Chétima Melchisedek is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at York University. Before that, he was a Gordon F. Henderson Postdoctoral Fellow at the Human Rights Research and Education Centre, University of Ottawa (September 2017 to June 2018), and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for African Studies, University of Basel (September 2016 to August 2018). He earned a Ph.D. in History from Laval University, and a Master degree from the University of Ngaoundere in Cameroon. He has won to date fifteen fellowships from different university systems, including the 2016 Swiss government excellence postdoctoral scholarships for foreign researchers, and the 2017 Gordon F. Henderson Postdoctoral Fellowship from the University of Ottawa.
As contribution to research, Melchisedek have published or have in press 19 articles, four book chapters, and one edited volume for the Canadian Journal of African Studies. In addition, Melchisedek has given over twenty conference papers in France, Canada, the United States, Mauritius, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon, Chad and Switzerland. Beyond the campus, he has completed professional service for the discipline of history in Cameroon and elsewhere, chairing and commenting on panels at national and international conferences, organizing panels, and completing anonymous peer review of manuscripts for prominent journals such as African Studies Review, Canadian Journal of African Studies, African Economic History, Anthropologica, and Conserveries Mémorielles. He is a consultant on the contemporary political, social and cultural climate in Central Africa, particularly in Cameroon, and has served as an expert for numerous non-governmental organizations. He is a Founding-Member of the Cameroon Academy for Young Scientists (CAYS) and an Affiliate member of the African Academy of Science (AAS).
His academic work has been acknowledged through two important awards: the 2015 best article on Central Africa from the African Studies Association, and the 2018 Young African Scholar Award from Africa Spectrum in partnership with the Centre for African Studies at the Free State University (South Africa). Melchisedek has been Senior Lecturer at the Université de Maroua and Associate Lecturer at the Institut Universitaire de Développement International (IUDI), teaching and directing students in African history, Global history, Historical Methodology and intercultural studies.
Moreover, Melchisedek is a co-applicant, a funded project titled, Slavery in Africa: A dialogue between Europe and Africa (SLAFNET), supported by the European Union Horizon 2020/Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions. This partnership research funded funded for 1.1 million euros over three years (2017-2020), brings together dozen of researchers from institutions in Africa and Europe in an interdisciplinary network to examine the legacy of slavery. Melchisedek took a lead role in fostering dialogue between European and African researchers, which resulted in the development of institutional partnerships with African research centers. Melchisedek is also a co-applicant to the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Development Grant, on Boko Haram, Islamist Protest and National Security led by Professor Paul Lovejoy of York University. He took a lead role in providing written feedback and conceptual guidance as we developed the grant application for submission.
As further confirmation of the cutting-edge nature of his research, Melchisedek has been awarded a distinguished Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). As one of only 23 winners selected through a highly competitive national and international competition, this honour marks Melchisedek as an emerging researcher of exceptionally high quality. The Banting Fellowship Program aims to attract the highest level of postdoctoral talent from Canada and abroad, developing leadership potential to position its recipients as tomorrow’s leaders in social sciences research. As a rising star in African Studies with a Ph.D. in History from the Université Laval, Melchisedek is affiliated with the Harriet Tubman Institute, working under the guidance of Professor Paul Lovejoy.