In a compelling presentation during the first SAS Faculty seminar, Dr. Malachy Okeke shared his experiences co-authoring 11 research articles with undergraduate students, all of which have been published in high-impact Scopus peer-reviewed journals after their senior research projects (SRPs). Notably, a monkey pox article he co-authored with 2022 Valedictorian Emmanuel Alakunle has garnered an impressive 695 citations since its release last year.
The seminar, which was held on October 16 in the SoL Auditorium and was organized by Associate Professor Power Wogu and the Dean of SAS, Professor Bolade Agboola, attracted a diverse audience, including faculty, students, and staff.
Dr. Okeke emphasized that effective undergraduate research hinges on strong mentorship. He outlined essential skills such as teaching, critical thinking, and project planning, advocating for the early recruitment of students—preferably by their second year—for training in research methodologies. He highlighted that successful research projects can serve as a gateway to publication, recognition, and enhanced academic and career opportunities.
Effective mentoring, Dr. Okeke noted, requires providing students with vital resources, fostering a collaborative environment, and instilling the value of networking. He encouraged mentors to promote critical thinking, engage students in hypothesis questioning, and support them throughout their research endeavors. "Mentoring empowers students to become successful researchers and contribute meaningfully to the scientific community," he asserted.
Supportive mentorship, Dr. Okeke pointed out, can empower students to achieve greatness and change the world. "All inventors start in their late teens and early twenties. They may finish their works in their seventies, but their work is done when they are very young." He encouraged faculty to start mentoring their students, saying, "If you believe in your students, give them the necessary support, they will fly, and they have the capacity to change the world," he concluded.
Reported by El-Miracle Akpan