Inaugural Research Visit by QLA Ph.D. Students

The first cohort of Ph.D. students recently had the opportunity to visit Quantum Leap Africa, as part of their research practice. The visit marked the beginning of what is expected to be a long-term practice for all students admitted to the Ph.D. in DataScience program at QLA.

The Ph.D. in Data Science program at QLA was established less than a year ago and has quickly gained a reputation as an experience for cutting-edge research and collaboration among Africa’s young innovative minds. QLA’s state-of-the-art facilities and close ties to industry have made it an attractive destination for both established researchers and aspiring scientists. 

During the students’ visit, they had the opportunity to meet with senior scientists and attend some of the events like the Foundational Methods in Data Science Training School (hyperlink this to the first training school under past events) and Theory to Practice Workshop (hyperlink to first T2P workshop under past event), which also acted as avenues designed to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among researchers from diverse backgrounds.

One of the Ph.D. students, Everlyn Asiko Chimoto (hyperlink to her profile under people), a Kenyan studying the theory of Neural Machine Translation for Low Resource Languages, said that her research visit was an insightful experience that significantly enhanced her research methodology.

“I had the opportunity to collaborate with fellow cohort members and this facilitated a dynamic exchange of ideas. These exchanges led to resolution of challenges and discovery of innovative approaches. The visit fostered a collaborative environment that expedited the progress of my projects, as consultation with my colleagues was seamless. Additionally, I got to understand their work. Most importantly, I received feedback from my first-year evaluation that served as an enlightening mirror, allowing me to identify and focus on areas requiring improvement. The research visit, more than an insightful journey, was a catalyst that has driven my professional growth and research efficiency to new heights”, she said.

The students’ visit, which lasted a month, was also praised by the staff and leadership of QLA. “We were thrilled to welcome these talented Ph.D. students to QLA and to have the opportunity to engage with them on different levels,” said Molly Mutesi, the Manager, Scientific Programs. “We believe that visits like this one are key to advancing scientific knowledge and driving innovation.”

The inaugural visit is just the beginning of what is expected to be a long and fruitful practice, as the students embark on this journey. QLA and the students are looking forward to working together in the future and continuing to build on the strong foundation that has been established.