How open science helps researchers succeed

Open access, open data, open source and other open scholarship practices are growing in popularity and necessity. However, widespread adoption of these practices has not yet been achieved. One reason is that researchers are uncertain about how sharing their work will affect their careers.

This article review literature demonstrating that open research is associated with increases in citations, media attention, potential collaborators, job opportunities and funding opportunities. 

Findings are evidence that open research practices bring significant benefits to researchers relative to more traditional closed practices.

Read more: https://elifesciences.org/content/5/e16800

Africa's health centre at the frontline of HIV research

The Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies sits in the HIV capital of the world. The sleek modern building, rising out of an otherwise rustic setting near Mtubatuba in South Africa, attracts world-class researchers looking to wage war against the resilient virus.

“It’s the frontline,” says Deenan Pillay, the centre’s director, on secondment as professor of virology at University College London. “We’re in one of the highest-incidence HIV areas in the world and it is essential to understand how to reduce new cases. I’m very privileged to be working with this population and it’s a place where I think research can very clearly be seen to be making a difference.”

The centre opened in 1998 and receives £3.5m to £4m a year from the Wellcome Trust, along with more than double that amount from external funders including French and American health agencies, the EU, the South African Medical Research Council and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The list of papers published by the centre’s researchers in scientific journals numbers 99 last year alone.

Currently part-hidden by scaffolding as it undergoes renovations to expand its operations, the Africa Centre lies deep in rural KwaZulu-Natal province, close to a wildlife park where elephants and rhinos roam. Many local people are subsistence farmers living in traditional thatched-roof rondavels and keeping chickens and goats. Rates of tuberculosis among the local population are extraordinarily high.

Reducing HIV, TB and other associated diseases is at the heart of the Africa Centre’s work, according to Pillay, but the benefits go far beyond South Africa. “The research that we do there is highly relevant to other similar poor areas of the world in terms of how to counteract HIV.”

Continue reading: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/26/africas-health-centre-at-the-frontline-of-hiv-research

African researchers 'struggle' to establish careers

According to a joint report by the British Academy and the Association of Commonwealth Universities ,African universities need to better support early career researchers if they are to build a thriving research environment and boost the continent's overall number of PhD-qualified staff Many African science graduates struggle to establish careers after leaving university as they do not receive enough assistance to define their research agendas and develop professionally, says the report, Foundations for the Future: Supporting the Early Careers of African Researchers. Instead, post-doctorate graduates working as 'junior lecturers' in African universities are often overloaded with teaching and administrative duties, and have to pursue research and writing academic papers in their spare time. To counter this, the report urges senior academics to encourage research by younger colleagues and to mentor them on collaborations, publishing and preparing funding applications. Link to full report available here.

New staff member at ORI: O. Mogobe

ORI welcomes another new member of staff, Ms Oarabile Mogobe who recently joined the Institute as a Scientist. Prior to joining ORI, Ms Mogobe worked for the Department of Agricultural Research in the Analytical Laboratory for over 25 years as a Research scientist and also Head of Laboratories. Her work was concentrated on method development and running of the analytical laboratory. A graduate of the University of Plymouth in the UK and University of Otago in New Zealand, her interests lie in environmental toxicology. Welcome to ORI Ms Mogobe!

Botswana awaits approval of new science policy

With the establishment of two science and technology bodies to provide oversight of the country's research and development (R&D), Botswana hopes its research system will be better coordinated and funded . The Botswana National Research, Development and Innovation Coordinating Council (BNRDCC), will focus on funding strategies for adequate implementation of the country's research, development and innovation agenda. The existing Department of Research, Science and Technology, under the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science, and Technology, will be transformed into a directorate primarily responsible for the creation of policy and legislative that promotes participation in science and technology R&D. Currently, critics say that Botswana's research system faces numerous constraints, including inadequate investment in research; fragmented, uncoordinated and untargeted research activities; lack of technology transfer and scarce human resources. "The government has been funding R&D, but in very small amounts, which have not been enough to provide for comprehensive research in the country," says Carter Morupisi, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science, and Technology. Keta Mosepele, a senior research fellow at the Okavango Research Institute, said: "We need these oversight bodies because … communities are not reaping the benefits from research work. "We compete with other researchers from outside our country for this donor money. Now, with government funding research, things will improve." Link to full article available here.

Unlocking local research potential with open access

According to Leslie Chan, director of Bioline International, the developing world is not well served by traditional research publishing, but can break new ground with open access. Free and unrestricted access to research results and publications, known as open access (OA), is key to speeding up scientific discovery. There is also growing evidence that OA maximises the impact of research through better dissemination and uptake of research findings. At the recent Berlin 9 Open Access conference in Washington DC, there was a recurrent theme: that in today's highly networked, open-knowledge environment, the traditional scholarly communication system — with the journal article as the key currency — can no longer serve the diverse needs of scholarship and discovery. Full article available here.

Scientific community calls for universal code of conduct

Representatives from a number of the world's top science research organisations have endorsed a call for a universal code of conduct on the rights, freedom and responsibilities of scientific workers, demanding that such a code be recognised by, and built into, the legislation of individual countries. This call was part of a declaration that was adopted by participants at the recently ended World Science Forum. The declaration included proposals on topics ranging from scientific capacity building to the global divide in access to scientific knowledge. A code of conduct, it states, would help avoid harm "due to ignorance or misjudgement of the consequences of new discoveries and applications of scientific knowledge". "It is the responsibility of those who promote science and scientists to maintain the primacy of moral and social concerns over short-term economic interest in the selection and implementation of industrialised research projects." The next World Science Forum will take place in Brazil in 2013.

Supporting local governance to get research into policy

Researchers who work in developing countries are increasingly being asked by funders to demonstrate that their findings are being taken up in policy and practice. The author suggets that one way this can be done is by building relationships with highly influential individuals, often referred to as 'policy entrepreneurs'. Policy analysis research has repeatedly shown that well-placed, well-networked, or highly respected people can play an important, informal role in getting research issues on the agendas of decision makers, or moving the policymaking process forward when it stalls. Yet all research findings have political implications. Donors concerned with getting research findings into policy, but equally concerned with not dominating local priorities, should work to support or develop local institutions that review, process and recommend evidence to policymakers. Full article available here.

Traditional medicine gains ground in African universities

According to a report published on traditional medicine on the continent, the number of African countries with national policies on traditional medicine increased almost fivefold 2001 and 2010, The report, published by WHO, Regional Committee for Africa two weeks ago , also found that the number of countries with strategic plans for traditional medicine increased from zero to 18 in the same period, and those with national regulatory frameworks rose from one to 28. For example in 2010, 22 countries conducted research on traditional medicines for malaria, HIV/AIDS, sickle-cell anaemia, diabetes and hypertension using WHO guidelines. According to WHO, roughly 80 per cent of people in developing countries depend on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare. Some African universities had incorporated traditional medicine into the curricula for medical and pharmacy students, the report found. Health ministers and the WHO African regional office agreed at the meeting to promote this integration as a way of increasing research in the field.

ORI Seminar. "Internalization for conviviality"-Prof. Martin Henson

Professor Henson the Dean of International Relations of the University of Essex (UK) visited ORI today, where he gave a seminar on how ORI can participate in the Global Alliance which will form part of a small Global Alliance of universities that also includes the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, the State University of Campinas in Brazil, and the University of Konstanz in Germany. In his talk, he emphasised the growing realisation of forming partnerships to become effective on the world stage. His focus is on building small networks of intimate connections with the following characteristics; broadly based academically, broadly based activities, multi as well as bilateral links and a diverse but representative coalition.

SADC Science, technology & innovation implementation framework to support climate change response

SADC's Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Implementation Framework to Support Climate Change Response was adopted by the region's science ministers in May. The SADC document describes activities in four areas where STI is crucial to tackling climate change: observation and monitoring; impacts, vulnerability and risks; mitigation; and adaptation.
The plan also focuses on identifying sectors vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including producing a vulnerability atlas identifying areas at increased risk of flooding or drought. Available at:http://www.scidev.net/uploads/File/SADC_ST_Implementation_Framework_to_support_climate_change_response_v5.pdf

Okavango Research Institute (ORI) Leading Student Publisher Award

Nqobizitha Siziba, a Carnegie-RISE funded PhD student received the 2011 Okavango Research Institute (ORI) Leading Student Publisher accolade at a ceremony held at the Institute yesterday. The three papers published by different journals won him the award funded by the Deputy Director Research Management, Professor Moses Chimbari. Speaking at the launch of the award, Prof Chimbari indicated that the award was meant to encourage ORI’s graduate students to publish their research work and in the process help the Institute to achieve its goals. Talking at the same function, the Director for ORI Professor Susan Ringrose indicated that such initiatives will play an important role in aiding the institute to accomplish its vision of being a leading wetlands research institute in Africa and the world by 2016.

New staff member at ORI

Another new member of staff to ORI is Dr Leo Braack, who will be dealing with Entomology as well as Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases. Leo started off his career as a Research Scientist in the Kruger National Park of South Africa, in time becoming Head of Research, then asked by the three governments to become the first International Coordinator for what is now known as the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. More recently he was Director of the Southern Africa office of Conservation International. Leo has a deep interest in wildlife, diseases, and also working with communities, and looks forward to working with the team at ORI.

African researchers in line for high-speed network

The European Union has committed substantial financial backing to to the tune of €14.75 million to link up African researchers via a high-speed computer intranet. The four-year AfricaConnect project will connect national and research education networks (NRENs) in Africa and link them to Europe's multi-gigabit research and education network, GÉANT. "What this means is much easier and much faster access to online learning and research resources nationally, regionally and internationally for African researchers and students," said Francis Tusubira, chief executive of the UbuntuNet Alliance, an association of eastern and southern African NRENs. This initiative will be coordinated by Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe (DANTE), a non-profit umbrella body owned by European NRENs. DANTE will work with the UbuntuNet Alliance and with West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) to cover other regions in Sub-Saharan Africa. The contract was signed last month in Botswana.

ORI staff on the move.

ORI Senior Research Scholar, Dr.Barbara Ntombi Ngwenya has recently been promoted to Associate Professor. A graduate of the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work, Prof. Ngwenya taught in the Department of Social Work, University of Botswana prior to joining the Institute in 2003 as a cultural anthropologist specializing in natural resource management and conservation of the Okavango and other regional wetlands. Additional responsibilities have included the supervision of both local and international undergraduate and graduate students.Prof Ngwenya has also published extensively in the areas of sustainable rural livelihoods and development, HIV/AIDS, poverty and food (in) security, community based natural resources management and indigenous knowledge systems and environment. She has presented over 45 research results to the academic community and policy makers around the world including Australia, Canada, USA, Portugal, Italy, Thailand, Korea, Uganda, Malawi, Swaziland and Botswana.Congratulations Prof Ngwenya!

AFRICA: Research into higher education busts myths

According to Professor Peter Maassen of the University of Oslo, co-author of a new report on higher education and development on the continent, major research into African universities has been "myth-busting". The study revealed that flagship universities in eight African countries are more similar to institutions elsewhere than is generally perceived, with well-qualified staff, positive student-to-staff ratios, and rising enrolments including in science, engineering and technology." For more on the report visit the University World News Website.

HOORC reborn as ORI!

After a successful strategic process which involved efforts of management and staff of HOORC, the Centre was accorded formal recognition as an institute in October 2010 and renamed the Okavango Research Institute (ORI). The name and restructuring implications were launched and announced to stakeholders by Ass. Minister of Education and Skills Development, Hon. Keletso Rakudu on the 11th February 2011.

Across Borders-KAZA TCFA

Often referred to as the most ambitious and complex conservation project in the world, negotiations surrounding the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, are expected to be finalised this year and the five countries's ministers will meet again to sign a formal treaty that will legalise KAZA and its Secretariat. KAZA will further develop joint protocols and procedures in areas such as fire management, law enforcement, fisheries and research. Since 2008, KAZA-TCFA countries have been preparing their individual Integrated Development Plans (IDPs and this will be merged into a consolidated KAZA IDP, serving as the road map of the project. The Secretariat is now slated to move to Kasane.

Okavango Basin Wide Forum - RCCP Workshop

Basin Wide Forum representatives from Angola discuss climate adaptation

The Okavango Basin Wide Forum is meeting in Rundu, Namibia today to participate in DFID's Regional Climate Change Programme. Forum members representing communities from Angola, Namibia and Botswana are assisting the project team, coordinated by ONEWORLD, to assess the potential of people living in the Basin to adapt to climate change. You can read about the RCCP on the project web site.

Desert Research Foundation Information System

The Desert Research Foundation of Namibia has introduced a new information system DRFinfo, which provides access to the digital resources of the Desert Foundation of Namibia and the Gobabeb Training and Research Centre. For more on this visit http://www.drfn.info/