|
President
|
Professor Goolam MOHAMEDBHAI, GOSK, is the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius. He holds a BSc (First Class Honours) and a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK. He did his postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, under a Fulbright-Hays Award. He is the former Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities, Ghana, and the former President of the International Association of Universities, Paris. He has also served on the Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and was a member of the Governing Council of the United Nations University, Japan. He is the recipient of several doctorates and awards for his contribution to higher education in Mauritius, the Commonwealth, and Africa. He now operates as an independent consultant in higher education, with a special interest in Africa. He currently serves on several Boards associated with higher education in Africa. |
|
|
|
|
First Vice-President
|
Dr Asha DOOKUN-SAUMTALLY holds a BSc and an MSc degree from Newcastle University, UK, and a PhD from the University of Reading, UK. She is an experienced scientist in Plant Biotechnology with a wealth of experience in research and development formulation and management, having directed R&D in sugarcane biotechnology at the Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) for more than three decades. She held various positions of increasing responsibility at the MSIRI, including Biotechnologist, Head of Department, Research Manager, Principal Research Manager, Ag. Director and Director. She has served on several Boards and Committees locally and is currently the chairperson of the National Biosafety Committee, a Director of the Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology Ltd and the CEO of the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI) of Mauritius. She is a member of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) and a councilor for Mauritius for this society. |
|
Second Vice-President
|
Prof. Yashwantrao RAMMA holds a PhD in Physics from Belarus State University. He is currently Officer-in-Charge at the Université des Mascareignes. Prof. RAMMA has been actively engaged in research on the conceptual understanding of science at the primary level and physics at the secondary level. His research also encompassed the integration of technology in teaching and learning, as well as the development of critical thinking skills. He serves as a regular peer reviewer for various local and international journals and research projects and has published numerous articles and book chapters in peer-reviewed publications. |
Secretary |
Brigitte Marie-Françoise DRIVER is Professor of Animal Science. She gained her PhD in Animal Science from Massey University, New Zealand in 1989. She was a Senior African Fulbright Research Fellow from Cornell University, USA in 1992. She worked for more than 30 years at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius. Her research has primarily focused on enhancing the sustainability of animal agriculture by improving the on-farm feed strategies. Research themes include the enhancement of forage feeding value, the development of alternative sustainable supplies of feeds, improved on-farm management practices for safe food production of animal origin. She also has a keen interest in higher education research. She has worked on many research projects funded by the UNDP, GEF, FAO, and the EU. She was appointed as council member of the Mauritius Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) in October 2023. She is currently the SSR Chair of African Studies at the University of Mauritius, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. |
|
Assistant Secretary
|
Dr Meera MANRAJ born RAMLACKHAN, retired in April 2025 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Mauritius. She became a Member of MAST since January 2017 and a Fellow since 2020. She obtained her MD degree in General Medicine from the University of Aix-Marseilles II (France) in 1988 and joined the University of Mauritius as an Assistant Research Fellow in 1990. She worked at the CNRS in her PhD supervisor’s laboratory in Lille for several months from 1998 to 2000, through the HTEP scheme (World Bank Higher Technical Education Programme) and was awarded a PhD by the University of Mauritius in 2003. Her field of interest was the genetics/genomics of the cardiometabolic syndrome. She taught in the BSc (Hons) Medical Science programme from 2003 to 2015 and in the MD programme from 2013 to 2025. She successfully supervised 60 BSc (Hons) Medical Science, dozens of Master level research projects in the Master of Public Health and in the MD programme, as well as 2 MPhil/PhD projects. She served as the Head of Department of Medicine for several mandates, was an elected Member of the Medical Council of Mauritius from October 2006 to October 2009 and served as a Member of the Clinical Trials Regulatory Council from 2011 to May 2017. She has been a coordinator of the Medical Update Group at the University of Mauritius from 1997 to 2025. She was actively involved since 2011 as the Link Coordinator between the University of Mauritius, the University of Geneva, Switzerland and the Ministry of Health, for the development of a full-fledged undergraduate medical programme of six-year duration, which was first on offer as from 2013, and is currently considered as a flagship programme of the University of Mauritius. |
|
Treasurer
|
Dr Abdess Salem SAUMTALLY had a long and distinguished career in Research and Development at the Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute (MSIRI), where he was the Director from 2012 to 2021. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT), an apex body for sugarcane and the President of the Société de Technologie Agricole et Sucrière de Maurice. He is the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission Mauritius since 2020. He holds a first degree in Microbiology from the University of Dundee, UK, an MPhil degree in Applied Biology from the University of Cambridge, UK, and a Doctoral degree (PhD) from the University of Reading, UK.
|
|
Assistant Treasurer |
Dr. Yogesh PARMESSUR obtained his first degree in Biotechnology from King’s College London and later completed a Master’s degree in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology in 2004 at the University of East Anglia in collaboration with the John Innes Centre, UK. In 2016, he obtained his PhD in Plant Biotechnology from the University of Mauritius. Dr. Parmessur joined the Biotechnology Department of the Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) in 1998 as a Research Fellow and currently serves as the Officer in Charge of the Department. Over the years, he has contributed extensively to research and development in sugarcane biotechnology and crop improvement. Dr. Parmessur’s areas of expertise include plant tissue culture, molecular diagnostics, plant genetic transformation and gene editing, molecular breeding, soil microbiome studies, the genetics of herbicide resistance in plants, and food and nutrition security. He served as a committee member of the Molecular Biology Section of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) from 2015 to 2023 and has participated in several scientific and regulatory committees, including the National Biosafety Committee of Mauritius. He also contributed as a member of the expert panel for the Network of African Science Academies / InterAcademy Partnership (NASAC/IAP) report on Opportunities And Challenges For Research On Food And Nutrition Security And Agriculture In Africa. In addition to his work in Mauritius, Dr. Parmessur has been a visiting scientist at several internationally renowned research institutions, including Rothamsted Research, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. His contributions continue to support advancements in agricultural biotechnology and sustainable crop improvement at both regional and international levels. |
|
Public Relations Officer
|
Dr Michael ATCHIA, a scientist and educator, curriculum developer, and writer, served for 5 years as international President of the Commission for Education of the International Union for Biological Sciences (IUBS)and is co-author of “Integrated Environmental Management” (UNEP/John Wiley, 1995), a publication that helped launch this new discipline. Locally, he served as president of the Association for Science Education (MASE), of the teacher's union SPSTU, of Action Civique in 1982, and from 1997 to 2003 as Director of Education at BEC; for service to the cause of environmental education, he received the "Tree of Learning" award of IUCN in 1995. He was the President of our Academy of Science and Technology(MAST) from 2019 to 2022 and is currently the Editor of its Newsletter. He has been a Programme Director at UNEP (Chief, Environmental Education and Training Unit) in Nairobi from 1986 to 1996, responsible during the same period for the “International Environmental Education Programme” of UNESCO/UNEP, active in over 100 member states. He has gained his professional experience in both developing countries (Africa, Asia, and South America, island states) and in Europe/North America/Australia. He is a graduate from these Universities: Calcutta (B.Sc with Distinction): London (BSc); Chelsea College of Science and Technology (Postgraduate diplomas in Microbiology, 1st class); Institute of Biology (MIBIOL); Salford in Manchester, UK, (MSc, PhD, DSc). |
|
Council Member
|
Dr Yousuf MAUDARBOCUS, After graduating, topping the D.I.C and M.Sc. lists, obtaining his Ph.D. in Physics, and working at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London, Dr. Maudarbocus joined the University of Mauritius in 1974 and was instrumental in setting up the largest low- frequency radio telescope in the Southern Hemisphere, jointly with the Raman Research Institute and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. He left the University of Mauritius, as Associate Professor and Head of Physics Department in 1988 to join the African Regional Centre for Technology (ARCT), a joint UNECA/AU regional organization based in Dakar, Senegal, as Director of Human Resources Development. After two years, he moved to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, where he was responsible for the programming, design, formulation, implementation and monitoring of technical cooperation projects using nuclear techniques in fifteen countries in Africa, until his retirement in 2002. When the IAEA won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, he received a Letter of Appreciation from the Nobel Committee for his contribution. Upon his return to Mauritius, he was instrumental in setting up the first interactive science museum in Mauritius in his capacity as the first Chairman of the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre. He was a member of Council and Chairman of the Staff Committee of the University of Mauritius from 2005 to 2012 and President of the Mauritius Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) from 2012 to 2015. He also served as the Chairman of the Radiation Safety and Nuclear Security Council (2006 to 2021) and Vice-Chair of the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) from 2013 to 2019. |
|
Council Member
|
Dr Jean Claude AUTREY, GCSK, CSK, is the Chancellor of the University of Mauritius with which he had a long association since 1978. He was a lecturer at the School of Agriculture on a part-time basis, a member of the Senate for ten years, and Member of the Council since 1998, along with being the Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Budget Committee and Infrastructure of the University. Dr Autrey spent his career spanning over 40 years from 1967 to 2007 with Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) and was its Director from 1996 to 2007. He has been active at the level of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists since the 1980s having been Chair of Pathology Section, Biology Commissioner, Chair of the Technical Programme Committee and Chair of the Executive Committee and Council from 2001 to 2005. He holds a BSc degree in Botany from the University of London, a Masters in Plant Pathology and a PhD in Virology and a DSc in Biological Sciences from the University Exeter. He is the author of some 200 scientific papers and more than a hundred expert reports. Dr. Autrey is a Fellow of the Society for Biology, London and is a Chartered Biologist. He is an elected member of TWAS - The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries. He has been the President of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Mauritius and the Société de Technologie Agricole et Sucrière de Maurice and the Mauritius Standards Council. Dr Autrey holds currently various posts: General Secretary of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists, Science & Technology Coordinator of Omnicane Group, Chair of the Research & Development Committee of the MSIRI, Chair of the ACP States Committee on Sugar Research, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Group of the ACP Sugar Research Programme, Lead Consultant of the West African Sugar Development Programme, United Nations a project, managed by the International Sugar Organization in London, Director of the Flora of the Mascarenes Project, a monumental task entailing the description of all plant species in Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues. Dr. Autrey has been conferred many distinctions in his 56-year long career such as: Silver (1978) and Gold (2007) Medals, MSIRI, Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, CSK (2005), Grand Commander of the Order of the Start and Key of the Indian Ocean, GCSK (2024), Honorary Life Member: Société de Technologie Agricole et Sucrière de l'Ile Maurice (STASM - 2000); ISSCT (2010); Mauritius Academy of Science and Tehcnology (2014) and Royal Society of Arts and Sciences Mauritius (2015). An active Rotarian since 1980, Dr. Autrey has served the Rotary Club of Port Louis in various capacities including its presidency in 1986-1987. Dr. Autrey was made Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International in 2002 for distinguished services to the Community. |
|
Council Member
|
Dr Deoraj CAUSSY, a graduate of Canadian University with a dual specialty in virology and epidemiology is an independent epidemiologist offering integrated epidemiology solutions to a variety of contemporary problems via https://www.drdeorajcaussy.com/, He is a seasoned epidemiologist of international recognition, having trained and worked in world renowned institutes including the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and the World Health Organization. He was advisor in epidemiology and virology at the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life in Mauritius he also teaches the same subjects in various institutions in Mauritius. His forte being capacity building and networking through policy analysis and formulation, he has closely followed the development and management of covid-19 around the world. He plays an active role in raising public awareness of contemporary health issues through his regular publications in the locally and internationally. He has contributed to policy document on climate change and health for NASAC and presented at COP26 and 27 for IAP. |
