How the Mawazo Fellowship Programme impacted the professional development of a Nigerian Computer Scientist
Image Credit: Iyanu Pelumi Adegun
Author: Naliaka Odera
In 2022, Iyanu Pelumi Adegun had just returned from maternity leave, after successfully presenting her PhD proposal earlier that year at the Federal University of Technology in Nigeria, where she was pursuing a Computer Science PhD. She felt uncertain about the next stage of her PhD journey, only aware of the requirements outlined by her university’sPhD programme. Concerned about how to progress efficiently including the need to present at least 3 seminars over the course of her research journey her husband encouraged her to apply for the Mawazo Institute’s 2023 Call for Applications, which he happened to come across. Spurned on by the idea of acquiring new knowledge, and her husband’s support, Iyanu quickly submitted her application.
Image credit: Mawazo Institute
As a member of the 2023 Mawazo Fellows, Iyanu noted that things felt different from the very beginning during the onboarding session. She loved the emphasis on well-being highlighted during the discussions , and valued the rare opportunity for self reflection regarding her PhD journey. Throughout the 15 month Fellowship, Iyanu was impressed by the wealth of knowledge she acquired from the MLEx courses. She cited the Budgeting and Financial Management Course, and the Publishing and Grants Writing Course as particularly impactful for her academic career, “The Budgeting course enhanced my excel skills which proved beneficial for my PhD research, while learning about publishing really helped me distinguish between predatory journals, and legitimate ones.”
The real game changer for Iyanu was when she successfully applied for the Mawazo Fellows Fund which enabled her to finance a trip to the Deep Learning Indaba conference, an annual machine learning and Artificial Intelligence conference, in Ghana. This opportunity came at a vital point in her research journey. She explains, “I was at the stage in my PhD journey where I had numerous questions, and needed guidance. Attending the conference allowed me to connect with many people who provided valuable advice and direction.” She attributes her renewed enthusiasm in her career to the conference, as well as connections she made with several different African researchers in her field, including a Cameroon professor whom she had long wished to meet.
Image credit: Mawazo Institute
As Iyanu graduates from the Mawazo Fellowship Programme, she looks forward to engaging more deeply with the Mawazo’s Connects Network, which now comprises over 90 African woman researchers, dedicated to making an impact in their disciplines and communities. She shares, “I am uncertain about what the future holds, but I aspire to give back what I have gained from Mawazo. I hope to learn from former Mawazo Fellows about their own experiences while networking with others who share a similar vision and desire for growth.”
Currently, Iyanu is lecturing and working on publishing in academic journals. She aims to transition into public health after completing her PhD. She has noted the many resources that Mawazo has shared, and is eager to apply her newly acquired knowledge to her work. Some progress has already been made with journal submissions, but as she says: “I have so many ideas, and I am looking forward to applying them!”
The Call for Applications for the 2025 Mawazo Fellowship Programme Cohort is now open until Sunday November 24th, 2024, find out more here and apply.