Posted on by SAYAS

The journey to step 1: choosing a PhD topic

By Dorothy Ngila

 

In 2009, I was interested in transboundary water management.

 

In 2010, that changes to something — anything! — about gender.

 

In 2011, it was all about mentoring of young girls and women in science and technology.

 

By 2012 and 2013, it was all about women in leadership in science and technology.

 

Would you believe it if I tell you that my final topic, and what I am now pursuing as my PhD topic is, ‘The role of academies of science academies as health science advisers: the case of Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa.’

 

So, how did this all come about?

 

For as long as I can remember (okay, lets rephrase that, for as long as I have been a post-matric student!), I have yearned for the day I would be called Dr Ngila. Part of it is because, I would be the first of my paternal grandmother’s grandchildren to attain this, and part of it because I think I have some innate pressure to follow in the footsteps of my aunt (who has also doubled as my mother for the last 15 years), Prof Catherine Ngila.

 

So there I was, having finished and graduated from a Masters programme in Geography and Environmental Sciences from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and settled into my job at the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in Pretoria. The next logical step was to start my journey to a PhD.

 

I knew that I was passionate, disciplined and dedicated enough to pursue a PhD, but since 2009, I had toyed with way too many ideas.

 

But with my quest for trying to save the world (not literally but it’s been a hectic run at work over the last couple of years), and trying to figure out how I would fit a PhD in 3 years, I eventually settled into trying to get this done in 2015.

 

So how did I eventually choose a topic?

 

There were many, many concept notes…I kid you not, I read more than 200 scientific papers and produced no fewer than 20 concept documents in the last few years in my quest to finding the appropriate topic. In the end, however, my choice boiled down to three things.

 

  1. What kind of study

‘Will you full time or part time?’

 

I spent a lot of time thinking about whether I would leave my job and go into full time study or whether I should rather consider part time study. There are pros and cons to either but for me, it came down to the reasons for wanting to engage in PhD studies. If I wanted to have a PhD so that I could get into academia after completion, it was a no-brainer that I needed to go into full time study. However, I wanted to pursue the PhD for other reasons. It would boost my career development, enhance my critical thinking within the workplace, further my academic achievement, represent significant personal fulfilment, and contribute to building Africa’s knowledge economy outside of academia. I chose the part time route.

 

  1. Smart topics

‘Am I choosing a smart topic?’

 

For the last few years, I have been privileged to work in an array of portfolios within ASSAf. The ones that have truly spoken to my passions have been our African collaborations, and gender in science, technology and innovation. When I first discussed my desire to engage in PhD study to one of my mentors, she gave me the best nugget of wisdom ever, ‘choose a topic that is linked to the work that you engage in at ASSAf, as this will be easier to manage.’ This helped me to shape the topic I am working on right now. Regardless of how pressured the work is, every day, I read, have conversations, engage with topics that enable me to add value to the PhD process. Therefore, though I’m working a bit harder, mostly, I’d like to think I’m working smarter.

 

  1. The supervisors

‘They are renowned for their craft and are invested in the subject matter’

 

Once I had drilled down into the topic I was interested in, it became easier to find renowned scholars who were interested in promoting the PhD. They then helped me to shape the boundaries of the final research topic, ensured that my topic was relevant to my goals, and led me to the correct literature. For a part time PhD student (probably ALL PhD students), perhaps the most important decision that one can make is the choice of a supervisor. I have found supervisors who are not only understanding, supportive and invested in my completion of the PhD but also who give me important nuggets of wisdom on work/ life/ PhD balance (and let’s face it, I need this advice so much more as a part time student).

 

Many people will have different journeys into deciding on the PhD topic. What is more important is that you end up with a topic you are passionate about (but perhaps not too passionate), a topic that will endure the duration of study, and a topic that will contribute meaningfully towards your future career goals. Because mere curiosity is not going to sustain you through this PhD journey…

Posted on by SAYAS

Which doctor to be? What I could’ve been, and what I am now

By Yonela Z. Njisane

The question is “Should I have become a doctor or a Dr?” Growing up, I always knew I would be a doctor someday. Yup! I strongly believed I would be a great Veterinary doctor/surgeon. The thing is, where I come from, you see a lot of sick animals with no facilities to help and that pains my heart. I lost a couple of dogs growing up and I know how disheartening that is. I just wanted to make them all feel better and healthier.

I had it all planned out until I realised how long it takes to obtain that qualification; around 7 years if I am correct. To my surprise, I have now spent more years in school pursuing an academic doctorate instead- this is now my ninth year in tertiary. Even though the time factor initially worried me a lot, it’s probably just a lack of knowledge about how to get into the veterinary degree that stopped me from pursuing it. At first, I had plans to go back to vet science after my BSc Agric. (2011); then it shifted to returning after my MSc Agric. (2013). In my mind, I guess I never gave up on it, even though I didn’t go through with it.

The Boys basking in the morning sun
The Boys basking in the morning sun

However, just recently I found confirmation that I am better off with the path I chose. A vet told me he had no other options but to put my puppy (Storm) to sleep. That, for me, would have been the greatest challenge in the job. I can never stand seeing an animal suffer in anyway, let alone dead, especially by my hand. I sometimes wonder how I am going to cope come the end of my PhD trial — which means slaughter, by the way — considering how I adore the Boys. At least I am not the one who is going to pull the trigger, that’s how I console myself. That part is not my job.

As fun as working with animals can be, challenges will always be there regardless of the path you are in, I guess. One of the Boys almost died the other day. Almost! Thank God we got to the scene in time, even though we were all sure that it was too late to redeem him. I was so close to breaking into tears until I heard him gasping for his breath, fighting for his life.

The Boys
The Boys “race squashing” in the stockade… every month… why can’t they be calm?

If only they knew that instead of all the stomping and squashing in the race every monthly managerial routine, they could just relax, allowing a smooth and a quick process. But hey, they’re just cattle. For me, it would have been a more emotional time than just a loss for the trial. But I learned that you just have to always look out where animals are involved, you have to always be there.

For instance, while some of you were on holiday during the Easter weekend, we were chilling at the farm, in the pastures, with a couple of moos, neighs and baas. It was the paddock behaviour observation week. Holiday or not, it had to be done. The weather was just plain cruel, it was freezing so much that the best way to keep warm was to do some aerobics (turned out someone was taking a video the whole time. Damn these phones).

Another survival trick in the field. A
Another survival trick in the field. A “Hakuna Matata” hat that my friend Coco brought me from Kenya. Turns out these non-floppy hats are useful in all weather conditions!

I must also say that, cattle behaviour does not change just because its holidays either. You can expect changes from external stimuli like an overly excited barking dog passing by looking for a challenge (thank God it hasn’t happen during observation times). Did you know that while our cattle in the villages respect dogs, even excusing themselves when barked at, my Boys just charge right back? In an innocent and inquisitive way, running towards the barking dog — so cute to watch! I’m so mad at myself for not capturing the scene in a video.

I was even more impressed by the braveness in my Boys when a “crazy” ox with huge horns was somehow “claiming his territory” on first discovery of the males that had been newly moved to their (ox) camp site. The ox had an attitude for days, making noises and even kicking the ground, blowing dust. That was just it though, some act. My Boys saw right through him, ignoring the whole show and carrying on with their business.

The only thing that got them on their toes (just a little bit) was the super-sized horses from the university traction centre.

The moos meet the neighs. Yes, that's the scientific term.
The moos meet the neighs. Yes, that’s the scientific term.

Had I known the huuuuuge horses were just big babies who demanded constant grooming, I might have kept my distance too. But hey, I am not complaining at all, everyone needs scratching every now and then.

So in all, I choose to look beyond what the end will or might be and just make the most of every single moment I get with my Boys (and any other animal I come across), ensuring that they are happy and healthy. I will cross the other bridges when I get to them.

Me and the giant baby, Neigh.
Me and the giant baby, Neigh.