A legacy of excellence
ASESMA was founded in 2008, when planning began for a series of schools on electronic structure methods to be held every two years in different African countries. The first school took place in July 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The fundamental premise underlying ASESMA is that advanced research is possible through computational approaches that need relatively modest financial resources. The curriculum pairs theoretical foundations in electronic structure methods with hands-on computational training, with applications in materials science, chemistry, and biological systems.
Since 2010, ASESMA schools have been held in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Rwanda, as well as online in 2021. Each edition brings participants from across the continent together with internationally recognised lecturers, and builds research networks and collaborations that continue long after the school ends. The 9th school will take place in Dakar, Senegal, in June 2027.
The initiative has also grown a galaxy of independent but coordinated activities: regional schools (CASESMA in Central Africa, SASESMA in Southern Africa), the ASESMANET continental research network, the US-Africa Initiative in Electronic Structure (USAfri), and regular mini-lecture series that keep the community engaged between the biennial schools.