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STUDENT
SECTION
YOUNG
SCIENTISTS MUST WRITE
Scientists
must not only write, but also write well. AJFAND provides an ideal
opportunity for young scientists to share their opinions in their
respective fields as they perfect the art and science of writing
and reflect on pertinent issues in agriculture, food and nutrition.
Preference for written work continues to inspire streams of correspondence
among those who show love for personal and scientific reflection,
the silent debate and as Thomas Jefferson (former US president)
once puts it; ‘The illuminable freedom of human mind to explore
and expose every subject susceptible to contemplation.’
By
writing we can communicate with people we know and thus can judge
us by everything that they know about us- by our writing and by
our conversation, appearance and behaviour. However, when we write
to people whom we have never met, they judge us in the only way
they can-by our writing. Some students recognize the importance
of writing their thoughts down for others to comment on, learn from
and sometimes reflect on. Others know they write badly but they
do not worry about this. They are mistaken if they believe that
writing is not particularly important. Still others, because they
are satisfied with their writing, write without thinking about possibility
of improvement. The power of the pen is obviously profound. But
the penholder must progressively cultivate the art of directing
it to perfection or near perfection.
Writing
is part of science but many scientists receive no formal training
in the art and technique of writing. There exists a certain irony
particularly in developing countries; emphasis is put on use of
instruments and techniques, many of which the students will never
use in their entire working lives, and yet there is no teaching
on how to write well.
Of
utmost concern to this section of the AJFAND is to adequately prepare
and give students the confidence to obey nature’s call of
inheriting their predecessors’ roles. Their predecessors have
accurately determined that communication is valuable in agriculture
food and nutrition sciences. For future success in these disciplines,
efficient and accurate communication is indispensable. This has
been enhanced by the advent of the Internet, which has made possible,
the cybernetic processes. This section of AJFAND can thus be generally
perceived as an ambitious attempt to effectively bridge the gap
between generations by nurturing young scientists in agriculture,
food and nutrition. At the expense of repetition let me quote; ‘young
scientists must write’.
And
now, as this issue rolls out, we observe and witness the continuation
of students’ endeavors to spell out their opinions in the
spirit of ‘dialogue in science’ through writing.
Shadrack Oiye
MSc Student (Applied Nutrition), Applied Nutrition Program - University
of Nairobi.,
P. O Box 442, Uthiru-Nairobi, Kenya. Email: oiyes@yahoo.com
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