Aminata holds a Ph.D in Cutural Anthropology (University of Arizona) and a M.A. in Sociology (University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar). She has been engaged in collaborative research for over 15 years on qualitative research on development issues, gender, poverty reduction, impacts of corporate mining local development, governance of natural resources in West Africa.
After her MA, she worked at the Centre de Suivi Ecologique-Dakar as junior researcher, then as a consultant for various institutions prior to completing her doctoral studies in the USA where she worked as research assistant and teacher – assistant (2007-2012). Since 2013, she works as research associate at the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale (IPAR), a Think Tank which contributes to the economic and social development of Senegal and the West Africa region through research, capacity building and policy dialogue.
At IPAR, she worked as lead researcher in various projects funded by big donors (IDRC, Gates Foundation, Hewlett Foundation…) such as : Understanding changing land issues for poor rural people in sub-Saharan Africa: the case of Senegal, Rural markets, Youth employment and migration in Senegal, Mali, Burkina, West African Sanitation and Policy Advocacy Activator (WASPAA), and Institutionalizing evidence use in policy making within the government bodies and Parliament.