In conversation: Uchenna Uzoamaka Ebenezer

Welcome to the maiden edition of our conversation series with our TALENT PhD fellows. In this edition, we chat with Uchenna, one of our fellows from Nigeria whose PhD explores health financing in the context of epidemics and pandemics in low and middle-income countries through the lens of social health insurance scheme functions and coverage. In our conversation, she responds to critical questions around women’s development and leadership in science and scientific research, delving into the challenges women in science are faced with, the significance of their participation in science and its broader impact on advancing gender equality.


Hello Uchenna, thank you for speaking to us today.
The pleasure is all mine!


In your context, what are some barriers hindering women’s advancement in science?
The barriers are multifaceted. Let me start from the early stages of girl child education. For those who are able to attend secondary school or high school up to an upper level, I feel like a lot of them are not aware of the opportunities available to pursue a career in science. Many parents, especially elite parents, drum into the ears of the girls what they want them to become. Some eventually struggle to get into university but end up changing courses or dropping out completely. Some do pursue science courses but end up not practicing them due to their original lack of interest. Many also get disenchanted with science because of uninteresting teaching approaches, worsened by the poor knowledge of the subject matter among science teachers.
However, for women who have reached up to MSc, continuing to PhD and post-doctoral levels could be quite challenging. It is crucial to also recognise the triple roles ascribed to women in my context, which underpin these challenges – the community role which includes expectations from the nuclear/external families and social groups, the reproductive role which entails expectations surrounding bearing children, and the professional role which involves expectations around work and education. The combination of these roles are the traditional barriers that hinder women’s advancement in science within my context.

Why is it more important now than ever before for women to develop interest and build careers in science?
The world has become fast-paced. Technology has taken over almost every aspect, but it is still largely dominated by men. To meet up with the speed within the ecosystem of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), women need to enroll more in STEM courses. This has become increasingly important in sub-Saharan Africa where 50 million girls are out of school according to a 2022 UNESCO Report.

How can the academic training of women in science contribute towards advancing gender equality?
Academic training of women not only exposes women to ‘’core science’’ but over the course of scientific training, women are exposed to other areas of learning and skills acquisition. There are a lot of soft skills that are not taught in higher institutions but are picked through peer interaction, cross learning and mentoring programmes. For example, inter-personal communication and report writing skills in the public health intervention space are not necessarily taught but through participation in project implementation, these skills are acquired over time. These soft skills contribute towards advancing gender equality as they equip women with boldness and confidence and better position them to compete favourably with their male counterparts.


What value is the TALENT fellowship adding to your career as a researcher?
Wow! My experience so far has been invaluable as a registered student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). The institution has a well-structured Doctoral programme with unlimited access to literature and other relevant material required for comprehensive training. The role of my supervisors and advisors in shaping my research work is highly acknowledged.
Through the fellowship, I am learning critical skills that are particularly useful for my research career. My extensive public health design and implementation experience in Nigeria had prepared me enormously for my entry into the PhD program. This experience complements my ability to relate scientific theories and frameworks to real life experiences.
The fellowship is also opening opportunities for me to interact with like-minded individuals and communities. My selection and participation as a panelist on the LSHTM Designing Public Health Programmes (3457 module) in January 2024, provided me a platform to share my wealth of experience in programme design with MSc students. In addition, my participation at the 3rd International Conference in Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) in Lusaka, Zambia in November 2023 where I presented two poster abstracts, is a clear example of the added value of the TALENT fellowship to my research career and quite importantly, the opportunity to network and build new professional relationships within WANETAM and specifically among the TALENT fellows.

What is your message to women aspiring for careers in science?
My encouragement goes out to African women who want to join the world of science. It takes focus, sacrifice, hard work, resilience, family support and faith to excel. It is good to start early but no time is too late!


Thank you very much Uchenna!
You are welcome!

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