From a Classroom in Cape Town to the Frontlines of African Space Innovation – Algeria’s Assala Benmalek’s Journey Beyond the Big Data Africa School

When Assala Benmalek arrived at the 4th Big Data Africa School (BDAS) in Cape Town in 2023, she expected a training programme. What she found instead was a turning point—one that would redefine her ambitions, open international doors, and anchor her firmly in Africa’s emerging research and innovation landscape.

Assala was selected to join the IBM Research project team exploring out-of-distribution (OOD) detection for skin cancer and malaria—her first real step into scientific research. “BDAS was the first place where I truly saw myself as a researcher,” she recalls. Surrounded by mentors from IBM Research and peers from leading labs across the world, she not only gained technical skills but also discovered a community that believed in her potential.

That belief ignited a momentum she carried forward. Shortly after the school ended, Assala continued working with her BDAS mentor, Dr Celia Cintas, transforming her project into the foundation of her master’s thesis. Within six months, she published her first scientific paper—followed by a second as her research deepened. For a young scientist, this was an exceptional milestone.

The trajectory didn’t stop there. Assala earned her first professional research position as a Research Intern at IBM Research Africa in Nairobi, working under the same mentorship that first shaped her BDAS experience. “Every step felt like a natural extension of what began at BDAS,” she says. “It was a launchpad in every sense.”

Her connection to BDAS evolved beyond research. Encouraged by the programme’s organiser, Dr Bonita De Swardt, she joined the organising teams for BDAS 2025 and 2026, leading media and communications. This role strengthened her leadership skills and anchored her within a vibrant pan-African scientific network.

The 5th BDAS, themed around Earth Observation, marked yet another shift. It introduced Assala to communities such as AfriClime and Digital Earth Africa—connections that later proved vital. Today, she works at Africa Space Works in Algeria—the country’s first space-focused company—on methane detection and monitoring, a critical challenge for the continent. Through BDAS, she established a collaboration with Digital Earth Africa, enabling access to methane datasets for African research and climate action.

“BDAS didn’t just train me,” Assala says. “It changed the direction of my life. It opened doors to research, mentorship, internships, leadership opportunities, and a community that continues to guide me. Every new step I take in my career can be traced back to that experience.”

From Cape Town to Nairobi to Kigali, Assala’s journey reflects the transformative power of equitable partnerships and African-led scientific capacity building. Her story is a testament to what becomes possible when young researchers are given the space, support, and community to thrive.