Claudie Haigneré, first female astronaut and French Minister, now special advisor to European Space Agency’s (ESA) Director General has accepted to chair the prestigious Jury of Dstv Eutelsat Star Awards.

It is the first time a woman takes on this assignment, acting as a strong incentive for students dreaming big, especially young women, to live up to their full potential.

Claudie Haigneré will preside over an international panel of skilled industry experts, alongside government and academic world members: Ronke Bello, CEO at Innovative Technology Literacy Services Ltd (Nigeria), Rodney Benn, Regional Director for Africa at Eutelsat, Melt Loubser, GM: Broadcast Technology MultiChoice Africa, Elizabeth Ohene, journalist and former Minister of State to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (Ghana), Prof. Stephen Simukanga, Former University of Zambia Chancellor and now Director General of the Higher Education Authority, John Ugbe, Managing Director: MultiChoice Nigeria and Jenerali Ulimwengu, well known writer, columnist and lawyer (Tanzania).

The sixth edition shows sustained interest from African learners aged 14 to 19, adding fresh impetus to the mission shared by MultiChoice and Eutelsat to encourage young minds to positively change their world via innovative thinking in science and technology.

The essay, poster winners and runners-up of this year’s edition will be revealed at a ceremony to be held in Lagos, Nigeria, on 7 February.

Nearly 6,000 secondary school students have entered the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards competition since it was established by Eutelsat and MultiChoice Africa in 2011.