Scientific research, writing and dissemination (Part 2/4): Barriers to effective research, at Engineering-School

Abstract

This-is the-second-piece of a-tetralogy on Scientific-Research, Writing, and Dissemination. This-work critically examines the-local-institutional-context, to-identify actual or perceived-barriers, to-effective scientific-research, at-Engineering-School. A-survey-questioner was tested-for-validity and reliability (in compliance-with the-ISO 20252:2006 (E)); interviews; observations; and a-document-analysis-instruments, were also-utilized. The- overall-finding, with no-fear of exaggeration, is that the-current-state of scientific-research, at the-institution, can-be-perceived as ‘a-crisis in-the-making’. The-profound-lack of, or in-some-cases, non-existence, of essential-ingredients for effective-research, were-identified, and can-be grouped-into: (1) Economic (inadequate- funding for research and research-infrastructure; low-remuneration; and self-sponsored-publishing); (2) Institutional (lack of Code of Practice, for Researchers; and mushrooming-campuses); (3) Behavioral (’publishing-prostitution’; ‘brain-drain’; ‘complex of intellectual-superiority’; and lack-of time, motivation, recognition, and mentorship); (4) Demographic (gender-imbalance; and aging-faculty); and (5) Managerial (lack of marketing of library-services, and training, for-technical-staff), among-others. Largely, the-research-findings were in-accord with the-conclusions of the-Commission for University-Education, Kenya. Additionally, the- following relevant-issues were elaborated-upon: The-state of engineering-education and accreditation of engineering degree-programs; Gender in engineering-research and education; Aging-faculty; Mentorship in- academic and research-activities; Funding for Research; Low-remuneration of teaching-staff; Collaborative and ‘Multiple-Disciplinary’ Research; The-Internet, as an-institutional-research-tool; Lack of time and office space; Self-sponsored publishing-demands; Code of Practice for Research; Recognition of academic-staff; and Lack of Technical-staff, among-others. Several-recommendations also-offered on how to-improve the-current depressing-situation. The-findings, alongside-with the-theoretical-coverage, will, expectantly, make a- contribution (in its-small-way) toward the-body of knowledge on-the-subject. The-ideas and opinions, expressed in this-work are the-author’s-own, and do not, necessarily, represent those of the-school; the-university, or the- government, or any of its-institutions, at-large.