Esther Mwaikambo, the president of Tanzania Academy of Sciences (TAS) believes that research that impacts people’s lives, solving their daily challenges is more important than research done merely for the purpose of publishing in academic journals.

The scientist says she does not believe in the “publish or perish” motto, instead believing it is the impact a scientific study has on others that are more important.

“Scientists should not do research just for the sake of doing it. Even if a research leads to good results the question should be, where can I apply these results, how is this research helping anybody?” she says in an interview published by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

“Before embarking on a specific investigation, it is important to think critically to see if the investigation is likely to bring something good to people getting good results, publishing them and stopping there leads to nowhere,” she counsels.

The pioneer pediatrician and female scholar advise that women should not shy from pursuing careers in science, saying that many are impeded from growing their science careers by family and marriage.

She says that science in Tanzania was picking, but is quick to note that low funding in addition to brain-drain remains a major as is the case in many other African countries

Now in the last year of her final term as head of TAS Mwaikambo says that women she believes women can be as good as men in sciences but need to be encouraged to pursue a career in the field particularly if they are good in it at their higher levels of education.

“My goal would be to get more women into the Academy, but not simple women: women who can become as good scientists as men. And bring about the expected impact in the community.” She says about her ending reign as head of the academy.

A senior pediatrician at the Hubert Kairuki Memorial University in Dar es Salaam Mwaikambo lost her mother when she was only 9 years old, and moved to the Soviet Union in pursuit of higher education earning an MD in 1969 from People’s Friendship University –Russia and a master's degree in pediatrics in 1977 from the University of Dar es Salaam.

Her scientific interests cover medical education, cerebral malaria among others and are founder and president of the Medical Women Association of Tanzania.

 

Story by Carolyne Nyokabi.

Read the interview here:https://twas.org/article/rising-power-African-women-science