Tribute to Dr. Pauline Bakibinga

On July 30, 2022, our colleague, friend, and mentor left us.

Pauline was witty, candid yet kind, with an electric smile and a distinct laugh that still rings in our ears. She was the queen of banter, never without a joke whenever one met her in the office corridors, the staff kitchen, or during meetings. Our last encounter with her on a Zoom call on July 18 is still fresh in our memories.

Pauline gave her time to many communities in Kenya and Uganda. She was an extraordinary mentor to young, upcoming scientists in her networks; a woman of faith who loved to sing; the leader of the Catholic community at APHRC; and a resourceful alumni to her alma mater Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

We remember Pauline - the generous giver, the early riser who got to the office before everyone else, the impatient optimist and fashionista-in-residence. We remember with profound respect a colleague who never did things in halves.
She forged deep, meaningful relationships with family, colleagues at work, and many other communities wherever she went. She challenged us to love and care deeply about what matters to us.

In Pauline, we lost a wonderful colleague, a friend, an outstanding scientist, and a fearless African woman. She was in the prime of her research career and had been awarded the first Tumani Corrah Award for Research Excellence in Africa a few days before she passed on. The world is poorer at her loss.

The late Dr. Pauline Bakibinga joined APHRC in 2013 as a postdoctoral fellow soon after completing her Ph.D. at the University of Bergen. She completed her fellowship and was offered an Associate Research Scientist position, a position she held until her untimely demise.

Rest with the angels, Pauline.