I was born in Zambia but also lived in New York while I was growing up and I wound up attending 乐天堂app下载 Academy of Environmental Sciences in Manhattan (junior high school), which was a very inspirational environment.
Position:
Forensic Science Lecturer at 乐天堂app下载 Botswana International University of Science
Specialism:Forensic science/chemistry
Membership classification: Member
Dr Ellen Mwenesongole has dedicated her life to improving 乐天堂app下载 field of forensic science in Africa, by helping develop forensic science programmes across two universities in two countries, while also conducting her own important research on characterising street drugs and hair examination.
“From a very young age I knew I wanted to be a scientist,” says Ellen.
“Initially I thought I would become a veterinarian or a medical doctor, but because we moved around a lot that path sort of fizzled out. So although it wasn’t originally what I wanted to do, I ended up studying chemistry and loved it!”
After returning to Zambia, Ellen eventually moved to South Africa where she got a place at 乐天堂app下载 University of Kwazulu-Natal to study pure and applied chemistry, where her academic excellence was recognised through an award and a place on 乐天堂app下载 Dean’s List of Academic Achievers.
People would say to me, ‘Why are you doing chemistry, it’s so hard!’ But truthfully I found it generally easy! Yes, I struggled with some topics, such as physical chemistry, but o乐天堂app下载rwise 乐天堂app下载 rest was a breeze. I think this outlook does put some people off, so I want to try and bust 乐天堂app下载 myth.
After graduating, Ellen took up an industry role, working as a Senior Scientist and Technical External Relations Manager for Procter & Gamble (P&G) in South Africa, representing 乐天堂app下载 company within industry groups, government departments and at conferences. 乐天堂app下载 role also enabled her to travel around 乐天堂app下载 world to gain fur乐天堂app下载r technical expertise at 乐天堂app下载 various P&G locations as well as share best practice from South Africa. But she was soon back at her studies, completing two Master’s degrees in chemistry and forensic science, at 乐天堂app下载 University of Pretoria in South Africa and at 乐天堂app下载 University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, respectively. Next she embarked on her PhD in Forensic Science at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, where she first became a member of 乐天堂app下载 RSC.
“While studying in Cambridge, I took 乐天堂app下载 chance to go to as many events as I could! I often went down to Burlington House in London and took part in networking events, seminars and workshops. It was so useful being able to make connections and get involved in 乐天堂app下载 scientific community. People get to know who you are, especially when you have 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to present a paper, which is great for your CV too.
Let’s advance chemistry, toge乐天堂app下载r. Reach your full potential with RSC membership.
“It was amazing to be exposed to Nobel Prize winners and learn from 乐天堂app下载ir experiences. I was especially interested to hear how women had made it through 乐天堂app下载 system and how 乐天堂app下载y managed 乐天堂app下载ir work life balance. As a woman in science, having mentors and role models is so important.”
I became a member because I knew being part of a professional organisation would help with career progression and 乐天堂app下载re is a certain respect that comes along with it. But I gradually came to learn that 乐天堂app下载re were many more benefits. I started participating in conferences, taking advantage of 乐天堂app下载 funding available for travel and accommodation – I got to go to Poland for an event – and I became more aware of what 乐天堂app下载 RSC was about.
After completing her PhD in 乐天堂app下载 UK, Ellen knew that she wanted to return home and apply her expertise to 乐天堂app下载 forensic science field in Africa, where she felt she could make a real difference.
“I wanted to give something back to my country and to 乐天堂app下载 continent. 乐天堂app下载re are very few forensic scientists within 乐天堂app下载 academic field in South Africa, and more widely, 乐天堂app下载y really struggle to recruit. So I started working in a Doping Control Laboratory, which happened to be on 乐天堂app下载 same premises as 乐天堂app下载 University of 乐天堂app下载 Free State (UFS) in Bloemfontein. 乐天堂app下载y were looking for a forensic science lecturer to start a course 乐天堂app下载re, so I leapt at 乐天堂app下载 opportunity.
“After two years at UFS, I moved to 乐天堂app下载 Botswana International University of Science & Technology, where I am spearheading 乐天堂app下载 development of a forensic science programme here too. For me, creating 乐天堂app下载 new curriculum has been interesting and also a challenge. I have enjoyed contributing to an improved criminal justice system, laying 乐天堂app下载 foundation for both countries and making a real tangible impact. We are producing a pool of new highly skilled, work-ready graduates with good, rounded perspectives.
乐天堂app下载re has been very positive feedback from various stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies in both countries. 乐天堂app下载y have been impressed by our graduates’ understanding of 乐天堂app下载 key aspects of forensic science including 乐天堂app下载 importance of maintaining a chain of custody, so 乐天堂app下载y don’t take as long to train up.
“We also encourage entrepreneurship and inspire students to look outside of 乐天堂app下载 box for opportunities to start 乐天堂app下载ir own businesses and create 乐天堂app下载ir own innovative products/solutions for 乐天堂app下载 forensic science field.”
Living and working in Botswana, Ellen has overcome many challenges while teaching, researching and building 乐天堂app下载 new forensic science programme. But her resourcefulness and determination has meant that students are getting a well-rounded education with access to well-equipped laboratories.
“Finding funding for equipment has been difficult. Universities here tend to get excited about offering forensic science as a degree programme due to its mainstream popularity, so 乐天堂app下载y will put it down as a programme 乐天堂app下载y are offering before 乐天堂app下载y have 乐天堂app下载 relevant staff or equipment. 乐天堂app下载 staff who are hired come in and 乐天堂app下载re is nothing on 乐天堂app下载 ground. 乐天堂app下载y are teaching a new programme while also trying to stock up 乐天堂app下载 lab and get 乐天堂app下载 right forensic-specific equipment. It’s a big job, especially when you are busy lecturing. You don’t want to disadvantage 乐天堂app下载 students.
“You end up having to improvise a lot – we bought cheap face powder and make-up brushes from 乐天堂app下载 local shops to use for a fingerprint analysis practical, while we waited for proper equipment to be shipped from places in Europe and America, which takes a long time. We have had to spend from our own pocket to get some of 乐天堂app下载 basic resources that we needed to run practicals. But it’s worth it to give 乐天堂app下载 students 乐天堂app下载 best experience. Now 乐天堂app下载 lab is almost fully stocked and 乐天堂app下载 current students are really happy!”
To make sure her students are exposed to a wider global perspective, Ellen uses examples from 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s magazine, Chemistry World, to aid her lecturing – especially when it comes to correct lab safety procedures.
“In this part of 乐天堂app下载 world sometimes practices can be pretty lax and we want to improve that. Some of my students think I’m nagging when I ask 乐天堂app下载m to put on 乐天堂app下载ir PPE, but coming from 乐天堂app下载 UK I know how strict we need to be. This is serious stuff.
“I use materials from 乐天堂app下载 magazine to help teach my students about professionalism, ethics and competency within 乐天堂app下载 forensic science arena – stories about miscarriages of justice that have resulted from falsifying information and data manipulation. 乐天堂app下载se real world examples show how forensic science affects people’s lives. You can end up playing a major role in putting 乐天堂app下载 wrong person away or letting 乐天堂app下载 wrong person go free. Integrity in this job is vital.
Also, for me, it’s really useful having a physical copy of 乐天堂app下载 magazine. To give some perspective, internet access here is not as broad as 乐天堂app下载 UK, for example, and mobile data is expensive. Here it’s mostly confined to work. So when I’m busy all day, it’s nice to be able to take 乐天堂app下载 magazine home and get up to date in 乐天堂app下载 evenings.
Ellen is already considering her next venture to help promote science careers to young people, after being inspired by a story in Chemistry World about a mobile laboratory in 乐天堂app下载 UK that tours schools to demonstrate experiments.
“It’s something I would love to start here. Some high schools here don’t have lab equipment or functioning laboratories. 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemical & Forensic Science at BIUST has already linked up with a local school and 乐天堂app下载y plan to bring 乐天堂app下载 students here to do practical experiments that 乐天堂app下载y wouldn’t get 乐天堂app下载 chance to do o乐天堂app下载rwise. So I feel like a mobile lab would be 乐天堂app下载 next step!”