Elizabeth OcholaGlobal health researcher Elizabeth Ochola has been appointed as the newest at-large member of the Steering Committee of the San Francisco based Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), following a November 2022 open call for a new at-large Steering Committee member in Africa.
DORA is a multidisciplinary body composed of representatives from publishers, funders, scholarly societies, and research institutions that aims to advance a balanced assessment of scientific output that does not rely on journal titles and impact factors but examines the significance of findings and the strength of evidence for positive mental health and career progression of early-career scientists.
Elizabeth, who is based at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), was selected from among 32 applicants from 12 countries. In her new role, she will serve as one of three at-large members based in Africa and will support DORA's vision, approve policies, and steer strategic priorities to promote more equitable research assessment practices globally.
When commenting on her new post, Elizabeth stated that as a member of the DORA Steering Committee from sub-Saharan Africa, she is interested in promoting a more balanced and fair assessment of scientific output that takes into account the significance of findings and the strength of evidence. She also highlighted the need to examine the impact of research assessment on the mental health and career progression of early-career scientists.
DORA reviewed and updated its operational structure in 2022 to address structural inequities that limited participation in the Steering Committee and to distribute power outside of Europe and North America. The addition of Elizabeth as an at-large member from Africa reflects DORA's commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the organization.
Stephen Curry, the chair of DORA, expressed his excitement at welcoming Elizabeth to the Steering Committee, noting that reforming research assessment is a worldwide challenge, and DORA benefits greatly from the breadth and depth of experiences that members of the Committee bring from all corners of the globe.
Elizabeth has also been a member of the eLife Early-Career Advisory Group since 2021 and currently serves as the early-career representative on the team supporting eLife's Code of Conduct. Stuart King, the Research Culture Manager at eLife who also sits on DORA's Steering Committee, praised Elizabeth as a passionate champion for the inclusion of early-career voices and the need for greater diversity and equity within research.
Photo courtesy / Google
Article by Jed Mwangi
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