REGISTER NOW! Webinar on “Avoiding Predatory Publishers and Identifying Suitable Journals” May 15, 2023

Event chair:

Andy Nobes: Andy has been with AuthorAID for 9 years. His work is focused on helping researchers develop their research writing and communication skills through online resources, courses, mentoring and peer learning. He currently manages the AuthorAID project and has been instrumental in the development of the AuthorAID online courses in research writing and proposal writing, which have evolved into Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Andy has also been involved in training journal editors in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka in digital publishing practices. He previously worked for an academic publisher in journal e-marketing and library marketing.

Keynote speakers:

Richard de Grijs: Richard is an acclaimed academic and journal editor with more than 25 years of experience in the physical sciences. In March 2018, he joined Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) as Associate Dean (Global Engagement). Richard served as a scientific editor at The Astrophysical Journal (2006-2012) and as deputy editor of The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2012-2018). He received numerous awards, including the 2012 Selby Award for from the Australian Academy of Science and a 2017 Erskine award from the University of Canterbury (New Zealand). Richard was the founding director of the East Asian Office of Astronomy for Development (2012-2017), an institution under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union. His current senior appointments include roles as senior adviser to the Australian government on the “Australia Awards in Indonesia”, as member of the Advisory Board of the Australia-China Consortium for Astrophysical Research, and as President of Division C (Education, Outreach and Heritage) of the International Astronomical Union.

Farooq Rathore: Farooq Azam Rathore, AuthorAID mentor and steward, is a Consultant and Associate professor in Rehabilitation Medicine at the Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pakistan. He describes himself as a rehabilitation physician, learner, teacher and mentor. He has more than 200 publications with 3000 citations. He is the national representative of Pakistan for the International Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ISPRM) and Asia-Oceanian Society of PMR and Advisory Board Member of Cochrane Rehabilitation. His areas of interest and research are spinal cord injuries, stroke rehabilitation, amputee management, disaster rehabilitation, medical education, and Bioethics.

Dr. Zainab Yunusa Kaltungo: Dr Kaltungo is aplastic surgeon, former chairperson of the medical advisory committee (CMAC), and former Clinical Governance lead of the patient safety project at the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe in north-east Nigeria. She is an AuthorAid Steward. She is a mother of three children, leads a wellness and fitness start-up, and is a regular blogger.

Dr. Marilyn Chepkurui Ronoh: Dr. Marilyn C. Ronoh is a Lecturer and Researcher of Applied Mathematics and Infectious Disease Modelling. She is currently teaching at the University of Embu, Kenya on a full-time basis. She has a BSc. degree in Mathematics, MSc. in Applied Mathematics and PhD in Applied Mathematics (Mathematical Modelling). She is also an alumni of the Mawazo PhD Scholars programme and has supported the implementation of the Mawazo Learning Exchange (MLEx) programme and the MLEx mentorship programme. Her recent research centered on constructing mathematical models to understand the transmission dynamics of HIV/AIDS among the adolescents and young people in Kenya. She has authored and co-authored published manuscripts in emerging infectious diseases. Currently, she is involved in multidisciplinary and international research collaborations, particularly modelling the social drivers of HIV/AIDS disease, sexual and reproductive health research, infectious diseases and climate changes and applications of artificial intelligence to HIV/AIDS disease dynamics among the youth in Kenya. She is also part of the Mathematics in Southern Africa (MASAMU) Advanced Institute Program whose aim is to promote international research collaboration. Outside research, she is a member of the Kenya Women in Mathematics Association (KWIMSA), Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA) and Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA). Dr. Ronoh is passionate about mentoring children, adolescents and young adults and, showing them the positive side of mathematics. She is also part of the Mathematics in Southern Africa (MASAMU) Advanced Institute Program whose aim is to promote international research collaboration. Outside research, she is a member of the Kenya Women in Mathematics Association (KWIMSA), Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA) and Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA). Dr. Ronoh is passionate about mentoring children, adolescents and young adults and, showing them the positive side of mathematics.