Dr Sepo Hachigonta has research interests in transdisciplinary fields as well as Africa’s STI policy landscape. He has played a significant role in developing open science and systems analysis expertise aimed at addressing current global challenges through various programmes, including the Southern African Systems Analysis Centre, a multi-year initiative that supports systems analysis interventions in Africa, and the Africa Open Science Platform - a Pan-African initiative which aims to position African scientists at the cutting edge of data-intensive science. He has been instrumental in spearheading Africa’s participation in regional and international bodies, including the Science Granting Council Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa, the International Science Council, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.