Dr. Vicky Kondi, originally from Togo (West Africa), works in climate, energy, and environmental physics. Her education took her across several countries: a bachelor’s degree in engineering (water and sanitation) in Faso, a master’s degree in environmental management in Alexandria (Egypt), and a joint PhD between Ivory Coast and Grenoble (France). She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in Kigali, Rwanda, at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, working on “climate forecasting for energy.”
Kondi sees her mother as the first influence on her interest in science, who had an engineering background but worked as an English teacher, and Kondi remembers thinking, “I knew at some point I would give myself this duty to achieve… and do better than my mother.” Winning a mathematics prize at school strengthened her confidence, and support from mentors helped her stay motivated when she did not get good grades.
Her most significant achievement includes developing a “jelly‑like substance detection model” for forecasting electricity consumption, consulting for the German government on climate verification systems, and assisting the EU on energy efficiency across Africa. She also values promoting science to young people and serving on the INWES board.
Kondi encourages young women to pursue STEM despite the obstacles, insisting that “you have to know what you want and what impact you want to have.” She urges them to persist with courage and integrity: “Never give up… I want and I can achieve, I want and will attend.” “We need more ladies at training level, in our societies…we need more ladies.”