Prof Mammo Muchie sharing his inspiration behind writing the three books.
The titles of the books are:
- Engineering Design and Mathematical Modelling: Concepts and Applications;
- Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators: Lessons from the Development Experience in Africa; and
- Solar Energy in Africa: Possibilities & Capabilities.
Congratulating the authors on a job well done, Dr Vathiswa Papu-Zamxaka, DVC: Research, Innovation and Engagement, said the launch of Prof Muchie’s books will set a precedence and encourage other researchers and students to come up with innovative research outputs. “We are here to create a conducive environment for our researchers to flourish and make the University and country proud,” she said.
“The University has an obligation to improve our communities’ and country’s socio-economic development through the generation of knowledge, as well as innovation and research-based solutions derived from our research outputs. Thus, our strategy remains clear to ensure that we contribute to the knowledge economy, innovative research, technological innovation and impactful research. We are confident that the books will help other research scholars and the University to acquire more scholarships and improve society. Furthermore, we are hopeful that this trio of books will not only be kept on shelves to collect dust, but that they will contribute to the advancement of scholarship and nurturing of talent in their respective fields,” she continued.
In his address, Prof Muchie, who has published more than 450 publications, which include books, book chapters and journal articles, said book writing requires great imagination, initiative, intuition and curiosity. “One needs a creative spirit to write books well. You need to know where to start and how to release the creative spark; you need to write books that will have an impact in solving societal problems,” he said.
Prof Muchie added there is much knowledge, which we do not value and appreciate, buried in Africa. “The books are aimed to motivate scholars in Africa to engage and work together. The African origin of science should be acknowledged and included in the education system,” he continued.
In officially opening the launch, Dr Papu-Zamxaka highlighted that the African continent comprises 15% of the world’s population but only produces 2% of the world’s research output. TUT is not an exception in this regard though and the University is urgently working on and investing towards increasing research outputs.
“This triple book launch showcases TUT’s research capabilities, enhances its image in the global higher education arena and contributes to our efforts for institutional reputation building. Under the notion of increasing our research output, I hope that this launch will lead the way and encourage our students, staff and researchers to pursue research that fosters scientific advancement and production of outputs,” she concluded.