It was a lonely, scary academic journey

Even for those that dare to go for the challenge, a big percentage drop out of the race prematurely for different reasons, including the stressing demands of the studies, career and family.

The journey towards her PhD

Growing up, Nankya wanted to become a doctor. Her excellent grades in chemistry and mathematics motivated her to pursue a chemistry-related career at undergraduate level. 

Just like what most PhD students face during their academic journey, Nankya also went through a long, lonely and stressful experience for four years. 

The 30-year-old was awarded a PhD in Chemistry, majoring in Inorganic and Materials Chemistry at Dongguk University, in Seoul, South Korea on August 24.

The journey that opened doors to her PhD programme began in 2012, after getting an opportunity to visit Korea as an exchange student.

“I was still doing my bachelor’s degree of science in industry chemistry. During the time of the exchange programme, I was required to go to Korea for one year before returning to Makerere University for my last semester (January to May 2013),” she says.

After graduating in January 2014, Nankya got a graduate internship job for a year at the chemistry laboratory of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).

Some of her responsibilities included data analysis and statistical evaluation of results, fine-tuning of analytical instruments, as well as evaluation of various parameters in alcoholic beverages, cosmetic and petroleum products.

But months later, Nankya discovered that it was necessary for her to attain more knowledge and technical skills on problem solving.

“Most of the entry level jobs in Uganda are easy to come by, however, in order for one to get high level jobs, I realised one requires a lot more and it is for this reason I was prompted to enroll for a Master’s and later a PhD,” she says.

Nankya says her exchange programme in Korea laid a foundation for her to seek scholarship opportunities at different universities.

Asked why she had particular interest in Korea, Nankya says: “I had made some friends, got some language basics and visited a number of places, which made me consider doing my further studies in the same country.”

First, she applied for a Master’s in Materials science and Engineering at Kangwon National University in South Korea and she enrolled for the programme in August 2014.

When she was about to complete her Master’s programme in 2016, she contacted a professor and inquired about the possibility of available PhD positions in his research group.

Under normal circumstances, for one to get a PhD placement, they need to first get a professor willing to supervise them.

When she got a green light from the professor, Nankya applied and was awarded a four-year PhD scholarship in chemistry, majoring in inorganic and materials chemistry at Dongguk University,  Seoul, South Korea.

Nankya says the programme was an overwhelming experience, right from the time she started until she completed.

What it means to do a PhD

The four-year programme seemed like a whole decade. Her days were characterised by writing and reviewing research papers, amidst tight looming deadlines.

“Many times, I felt isolated. Many of the papers I submitted to some of the journals were utterly rejected. The journey was demoralising. I was uncertain about the future.I needed these papers to be accepted and published on time as a requirement for graduation,” she says.

 She says the programme came with many frustrations and self-doubt. And there was hardly any time for resting. Her longest holiday as a PhD student was for 14 days and through her thesis writing, she had been working with minimal breaks.

When she felt like giving up…

There were moments she felt like giving up on the programme, especially during the first year. She says she felt lonely because she had moved to a new city, where she had no friends and was the only foreign student in that research group. 

But she realised she had invested so much already and giving up was not an option.

“I made a choice to prioritise my studies.  A group of friends within and outside the university and loved ones back home were also very supportive. This gave me great morale to stay on course,” says Nankya.

Nankya’s number one fan has always been her father, Herbert Kizito Kizza, an economist who even encouraged her to give the PhD a shot. “He always believes that I can do anything,” she says.

Dr Bridget Mutuma, currently in Kenya, has also played an instrumental mentorship role in Nankya’s life by continuously sharing knowledge. Contrary to styreotypes on pursuing a PhD, Nankya demystifies the myths, saying determination, consistency is what is mostly needed to succeed.

Lessons from this journey

During her pursuit for the highest award for academic excellence, Nankya says she learnt a number of life-changing lessons that have had a profound effect on her life.

“I have learnt to work alone. Experience has taught me that I must find solutions to some problems myself. The aspect of time management has also been crucial and I have learnt how to organise my days more effectively,” she says.

Nankya recounts the numerous times her research papers were rejected and experiments that severally failed to give satisfying results. She painfully learnt that she needed full blown patience to soldier on.

While a  PhD is largely independent work, she also found a way of partaking in research groups that had fellow students.

Nankya says women should not underestimate their abilities.

“It is not enough to be ambitious, surround yourself with a support group, friends who are at a similar stage of life, who will stand with you through the tough times,” she says.

Nankya believes lack of role models and mentorship programmes are the reason many women in Uganda stop at having the first degree. She says even those who try to go further, only stop at pursuing a master’s degree, leaving the space for men.

Nankya says she is passionate about women empowerment and cannot separate that from education. She believes in the creed of, “educate a girl-child and you will educate a nation.”

What next?

Nankya has already started enjoying the fruits of her sweat. She is currently working as a senior researcher and partnering in a few projects in South Korea.

“People underestimate the power of postgraduate programmes. Gaining a PhD does not only set one up with deeper knowledge in a given field, but also equips them with skills required for development anywhere,” she says.

Nankya says leaders in developed countries depend heavily on research to make informed decisions and development policies. 

“Kenya is progressing at a faster rate in terms of research as a number of highly educated citizens are returning home to partake in development programmes of their country,” she says.

Nankya says PhD holders and researchers in Uganda have not been given a platform to be key decision makers in terms of policies that impact citizens. 

“In developed countries, companies and the governments are investing huge amounts of cash in research and they are benefitting from this by getting evidence-based planned solutions to various problems,” she says.

Nankya’s research studies focused on energy storage devices such as lithium-ion batteries and sensors. More than ever before, her research is relevant given the climate change and the need to shift to renewable energy sources around the world.

Is it rewarding?

As late former South African President, Nelson Mandela put it, education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. “Personally, I feel satisfied to have participated and contributed in a research area that can bring a positive impact in the society,” she says.

Work and life balance

“I prioritise my tasks by making a to-do list of urgent and important things that need my attention. Also, I schedule my holidays and long weekends which help me to always have something to look forward to,” Nankya says. 

Her parents have taught her the essence of working hard, loyality and she considers them as her role models. Asked what skills a person needs to excel in academia in the 21st Century, Nankya says creativity, collaboration, communication skills, integrity and critical thinking.

Nankya says: “Every woman should invest in their career aspirations and surround themselves with people who challenge them intellectually.” She recently won an award for publishing a paper in a top 10 journal.

Background

Born to Herbert Kizito Kizza, an economist, and, Proscovia Namagembe, a retired nurse,

Nankya completed Primary Seven from Namugongo Girls Boarding Primary School.  She completed her O-Level from Seeta High School in 2006, and A-Level from Mt St Mary’s Namagunga in 2008. She enrolled at Makerere University for a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Chemistry. She signed up for a Master’s in materials science and engineering at Kangown National University in South Korea and graduated in August 2016. 

On August 24, she was awarded a PhD in Chemistry, majoring in Inorganic and Materials Chemistry in South Korea.

She plans on starting her own family soon.