Female Professors

Do professors and female ones at that have a life amidst all that they do? SHIRLEY GENGA spent a day with three of them.

Prof Patricia Kameri – Mbote (Associate Professor), School of Law, University of Nairobi

1. When did you decide you wanted to be a professor?

2. What does it take to be a professor?

You have to first get a PHD, have taught for about 12 years, published many articles both nationally and internationally. It is a lot of hard work for many, many years. For example, my journey to becoming a professor began in 1990 and I became an associate professor in 2005.

3. A day in your life?

I get up at 4am every morning to read my Bible and do a devotional until around 5am. I do some reading and writing until 6am. At around 6.30am I take my daughter to school, after which I walk on the treadmill or in the field for between 30 minutes and one hour. I then go back home prepare for the day and then get down to writing and reading, that is unless I have a meeting in the morning. I then go to work until 5.30pm. I usually don’t like night classes because I get up very early and thus by 5pm I’m tired. I sleep by 9.30pm.

4. How do you balance your role as wife, mother and academician?

Contrary to what people believe, my job is very flexible. I can write at home and have the option of choosing my working engagements around my children. Basically, I make my own timetable and with discipline I easily balance my life.

5. Advice to anyone who wants to be a professor?

Join us because it is a worthwhile and enlightening profession. You have to work very hard when you want it and be prepared for disappointments along the long journey but don’t give up because it is worthwhile.

6. What don’t you like about your job?

It can be a very lonely journey, in the sense that being a professor is not something people see as valuable so you really must have a strong sense of what you are and who you are to survive the lonely periods.

7. What do you love about job?

I love to mentor and nurture young people. Disseminating knowledge is a profound and special experience.

Another advantage of my title is that, you can easily relate to peers from all over the world without a lot of effort. It is a very seamless profession.

8. Further prospects?

I want to be a full professor in the near future and to also contribute in the development of a world-class law school in Kenya like, Stanford Law School where I went.

9. Other accomplishments?

I served as a Chair of Department of Private Law at the University of Nairobi between November 2002 and May 2008. I have served as a Policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars and continue to engage with scholars at the Centre on issues of environment and security. With Philippe Cullet, a fellow student at Stanford, I helped found the International Environmental Law Research Centre in 1998, a virtual organisation with presence in Kenya, India, Britain and Switzerland. I have also served on various local and international boards, I’m the chair to the Seeds and Plant Varieties Tribunal in Kenya, a trustee in the Kenya Land Conservation Trust and an avid writer. I have authored many articles and books on environmental law, land and intellectual property rights, biotechnology and women’s rights.

Prof Peninah Aloo Obudho (Associate Professor), Zoology, Kenyatta University

a) When did you decide you wanted to be a professor?

b) What does it take to be a professor?

It takes a lot of work and commitment. I completed my masters in Science in 1988 at the University of Nairobi and in 1990 I became a tutorial fellow at the Kenyatta University. In 1992 after registering for my PhD, I was promoted to the position of lecturer. I held this position until 1999 even after completing my PhD in 1996. In 1999 I was appointed Senior Lecturer until 2005, when I was promoted to Associate Professor.

To move from one stage to the next is not an easy task as one is required to attend local and International conferences, present quality papers regionally, locally and internationally. Further one is required to publish articles in peer-recognised review Journals and must be active in their department and university at large.

c) A day in your life?

I get up at 5.30am and do exercises for 30 minutes every morning. By 6.30am I’ve bathed and dressed, then proceed to take my son to school, after which I come back home and between eight and nine I work on my articles, edit magazines where I am an editor or mark students’ exams. I’m usually at work around 9.30am. I teach general Zoology an introductory course for first years, Hydro Biology to second years and Main Ecology, a practical class for fourth years. I usually get home at 6pm and then take care of my family. At around 9.30pm I return to my books until 11pm.

d) How do you balance your role as wife, mother and academician?

I am very focused and time conscious person. I also draw power from praying. My husband, four children and my parents also give me a lot of support and encouragement.

e) Advice to anyone who wants to be a professor?

First of all you have to be confident, focused and ready to work very hard. To be a professor is no easy task. People must see you shine academically.

f) What don’t you like about your job?

I really hate it when students do not take their work seriously and end up getting low grades. It hurts me so much to see them waste their lives.

g) What do you love about your job?

I love to teach because it is my passion. Interacting with young people and imparting knowledge into their lives, is something I believe is not only important but a blessing. My job also requires a lot of research and I love researching, which makes it a big plus for me.

h) Future prospectus

By 2010, I hope to be a full professor and to be the best professor plus researcher in my field. I also would like to win a Nobel Place prize for my contribution to Zoology.

i) Other compliments in your life?

From 1997 to 2000 I was departmental Representative to the Fisheries Department of the Government. Between 2002 to 2003 was chairman of Department of Biological Sciences, 2004 to 2006. I was Departmental representative in Fisheries Department of the Government and was also chairman of the Kenya DAD Scholars Association (KDSA).

From 2006 to date I have bee the chairman of the University Committee on Gender Based Violence and Sexual Harassment, Editor in Chief of the Fisheries Department Newsletter Samaki News, Editor of African Journal of Science and Development (AJSD), Internal Auditor for ISO Quality Management system, chairman of the school of the Pure and Applied Science Regional Scientific Conference Committee.

Prof Collete Akoth Suda (Full Professor), Sociology, University of Nairobi

a)When did you decide you wanted to be a Professor?

As a young girl growing up in the rural area of Homa Bay District, I had a very strong interest in Education. I convinced myself that if I worked hard, applied myself and remained focused then I would be a good scholar. Basically all I wanted to be was the highest level a scholar could achieve.

b) What does it take to be a professor?

It takes very many years of hard work. You have to write articles, attend many conferences and play an active role in your department. I for example, got my PhD in 1988, in 1992 I was appointed senior lecturer and in 1997 I was appointed associate professor. Finally in 2002 I became a full professor. It took me 20 years of relentless hard work.

c) What do you love about being a professor?

First of all, to be a professor is the highest academic qualification anyone can have. Also I love to teach, it is wonderful to know that you have contributed to tomorrow’s future by imparting knowledge.

d) How do you balance being a mother, wife and academician?

I manage to bring balance, because I know what my roles and responsibilities are. I know which ones are more important. As a mother and a wife I have to create not just quantity but quality time. I usually do that in the evenings and on the weekends. During the day I make sure I give my best at work. Sometimes my different roles are in conflict but I am lucky to have an understanding and caring family.

e) What don’t you like about your job?

The fact that there are very few women. It is not because women don’t like academics but because of the fact that women face unique challenges as compared to their male counterparts. It is so much harder for a woman who is married with children to go through the process of becoming a professor. The university needs to create an environment to allow for the promotion of women to senior positions.

f) Prospectus

I would like to continue serving women, men and the young in my current capacity as secretary for Gender and Social Services, Minister of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social services. A position I have held since last year.

g) Other compliments

In 1999 I was appointed director of institute of Africa Studies till 2002. Last year I was appointed director of the Board of Common Undergraduate Courses (BCUC).