Dr Adriana Marais

Head of Innovation at SAP Africa

Adriana holds an MSc (summa cum laude) in quantum cryptography and a PhD in quantum biology. Her postdoctoral research focused on quantum effects in photosynthesis as well as the origins of prebiotic molecules and life itself. As Head of Innovation at SAP Africa she is passionate about exploring innovative applications of emerging technologies to challenges facing the continent.

Adriana has authored numerous academic & popular science articles on her research, and has received a range of research awards, including the global L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award in 2015, and Royal Society of South Africa Meiring Naude Medal in 2016. Adriana is also a faculty member at Duke Corporate Education, and volunteers as a board member of the Match4Action Foundation to accelerate social impact and director at the Foundation for Space Development South Africa, an exciting initiative of which is the Africa2Moon project.