Nairobi, Kenya | August 11, 2025 -In a compelling convergence of faith, science, and ethical innovation, the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM) convened the African Jesuits in Science (AJIS) Symposium 2025 under the theme "Smart Planet, Just Future: AI and Ecology in the Fight for Sustainability."

Held from 4-8 August 2025, at AFRICAMA House, the Jesuit regional hub in Nairobi, this five-day symposium marked a landmark moment in the African Church’s commitment to scientific leadership for ecological justice.

Bringing together Jesuit scientists, scholars, and technology experts from across Africa and beyond, the symposium explored how artificial intelligence and ecological innovation can serve the common good, especially in a region disproportionately affected by climate change, food insecurity, and under-resourced health systems. A JCAM initiative, the symposium exemplifies the Society of Jesus' commitment to education, justice, and scientific inquiry in the 21st century. AJIS supports African Jesuit scientists in contributing to global knowledge while responding to local needs, especially where communities face ecological degradation, public health crises, and technological inequity.

The symposium showcased 12 groundbreaking research projects, each blending technical innovation with real-world application. Jesuits involved in STEM shared cutting-edge research that reflected the symposium’s interdisciplinary spirit and social relevance. Research spanned across four major domains: From quantum physics to biogas, from AI ethics to asteroid defense, the latest research presented reflects an ambitious yet grounded vision for science and society. This vibrant intellectual landscape not only offers cutting-edge technical insights but also poses pressing ethical questions about the future we are shaping, especially for communities in the Global South.

The symposium opened with welcoming remarks from the JCAM President Fr. José Minaku, SJ, delivered by his socius. Fr. John the Baptist Anyeh-Zamcho, SJ warmly welcomed all participants, both in-person and online, emphasizing the foundational Jesuit spirit of readiness and service to the marginalized for the greater glory of God. He stressed that this guiding principle should inform all scientific research and technological innovation undertaken by Jesuits across Africa. In closing, he expressed gratitude to Fathers Jean-Baptiste Kikwaya and Jerome Munyahi for establishing and leading this collaborative group six years ago, while encouraging the new leadership team of Fathers Jerome Munyahi and Alain Pitti to continue advancing their vital work.

These opening words set the tone for four days of scientific presentations that would demonstrate how Jesuit researchers and STEM specialists are living out this mission across diverse fields.

The research sessions began with explorations of quantum and space evolution theories in the first category:

Jerome Paschal Manyahi, SJ, (Mwenge Catholic University, Tanzania) argues for a synthesis of quantum probability and biological evolution through the lens of the anthropic principle. He contends that the emergence and sustainability of life can be grounded in the probabilistic logic of quantum mechanics, a fusion of physics, philosophy, and theology.

In a different cosmic direction, Williams Dhelonga, SJ, examines the feasibility of interstellar travel in response to Earth's ecological crisis. His overview addresses propulsion methods, ethical implications, and the role of AI in expanding humanity’s reach while ensuring survival.

Meanwhile, Jean-Baptiste Kikwaya’s presentation on asteroid defense revisits the catastrophic Chicxulub impact that ended the age of dinosaurs. He emphasizes the importance of international missions like NASA’s DART and ESA’s HERA to deflect potentially hazardous near-Earth objects. Jean-Baptiste Kikwaya, SJ, is the first African Jesuit to have an asteroid named after him.

In the second category on understanding the benefits and crisis of AI in ecology, several presentations interrogate the role of artificial intelligence across sectors:

Boniface Mbouzao, SJ, (Catholic University of Central Africa & Loyola Marymount University) explores how AI has revolutionized education in Africa but warns of the challenges in regulation, access, and evaluation, particularly due to funding gaps.

Didier Cimalamungo, SJ, (JST, Santa Clara University) presented an ethical framework to ensure that the AI revolution era serves ecological justice rather than exacerbating harms. Through the analysis of social structural complicity, he examined how AI technology’s minerals demand contributes to the ecological crisis and advocate for Restorative Ecological Justice.

Itua Egbor, SJ, (Arrupe College University) critiques the hidden labor behind AI development. His paper calls attention to the exploitation of data annotators and content moderators often from the Global South and proposes a hybrid ethical model that blends multiple philosophies and prioritizes human dignity over profit.

The third concentrated on the use of AI tools in Lab Researches:

Armel F. Setubi, SJ, (Georgetown Medical Center, CGHPI) examines the use of electronic adherence monitoring devices to improve adherence to Antiretroviral therapy. These devices could strengthen monitoring, reduce viral rebound, curb viral mutation, drug resistance, and accelerate progress toward the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. His analysis highlights feasibility, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness in African settings.

On the agricultural virology front, Alain Pitti Djida, SJ, (IQS School of Engineering) uses advanced AI tools like AlphaFold to model the 3D structure of the Replication-associated protein of the African Cassava Mosaic Virus. His work provides a computational foundation for designing inhibitors that could mitigate crop losses across the continent.

Similarly, Fabrice Kameni, SJ, (Ubicom Lab, Marquette University) offers a hopeful application of quantum-enhanced AI for cassava disease detection. His hybrid quantum-classical model, trained on over 21,000 leaf images, achieved 87.4% accuracy. While still under development, the model could significantly aid African farmers by enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis of crop diseases.

Michael Otieno Ochieng, SJ, delves into one of the deadliest cancers, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and its resistance to chemotherapy. His study identifies 31 exosomal proteins associated with drug resistance, suggesting new pathways for prognosis and therapy.

The final group focused on practical applications with direct social impact:

On the environmental front, Pierre Luhata Lokadi, SJ, (Université Loyola du Congo and Sophia University) conducted a comparative study in Kinshasa, revealing that household biogas can substitute up to 76% of charcoal use, offering a viable solution to indoor air pollution and deforestation. His findings advocate larger-scale biogas initiatives optimized for methane yield.

Herintsitohaina Mahasedra Ratsimbarison, SJ, (Madagascar) presented a small hydropower feasibility study in Madagascar, proposing data-informed models that integrate community needs and environmental sustainability. The emphasis is on empowering local capacity through careful planning and strategic data use.

The symposium featured five invited guests who explored faith, technology, and justice through diverse perspectives, namely:

Dominique Lambert (University of Namur) provided a Catholic framework for science-faith dialogue through philosophical and anthropological approaches, while Thomas Mboa (Université d'Ottawa and Université de Yaoundé II) addressed decolonial AI in African agriculture, proposing community-centered development that respects indigenous knowledge. Medard Sané (Georgetown University and CERC-Brazzaville) used the African Wazabanga parable to critique extractive AI practices, advocating for technology grounded in African ecological wisdom, and Rampeoane Hlobo (JENA-JCAM) brought Ubuntu philosophy to examine the intersection of Catholic Social Teaching, African values, and scientific practice. François Euvé (Revue Études) contributed Jesuit theological perspectives to conversations bridging faith and modern science, as well as theology and technology.

These diverse contributions demonstrate the depth of African scientific inquiry and its global significance. Through applications of AI in agriculture and education, modeling of pandemics and planetary threats, and ethical examination of emerging technologies, these scholars show that Africa is not merely responding to local challenges but actively shaping global debates on science, sustainability, and justice. The symposium revealed Africa as an active and ethical innovator rather than a passive recipient of global technologies.

As AI transforms human life and Earth's climate enters unprecedented territory, the 2025 AJIS Symposium provided essential space for reflection, innovation, and commitment. With a distinctly African Jesuit voice, the event challenged the global scientific community and STEM professionals to prioritize ethics, solidarity, and sustainability.

In our age of planetary crisis and digital transformation, where algorithms often outpace conscience, the African Jesuits in Science offer a vital reminder: The future must be not only intelligent, but just. A smart planet must also be an ethical one.