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Developing the capacity of African environmental scientists
Training workshops on scientific communication
Training workshops on scientific communication
Developing the research capacity of African environmental scientists 2
Raising the profile of African research
Why are the workshops needed?
Relevant scientific research provides valuable data for managing natural resources sustainably and reducing poverty. However the amount of published scientific research coming from Africa is disproportionately low relative to research being done. This makes it more difficult for the scientific community to access research results, which hinders progress towards solving priority conservation problems and influencing policy.
The TBA is tackling this problem by training African scientists in writing papers for publication and communicating research results to decision makers and the public. By making their results more widely available, African scientists will play a greater role in conservation research in Africa and elsewhere. Publishing also increases a scientist’s international profile which can help attract collaborators and funding. This in turn will assist their institutions meet their priorities in conservation research and management.
Training workshops on scientific communication
Developing the research capacity of African environmental scientists 3
Building skills in scientific communication
“This is the most productive training I have ever attended.”
Workshop participant, Kenya 2011
Tailor made workshops
TBA’s training workshops on publishing and scientific communication were held in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. Each workshop was hosted and jointly organised by an in-country partner. We invited world-class scientists to teach on the workshops so that participants could learn first hand from experts and make useful contacts for the future. The workshops used practical teaching methods which are an extremely effective way for students to learn and apply new skills.
At the end of the workshops, participants set themselves targets to achieve over the next 12 months. Targets included submitting papers, giving presentations and training others in their institutions using the workshop materials. After the workshops, we matched participants with mentors who could give feedback on papers and advice on how to publish.
“It was an excellent forum for me to learn how to write and publish. The many fears I had about writing have been addressed and my communication skills have been greatly enhanced.”
Workshop participant, Kenya 2011
Who benefited from our training?
Seventy-two scientists working in research and natural resource management in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria benefited from the workshops. They came from 46 governmental and non-governmental organisations providing a platform for participants to share knowledge and make useful connections to help them in the future.
Impacts of the workshops Within just 2 years of the workshops, a total of 87 papers were published and a further 20 manuscripts were submitted. In the longer term, a stronger culture of publishing among scientific institutions will increase their profile and enable them to have more impact on conservation in Africa and beyond.
Training workshops on scientific communication
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Workshop content
“This has been the first workshop that has been excellently interactive and not the least boring. The talks and exercises have been very helpful and, with the knowledge I have gathered, I will rewrite my paper and submit for publishing.”
Workshop participant, Ghana 2011
Participants gained skills in:
how the publishing process works
developing manuscripts into publishable papers
scientific writing
communicating effectively to policy-makers and the public
making presentations
teaching and supporting others in their organisations
Teaching methods included:
case studies and examples of best practice
presentations – from participants as well as experts
discussions
one-on-one advice from published scientists and editors
practical sessions where participants applied their newly acquired skills to their own research.
“Thank you for the workshop and more importantly for imparting to us such excellent skills in scientific communication.”
Workshop participant, Ghana 2011
Why and how to publish
Participants shared their ideas on why it is important for African scientists to publish their research and the barriers they face in doing so. They learned about how publishing works, helping to demystify the process and motivating them to publish their own work. This was followed by advice on choosing journals, and how to handle reviewers’ comments.
Writing skills
Participants learned how to write succinctly and clearly. They put theory into practice by re-drafting their papers and receiving one to one feedback from both the teachers and their peers.
Top tips on avoiding plagiarism were given which was followed by a lively questions and answers session.
Presenting data
This module illustrated the best ways to present scientific data for publication and other media, such as online journals and websites. Participants applied these methods to their own data.
Presentation skills
This module focused on how to give engaging and memorable presentations that have an impact on the audience. Participants received feedback on their own presentations so that they could improve them further.
Participants looked at the challenges of influencing policy and the important role science can play in decisions on managing the environment.
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Creating networks: where did workshop delegates come from?
The 72 scientists came from a wide range of research and conservation organisations, both government and NGOs.
This mix of people creates ties between conservation and educational organisations so that they can continue to share information and build on ideas for future collaborations.
Ghana Kenya Parliament of Ghana Egerton University
Environmental Protection Agency South Eastern University College
Forestry Research Institute of Ghana National Museums of Kenya
Water Resources Commission Kenya Wildlife Service
International Water Management Institute Mpala Research Centre
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and World Agroforestry Centre
Technology Kenyatta University
University for Development Studies University of Nairobi
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Birdlife International
Forestry Commission Earthwatch Kenya
A Rocha Ghana Nature Kenya
Ghana Wildlife Society Ol Pejeta Consultancy
Rainforest Friends Ghana
University of Ghana Uganda Juaben Senior High School Islamic University in Uganda
Mbarara University of Technology
Nigeria Ministry of Water and Environment
Nigerian Conservation Foundation Adjumani District Local Government
National Horticultural Research Institute Ntungamo District Local Government
National Centre for Genetic Resources and Mbarara Zonal Agricultural Research and Biotechnology Development Institute
AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute Busitema University
University of Benin Makerere University
University of Port Harcourt Budongo Conservation Field Centre
Federal University of Technology, Akure National Fisheries Resources Research Institute
Federal University of Technology, Owerri National Livestock Resources Research Institute
Micronutrient Initiative
Project partners
Our project partners were Nature Kenya; National Museums of Kenya; Makerere University, Uganda; University of Ghana; and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation.
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Increasing skills and building capacity
“I benefited a lot from the training workshop and I am applying the lessons learned to my scientific writings as well as in other areas.”
Workshop participant, Nigeria 2011
What difference do they make?
The participants gave the workshops an overall score of 4.9 on a scale of 5 (excellent) to 1 (very poor).
Participants also said:
Their skills had increased and they were ready to apply the lessons they had learned to their work.
They could now confidently overcome the barriers to scientific writing they had previously identified.
Participants set personal targets to achieve in the following twelve months. These included submitting scientific papers for publication and training others in their institutions.
Making an impact
“It was a privilege to be trained in the most practical and interactive approach ever.
Workshop participant, Kenya 2011
In two years
87 papers have been published in peer reviewed journals
20 further papers have been submitted
33 new manuscripts are in preparation
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Looking to the future The TBA is clearly making an impact on the lives of conservationists through well-targeted and high-quality capacity building. Training conservation champions in their own countries is an effective and sustainable way of safeguarding habitats and ecosystems in the longer term.
There is a significant demand for TBA’s training from Africa as well as south-east Asia. The TBA is in an excellent position to collaborate with new partners and run more tailor-made workshops to respond to this demand and create an even greater legacy.
The skills acquired in this workshop will help me to submit my research findings to reputable journals and communicate it to a wider audience. This is an excellent job that must be continued in order to build the future generation for science.” Workshop participant, Nigeria 2011
About us The Tropical Biology Association (TBA) helps safeguard natural resources in Africa and other tropical regions by delivering innovative training and support to the people responsible for conserving nature.
We run practical courses and tailor-made workshops in Africa and south-east Asia. By sharing expert knowledge across different cultures, we help ensure that the conservation community has the essential skills and capacity to manage resources sustainably. We have now trained over 1,600 people in both courses and specialist training workshops from 66 countries.
To make sure our training has maximum impact, we provide comprehensive follow-up support for our trainees. This includes mentoring them after their courses, as well as providing information on further training, funding, jobs and scholarships.
Our growing alumni network in different countries is creating a potent international force for conserving precious habitats.
Contact us
European office: African office: The Tropical Biology Association The Tropical Biology Association Department of Zoology PO BOX 44486 Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK 00100 - Nairobi, Kenya
[email protected] [email protected]
Registered charity number 1116111 Tropical Biology Association Limited, registered in England & Wales, no: 05827864
www.tropical-biology.org
The project was funded by the EU’s ACP Science and Technology Programme, a programme of the ACP Group of States, with the financial assistance of the European Union. Contract no. FED/2009/218783: 28 Jan 2010.
Disclaimer: The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Tropical Biology Association and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.
