Stellenbosch University's Luther Chipembere wins FameLab national title

Luther Chipembere, a doctoral student in Agricultural Economics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Stellenbosch University, was crowned the 2025 FameLab South Africa champion on Thursday, September 18.

Mr Chipembere was announced the winner at an event in Pretoria hosted by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) and Jive Media Africa, becoming the first participant from Stellenbosch University to win this prestigious award. 

Considered to be one of the biggest science communication and public speaking competitions in the world, FameLab, which is also a development initiative, creates a platform for young emerging scientists to speak to public audiences about their work. 

The university said Mr Chipembere’s doctoral study applies AI and strategic foresight to global challenges, including food insecurity, generating insights that inform policy and practice.

Using satellite imagery, climate data, and household food survey data, he develops machine learning models that can forecast crop yields before harvest, generating early signals of stress within food systems. 

These signals create time for farmers to adapt, for governments to cushion shocks, and for communities to protect vulnerable households. 

In this way, his work transforms data into foresight and helps bring people closer to the reality of Zero Hunger – the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.

Mr Chipembere, who is also an administrator at the African Doctoral Academy of the Centre for Capacity Development in Africa, at Stellenbosch University (SU) International, said becoming the national FameLab champion is both humbling and affirming. 

“Being the first from SU to win the national title makes the achievement historic, but also a responsibility to open doors for others who will follow. More than personal pride, it feels like a collective milestone shaped by mentors, colleagues, and supporters.”

He will proceed to represent South Africa at the international FameLab competition in November at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland.

SAASTA said this year’s national final brought together 22 outstanding semi-finalists from across South Africa, showcasing research ranging from cancer to conservation, and that Mr Chipembere’s work impressed the judges.

“His groundbreaking work earned him the FameLab South Africa 2025 title after a three-minute presentation that captivated judges and audience alike. Chipembere will now take his research to the international FameLab competition in Switzerland,” it said in a statement.

The first runner-up was Lutho Lange from Nelson Mandela University, and the second runner-up was Jackey Mukhawana from Rhodes University.