Prof Charlene Wilma Joyce Africa worked in clinical diagnostic and research laboratories in the private pathology, industry and academic institutes in Cape Town, Durban, London and Kansas City. Her Lecturing experience covers 3rd- 5th-year dental students, 1st and 2nd-year oral hygienists, 3rd year and Honours Medical Biosciences students as well as the Master's programme of Women and Gender studies in the Arts Faculty. Prof Africa's Academic Leadership includes Mentoring, Membership of several Departmental, Faculty, Senate and Council committees, particularly those pertaining to appointments/promotions, discipline, equity and gender. She Served one year as Special Assistant to the Rector/Vice-Chancellor; three terms in the position of Deputy Dean (Gender and Equity) in the Faculty of Science and Cluster Head for Medical Microbiology in the Department of Medical Biosciences at the University of the Western Cape. Prof Africa holds Membership in several professional societies and Served 2 terms on the Board of the International Union of Microbiological Societies and the International Council of Scientific Unions, two terms on the Executive of the ASSAf-hosted Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and one term on the Executive of the Association of South African Women In Science and Engineering (SAS). She frequently receives invitations for plenary/specialist Topic Speaker at scientific and women’s conferences. Prof Africa is an NRF-rated scientist (C3) with multidisciplinary research agenda including female morbidity due to opportunistic endogenous infections and their impact on pregnancy outcomes, particularly pertaining to antimicrobial-resistant oral and vaginal anaerobes and fungi. She has Received several research awards from national and international science councils. Prof Africa is Author/Co-Author of 96 peer-reviewed Publications and Conference Proceedings, 1 book chapter and 1 book, with 32 media features, >100 national and international conference presentations.
