Month: April 2020

Advisor of the Month: Yahaya Gavamukulya

Rachel Brennesholtz

Editor’s note:  We’d like to congratulate Dr. Gavamukulya on finishing his PhD and inspiring a new group of Mendeley Advisors!

What is your name and job title?

I am Dr Gavamukulya Yahaya (PhD), a Lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale – Uganda. I am also a dynamic Global Mendeley Advisor.

How did you get into your field?

Quite a very long story, but to sum it all up, passion led me where I am and has helped me stay here.

Where do you work the best?

In an environment with people who not only take me as a colleague, but get to learn and understand each and every one as an individual yet moving together as a team. Reciprocally, I really enjoy knowing everyone in my work environment as a person rather than just knowing them as colleagues, students, peers among others.

How long have you been using Mendeley? 

I have been using Mendeley for 6 years, 4 of which have been as an Advisor.

What were you using prior to Mendeley?

It’s quite embarrassing, but I was adding references manually without any reference manager.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

With resources on the website, I taught myself how to use Mendeley and it took me some time before perfecting it. Once I perfected and became experienced in all the features, and with the gaps analysis in the communities I was living in, I decided to enroll as an Advisor in order to help train and enroll as many people as possible in order for them not to go through what I used to go through prior to discovering Mendeley. Additionally, research being at the core of our training, having a resource person with interest and expertise in guiding learners through Mendeley becomes an added advantage to the Institutions. I have so far recruited, enrolled and trained more than 1,700 Mendeley users globally.

What researcher would you like to work with or meet, dead or alive?

Prof Kary Banks Mullis (December 28, 1944 – August 7, 2019), just to thank him for the revolutionary technology of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

What is the best part about working in research?

Navigating uncharted waters and eventually creating a trail…

And the most challenging part about working in research?

Uncertainty…

What is the one thing you want people to know about Mendeley?

Mendeley is here to accompany them through the entire research journey.

Do you have an advice for young researchers? 

Passion, Passion, Passion, Patience, Perseverance and the correct team… It shall keep you there even when the going gets tough.

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Find out more about Dr. Gavamukulya by viewing his Mendeley profile.

Interested in becoming a Mendeley Advisor yourself? Find out more about the Advisor Community here.

Meet the Team: Susan Tyler Jenkins

Rachel Brennesholtz

Name: Susan Tyler Jenkins

Job title: Researcher Community Advisor, Mendeley Community Management Team

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I have a research background in art history and communication, and I worked in various roles for both community and corporate organizations in the US and Europe. My current interest is in the crossover fields of eco-psychology and contemplative practices, and the impact of green spaces on human health and urban societies. I’m also a meditation teacher with training in Buddhist study and practice. I spend my free time making wilderness walks and art.

When did you join Mendeley?

March of this year! I’m still getting acquainted.

What do you love most about your job?

I love being part of a delightful team that is supporting the development and furthering of knowledge in the world.

What book did you most recently read?

I often have two or three things going at once, in totally different genres. “Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet” by Will Hunt is a recent book on how connected we are through our explorations of caves, subways, and other places within the earth, told through a series of ever richer expeditions by the author, beginning when he was a teenager and discovered a hidden tunnel near his house. I also recently finished an audio version of the Chinese classic “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” which gives a lot of insight into the historical period at the end of the Han Dynasty (~180 – 260 CE) that gave China several of its most revered heroes.

What’s one thing you want people to know about Mendeley?

That it’s not only a great way to find ideas for your research but also a way to build a network with people who have like-minded interests.

How would you explain your job to a stranger on a bus?

I support researchers from institutions all over the world in connecting with each other and in understanding the many ways that they can use the research tools and networks Mendeley has built.

What’s the most exciting part of your job?

I find meeting new people from all corners of the world to be the top perk, followed by seeing where new paths are (e)merging in research fields.

What keeps you awake at night?

Listening to too many podcasts!

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned this week?

The difference between a moor and a fen, both British English terms for types of peaty landscapes found in the British Isles. The British have so many words for describing different landscapes that we don’t have in American English, despite America having such a diversity of landscapes itself. Both the landscape and the language are fascinating to know.