoting endogenous research.