Ms Edna Mutua, an African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)
fellow 2013, and her mentor Dr. Salome Bukachi in conjunction with University of Nairobi
Anthropology Students Association (UNASA) and the Institute, held a role modeling event on
the 31st of October, 2014. The event, themed hidden Success, Emerging opportunities focused
on the role social scientists play in Agriculture, was held at the Education Building Lecture
Theatre I in the main campus. An overwhelming number of Masters and undergraduate (1st – 4th
Year) students were in attendance.
The event was officiated by Dr. Bukachi, a Senior Research Fellow on behalf of the Director,
IAGAS. Mr. Dennis Khamati, a Research Fellow in the Institute graced the event and spoke about
the diversity in application of anthropological skills. The highlight of the day was Ms. Mutua’s
presentation on personal development which specifically addressed having and implementing
one’s purpose, continuous learning, self-evaluation and managing positive and constructive
feedback, networking and the importance of having a mentor and mentoring others. Ms Mutua is
a Phd. student at IAGAS and a graduate fellow in the Food Safety and Zoonoses team at the
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).
Other Key speakers included: Dr. Elizabeth Waithanji, a Consultant Gender Scientist at ILRI, who
talked about the difference between diversification and career diversion; Ms Agatha Mumbua, a
social scientist (Alumnus, IAGAS) at the Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organisation
(KALRO), who talked about the contributions of social science in agriculture research and
development and Ms Millicent Liani (Alumnus, IAGAS), a Research Technician in the
Livelihoods, Gender and Impact team at ILRI, who shared her personal experiences on building a
career in Agriculture.
Also in attendance were other alumni: Mr Paul kizito, a Lecturer at Kenyatta University, who
urged students to take their training in Anthropology seriously and consider their specializations
to be as good and relevant as other science specializations; and Ms Maria Ngutu, a social scientist
at the Partners in Health and Research Development, who encouraged the students to widen their
scope when looking for opportunities through which to apply their anthropological skills.
Based on the feedback from the students, more mentorship and role modeling sessions should be
held to help focus and guide students better as they steer through University education.