Transcending traditional thesis supervision
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Dr Fenet Belay (Ethiopia) was recently appointed as a Mentor within the Emerging Adaptation Professionals (EAP) Knowledge Catalyst Fellowship, an initiative implemented by the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) through the ACTS Pathways Academy.
For the next four months, she is focusing on helping postgraduate students from African universities strengthen their academic writing skills and refine their research, ensuring their manuscripts are improved and ready for publication in high-impact international journals.
As part of this, she recently concluded her role as an expert facilitator at the Research Symposium and Writing Workshop held in Accra, Ghana, from June 15 to June 17, 2026, where she worked with fellows to sharpen their research focus. Currently, she is transitioning into the intensive mentorship phase of the program. Over the coming weeks, she will conduct deep-dive assessments of her assigned mentees' manuscripts and initiate a structured, ongoing feedback loop to guide them from their current draft stage to final journal submission.
How did this opportunity come about?
This mentorship role is the natural culmination of my ongoing efforts to bridge the divide between local field-based evidence and global academic publishing. My career has been defined by a deep engagement in climate change adaptation and food security, during which I have consistently advocated for better support systems for early-career scholars. My approach to capacity building and my track record in navigating the complexities of high-impact journal publishing caught the attention of the EAP Knowledge Catalyst initiative, leading to this invitation to serve as a formal Mentor.
Please tell us more about your mentorship role with the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS).
As a Mentor within the ACTS framework, I serve as a "Research Strategist." My work transcends traditional thesis supervision. I act as an editor, a technical reviewer, and a career coach, focusing on the "knowledge translation" required to move raw, context-specific findings into the global scientific arena. I draw heavily on my specialised expertise in climate change adaptation, food security, impact evaluation, and gender inclusion to ensure that the students’ work is not only scientifically rigorous but also speaks directly to the socio-economic realities and gender-responsive policy needs of the African continent.
The Africa Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) implements a six-month fellowship programme to support early-career adaptation professionals in Africa in producing policy-relevant, publishable research aligned with IPCC AR7 priorities. Through targeted training, individualised mentorship and an interactive write-shop hosted by the ACTS Pathways Academy, the project aims to increase the visibility and influence of African adaptation individualised research in global assessment and policy processes. The Secretariat offers coordination, quality assurance, and connections to journals and global platforms. The approach aims to keep transaction costs low and direct support towards meaningful outputs. Read more about the programme here: https://www.scienceblog.africa/post/far-leaf-fellows-pay-it-forward
Dr Fenet Belay in conversation with Heidi Sonnekus (FAR-LeaF Programme).
