The African Astronomical Society (AfAS) has announced the outcome of the 2022 Seed Research Grant. As a result, the grant winners include:

• Ms Grace Katusiime; Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda; Research Project: “New ideas from old friends: revisiting XTE J1118+480 and XTE J1550-564.”
• Dr Hassan Abdalla Hassan Hamad; Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan; Research Project: “Infrared emission from interstellar dust in cosmic voids affecting the TeV gamma-ray flux from distant blazars.”
• Ms Malebo Ella Moloko; University of Cape Town, South Africa; Research Project: “MeerLIRGs: A 1.28 GHz MeerKAT continuum study of Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the Southern Hemisphere”.

Launched in 2021 by the AfAS Early-Career Researcher Sub-Committee under the organisation’s Science Committee, the AfAS Seed Research Grant supports research projects in Astronomy (including Astrophysics and Space Science) conducted by postgraduate students and/or early career researchers that are based in Africa. Each of the three laureates will receive USD 1,200 for international/domestic travel, lodging, computer equipment and other research-related expenses.

The astronomical society is also inviting applications for the AfAS-2022 MSc and PhD Prizes to recognise and reward the outstanding accomplishments achieved by academically talented African students who recently defended their Master’s or PhD thesis in the field of Astronomy (including Astrophysics & Space Science). A total of eight prizes (four MSc, four PhD) to be shared over four African regions (North, South, East, and West Africa) will be conferred each year with a cash prize of USD 400 for an MSc and USD 800 for a PhD award, respectively. You can read more about the application invitation here.