Research

17 Postdoctoral Research Teams Mentored as SECA Project Winds up

Published

2 years ago

January 18, 2023

Mark Wamai

Front Row: DVCAA-Prof. Umar Kakumba (4th L), Director DRGT-Prof. Edward Bbaale (4th R), Academic Registrar-Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi (2nd R) and Prof. Julius Kikooma (R) with Early-Career fellows and participants at the SECA Project Final Dissemination Workshop on 12th January 2022, Makerere University.

SECA is an acronym for the Supporting Early-Career Academics Programme at Makerere University (2019-2022). SECA is the fifth “phase” of the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)’s support to Makerere, and follows in the steps of similar successful initiatives that date back to 1946 when the Corporation’s relations with Uganda started. On Thursday 12^th January 2023, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and SECA Chairman Project Implementation Committee (PIC), Prof. Umar Kakumba was joined by the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Prof. Edward Bbaale as well as Academic Registrar and SECA Project Coordinator, Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi to preside over the programme’s final dissemination workshop.

Held in the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building, the workshop accorded the opportunity to research teams to present and discuss their findings. SECA supported seventeen (17) Early-Career academics at Makerere University, eight (8) of whom were female and nine (9) male, to undertake postdoctoral research fellowships in their respective fields of specialty. Additionally, SECA supported professional skills enhancement courses, as well as tuition and research costs for seventeen (17) Masters students (7 female, 10 male) attached to the research teams.

Furthermore, SECA provided funds to fellows for writing and publication, supported mentorship and research team building, provided travel grants to international conferences, and supported fellows to disseminate their findings to academia, policy makers and the general public. To facilitate improvements in the university research environment, SECA provided access to a grant worth US$6,000 to each of the fellows’ host departments. Some of the activities undertaken using the grants included; conducting academic writing and dissemination workshops, holding symposia for PhD students and academic staff, development of academic programmes, renovating research infrastructure and acquiring equipment.

Front Row: Prof. Umar Kakumba (C), flanked by Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi (L) and Prof. Edward Mwavu (R) listen to proceedings during the SECA Final Dissemination Workshop.

Delivering his remarks, Prof. Umar Kakumba congratulated both Prof. Buyinza and Prof. Bbaale upon their new appointments as Academic Registrar and Director DRGT respectively, and thanked them for contributing to SECA’s success. In the same breath, he recognized and introduced members of the PIC namely; Prof. Jesca Nakavuma, Prof. Nicholas Kiggundu, Dr. Pamela Khanakwa, Prof. Julius Kikooma and Dr. Euzobia Baine Mugisha and thanked them for the rigorous work done in reviewing applications by fellows.

“I wish to congratulate you the fellows. As part of the monitoring team for SECA, we visited what you were involved in and I must say that Makerere has great potential. We received close to 102 proposals, and selecting seventeen (17) was a huge task because every proposition was bankable and attuned to the relevance of our country” Prof. Kakumba remarked.

The DVCAA noted that all projects undertaken by fellows had the potential to co-create knowledge with the communities and respective sectors beyond SECA funding. He therefore called upon them to continue providing research leadership in their departments and communities. On this note, he appreciated the fellows for each mentoring a graduate student.

Prof. Kakumba equally acknowledged CCNY for the generous support accorded to Makerere and continually entrusting the University with various opportunities to enhance the research capacities of her staff. In this regard, he thanked the Mentors, Heads of Department and the PIC for ensuring that the fellows continued to perform well and compile their progressive reports on time. This feat, he acknowledged, has led to Makerere University securing a successor grant in line with SECA.

Addressing the fellows and audience, Prof. Bbaale paid tribute to his predecessor, Prof. Buyinza for his visionary leadership of DRGT that gave rise to initiatives such as SECA. “It is gratifying and heartwarming to have events of this nature that are in line with the research-led agenda of the University.

The Deputy Director DRGT and the Workshop Moderator, Prof. Julius Kikooma contributes to the discussion.

“Postdoctoral research is high quality research, which can go a long way in informing policy for societal transformation. We greatly value each of the projects you have undertaken and we are confident that they have the potential to contribute to the national development agenda. Therefore, we must bring on board targeted dissemination beyond this general dissemination” said Prof. Bbaale.

He explained that targeted dissemination is the gateway to different institutions of Government that are either users or potential users of policy recommendations and different projects that need to be scaled up across the country. Beyond SECA, Prof. Bbaale urged the fellows to form a cluster of researchers as a platform for continued collaboration and a multidisciplinary entity to compete for research grants.

“The world over, postdoctoral research is an engine that must propel the university into a research-led direction… As DRGT, we are soon going to propose a policy on postdoctoral degrees that will pave the way for different units to admit many more postdoctoral fellows” added Prof. Bbaale.

“Makerere’s strategic thinking in terms of research is informed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), National Vision 2040, African Charter 2063 and the Institutional Research Framework, which implies that we are running a coherent research agenda” said Prof. Buyinza as he commenced his remarks.

Dr. Kavuma Namirembe Susan from the Department of Policy and Development Economics, College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) presents her findings on the evaluation of Spatial Connectivity and Firm Productivity.

The Academic Registrar added that the realization of these aspirations is dependent on grooming a crop of critical thinkers who can contribute to the knowledge economy. He therefore expressed his gratitude at being able to participate in a number of phases of CCCNY’s support to Makerere, aimed at achieving this objective.

“I have been privileged to participate in the Next Generation of African Academics I, Next Generation of African Academics II, Nurturing Emerging Research Leaders through Post-Doctoral Training (NERLP) and Supporting Early-Career Academics (SECA), which we are closing today, and the successor consolidating the Supporting Early-Career Academics (SECA) programme” he explained.

Turning to SECA, Prof. Buyinza noted that the project was designed to expand Makerere’s community of research leaders and doctoral supervisors through four (4) specific objectives. These included;

To consolidate the capacity of fellows to conduct quality research with appropriate mentorship at Makerere,
To strengthen the enabling environment to encourage the retention of fellows at Makerere,
To strengthen research management and research leadership capacity at Makerere, and
To increase the capacity for scientific communication of research outputs into publicly accessible writing.

“We believe that we have built an integrated, institutionalized, research mentorship culture at this University because of our model of delivery of this project. It is a three-tier model consisting of the Senior who is the Mentor, the PI (Principal Investigator) who is the Early-Career fellow and the Masters student” said Prof. Buyinza.

Dr. Andrew Tamale from the Department of Wildlife and Aquatic Animal Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) presents his findings on Management of Bacterial Diseases in Fish Hatcheries.

He added that this architecture enabled the SECA team to build synergies between the different levels of research development and in so doing, ensure sustainability by institutionalizing mentorship. Prof. Buyinza therefore encouraged the fellows to continue posting their successes on the SECA portal and holding the lunchtime seminars in their departments.

“I want to believe that your skills have been enhanced, your vision to research has been touched beyond publishing an article to looking at the wider spectra of events that form you as a regional research leader. We want you to form a regional network so that together you can write research grants, supervise graduate students and influence the research agenda in the different countries” concluded Prof. Buyinza.

Details of the fellows and their research projects may be viewed in the table below.

No.	Name	Unit	Project Title
1.	Dr. Dhabangi Aggrey	Child Health and Development Centre (CHDC), CHS.	Hemolytic Disease of the New-born in Uganda: Burden and Clinical Characteristics
2.	Dr. Edopu Nabuyungo Ritah	Department of Fine Art, MTSIFA, CEDAT.	Community Product Design Education for Improved Market Access.
3.	Dr. Kabagenyi Allen	Department of Population Studies, CoBAMS.	Adolescent Motherhood, pre and postnatal New-born care practices, perceptions and barriers in Eastern Uganda (AMNEP).
4.	Dr. Kambugu Robert	Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, CAES	Modeling of long-term development scenarios for plantation forestry and forest industries in Uganda.
5.	Dr. Kavuma Namirembe Susan	Department of Policy and Development Economics, CoBAMS	Empirical Evaluation of Spatial Connectivity, Urban structure, Density and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Kampala.
6.	Dr. Kindi Immanuel Fredrick	School of Women and Gender Studies, CHUSS.	Gender, Oil and Migration in the Albertine Graben Region, Uganda.
7.	Dr. Mayanja Nanziri Maureen	Department of Bio-security, Ecosystem and Veterinary Public Health, CoVAB.	Ethnoveterinary Medicinal Plant Technology Information Pathways and Prospective for Sustained Usage among Transhumant Pastrolists in Karamoja.
8.	Dr. Muhanguzi Denis	Department of Bio-molecular and Bio-Laboratory Sciences, CoVAB	Targeting hotspot villages to accelerate the eradication of Acute Sleeping Sickness (ASS) from Uganda.
9.	Dr. Mwesigye Rutabatiina Abraham	Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism, CAES.	Epidemiological survey of populations exposed to heavy metals and trace elements from Mining activites in Uganda. A case study of Kilembe copper mine catchment.
10.	Dr. Mwikirize Cosmas	Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, CEDAT.	Efficacy of Deep Learning-aided Platform for Diagnosis of Breast Cancer using Ultrasound Images in the Ugandan Population.
11.	Dr. Najjemba Harriet P.	Institute of Open Distance and E-learning, CEES.	Using Emerging Technologies to Capture and Disseminate Indigenous Agricultural Practices for Improved Food Production in Uganda: A case of Luweero District (INDIGRIC).
12.	Dr. Nambi Rebecca	Department of Humanities and Language Education, CEES.	Supporting refugee access and participation in higher education: A case of Makerere University.
13.	Dr. Nasirumbi B. Losira	School of Agricultural Sciences, CAES.	Intra-household gender dynamics and uptake of agricultural technologies for sustainable livelihoods in Uganda.
14.	Dr. Semujju Brian	Department of Journalism and Communication, CHUSS.	Evaluating Digital Literacy to Create a Policy for Digital Media use at Makerere University.
15.	Dr. Ssekuubwa Enock	Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism, CAES.	Enhancing the use of Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration for mitigating climate change, conserving biodiversity and improving livelihoods in Uganda’s Cattle Corridor (FMNR).
16.	Dr. Tamale Andrew	Department of Wildlife and Aquatic Animal Resources, CoVAB.	Operationalization of Phages for Management of Bacterial Diseases in Fish Hatcheries
17.	Dr. Zawedde Aminah	Ministry of ICT and National Guidance. Formerly CoCIS.	QATE: A Public Participatory Approach for Quality Assessment of e-Government Services to Enable Sustainable Development.

SECA Project Postdoctoral Research Teams (2019-2022)

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Kabagenyi-Allen_AMNEP_Study Download

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Aggrey-Dhabangi Download

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Rebecca-Nambi Download

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Susan-Namirembe-Kavuma Download

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Abraham-Mwesigye Download

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Harriet-Najjemba Download

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Enock-Ssekuubwa Download

Makerere-SECA-Dissemination-Workshop-12thJan2022-Tamale-Andrew Download

Related Topics:agenda Carnegie CCNY featured grants mentorship NERLP NGAA Postdoc publication SECA Uganda writing

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Agriculture & Environment

PhD Scholarship Announcement (1 Position): Sustainable Energy Transitions in EA

Published

11 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Mak Editor

PhD Graduate Dr. Idd Ramathani is congratulated by staff from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) after being conferred upon his award on Day 5 of the 75th Graduation Ceremony. 75th Graduation Ceremony, Day 5, CAES, CEDAT and CHUSS. 17th January 2025, Freedom Square, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University, through the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic
Sciences and the School of Social Sciences & Makerere University Business School, in
collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway), University of
Stavanger (Norway), University of Juba (South Sudan) and Technical University of Kenya
(Kenya) received a grant from NORAD under NORHED II projects to implement activities for
Project QZA-21/0159 – Programme 2021-2026 entitled “Capacity building for socially just
and sustainable energy transitions in East Africa”. This project aims at building the capacity of the workforce within the East African region to implement a just and sustainable low-carbon energy agenda by imparting the relevant skills and knowledge through education, research and outreach. To this end, this project is now inviting suitable candidates among Makerere University Staff to submit applications for a PhD scholarship tenable at Makerere University for a period of 3 years.

About the project
The East African region has embraced the global drive to transition to low carbon economies and clean energy. However, a key challenge is the persistent lack of knowledge, capacity and skilled personnel to support the transition. The project focuses on building capacity and competence through education, research and outreach to ensure that the region has a workforce with the relevant skills set and knowledge required to implement and demand for a just and sustainable low-carbon energy transition agenda.

The PhD position at the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences,
Makerere University will focus on the theme: Energy infrastructure, environmental impacts
and changing social practices.

About the theme: Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy is fundamental for halting anthropogenic climate change. However, both non-renewable and renewable energy infrastructure associated with onshore wind, hydropower and solar photovoltaic generation can be land use intensive and impact conservation areas (Rehbein et al., 2020). For instance, in Uganda, petroleum resources are located on shore within the Albertine Graben – a global biodiversity hotspot (Plumptre et al., 2017). Renewable energy infrastructure projects such as hydropower dams and support infrastructure (power lines) have traversed protected areas including national parks. So far, limited attention has been given to whether the aggregated effect of energy transitions poses a substantial threat to national, regional and global biodiversity. Hence, this project will address the environmental impacts of energy infrastructure and how social practices are affected by it.

Main tasks

The successful candidate will be admitted to the PhD program in Geography at Makerere University. The student must complete the PhD program consisting of mandatory and elective courses and a major research component.
Collect and analyse data.
Produce a PhD thesis, preferably based on 3-4 peer-reviewed articles published in key international journals.
Disseminate results at national and international conferences.
Be an active participant in the day-to-day project activities.

How to apply: Interested applicants should submit applications by e-mail to Prof Frank Mugagga (frank.mugagga@mak.ac.ug / fmugagga@gmail.com) and Dr. Charlotte Nakakaawa Jjunju (charlotte.jjunju@ntnu.no), including:

a brief statement of interest or cover letter describing your motivation to apply (max 1 page);
a concept note or description of research ideas of not more than 4 pages, outlining the focus, possible research questions, and the methodological and theoretical focus;
a curriculum vitae (CV) of max 4 pages;
A copy of the master’s thesis.
publications if any; and as it is often difficult to judge the applicant’s contribution to publications with multiple authors, a short description of the applicant’s contribution must be included.
contact information (with phone numbers and e-mail addresses) for two persons who may act as referees.

Application deadline: Soft copies of the applications must be received by 21^st February 2025 to the above indicated email addresses.

Eligibility requirements, qualifications and experience: The applicant should have completed a Master’s Degree in any of the following Disciplines; – Geography/Geographical Sciences, Land use and Regional Development, Disaster Risk Management or any other closely related subject. Applicants should have an excellent academic and educational record (Minimum: Upper Second for undergraduate and an average of B for the Masters) and strong analytical and writing skills (any peer-reviewed publications or previous research experience will be an advantage). Successful applicants will be expected to contribute to the project’s publication targets and will be encouraged to publish in international, peer-reviewed ISI journals. The candidates should be able to work independently but also as part of the project team.

Age limits: Not more than 40 years (female applicants) and 35 (male applicants) at the time of
application.

PhD study conditions: The successful applicant is expected to register on the PhD-program at the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences at Makerere University. The candidate will be jointly supervised by Scholars from Makerere University, supported by colleagues from the Project Team.

The selection process: Applications will be evaluated by an independent evaluation committee. The Project Team will make the final selection of successful candidates based on recommendations from the evaluation committee.

Expected start date: The planned starting date is 15^th March 2025. After that, they are
expected to further develop their research proposals with guidance from the supervisors and to
follow Makerere University’s admission procedure to apply for admission to the PhD Programme in Geography. The PhD scholarship period starts when candidate is formally admitted to the PhD Programme.

PhD Duration and Scholarship: The PhD candidate will be expected to complete studies within 3 years. The successful candidates will have a competitive scholarship covering tuition, functional fees and research costs.

For specific inquiries about the scholarship, please contact Prof Frank Mugagga Email:
frank.mugagga@mak.ac.ug / fmugagga@gmail.com; or Dr. Charlotte Nakakaawa Jjunju
(charlotte.jjunju@ntnu.no).

This call is subject to equal opportunities for all and qualifying women and candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Mak_PhD Scholarship_Final_2025 Download

Research

TUM SEED Center: Doctoral Scholarship in Decentralized Energy Governance in the Global South

Published

2 weeks ago

January 10, 2025

Mak Editor

A Poster of the TUM SEED Centre Makerere University Living Lab. College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

TUM SEED Center

Announcement of a Doctoral Scholarship
“Decentralized Energy Governance in the Global South”

Call for Applications

The TUM SEED Center is an Excellence Centre for Exchange and Development, funded by DAAD and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development from 2020 to 2029. The TUM SEED Center conducts research and offers higher education at the intersection of Sustainable Energies, Entrepreneurship and Development (SEED) in the Global South. The TUM SEED Center consists of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and ten leading technical universities across the Global South, including Bahir Dar University (Ethiopia), Bandung Institute of Technology (Indonesia), Burkina Institute of Technology (Burkina Faso), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (India), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Kenya), Makerere University (Uganda), Namibia University of Science and Technology (Namibia), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Peru), and Stellenbosch University (South Africa). Through its international and interdisciplinary doctoral program, the TUM SEED Center fosters academic exchange and facilitates excellent research.

This announcement invites master’s students from the Global South with excellent academic track record and strong motivation to apply for the doctoral scholarship in “Decentralized Energy Governance in the Global South”. The doctoral scholarship will focus on the regulatory and participatory governance dimensions of decentralized electricity systems and mini-grids, contributing to SDG 7, Clean and Affordable Energy for All by 2030. The selected and awarded doctoral scholar will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs from the TUM Department of Governance, School of Social Sciences and Technology and the Munich School of Politics and Public Policy (Hochschule für Politik München an den Technischen Universität München).

The SEED doctoral scholarship includes a monthly stipend of EUR 1,300, international mobility grants, insurance support, family support for a spouse and children, and annual support. The duration of the scholarship program is 4 years, starting from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2029.

SEED doctoral scholars are expected to:

Demonstrate a strong commitment to the work as a doctoral student
Participate and contribute to the activities of the TUM SEED Center (e.g. annual symposia)
Engage in academic exchange (i.e., visit and collaborate with partner universities)

Application requirements:

Master’s degree in public policy, political science, or related fields (with a focus on sustainability)
Excellent academic track record
Extracurricular skills, social engagement, and strong motivation
Nationality from one of the eligible countries in the Global South

Qualified women and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply. A semi-finalist list of candidates will be asked to send samples of their written work and will be invited for an online interview with Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs and her team. The Selection Commission of the TUM SEED Center will make the final decision in line with DAAD criteria.

To apply, please upload your CV, a strong letter of motivation highlighting the fit to the TUM SEED Center, a research proposal of a maximum 3 pages, and the usual certificates, including the transcript of records in English through the online form: https://wkf.ms/3YQbhq9 by 10 February 2025.

If you have any questions regarding the announcement feel free to contact Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs (Email: miranda.schreurs@hfp.tum.de).

2025-1-09 Announcement Doctoral Scholarships Sustainable Energy Governance Schreurs Download

Research

TUM SEED Center: Two Doctoral Scholarships in Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Published

4 weeks ago

December 23, 2024

Mak Editor

Female and Male participants engaged in a practical session during the 8th Training Workshop in Solar Photovoltaic Installation and Maintenance, Biogas Production and Solar Thermal Systems held in May 2022 at the Department of Physics, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.

TUM SEED Center

Announcement of Two Doctoral Scholarships
“Sustainable Entrepreneurship”

Call for Applications

This announcement invites master’s students from the Global South with excellent academic track records and strong motivation to apply for the two doctoral scholarships in “Sustainable Entrepreneurship”. The doctoral scholarships will focus on scaling and impact of sustainable enterprises in the context of the mini-grid sector, contributing to SDG 7, Clean and Affordable Energy for All by 2030. The selected and awarded doctoral scholars will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Frank-Martin Belz from the TUM School of Management at the Technical University of Munich.

The SEED doctoral scholarship includes a monthly stipend of EUR 1300, international mobility grants, insurance support, family support for a spouse and children, and annual support. The duration of the scholarship program is 4 years, starting from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2029. SEED doctoral scholars are expected to:

Demonstrate a strong commitment to the work as a doctoral student.
Participate and contribute to the activities of the TUM SEED Center (e.g. annual symposia)
Engage in academic exchange (i.e., visit and collaborate with partner universities)

Application requirements:

Master’s degree in management or related fields (with a focus on entrepreneurship)
Excellent academic track record
Extracurricular skills, social engagement, and strong motivation
Nationality from one of the eligible countries in the Global South

Qualified women and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply. Based on the applications, some candidates will be invited for a task assignment regarding research in sustainable entrepreneurship. The final candidates will be invited for an online interview with Prof. Dr. Frank-Martin Belz and his team. The Selection Commission of the TUM SEED Center will make the final decision in line with DAAD criteria.

To apply, please upload your CV, a strong letter of motivation highlighting the fit to the TUM SEED Center, and certificates, including the transcript of records through the online form:
https://wkf.ms/3YQbhq9 by 31 January 2025.

If you have any questions regarding the announcement of the two doctoral scholarships for “Sustainable Entrepreneurship,” feel free to contact Dr. Alessia Argiolas (Email: Alessia.Argiolas@tum.de).

TUM SEED Center, Technical University of Munich, Alte Akademie 14, 85354 Freising, Germany, www.seed.tum.de

2024-12-21 Announcement Doctoral Scholarships Sustainable Entrepreneurship Final Download