Aims SA appoints first female executive director

Prof Karin-Therese Howell, new executive director of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences South Africa

SU is a founder-member of Aims that was established in 2003. Aims is a pan-African network of centres of excellence for post-graduate training in mathematical sciences and research and public engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).

The SU Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Support, Prof Sibusiso Moyo, congratulated Howell on the appointment. “It is a historical moment as it is the first appointment of a female executive director or centre president at any Aims centre. Her passion for promoting mathematics, mentoring and supporting students is a bonus. We look forward to strengthening the mathematical sciences and contributing to capacity building in Africa. Key support from our stakeholders is paramount to ensure that she is supported in delivering the Aims agenda.”

Howell, who holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of the Free State, succeeds Prof Ulrich Paquet. Specialising in abstract algebra that extends into algebraic systems biology, she applies algebraic methods to analyse biological systems. She serves on numerous national committees dedicated to the advancement of mathematics and currently heads the Women in Mathematics division of the South African Mathematical Society.

Says Howell: “I am incredibly excited — and deeply proud — to serve in this role. My connection to Aims SA spans many years, and it has been a source of meaningful collaboration and purpose throughout my career. I look forward to working with our partners as we strengthen Aims SA’s impact and open new pathways for talent, innovation, and collaboration.”

Prof David Holgate, chairperson of the Aims Council, says Howell is a multifaceted academic with acclaim as both an excellent teacher and National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher. “The breadth of her academic identity extends to public engagement in many spheres, most notably in championing women in mathematics. She has had a long-term passion for and commitment to Aims and took on the full-time role of academic director in January 2024.”

Holgate adds that her long-term goals include advancing the development of the mathematical sciences in Africa, supporting and mentoring women in mathematics, and promoting greater awareness and inclusion of neurodiversity within academic spaces.