Training the next generation of African scientists lives in the heart of the JRS Foundation mission and JRS grantee Oxford University honors that mission with the Young Scientists Scholarship Program by connecting African researchers with biodiversity information training programs. JRS is delighted to support these up-and-coming scientists:
Herpetologist Develops Skills for Future in Academia
PhD student, Mapendo Mindje (pictured above), was awarded a scholarship to study in a lab at the Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Natural History Collections, Dresden, Germany. Mapendo’s research focuses on the Amphibian diversity in altered wetlands of Rwanda and the skills he will develop include the analysis of DNA for amphibian specimens; statistical analysis of DNA sequences and skills on species accumulation curve for anuran populations.
In addition to applying his skills in the development of his PhD dissertation, Mapendo knows that everything he has learned in Dresden can be applied in his future as a herpetologist by aiding in policy and decision making on the conservation and ecosystems of Rwanda and in the region.
Young Ethiopian Scientist Sees a Horizon of Opportunity Through Training for Female Researchers
Young scientist, Alemtshay Teka Sahile, is preparing for a lab visit to the Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic. In her current role at the Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology at Addis Ababa University, Alemtshay has initiated efforts to establish a specialized herbarium for medicinal plants to provide a reliable reference for their conservation and sustainability. During her visit to the Czech Republic she hopes to learn laboratory techniques and procedures using high-tech lab facilities and possibly discover new methods to strengthen the medicine plants laboratory at her home Institute.
Food Security and Agriculture at the Top of the Agenda in PerkGroup Africa Training Program
Tamene Yohannes Gudaye with participants in The PerkGroup Africa training (photo: The PerkGroup Africa)
Tamene Yohannes Gudaye, currently with the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, was awarded a scholarship from Oxford University to travel to Kenya for a training in GIS Disaster Risk Management through PerkGroup Africa. The training focused on food security and agriculture, the impact of the climate in agricultural production and the adaptation to climate change and farm extension services.
Tamene will share the knowledge and experience gained from the training with colleagues at the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute. He says “As a biodiversity expert, knowing the current global and regional issues related to food security and climate change is crucial. The current training was so important and directly related to my day to day professional activates.”
Read more about JRS grants supporting young African researchers here.