{{Short description|Sierra Leonean politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = David Moinina Sengeh | image = File:David Moinina Sengeh - 2022 (52536514763) (cropped).jpg | caption = Sengeh in 2022 | office = Chief Minister of Sierra Leone | term_start = 10 July 2023 | term_end = | president = Julius Maada Bio | predecessor = Jacob Jusu Saffa | successor = | birth_date = 1987 | alma_mater = {{ubl|UWC Red Cross Nordic|Harvard University|Massachusetts Institute of Technology}} | module = {{Infobox scientist | embed = yes | workplaces = IBM Research | thesis_title = The use of a novel residuum model to design a variable-impedance transtibial prosthetic socket | thesis_url = http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/106069 | thesis_year = 2016 | doctoral_advisor = Hugh Herr }} }}
'''David Moinina Sengeh''' is a Sierra Leonean politician who has served as the chief minister of Sierra Leone after being appointed by President Julius Maada Bio in 2023. He previously served as the minister of basic and senior secondary education and chief innovation officer for the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-04-30|title='Role model' minister holds Zoom meeting with baby|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52487213|access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=David Moinina Sengeh; 6 facts about Sierra Leone's 31-year-old Chief Innovation Officer|url=https://techpoint.africa/2018/10/22/6-facts-about-david-moinina-sengeh/|last=Ekwealor|first=Victor|date=2018-10-22|website=Techpoint.Africa|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref> He is a TED Senior Fellow.
== Education and early life ==
Sengeh was offered a scholarship to study in Norway, and joined the UWC Red Cross Nordic College in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cargocollective.com/sengeh/About-David-Moinina-Sengeh|title=About David Moinina Sengeh - sengeh.com|website=cargocollective.com|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.pincexperience.com/speaker/david-moinina-sengeh|title=David Moinina Sengeh|date=2016-07-07|work=PINC|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en|archive-date=2018-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017002121/https://www.pincexperience.com/speaker/david-moinina-sengeh|url-status=dead}}</ref> His uncle was a surgeon.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://news.mit.edu/2012/graduate-student-david-sengeh-gives-back-to-sierra-leone-1218|title=Graduate student David Sengeh gives back to Sierra Leone|work=MIT News|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He studied biomedical engineering at Harvard University. He researched aerosolised vaccines for tuberculosis and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seas.harvard.edu/audiences/alumni/alumni-news-briefs/2018/05/sengeh-named-first-chief-innovation-officer-of-sierra-leone|title=Sengeh named first chief innovation officer of Sierra Leone|date=2018-05-23|website=www.seas.harvard.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16|archive-date=2018-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017042956/https://www.seas.harvard.edu/audiences/alumni/alumni-news-briefs/2018/05/sengeh-named-first-chief-innovation-officer-of-sierra-leone|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://statehouse.gov.sl/president-bio-appoints-chief-innovation-officer-directorate-of-science-technology-and-innovation/|title=President Bio Appoints Chief Innovation Officer, Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation|date=2018-05-17|work=Sierra Leone State House – The Republic of Sierra Leone State House|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en-US}}</ref> During his time at Harvard University, he was cofounder of ''Lebone Solutions'', a start-up that developed inexpensive batteries from microbial fuel cells.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a4815/4332914/|title=10 Most Brilliant Innovators of 2009: Bacteria-Powered Battery|date=2009-10-06|work=Popular Mechanics|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en-US}}</ref> He was listed in the 2013 ''Wired'' magazine Smart List. Sengeh joined Massachusetts Institute of Technology for his postgraduate studies, working under the supervision of Hugh Herr.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/techonomy/2014/12/04/cyborgs-from-sierra-leone-polymath-david-sengeh-brings-prosthetics-to-the-people/#7326ff8e19bc|title=Cyborgs From Sierra Leone: Polymath David Sengeh Brings Prosthetics To The People|last=Techonomy|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://techonomy.com/2014/11/techonomy-magazine-year-end-edition-2014/|title=Techonomy Magazine: Year-End Edition 2014 - Techonomy|date=2014-11-08|work=Techonomy|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017043046/https://techonomy.com/2014/11/techonomy-magazine-year-end-edition-2014/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://biomech.media.mit.edu/people/|title=Biomechatronics {{!}} People|website=biomech.media.mit.edu|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He was inspired to work on prosthetics because he grew up surrounded by victims of civil war.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/06/10/high-tech-step-forward/yP1CAjr6WxRxPWEzxDGEGL/story.html|title=A high-tech step forward - The Boston Globe|work=BostonGlobe.com|first=Karen|last=Weintraub| date=2012-06-11|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Civil war survivor helps amputees - CNN Video|date=15 April 2013 |url=http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/international/2013/04/15/african-voices-david-sengeh-bionics-mit-a.cnn.html|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He used MRI to map amputee's limbs, then assessed where artificial materials could create pressure points, and used 3D printing to generate new sockets.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> His prototypes were tested by veterans and amputees from the Boston Marathon bombing.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2014/04/david-sengeh-10-wins-2014-lemelson-mit-student-prize|title=David Sengeh '10 wins 2014 Lemelson-MIT student prize|date=2014-04-09|website=www.seas.harvard.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He was named as a TED fellow in 2014, delivering a talk entitled ''The sore problem of prosthetic limbs''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ted.com/speakers/david_sengeh|title=David Sengeh {{!}} Speaker {{!}} TED|last=Sengeh|first=David|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Sengeh|first=David|title=The sore problem of prosthetic limbs|date=10 April 2014 |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/david_sengeh_the_sore_problem_of_prosthetic_limbs?language=en|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He was selected as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/elld45eemkm/david-moinina-sengeh-26/#1d31f207460c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109072611/http://www.forbes.com/pictures/elld45eemkm/david-moinina-sengeh-26/#1d31f207460c|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 9, 2014|title=David Moinina Sengeh, 26|website=Forbes|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He won the 2014 Lemelson–MIT Prize for his innovations in healthcare.<ref name=":4" /> He was selected as one of Face2Face Africa's ''Young Africans Committed to Excellence.''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://face2faceafrica.com/article/yace-2014-meet/2#.U7V6Lo1dUs0|title=Introducing Africa's Best: Meet the 2014 Young Africans Committed to Excellence (YACE)|date=2014-06-26|work=Face2Face Africa|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en-US}}</ref> He completed his PhD at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2016.<ref name=":1" /> After completing his PhD, Sengeh toured makerspaces in America talking about his work on prosthetics.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/LiveCulture/archives/2016/03/04/big-maker-presents-engineer-david-sengeh|title=BIG Maker Presents Engineer David Sengeh|last=Williams|first=Sadie|work=Seven Days|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en}}</ref>
During his PhD research, Sengeh founded the NGO Global Minimum Inc'','' a program that supports the ''Innovate Salone'' entrepreneurship program in Sierra Leone, Kenya and Cape Town.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.creativitypost.com/education/innovate_salone_creating_innovation_from_within_africa|title=Innovate Salone: Creating Innovation From Within Africa|last=THNKR|work=The Creativity Post|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edge.org/memberbio/david_moinina_sengeh|title=David Moinina Sengeh {{!}} Edge.org|website=www.edge.org|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagoideas.com/speakers/david_sengeh|title=Chicago Ideas: David Sengeh|website=Chicago Ideas|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16|archive-date=2018-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017042901/https://www.chicagoideas.com/speakers/david_sengeh|url-status=dead}}</ref> He wanted to change 'aid to Africa' to 'Made in Africa'.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/changing-aid-to-africa-into-made-in-africa/|title=Changing 'Aid to Africa' into 'Made in Africa'|first=David|last=Sengeh|date=2013-02-07|work=Engineering For Change|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en-US}}</ref> The "A De Mek Am" Innovate Salone program supports teams from secondary schools to develop solutions to local problems.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://psc25.mit.edu/inspirations/innovate-salone#.W8Y7wRNKjyI|title=Innovate Salone {{!}} MIT Public Service Center - 25 Years|website=psc25.mit.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> It was created in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab and MIT Public Service Center and modelled on the MIT innovation competitions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.media.mit.edu/people/dsengeh/overview/|title=Person Overview ‹ David Moinina Sengeh – MIT Media Lab|website=MIT Media Lab|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Sengeh supported the winning student projects to travel to the United States, where they spoke at Maker Faire.<ref name=":1" /> He supported Kelvin Doe, a thirteen year old inventor who had never left a ten-mile radius of his house in Sierra Leone, to join the MIT Visiting Practitioner's Program.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/14/tech/diy-africa-empowering-a-new-sierra-leone/index.html|title=DIY Africa: Empowering a new Sierra Leone |first=David|last=Sengeh|date=2012-11-14|work=CNN|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/23213/16-year-old-boy-sierra-leone-becomes-mit-innovation-labs-youngest-visiting-practitioner|title=Sierra Leone Teen Becomes MIT Media Lab's Youngest|website=TechPresident|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> Sengeh became Kelvin Doe's mentor.<ref>{{Citation|last=THNKR|title=MIT PhD Student Invents New Prosthetics for Amputees|date=2012-11-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-6anyWQAME|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He returned to the TED stage in 2015, speaking to Kate Krontiris about innovation and inspiration.<ref>{{Citation|last=TEDx Talks|title=The Intersection of Innovation and Inspiration {{!}} David Sengeh & Kate Krontiris {{!}} TEDxBeaconStreet|date=2015-03-04|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOwl82GGsYE|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He has spoken at the NextEinstein Forum.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://gg2016.nef.org/speakers/david-moinina-sengeh/|title=David Moinina Sengeh - NEF Global Gathering|work=NEF Global Gathering|access-date=2018-10-16|language=en-US|archive-date=2023-07-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712204610/https://gg2016.nef.org/speakers/david-moinina-sengeh/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Career ==
Sengeh was offered a position at IBM in Africa, working on data-driven healthcare.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/jobs/2018/08/22/when-your-country-calls/|title=IBM Careers Blog|date=2018-08-22|website=www.ibm.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He worked with IBM Research in Nairobi, as well as in their newest lab in Johannesburg, designing and developing healthcare technologies in Africa.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2017/08/two-ibm-researchers-speak-tedglobal-2017/|title=Two IBM Researchers to Speak at TEDGlobal 2017 in Africa|date=2016-05-16|website=www.ibm.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> There are fewer than 50 doctors for every hundred thousand citizens in Africa, so Sengeh is exploring the use of artificial intelligence.<ref name=":6" /> He worked with Waheeda Banu Saib from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2017/11/ibms-african-scientists-look-tackle-continents-pressing-healthcare-challenges-ai/|title=IBM's African Scientists Look to Tackle the Continent's Pressing Healthcare Challenges with AI - IBM Blog Research|date=2016-05-16|website=www.ibm.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He partnered with Port Loko Health Management Team to design a web-based tool that allows districts to monitor Ebola.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2017/11/informatics-amia-2017/|title=Informatics in healthcare: IBM Research showcases work at AMIA 2017|date=2016-05-16|website=www.ibm.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He writes for HuffPost.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/david-moinina-sengeh|title=David Moinina Sengeh {{!}} HuffPost|website=www.huffingtonpost.com|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref>
In May 2018. Sengeh joined the Office of the President of Sierra Leone, working as chief innovation officer.<ref name=":2" /> In 2019 he was named Minister of Education of Sierra Leone.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sengeh named Minister of Education for Sierra Leone {{!}} Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences|url=https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2019/11/sengeh-named-minister-education-sierra-leone|access-date=2020-08-11|website=www.seas.harvard.edu}}</ref> He ensured that each child in the Pujehun District had access to a laptop.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://standardtimespress.org/?p=4064|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629002157/http://standardtimespress.org/?p=4064|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 29, 2013|title=Young School Innovators: to develop talents and skills {{!}} Standard Times Press|website=standardtimespress.org|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref> He spoke at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and was described as a trailblazer.<ref>{{Citation|last=GatesFoundation|title=Chief Innovation Officer for Sierra Leone David Sengeh {{!}} Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|date=2018-08-31|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byHwxSYBOJ4|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/a-conversation-with-Sierra-Leones-first-Chief-Innovation-Officer-Moinina-David-Sengeh/|title=a conversation with Sierra Leones first Chief Innovation Officer Moinina David Sengeh|website=Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16|archive-date=2018-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017001805/https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/a-conversation-with-Sierra-Leones-first-Chief-Innovation-Officer-Moinina-David-Sengeh/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He is a prolific musician.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/moinina|title=Moinina|website=SoundCloud|language=en|access-date=2018-10-16}}</ref>
On 10 July 2023, Sengeh was appointed as the Chief Minister of Sierra Leone by President Julius Maada Bio.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1678478728811147267 |user=Presidency_SL |title=It has pleased H.E. @PresidentBio to appoint his first set of Cabinet Ministers & Deputy Ministers of his new administration to support his vision of building a safe, secure & sustainable future for #SierraLeone. He also made appointments to key Dept & Agencies. #PresidencySL |date=July 10, 2023 |access-date=July 23, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1678678560255496193 |user=dsengeh |title=Thank you, @PresidentBio for your confidence in appointing me as the CHIEF MINISTER for the government of #SierraLeone. I will repay you and the people of #SierraLeone with my service and love. My job is simple-to work with the people to deliver on our priorities and needs! Lehgo |author=David Moinina Sengeh |date=July 11, 2023 |access-date=July 23, 2023}}</ref>
== Other activities ==
* Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, chair of the Advisory Board<ref>[https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/advisory-board Advisory Board] UNESCO.</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Heads of government of Sierra Leone}} {{Current heads of government}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sengeh, David}} Category:Living people
Category:Chief ministers of Sierra Leone Category:Chief technology officers Category:Harvard University alumni Category:IBM employees Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni Category:People educated at a United World College Category:Sierra Leonean scientists Category:TED (conference)