Christian Happi: Courtney Martin & Nguhi Mwaura - We Do Need to Understand the System

SOLVERS is a new podcast featuring interviews with people who are dealing with big, global problems that are entrenched, complex, messy, and always urgent. But none of that stops them. They’ve rolled up their sleeves and gotten straight to work. How do they remain resilient in the face of immensely complex problems that have spanned generations? How do they keep going when the issues they work on are bigger than their own lifetimes?

Join hosts Courtney Martin and Nguhi Mwaura as they preview some of their favorite moments from SOLVERS — brought to you by the Skoll Foundation in partnership with Aspen Ideas.

Christian Happi, is a Professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics and Director of the World Bank funded African Center of Excellence for Genomics of infectious Diseases (ACEGID) in Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria.
Professor Christian Happi, did his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University from 2000-2003. He subsequently worked at Harvard University as a Research Scientist (2004-2007) and became an adjunct Professor at Harvard University School of Public Health between 2007-2011.
Professor Happi in an unprecedented way, recently used next generation sequencing technology to perform the first sequence of the new SARS-CoV-2 in Africa, within 48 hours of receiving sample of the first case in Nigeria. This seminal work not only provided an insight into the detailed genetic map of the new coronavirus in Africa, not only confirm the origin of the virus, but also pave the way to the development of new countermeasures including new diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.
He received the Merle A. Sande Health Leadership Award in 2011; the 2016 Award of Excellence in Research, by the Committee of Vice- Chancellors of Nigerian Universities; the 2019 Human Genome Organization (HUGO) Africa Prize for his seminal work on infectious diseases genomics in Africa, including Ebola and Lassa fever and the 2020 Bailey K. Ashford Medal by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).

Courtney E. Martin is an author, entrepreneur, and the co-host of Solvers, a new podcast out from Skoll and the Aspen Institute. She has written/edited many books, including the soon-to-be-released Learning in Public: Lessons for a Racially-Divided America from my Daughter's School (Little Brown) and has a popular Substack newsletter. Courtney is also co-founded the Solutions Journalism Network and FRESH Speakers, and has consulted with a wide variety of organizations—like TED, the Aspen Institute, The Obama Foundation, and The Sundance Institute—on how to make impactful, story-rich social change. She has appeared on the TODAY Show, MSNBC, and The O’Reilly Factor, and speaks widely at conferences and colleges. Courtney has interviewed luminaries as wide ranging as filmmaker Ava DuVernay, writer Zadie Smith, choreographer Alonzo King, organizer Ai-Jen Poo, rapper Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and designer Tim Brown. Courtney has an honorary doctorate from Art Center College of Design and received the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics. She lives with her partner, John Cary, and two daughters, in a co-housing community in Oakland.

Nguhi is currently a Project Manager with Dalberg's Implementation team. Previously, Nguhi was a fellow with the Portfolio and Investments team at the Skoll Foundation. Prior to Skoll, Nguhi worked as a Program Manager with Schole, an investment firm that acquires and manages schools across Africa- helping them develop and deepen their strategy for East Africa. Nguhi was also a management consultant with Dalberg, serving a wide range of clients, covering topic areas from Agriculture to Early Childhood Education. Nguhi is Kenyan and has experience living and working in several countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. Nguhi is passionate about serving African entrepreneurs to drive development as we define it.