Specializing in applied mathematics, Abdon Atangana dreams of an Africa that dominates the sciences and fights to decolonize mathematics. The intellectual achievements of this brilliant Cameroonian mathematician have not failed to attract the attention of #Puissance237.
On June 19th 2021 in Paris, the 37-year-old Cameroonian became the inaugural laureate of the UNESCO-AI Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. A biennial prize created by UNESCO, in partnership with the Al-Fozan Foundation of Saudi Arabia.
According to Atangana, this prize “proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Africans can stay in Africa, work hard, progress, and develop their continent without further help from the West.”
Scientific journals unanimously acknowledge Atangana’s significant contributions in the field of mathematics, particularly in the areas of fractional calculus, fractional differential equations, and mathematical modeling. His work could help solve problems such as the spread of infectious diseases, heat transfer problems, groundwater flow, and contamination, or weather conditions.
The accolades continue to pour in for this native of Elig-Mfomo, a municipality in the Central Region of Cameroon. In 2019, he was ranked the 2nd best mathematician in the world in the Top 2% of scientists worldwide by Stanford University. He is also the first mathematician to receive the TWAS Mohammad A. Hamdan Prize awarded by the World Academy of Sciences.
According to him, one of the major weaknesses lies in how mathematics is taught in high school, with an emphasis on formulas rather than applications. He believes that African governments should make more efforts in promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to change the future of the continent.
Abdon Atangana continues to explore new mathematical frontiers with boundless passion and determination. His promising work paves the way for major advancements in various scientific and technological fields. There is no doubt for #Puissance237 that this Cameroonian genius will continue to leave his mark on the world of mathematics for years to come.
The editorial team
