Zimbabwean-born researcher Abel Mavura, currently based in the UK, has been awarded the 2025 Margaret Mead Memorial Award by the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS) for the best student paper.
The award was presented during the ISSS Annual Meeting at the University of Birmingham Leadership Institute on July 14.
The 2025 ISSS Award is for Groundbreaking Study on Migrant Resilience
Selected by leading systems science scholars, Mavura’s paper “Resilience Among Young Male Migrants in Paris’ Informal Housing” was recognised for its originality, analytical clarity, and commitment, collectivist and culturally pluralistic approaches.
Mavura becomes the 13th recipient of the Margaret Mead Memorial Award, which honors doctoral researchers who embody Mead’s legacy in anthropology and systems thinking. Established in 2013, the award celebrates scholarship that advances relational intelligence and empowers communities through systemic understanding.
His research explores how young male migrants living in informal housing in Paris build resilience amid systemic exclusion.
The study highlights grassroots adaptation, solidarity, and migrant-led advocacy as vital mechanisms of urban resilience, advocating for more inclusive policies that center marginalized voices.
“This recognition underscores the value of inclusion and diversity in systems research.
“My work aims to amplify the voices of those often left out of development and policy discussions. I’m honored to contribute to a dialogue that challenges exclusion and champions equity.”
A PhD researcher specializing in global development, migration, and international affairs, Mavura presented a paper findings during the ISSS international meeting at the University of Birmingham, UK.
His interdisciplinary work integrates systems thinking, participatory methods, and urban studies resonating with Margaret Mead’s commitment to cultural pluralism and collective well-being.
The International Society for the Systems Sciences (www.isss.org) promotes interdisciplinary research and systemic solutions to complex global challenges.
The Margaret Mead Memorial Award is one of three annual student honors recognising excellence in pre-doctoral scholarship.
The Leadership Institute at the University of Birmingham hosts academic events and research exchanges that foster innovation, leadership, and social impact in higher education and beyond.
Mavura is also the Clutton Brock Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust research awardee for 2025, it’s one of the best grants to research at the University of Cambridge.
He got US$78000.
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