Dr Adam Cooper
Chief Research Specialist
Adam Cooper is the Chief Research Specialist in the Equitable Education and Economies division at the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa. His research focuses on the sociologies of young people and education, particularly the intersections of education and the world of work. He leads research projects on young people’s transitions into the workforce and their aspirations for personal and global change within educational institutions and working life. Recently, he has been working on a project related to education and skills for the informal economic sector. Adam also played a key role in hosting eight Young African Research Fellows, contributing to the creation of a virtual museum in 2022 and 2023.
Ms Sindi-Leigh McBride
Phd Research Trainee
Sindi-Leigh McBride, a Johannesburg-based writer and PhD Candidate at the University of Basel, focuses on the politics and poetics of climate change in South Africa and Nigeria. She is a research fellow at Creative Knowledge Resources, an interdisciplinary project at the University of Cape Town documenting socially engaged art. Additionally, she works as a research trainee at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), studying youth livelihoods and climate change. Her arts criticism and short stories have been published in various outlets, including Africa’s a Country, Artthrob, and The Johannesburg Book Review. She co-edited “Lost Libraries, Burnt Archives” (2023), a collection of works addressing the tragic destruction of the African Studies Library at the University of Cape Town by fire in April 2021. Sindi-Leigh is enthusiastic about the African Youth Livelihoods Virtual Museum as a model for creative knowledge production and its potential to enhance our understanding of youth and work in Africa.
Mr Sabelo Mpisi
Young African Research Fellow
Sabelo holds a Master’s degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa. His research covers diverse topics such as ageing in rural KwaZulu Natal and sanitary conditions in South African townships, shedding light on unique social dynamics. He is passionate about exploring the experiences of vulnerable social groups, material-human interaction, and the challenges facing youth livelihoods. As a Young African Research Fellow (YARF) at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), he worked on a project examining structural barriers to fulfilling work for young people in Africa, further fueling his interest in unconventional knowledge-sharing methods like podcasting and virtual curation. Sabelo is excited about using the virtual museum to engage diverse audiences in dialogues about youth livelihoods and development, seeing it as a beacon of hope and empowerment, showcasing the resilience and creativity of African youth amidst adversity.