Page 56 - Thetha Issue 7

DOUBLE ACT: ALUMNI COUPLES

Academic Achievers

Bite the Big Apple

ith a solid grounding A winning team
from Nelson Mandela After completing her master’s, Diana
University, Dr William moved back to Uganda and lectured
WAkoto and Dr Diana there before marrying William and
Kimono Akoto headed across joining him in the US. The couple had
the Atlantic Ocean to clinch their their first child in 2015 and moved to
doctorates in political science and New York City in 2020.
public health. Diana is now a cancer researcher
William started his academic at the Perlmutter Cancer Center at
career with a BSc (Computer Science) New York University’s Grossman
in 2006 before completing his MSc school of medicine (NYU Langone).
(Economics) cum laude in 2009 “My work involves research in
at Nelson Mandela University. He the field of cancer immunotherapy,
specialised in International Relations designing personalised cancer
with a PhD in Political Science from vaccines for patients on clinical trials.
the University of South Carolina “I am thrilled to be working at the
(USC) in 2019. cutting edge of modern medicine
Diana also went from bachelor together with the world’s leading
through to master’s at Nelson scientists and pharmaceutical
Mandela University, with a BSc companies to design and
(Biochemistry and Microbiology) in improve promising cancer vaccines
2010, and MSc (Biochemistry) in 2012. for patients who are enrolled in cancer
She also gained her PhD from USC, in clinical trials.”
Public Health, specialising in Immuno- Diana attributes her position
toxicology, in 2020. today as a highly desirable scientist to
While in South Carolina, William “robust training” in science and
won a postdoctoral fellowship life skills.
at the University of Denver before She also remembers a banner
being appointed to his current on the Embizweni building with
position as assistant professor the wording “Umfaneleko”,
of political science at Fordham which translates as “suitable”, or
University in New York City. “sought after”.
“My highlights so far “Those words have stayed with
include winning a teaching award me both as a desire and a standard
at the University of South Carolina that I live by to this day.”
during my PhD studies, and winning William has equally positive
several grants to fund my research at memories of Mandela University.
Fordham,” he says. “My time there was an absolute
“I mainly teach courses on joy. Coming to South Africa as
the politics of cybersecurity, an international student from Ghana,
cyber conflict, national security and it was a home away from home for
foreign policy. In terms of research, me” he says.
I combine my computer science and “I got a solid foundation in my
economics background from my studies there, I met my spouse and
studies at Mandela with my PhD in made several lifelong friends along
political science to understand the the way – what more can you ask of
political economy dynamics of state- a university?!”
sponsored cyber attacks.”

54 | Thetha Edition 7 | 2023