A bird's-eye view on research 2

This blog has started to fulfil more than one need of mine. Except for the fact that we are required to give our impressions on this academy, I find it a very useful tool to reflect on my own learning that has taken place while listening to the speakers each day, and I have also posted the link to my colleagues back at the office to keep them updated, at the same time giving feedback while all is still fresh in my mind. It is also nice to read the blog entries of my fellow academy attendees.

More about Tuesday 13 April:
Prof Scarlett Cornelissen (SU, Political Science) gave an excellently, spot-on and well prepared talk on the research process within political science, with the focus on her area of interest: international relations. She mentioned that it took some thinking on how she goes about. I guess after a while all just comes naturally!

Prof Alex Duffy (UP Museums) took us on a trip of the various museums (his area of specialization: Anton van Wouw sculptures). He once again confirmed the vulnerability of microfiches - it deteriorates and is becoming very difficult to conduct research from it. Soon the information it contains will be lost, if we do not soon start digitizing our microfiches. Even paper lasts longer than microfiches!

I use to think that economics is boring, but Prof Stan du Plessis (SU, Economics and Business Science) made it come to live. He is very excited about the possibility of the library playing a role in the preservation and curation of digital data sets, since it is not managed in a proper way currently. Will make an appointment when I get back at the office once again, as with Prof Eugene Cloete :) In his words: "It would be a tremendous service". Economics also rely heavily on working papers.

Prof Martin Villet (Rhodes, Zoology & Entomology) gave an entertaining talk on insects, the cases they help to solve etc. I love watching CSI by the way, and he took us behind the scenes with his talk ...

Ms Yaliwe Clarke (UCT, African Gender Institute) talked about her research on studies related to women in Africa. They also publish a journal: Feminist Africa. I couldn't help to wonder why they do not host their journal on ScIELO (ASSAf) - especially since it is an Open Access journal - and I promised to put her in contact with Susan Veldsman.

Prof Donald Foster (Psychology, UCT) really put us on the spot, and nobody could avoid his philosophical questions. My question to him: Can we really still say that librarians are the sole custodians of information in this digital day and age where everyone has access to lots of info on the web, in a time where anybody can just publish anything they want to?

In conclusion/my opinion .... 1. I have learned that research has become far more interdisciplinary over the years. Researchers draw from expertise in other areas of research and there is more collaboration. 2. This academy has given/is giving me the opportunity to get to know some of our researchers at SU, thereby creating and open the doors for working with them and establish relationships. 3. Researchers confirmed that they are frustrated if the library does not subscribe to core journal titles, fundamental for research by them and their students. Fortunately ILL is an option. 4. We should try to attend more open lectures/presentations on campus, get familiar with our researchers and the work they do. 5. The library/librarian plays a very important role in the "production chain" (Prof Stan du Plessis). 6. So far the researchers seems to be very much in favour of their research being open for access by all (Prof Eugene Cloete, Ms Yaliwe Clarke, Prof Stan du Plessis). 7. Reference was made to using Wikipedia and Google by more than one researcher.

Below some of the photos from our mountain walk (one of the many highlights!), the food, the academy:

Carnegie Day 2

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