Nonsikelelo Sackey, 31, is changing how science is understood, proving that groundbreaking research only achieves its full potential when people can engage with it. As founder and CEO of Siakhula, she has built a specialist science communication agency that helps organisations across science, health, technology and entrepreneurship translate complex research into compelling stories that inform policy, attract investment and inspire public understanding.
Holding an MPhil in Science and Technology Studies (Science and Public Engagement) from Stellenbosch University, Sackey deliberately positioned Siakhula as a specialist science communication agency in a market dominated by generalist firms. Her work bridges the gap between scientists and society, ensuring research reaches policymakers, funders and communities in ways that drive meaningful impact. Alongside leading a growing business, she contributes to the academic field through research published in the Journal of Science Communication, reinforcing her belief that effective science communication should be grounded in evidence as much as creativity.
Sackey credits her late mother, a mathematics and science teacher for more than three decades, with instilling her lifelong curiosity about science and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of education. Even after her mother's passing in 2023, those lessons continue to shape the way she leads and the purpose behind Siakhula. Through her work, Sackey is ensuring African science is not only world-class but also understood, valued and accessible—giving innovation a stronger voice and helping it reach the people it is meant to serve.