Category: Advisor of the Month

Advisor of the Month: Adilson Rocha Ferreira

kristinblye

What is your name and job title?

My name is Adilson Rocha Ferreira and I am a researcher and teacher.

Where do you work/study?

Currently, I work at the Education Department of the State of Alagoas, in the Northeast of Brazil, a region well known for its beautiful beaches, natural beauty and a warrior and struggling people since its origins. As a PhD student in Education, I study at the Federal University of Alagoas, Postgraduate Program in Education, Education Center.

How did you get into your field?

I entered the Federal University of Alagoas in the Physical Education Degree course in 2009, finishing it in 2013, and since then I have been improving at other levels. In 2016 I concluded the Specialization Course in Media in Education and then the Master in Education. I am currently a PhD student in Education and in the Pedagogy course as well. In 2015, I obtained approval in a contest to provide places for elementary school teachers and since then I have been teaching Physical Education classes for students from 7 to 12 years old in public schools of the State Department of Education of Alagoas.

Where do you do work the best?

I believe that my best job is to develop research on digital technologies applied in the fields of education and health, with an emphasis on conventional digital games, exergames and gamification, in order to think other ways to learn, teach and exercise with the support of these technologies.

How long have you been using Mendeley?

Around the year 2016, at the beginning of the Master of Education course, I found Mendeley and since then I can’t live without it.

What were you using prior to Mendeley?

Prior to Mendeley, I had never used any other reference manager, I used to manage files in folders and elaborate citations and references manually, based on several manuals. From the experience with Mendeley, I was able to find others, but none of them captivated me as much as Mendeley!

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

Being part of the Mendeley team was what most instigated me to become a Mendeley Advisor, as it is very gratifying to contribute to Elsevier with feedbacks and promote Mendeley demonstrations for different groups in the academic community.

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

Currently I already work with researchers in whom I always dreamed of working together, such as Deise Juliana Francisco, Neiza de Lourdes Frederico Fumes, Fernando Silvio Cavalcante Pimentel, Lynn Rosalina Gama Alves, Flávio Anderson Pedrosa de Melo and César Augusto Otero Vaghetti. However, going further, I would like to meet and work with James Paul Gee, Humberto Maturana, Francisco Varela and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who are scholars on which I base my research.

What book are you reading at the moment?

Silver, C., & Lewins, A. (2014). Using software in qualitative research: a step-by-step guide. 55 City Road, London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

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

I am learning to play guitar. So any note or sound that I manage to make at that initial moment seems to me to be incredible achievements.

What is the best part about working in research?

For me, the best part of working as a team is to learn from the different skills that a team brings together, so that by collaborating with my skills I can learn and develop other skills.

And the most challenging part about working in research?

I continue to follow the same line of reasoning: deal with the difference! Respecting the adversary and knowing how far one can go are challenges that must be managed in group work.

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

I would like everyone to know, especially those who are starting courses in higher education, that there is no longer a need to create countless folders and get lost in the middle of several files. With Mendeley, you can collect articles and similar items in one place, in the cloud, and carry with you wherever you go with just a Mendeley account.

Do you have any advice for young researchers?

Be organized in your readings by including Mendeley in your workflow. At first it may seem like extra work, but in the future, it will save many hours of your academic readings and writings.

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

Advisor of the month: Heidi Jørgensen

kristinblye

What is your name and job title?

My name is Heidi Jørgensen and I am a librarian.

Where do you work?

I work at University College Absalon, Campus Næstved, Denmark.

How did you get into your field?

I graduated in 1996 from The Royal School of Librarianship in Denmark. I was immediately offered a job at a public library but learned quickly that it was the academic part that had my interest. I was employed at The Danish Veterinary and Agricultural Library in Copenhagen, both as a librarian but also as a consultant for the institutes. However the capital was not for me, I have therefore been working at University College Absalon for the past 18 years where we educate:
Bachelor in Biomedical Laboratory Science
Bachelor in Nursing
Bachelor in Occupational Therapy
Bachelor in Physiotherapy
Bachelor in Public Administration

Where do you do work the best?

When I am able to help students or teachers find scientific literature on exactly what they are looking for. Seeing that what they learn, allows them to move forward with their projects. For me, it is equally important whether they will learn to search databases such as PubMed, Scopus etc. or whether they will just learn to use Mendeley so they can cite their sources correctly.

How long have you been using Mendeley?

For six years and an advisor for five years.

What were you using prior to Mendeley?

I have used RefMan/EndNote.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

I became an advisor because this was the best way for me to get to know all about Mendeley and even to come up with new ideas on how to use it.

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

Tycho Brahe (1546 –1601). He was a Danish nobleman, astronomer, astrologer, alchemist, and writer known for his accurate and comprehensive astronomical observations.
Tycho was also famous for his contributions to medicine; his herbal medicines were in use as late as the 1900s. This is where we have a common interest and it would have been a privilege to learn from him.
We also have an expression in Scandinavia “Tycho Brahe days” which refers to a number of “unlucky days” – I think we all can relate to that.

What book are you reading at the moment?

Klaris, H. W. (2015). Skyggernes bog. Sorø: Tellerup.
(I used drag and drop from Mendeley)
[The Book of Shadows]. Every year I make a Christmas calendar for all the students at Absalon (10.000+) with gifts. It is an online event with quizzes about Christmas, Absalon, but indeed also about the resources that we, as a library, offer the students. Mendeley has been a part of our quiz since I started the tradition. This year we got more than 5.000 copies of this book to use as gifts. I thought I’d better read it.

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

I bought truffle mycelium and have now learned how to plant it along with the roots of a tree. If it works, I will know in approx. five years but then I should also be able to harvest both black and white truffles. I do not quite trust it, but it was very interesting!

What is the best part about working in research?

The best part for me, as a librarian, is when students realize that they are able to find the latest research within their field of study. It gives me hope that in the future when they work in our Health Care System they will keep doing this and provide the best care for our citizens.

And access! It is impossible to have access to all the resources that the users want. It is a matter of prioritizing which subscriptions you choose to subscribe to. Many are expensive and the funds are unfortunately not enough.

Do you have any advice for young researchers?

Stay updated. Make a search string that fits your subject area and create an alert. This will help you to stay updated.

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

Advisor of the month: Nick Hood

sallyransom

Nick HoodWhat is your name and job title?

My name is Nick Hood and I am a Senior Teaching Fellow in Secondary Education.

Where do you work?

I work at the Moray House School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh.

How did you get into your field?

I took the long way round. I spent some years in the military and aerospace before starting my own software business. Part of that business involved training others in programming and data manipulation, and that led me to become a physics and mathematics teacher. I moved into teacher education about eight years ago.

Where do you do work the best?

Honestly, I think my best work is in supporting people who find our programmes challenging. Part of my job is as a personal tutor, where I get to work one-to-one with people who struggle with aspects of our very intensive postgraduate courses. Sometimes this is more pastoral, but often it is about getting to grips with academic writing.

How long have you been using Mendeley? 

About eight years.

What were you using prior to Mendeley?

Good old manual methods. I just typed what I wanted on the page.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

A friend and colleague was our local Mendeley Advisor and when she hinted that she would retire, I thought I’d step up.

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

A scientist who had an idea that saved millions of lives, Robert Watson-Watt. Or, if I am allowed a fictional researcher, Hari Seldon from Asimov’s Foundation series of stories.

What book are you reading at the moment?

Barthes, R. (1980) Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, Hill and Wang.

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

How to take photographs in infrared.

What is the best part about working in research?

I like learning how to manipulate and present data for understanding – sometimes that is a matter of drawing a picture.

And the most challenging part about working in research?

Getting away from distractions that frustrate understanding of the thing you are trying to make sense of. We all know that moment when we can almost clearly see some complex idea, when we are so close that we can nearly touch it – and the email pings, or a knock at the door collapses it all like a house of cards.

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

Mendeley is the smart choice for the complex task of managing your sources when writing for academic or professional purposes.

Do you have any advice for young researchers? 

Get organised early. Establish your workflow. Use tools that get out of the way of your research activities and your data.

Find out more about Nick by following and viewing his Mendeley profile.

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

 

Advisor of the Month: Andi Anto Patak

Rachel Brennesholtz

What is your name and job title?

My name is Andi Anto Patak and I am a senior lecturer at Universitas Negeri Makassar in Indonesia.

How did you enter your field and what is your research focus?

I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Education at Universitas Negeri Makassar, then went on to a Ph.D. in Measurement and Evaluation at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

The development of extensive literacy and research has interested me for many years. I have published several Mendeley-themed papers in Scopus-indexed journals as well as two books about Mendeley, which both came out in 2012. My first was also the first ever Indonesian-language book about Mendeley (*editor’s note: maybe even the first book about Mendeley!*). It had a print run of 1,000: 300 copies were sold and 700 were distributed free to students and lecturers.

My second book was also in Indonesian and also had a print run of 1,000. With this book, 500 copies were sold and the remaining 500 were distributed free. Digital versions of both books are available online and for free.

Here are links to my books:

Mendeley: Citation & PDF Reference Manager plus Jejaring Sosial by Andi Anto Patak, Erwin Akib – Books on Google Play (published in 2012).

Hindari Plagiat dengan Mendeley by Andi Anto Patak, Erwin Akib – Books on Google Play (Published in 2015)

I hope that everyone who has a passion for writing can have easy access to Mendeley. My current research is focused on developing a Mendeley-based thesis submission model that helps to avoid plagiarism.

What is your history with Mendeley?

I have used Mendeley for more than eight years. In the first year of my PhD, I used EndNote. For a short while after I discovered Mendeley, I used the two solutions together. Then I found that reference management was simpler with Mendeley — it was more user friendly for writing dissertations and papers too. So I switched full time to Mendeley.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

Because I find Mendeley easy to use, I decided to become a Mendeley Advisor. I’m able to invite fellow international students in Malaysia and my colleagues in Indonesia to jointly use Mendeley for writing dissertations, articles, research papers and other publications.

What academics, researchers or librarians would you like to work with or meet?

Professor Wendy Sutherland Smith of Deakin University, Australia, who pioneered research on plagiarism.

What is the best part of working in research?

The best part of being a researcher is finding the gaps in knowledge where we can research. Also, I like when we can find the full text of all the relevant references for a research project!

And the most challenging part?

The most challenging part is trying to work with participants who do not honestly respond to data collection.

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

I created a Facebook group to let people know about Mendeley events in Indonesia and get feedback from Indonesian Mendeley users. You can find it here: Indonesian Mendeley Community.

Find out more about Andi by viewing his Mendeley profile.

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

Advisor of the Month: Juliana Soares Lima

Rachel Brennesholtz

What is your name and job title?

My name is Juliana Soares Lima. I am a Reference Librarian at the Human Sciences Library of the Federal University of Ceará, located in the Northeast region of Brazil. I have graduated in Librarianship and completed my master’s degree in Information Science at the same institution that I work.

How did you get into your field?

I’ve always enjoyed reading and I love researching many things. I was also very happy to help other people get the information they needed, especially to exercise their rights and citizenship, so it’s not hard to deduce that this ‘curiosity’ would lead me to Librarianship and Information Science. From the day I discovered that I could work with books, information and knowledge to help and support in academic/scientific research, and somehow make a difference in people’s lives, then I decided that I wanted to be a librarian.

Where do you do work the best?

I feel fortunate to work in the Humanities area, as it is a field that is usually related to other areas of knowledge. So, I work better in an environment that allows me to live with the diversity of knowledge and people, that is, an environment in which open access to scientific knowledge is discussed; or about technology but without leaving aside what makes us human; and discuss politics and progress without forgetting the poverty and social problems that afflict Brazil and other countries.

How long have you been using Mendeley? 

I’ve been using Mendeley for 6 years. Since 2017 I have been a Mendeley Advisor.

Which solutions were you using prior to Mendeley?

I used to make references manually. Then I discovered some reference builders online and started using them, but I missed something that would allow me to go beyond building references, I wanted to manage them using some software. As a librarian, I usually use and research these tools and after a long search I found the reference managers Endnote, Mendeley, Zotero and others. I usually offer training in all three (Endnote, Mendeley, Zotero), but Mendeley is quite successful during training sessions because of the variety of functions and resources, as well as storage space has been an essential factor when comparing three software.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

First, the nature of my work in the reference service, I usually teach, organize courses and other training courses that help the institution’s researchers to be successful in their research in databases and in the use of resources offered by the library, as well as the reference managers.

From the huge acceptance and the increase in the use of Mendeley in the institution, I decided to become Mendeley Advisor to always be aware of the news about the software and to be able to better assist the public served in the library. So that this objective could be reached, at the time, I led a series of actions to expand Mendeley’s reach at the Federal University of Ceará. I invited two more librarian colleagues (Edvander Pires and Izabel Lima) from the institution to help promote Mendeley in each Campus and increase the number of training and users. Together, we held face-to-face training sessions on Mendeley and then we developed tutorials that were posted on the library’s institutional website. During all the courses I also created a badge for students who want to help promote Mendeley to use it in their photos on Facebook or Twitter profiles. After that, we decided to create video classes and I did some tests before using Google Classroom to teach people how to use Mendeley. Each of us recorded the lessons and I edited them. All video lessons are available on YouTube.

Currently, during the month of May and June 2020,  I am teaching Mendeley for two classes in the Google Classroom, each class there are 250 students.

Video lessons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSaJUgnz0jg&list=PLOhWAljyF7ro5h0nMSA38Jj9en04JO3X6

Twibbon #ILoveMendeley: https://twibbon.com/support/ilovemendeley

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

Dead: 1) Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan, (born August 9, 1892, Madras, India — died September 27, 1972, Bangalore), Indian librarian and educator who was considered the father of Library Science in India and whose contributions had worldwide influence; 2) Aaron Swartz, he was an American computer programmer, entrepreneur, writer, political organizer, and Internet hacktivist. He was involved in the development of the web feed format RSS, the Markdown publishing format and the Creative Commons Licenses.

Alive: I am lucky to know and have worked with my advisor in the master’s degree, Professor Giovanna Guedes, but there are still so many good people that I wanted to meet in person! Antonio Agenor Briquet de Lemos (Retired professor at the University of Brasília); Professor Murilo Bastos, Michael Buckland, Tim Berners-Lee, Alice Meadows (NISO’s Director of Community Engagement), Christine Borgman (Distinguished Research Professor Information Studies University of California, Los Angeles), Luciano Floridi (Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information at the University of Oxford), Peter Suber, Lawrence Lessig.

What book are you reading at the moment?

Habibi, authored by Craig Thompson. It is a graphic novel set in a fictional landscape of Islamic fairy tales that describes the relationship between two slave children on the run.

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

In Brazil, we are going through a difficult period in which we have to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and with government conflicts. It has been difficult; I can say that every week I learn something new even working from home. I have more and more faith and certainty that the sharing of information, scientific knowledge and the intense work of researchers can bring a global solution in the fight against COVID-19. Meanwhile, during this week, I am learning to balance household chores and work activities better than the previous month. Also, this week I’m learning to be resilient.

What is the best part about working in research?

There are many wonderful things in the development of research. I believe that there is no single best part, as it is a set of steps that complement each other: a) from the conception of the idea of a study; b) the search for scientific literature that supports the study; c) experiences from field research; d) the surprises that occur during the research; e) the discovery and exploitation of results, etc.

And the most challenging part about working in research?

There is no easy search! This is the good and the bad part at the same time.

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

I want users to know how they can take advantage of Mendeley and explore all the available functions: managing references, building a profile on Mendeley online, depositing research data in Mendeley Data, using Mendeley to make systematic reviews and more.

Do you have any advice for young researchers? 

My advice is to keep studying and updating, especially nowadays when everything changes very quickly and we need to be prepared to obtain new knowledge and skills that we didn’t have before. Always adapt, renew and reinvent yourself. Don’t settle. Life is movement and we need to keep up with trends, however, without ever forgetting to value the classic and universal knowledge that remains current even after so many years. Be curious. Research and try to be critical: not everything written in a book, article or other material represents an absolute truth because in all knowledge there is a limit, a strength and a weakness.

 

Find out more about Juliana by viewing her Mendeley profile.

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

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.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

Advisor of the month: Giscard Wilfried Koyaweda

Rachel Brennesholtz

Editor’s note: Giscard hosted our first Advisor event in the Central African Republic!

What is your name and job title?

My Name is Giscard Wilfried Koyaweda.

Job Title – Research Assistant.

Where do you work?

I work as a Research Assistant at the National Laboratory of Clinical Biology and Public Health of Bangui, Central African Republic, in the Molecular Biology Department.

How did you get into your field?

Since childhood, I have always been fascinated by biological sciences and always chose that particular line. When I got to the University in 2012, I studied the Life and Earth sciences in my 1st year, Life Science during the 2nd year and Biochemistry in the 3rd. Immediately after my Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, I got an Internship at Institut Pasteur de Bangui in the Viral Hepatitis Laboratory. This has enabled me to develop more interest in research specifically health sciences.

In 2017, I was awarded the Pan African University scholarship to study a Master’s of science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. During my Master’s, I worked on molecular virology of the hepatitis B virus in the Central African Republic. After successfully finishing my Master’s degree, I joined the Scientific Team of National Laboratory of Central African Republic.

How long have you been using Mendeley? 

I started using Mendeley in 2018.

What were you using prior to Mendeley?

Before, I used to make my references manually.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

I have realized that Mendeley (an automated reference manager) is very helpful for research report writing and many students are not aware of this resourceful software. I attended an Advisor training session organized by the Advisor Dr. Yahaya Gavamukulya in 2018, which made me skilled in the software. As a person, I am very passionate about sharing knowledge with others in need. With that background, I have decided to become a Mendeley Advisor so that I can organize official training sessions about the usage of Mendeley to researchers and students who don’t have any knowledge in any reference manager in the Central African Republic and elsewhere.

(Editor’s note: Giscard is the first person to organize a Mendeley event in the Central African Republic! A big congratulations from Team Mendeley.)

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

I would like to work with Professor Anna Kramvis, a  Research Professor and Director of the Hepatitis Virus Diversity Research Unit (HVDRU), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. I really appreciate her scientific skills and work on the hepatitis B virus. Her primary research interest is the molecular virology of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), especially of uniquely African strains of the virus, which differ from those found in other regions of the world.

What is the best part about working in research?

In research, I enjoy the part of data analysis.

And the most challenging part about working in research?

From my experience conducting research in the area of biology, sample collection is the most challenging part.

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

I believe that Mendeley is more than a simple reference manager because it offers the Mendeley Careers and Funding Opportunities.

Do you have any advice for young researchers? 

My advice for young researchers is that doing excellent research is not enough to grow scientifically. The results need to be shared with other scientists and in the research community. That will make you grow scientifically.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Find out more about Giscard by viewing his Mendeley profile.

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

 

Advisor of the Month: Emiliano Jozami

Rachel Brennesholtz

What is your name and job title?

Emiliano Jozami.
Teaching assistant and Auxiliary Researcher at the Research Council of the National University of Rosario (CIUNR) in Argentina.

Where do you work?

Parque Villarino, Zavalla
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the National University of Rosario, Argentina
https://fcagr.unr.edu.ar/

How did you get into your field?

As a student, I started working in research and collaboration in biology. This is a subject for first year students of Agriculture Engineering and the Bachelor of Natural Resources.

What are you currently working on?

I am researching two different lines:

  • Second generation biofuels and their sustainability using life cycle assessment methodology.
  • Climatology, teleconnections such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation, and its effects in crops yields.

How long have you been using Mendeley? 

I started using Mendeley in 2014. I was looking for a reference manager that could reduce the stressful work of organizing my bibliography. Mendeley had everything I required from a reference manager (i- easy and versatile ways of adding citations; ii- well-ordered bibliography; iii- it allows you to create your own tags along your library; iv- it allows you to find text within your files).

Why did you decide to become an Advisor?

To aid my colleagues in being more efficient in the time dedicated to the management of their library and its use in a manuscript/thesis or any type of writing that requires references.

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

Dead: Charles Darwin.

Alive: C. Donald Ahrens. I love his books “Meteorology today”.

What book are you reading at the moment?

“Geopolítica y alimentos” by Juan José Borrell, a colleague from the CIUNR.

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

This week was particularly happy for me as I have obtained a scholarship at National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) to finish my PhD.

I have learned how to repair a leak at my bath with a brand-new sealer I have never used before.  (Editor’s note: Sounds like amazing work from Emiliano. Leaky bathtubs are terrible!)

What is the best part about working in research?

I love doing research. Since I was an undergraduate student, I have been passionate about it as well as explaining subjects to my fellow students at university. Both activities make me feel good with myself. It is really gratifying when I receive positive feedback from a student or when passing a selection processes; i.e:  obtaining a scholarship, an award, publishing an article in a prestigious journal or obtaining funding for research in high competition calls.

And the most challenging part about working in research?

Unfortunately, in Argentina, salaries are very low and the procedures to grow in this profession are not what one would expect.

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

It really can make your work easier!! It is worth learning to use Mendeley and is really a user friendly software. It is also a great social network of researchers all over the world.

Do you have any advice for young researchers? 

Although the scenario can be adverse sometimes and things do not go always as you wish, keep trying it. Perseverance is essential to achieve your objectives.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Find out more about Emiliano by viewing his Mendeley profile.

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

Advisor of the Month: Felix Oke

Rachel Brennesholtz

Felix Oke: Anchor University, Lagos, Nigeria 

How did you get into your field and what is your research story?

I undertake research in linguistics with a focus on media studies. Recently, I have got a deep insight into an emerging field called digital humanities.

My research career began while I was working on my final year project as an undergrad. I enjoyed the affordances there are in carrying out field work in linguistics. Next, I engaged with a robust and more detailed research project in medical linguistics. Recently, my research activities have revolved around media discourse and digital humanities with special interest in digitising images of cultural heritage in Nigeria.

Where do you do your research? What kind of environment suits you?

As a faculty staff member, I make use of my office in Lagos, Nigeria and sometimes in the library. I enjoy the serenity of my workplace. In a few occasions, I take a research retreat.

How long have you been using Mendeley? 

I started using Mendeley in 2016.

What were you using prior to Mendeley?

Due to my passion for referencing, I engaged in the manual way of documenting sources judiciously. Since the time I came across Mendeley, my research experience has changed tremendously.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor and how are you involved with the program?

I was surprised by the wonders of Mendeley, so I decided to learn and master the software. Also, I have passion in reaching out to researchers who don’t have the knowledge of any reference manager in my country.

I love referencing generally. I was part of a team of developers put together to work on the style sheet for referencing online data. I have taught that aspect of referencing with graduate students as part of their requirements for a course in methodology. I have also taught Mendeley in our Summer School on Digital Humanities, to the ICT staff of University and to other faculty and doctoral researchers.

Which researcher would you most like to work with, dead or alive?

The researcher I would like to work with is James Cummings, Newcastle, UK. He is a digital humanist who specialises in coding, mining and visualising humanities data.

What book are you reading at the moment?

Currently, I am reading Goals by Brian Tracy. I would like to learn more about attaining to one’s life goals.

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

Teaching referencing to graduate students of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria, who have no prior knowledge of a reference manager like Mendeley.

What is the best part about working in research?

What I enjoy the most in research is the aspect of data interpretation or discussion.

And the most challenging part about working in research?

The most challenging part of research is data gathering.

What is one Mendeley “ProTip” you have?

I have discovered, over the years in Mendeley, the intricacy of what is called the “metadata”.

Biography

I am a doctoral candidate from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and a lecturer in the Department of Languages and Linguistics from Anchor University, Lagos, Nigeria. My research interest borders on the intersection between language studies and digital software.

In my ongoing doctoral thesis titled “Construction of Identity and Ideology in Nigerian News Reports on Boko Haram Insurgency”, I have been able to show the trajectory of news discourse, critical discourse analysis and multimodal digital humanities in terrorism discourse. Recently, I have undertaken a research project on digitisation of cultural heritage in Nigeria.

Editor’s Note: Felix is too modest to say it here, but he has been working with his university to set up a Mendeley learning lab! We think this is pretty cool.

Find out more about Felix by viewing his Mendeley profile.

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

Advisor of the month: Merceline Obwaya

Rachel Brennesholtz

 

Merceline is a Library Assistant at the Kenyatta University Post Modern Library. Merceline grew up in a small village called Nyansara in Kisii County, Kenya. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Kenyatta University in December, 2014. She is passionate about providing timely and quality services to the community she serves.

 

How did you get into your field?
I love reading, but that’s not the reason I became a librarian. I love connecting people with the information they need to change their lives for the better. I love the hunt and the power of having the right information at the right time and teaching others to gain the skills too. I chose to pursue a degree in Library and information Science to accomplish all these through serving library/ information centres’ clients. I joined Kenyatta University Post Modern Library a few months after graduating and it has been exciting serving the University Community. It is amazing to work in a library!

Where do you do work the best?
In a relaxed and clean environment with people who are committed to their work and are self-driven.

How long have you used Mendeley?
I was first introduced to Mendeley in 2015 by my supervisor, who is currently the Deputy University librarian at Kenyatta University. Thanks Mr. Thuku!

What were you using prior to Mendeley and how does Mendeley influence your research?
Microsoft Word citations & bibliography. Mendeley is a one-stop solution when it comes to research. It makes referencing and citation so easier, allows one to read the saved PDF documents, make notes and add comments and even search the web catalog for more related reference documents and suggests more articles for further reading. It is an amazing tool.

Why did you decide to become an Advisor, and how are you involved with the program?
When I joined Kenyatta University, I realized most of the users I served had issues with citation and referencing. I took the challenge to learn more about Mendeley, so that I can help them rather than giving them several referrals to the reference experts. I joined the Librarian certification program in 2017 and I learnt and sharpened my skills in using Mendeley. I am involved in the library Information Literacy training sessions and one of the key issues addressed in the trainings is use of the reference management tools. I am the Mendeley expert in my library! I train the students and staff how Mendeley can make their research more enjoyable and easier.

What researcher would you like to work with or meet, dead or alive?
No one in particular, but I wish to meet the Mendeley team. They have done so much to make referencing such an easier task, providing all the support and resources needed by the users to learn more about Mendeley. The people behind this magic.

What book are you reading at the moment?
In addition to the many articles I read while working, I am currently reading “Doors of opportunity: issues in personal development and achievement” by Sebuye Livingstone.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned this week?
Learning is a continuous process. There is always something new to learn each day.

What is the best part about working in research?
Always learning to solve problems scholars face to make their research life better and interesting.

And the most challenging part about working in research?
When people assume that as an information professional you know everything, and that you can solve all the challenges they face in the research world.

What is one Mendeley “ProTip” you have?
All the Mendeley features are just where I exactly need them. The new Mendeley web importer is an amazing development! I can now save the subscribed articles without going through the long process of downloading them to my desktop folders first.

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