The African Light Source · Towards an advanced light source for the African continent
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Talent, Authorship & Mobility

Behind every output is a person. The corpus reveals a deep bench of African researchers — and a mobility pattern that is both an asset and a warning. Keeping that talent productive at home is one of the strongest arguments for the facility.

The African Research Observatory

The people behind the science

The most productive researchers, and those whose work spans the most countries.

AfLS Science Observatory · live dataMost prolific authorsThe researchers driving the most output.Explore this interactively →
AfLS Science Observatory · live dataMost internationally-mobile authorsThose whose work spans the most countries.Explore this interactively →

Brain circulation, not brain drain

African researchers are highly mobile, frequently spanning several countries over a career. Handled well, that mobility is brain circulation — talent that carries skills and collaborations back home. A continental light source gives that circulation an anchor: a world-class reason to return, and a hub that keeps internationally-trained scientists connected to African institutions.

The African Research Observatory

Where the talent is based

A map of contributing authors by country.

AfLS Science Observatory · live dataAuthorship by countryWhere the researchers behind African science are based.Explore this interactively →
The African Research Observatory

Reach and distribution of careers

How far African research careers span, and the countries authors call home.

AfLS Science Observatory · live dataHow many countries do authors span?The international reach of African research careers.Explore this interactively →
AfLS Science Observatory · live dataAuthors by last-known countryWhere the cohort’s authors are based today.Explore this interactively →