18th Annual Research Dissemination Conference

The Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT) is proud to announce that it will be hosting the MUST 18^th Annual Research Dissemination Conference (ARDC), on Friday 17^th November, 2023, under the theme: “Transforming our world for Sustainable Development by embracing an Innovative Research landscape” at Las Vegas Gardens . This year’s conference shall be preceded by a one-day postgraduate Research Supervisors’ Training on the 15^th November 2023 and PhD Symposium on 16^th November 2023.

The conference will bring together MUST researchers, collaborators, partners and other stakeholders to share experiences, disseminate their findings as they explore new frontiers towards sustainable and transformative interdisciplinary research and innovations. By sharing the experiences, they continue to find new ways on how communities can leverage on science and technology outputs. The research presentation sessions will cover the following sub-themes.

Sub-themes:

1. Design and validation of software technologies

This includes research in smart structures, digital technologies, innovations of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR); space science, data science, mathematical modeling and artificial intelligence. The focus will be on how these software technologies can be developed and used to achieve process efficiency in various fields ranging from health to industry. Priority is on provision of better services to the communities through improved monitoring of disease out breaks, early detection and accurate diagnosis of diseases, prediction of market trends, instructional software for knowledge sharing on smart ways of farming, early warning systems for natural disasters, etc.

2. Population and Public Health Research

Research under this theme covers basic, biomedical, clinical and translational sciences, communicable and non-communicable diseases, vaccination, nutrition and lifestyles, antimicrobial resistance and stewardship, and health and laboratory system strengthening. The focus is on generation and application of evidence-based healthcare products and approaches for improving diagnosis, management and prevention of diseases for the wellbeing of patients and their communities.

3. Responsive Health Systems

This encompasses research and interventions intended to contribute to a more efficient, safe, quality, and affordable healthcare to local communities, translate and adapt health data to information and knowledge accessible for effective health service delivery, and evidence-based health policy formulation.

4. Policy, Governance, Social Development and Gender

This theme deals with research intended to diagnose crucial public policy problems leading to effective interventions for conflict resolution, human security, alternative solutions by analysis of various social phenomena for better decision making processes, developing strategies that assure gender-based management system, gender-responsive social services, women’s health and reproductive rights and gender equality.

5. Agricultural Production Enhancement for Sustainable Resilient Livelihoods

This theme encompasses education & sensitization strategies for improved soil fertility management, high yielding crops adoption, efficient irrigation systems, transforming animal husbandry & crop cultivation, and improved marketing for better incomes.

6. Environment and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

This theme deals with research intended to combat problems caused by climate change through mitigation and adaptation strategies, enhancing the local communities’ response to hazards and disaster risk, preparedness, recovery, and rehabilitation, find cost-effective and greener solutions to environmental problems such as pollution control, utilization of water runoff, and climate adaptive and resilient local community.

7. Natural Resources Management and Biodiversity Conservation

This theme will focus on advancing techniques that promote the conservation of natural resources for future existence and enhancing the management of natural resources using both in-situ and ex-situ approaches, understanding the dynamics of social-ecological systems with respect to natural resources management, biodiversity conservation and human well-being in the face of invasive species, climate change, pollution and degradation. Assessing the effectiveness of management interventions, developing and harmonizing standards, framework and regulation on pollution control and waste management; strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction management and policy, and safe and quality water accessibility and availability.

8. Entrepreneurship, Business Accounting and Economic Advancement

This theme includes innovative strategies for marketing, accounting, procurement and financial inclusion. The focus is on how the University can positively contribute to the building of a sustainable and resilient national economy by supporting formation of business enterprises leading to creation of new jobs and opportunities, driving innovation, and developing new markets, products, and services for improved wealth in communities particularly as envisaged by the current national Parish Development Model (PDM).

9. Industry, Energy and Emerging Technologies

This theme encompasses research focused on building cost-efficient production processes, design and prototyping of food processing, health technologies, laboratory diagnostics, alternative and cleaner energy sources that are efficient and supplemental to the emerging energy needs of the local community and various cottage industries/institutions.

10. Food Safety, Security and Innovation (value chains addition)

Research under this theme focuses on innovative interventions for value addition to local food products and improved food handling processes; improvement of food shelf life without compromising its quality and safety; reduction of postharvest losses; development of natural products from agricultural produce and byproducts; processing of nutritious food for disaster relief, immunosuppressed patients, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and children; and value added products from major fruit and vegetable commodities.

11. One Health

This theme embraces research aimed at addressing human, animal and ecosystem health through a multidisciplinary approach that brings together medical and public health professionals, veterinarians, and environmentalists.

12. Inclusive Education and Educational Reforms

This theme recognizes that the university is primarily a centre for learning through teaching, training and mentoring students, implying the need to always find new and better ways of doing this. Research under this theme will focus on innovative strategies to promote and enhance the quality, equality and equity of higher education through enhanced pedagogies of educational system, development and validation of instructional and research materials. This will develop the much needed, relevant and skilled human capital to spearhead national development.

13. Natural Products Validation and Development

This theme deals with development of new and validation of products from plants and animals such as fertilizers, medicines, pesticides, etc. It addresses the twin aspects of industrialization, value chain addition and import substitution in the pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors which are all core objectives of the national development plan III (NDPIII). This will contribute to societal transformation from a peasant to a modern and prosperous country as envisaged by the Uganda Vision 2040.

14. Earth Sciences, Scientific Insight and Engineering

This theme deals with the physical, chemical and biological processes that shape the earth and enable future predictions through modelling and translating discovery. It also includes research in the basic sciences such as physics, mathematics and engineering. This permits the utilization of STEM-connectivity to design products, systems, processes and tools to understand the universe, and using the knowledge generated to design and create innovations to address the needs of society.

Conference objectives

• To present the positioning of transformative research and innovation in the
  changing world

• To interrogate research and technological innovation approaches applicable for the new digital era
• To explore new frontiers towards multidisciplinary research for sustainable
  development

Conference Justification

Tackling today’s global changes and their challenges requires harnessing the results of scientific research through innovative approaches to lifelong learning and sustainable community development. This calls for local community valorization through research, implementation of research outputs and sensitization.

Social innovation is one of the recent concepts that deal with development of solutions to societal problems including inequalities and rights. The recent COVID 19 pandemic and the ensuing challenges and opportunities have led to initiatives aiming at community well-being, quality health care, education, business and environmental management. The health care sector faces forces of rapid digitization, a greater prevalence of chronic diseases, and more informed and connected consumers. Climate change remains a threat to species, management of natural resources, and sustainable food production and safety. The need for quality and inclusive education is essential in fostering lifelong learning and generation of human capital for sustainable development.
In line with the MUST vision: “To be a Centre of Academic and Professional Excellence in Science and Technology”; the conference furthers the strategic positioning of Researchers in promoting community transformation and sustainable development in this changing times.

Conference Expected Outcome

1. Initiating the process that provides students, faculty and the University the
   zeal to conduct research and disseminate the outputs.
2. Creating awareness of the existing research opportunities and innovations
   for the changing times.
3. Inspiration to write grants that address societal challenges and needs.
4. Developing a sense of teamwork, collaboration and networks in in research
   and innovation.
5. Acquisition of targeted soft skills by oral presentation and exposure by
   faculty and students.

Submission Guidelines
Abstract:
1. Abstracts not exceeding 200 words in MS word document (submit soft copy).
2. Provide authors’ first name followed by last name, institutional
affiliation/addresses, email address and phone number. Corresponding author
must be indicated. Presenting author’s names should be bolded.
3. Abstract should have a title and should be written as one paragraph but must include the title, problem, objective, methods, results, conclusion and major recommendation from the research done
4. Title should be short and clear (not more than 20 words)
5. Abstract should have key words (not more than 5) in alphabetical order
6. Format: Times New Roman, font size 12 with 1.5 spacing.
7. Abstracts should be submitted to the organizing conference chair, through
https://www.must.ac.ug/18ardc/

Important Dates
Call for papers: 1st October 2023
Submission of Abstracts: 1st October 2023
Deadline for Abstract Submission extended to: 20th October 2023

For more information, please contact
1. Associate Professor Joel Bazira, Chairman 18th ARDC, jbazira@must.ac.ug
+256 782 725491
2. Associate Professor Vincent Batwala, Director DRGT vbatwala@must.ac.ug
+256 701 118258
3. Mr. Samuel Mwesigwa sam.mwes@must.ac.ug +256 393 224625.