The entire research and administrative community of the ICTP-East African Institute for Fundamental Research (ICTP-EAIFR) expresses, with deep sorrow, our heartfelt condolences to the family, colleagues, friends, mentees, and students of one of our most esteemed founding Champions, Prof. Abdelkrim (Karim) Aoudia, Ph.D.

Prof. Aoudia — affectionately known as Karim — was instrumental in the establishment of ICTP-EAIFR and played a leading role in launching the postgraduate Geophysics research program in Kigali, Rwanda.

Through his vision and dedication, the Institute now hosts some of Africa’s foremost experts in the field of Solid Earth Physics, particularly in Seismology and Volcanology. As a visiting professor, he delivered lectures and contributed to academic life through seminars, notably as part of our GEO@EAIFR Webinar Series .

Our Lecturer, Dr. Daniel Manu-Marfo, Ph.D., benefited from his mentorship and academic guidance throughout his Ph.D. and post-doctoral studies and became friends with the open and fatherly person that Karim was.

Also, his classroom guidance contributed to the outstanding success of two of ICTP-EAIFR’s postgraduate students in Physics — Ms. Celine Uwinema (from Rwanda) and Mr. Mohamedahmed Mirghani Hassan Mohamed (from Sudan) — who were recognized among the top performers during the most recent 11th Congregation of the University of Rwanda, held in celebration of this year’s graduation ceremony at the Huye Campus.

Prof. Aoudia’s legacy will endure through the programs he helped shape, the staff and students his work and life impacted, and the scientific contributions he inspired. He will be deeply missed, and his impact on ICTP-EAIFR and the broader scientific community in Africa will never be forgotten.