Forbes Women Africa Academic Excellence Award - Dr Adriana Marais

FORBES WOMEN AFRICA celebrated 10 years of empowering and recognising women. The FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit featured over 60 speakers from the continent and the diaspora. The day culminated in the 2025 FORBES WOMEN AFRICA AWARD, a spectacular finale, celebrating a decade of progress, with 16 winners in a range of categories. Our own Adrian Marais was awarded the Academic Excellence Award.

"What has driven me is the vision of billions of children in Africa and around the world looking up at the night sky, and feeling not only a sense of wonder and belonging in this beautiful Cosmos that we call home, but also a sense of participation in this exciting era for human space exploration. Thank you to the Forbes Africa team for your dedication to celebrating female leadership on the continent. I am proud to be recognised alongside the unique collection of female trailblazers, distinct in their thinking but single-minded in their purpose for a new, equal and thriving world, at this year's 2025 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit. " Dr Adriana Marais.