Ms Phyllis Kalele is the Senior Liaison Officer – African Collaboration, at the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). She is responsible for building partnerships and leading academy activities on the continent with the aim of advocating for the use of evidence based science in policy making and increasing the visibility of African scientists. She is also involved in the management of activities of The World Academy of Sciences Regional Office for sub-Saharan Africa (TWAS-ROSSA), which is hosted by ASSAf. Ms Kalele holds a Master of Science in Environment and Society from the University of Pretoria, South Africa and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Science and Technology Studies at the Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Her PhD project is on factors influencing the research productivity and career advancement of early-career women scientists in Africa (Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe).