LEARDERSHIP 2025-2026
Announcing the African Studies Group 2025/2026 Executive Team!
We are pleased to announce the newly appointed executive team for the African Studies Group
(ASG) 2025. This dynamic team is committed to advancing academic discourse, promoting cultural
exchange, and strengthening community engagement within the University of Melbourne and beyond.
We are pleased to announce the newly appointed executive team for the African Studies Group
(ASG) 2025. This dynamic team is committed to advancing academic discourse, promoting cultural
exchange, and strengthening community engagement within the University of Melbourne and beyond.
Under their leadership, ASG will continue to celebrate African scholarship, advocate for African perspectives in global dialogues, and create impactful opportunities for students, researchers, and professionals.
Stay engaged for our forthcoming events, networking sessions, and initiatives aimed at elevating African voices and contributions across academia and beyond.
Meet the 2025 Executive Team:
Balukia Abdullah (Luka)– President
Bulukia Abdullah (Luka), a decolonial researcher from Tema, explores indigenous knowledge systems and multilingualism. His work challenges dominant norms, shaping language policy, pedagogy, and curriculum through community-centred, qualitative sociolinguistic research in education.
Victoria Mercy Kataike – Vice President
She is a PhD student in Radiology, researching advanced MRI techniques to understand brain recovery after stroke. As the vice president, she champions African innovation, advocating for homegrown solutions and envisioning a confident, empowered Africa solving its challenges.
Daniel Dodoo – Treasurer
Daniel Dodoo is a PhD student in chemical engineering and an Erasmus Mundus Scholar. He collaborates with CSIRO on his research to predict the behaviour of impurities in copper ores. Beyond the lab, Daniel dedicates himself to fostering a strong sense of belonging for African students by connecting them to African communities.
Akachukwu Onwuka - Communications Officer
Akachukwu Onwuka, a Pharmacist and PhD student in Infectious Diseases at the University of Melbourne, researches how antibodies and neutrophils protect against placental malaria, aiming to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes through better immune-based treatments and preventive strategies.