Biography

Professor Steve Juru De Cliff is a physical chemist specializing in electrochemistry. He holds a B.Sc. with Honours in Chemistry from the University of Montreal and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Ottawa. From 2001 to 2004, he served as an Associate Researcher at the Institute for Chemical Process and Environmental Technology (ICPET) of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) in Ottawa. During the time, he initiated two pioneering projects in thefield of nanotechnology, including one focused on the development of materials for fully solid-state micro-batteries, where lanthanum oxide, -a rare-earth oxide-, played a central role in the synthesis of key components. Driven by a profound belief in the transformation power of science, he returned to Burundi in 2005 and joined the University of Burundi in May 2008, where he has been actively engaged in advancing research, education and innovation. Over the years, he has held several senior academic and governmental positions, including Director of the Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA), Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Burundi, Director General of Science, Technology and Research; Executive Secretary of National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation; State Representative on the Board of Directors of Rainbow Mining Burundi; and Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO. Professor Juru De Cliff is deeply committed to harnessing science and technology for national development. He is particularly passionate about building a comprehensive industrial mining complex in Burundi focused on strategic and critical minerals such as rare-earths and coltan, including the refining and manufacturing of high-value products like permanent magnets. His vision is to establish a value chain that spans from raw materials to advanced technologies, positioning Burundi as key player in the global strategic and critical materials sector.