1st CPC Young Scientist Community Day

Tips and tricks for a successful research career and a competition to create emulation among young researchers
Learning, practical advice, joy, symbiosis and regret are just some of the clichés that characterise the First Young Scientists’ Community Day at the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, organised on 17 December 2024. This activity, initiated by Dr Mirdad Kazanji and implemented by Dr Sara Irène Eyangoh, PhD, HDR, Scientific Director and her team, provided an opportunity to get an idea of the various projects being carried out by these young students, who are embarking on the profession of researcher. On this first day, only young people enrolled in thesis research at various state universities (Yaoundé I, Douala, Buea, Dschang), and continuing their work in the CPC laboratories and those of the Centre For Research In Infectious Diseases (CRID) were honoured.
Dr Jules TCHATUENG, who has many years’ experience in research, gave the audience a wealth of practical advice during his inaugural lecture, which focused on building a researcher’s career profile. Other experienced researchers from the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun (CPC) and the CRID also gave their views during this day dedicated to young members of the scientific community, with presentations on infectious diseases, vector-borne diseases and antimicrobial resistance.
In addition to these presentations by the seniors, the young researchers in the competition gave flash presentations in 180 seconds on the subject of their theses. Three of the 08 presentations won over the jury to the point of being awarded a certificate of recognition and a small amount of financial support. As explained by Dr Sara EYANGOH, one of the competing presentations will receive a grant from the French cooperation agency for an internship at a Pasteur Network institute.
Sonia Ngongang from CRID and IBRAHIMA IBRAHIMA from CPC will be ranked 1st and 1st ex aequo respectively for the flash presentation category, while the prize for the best oral presentation will be awarded to Gisèle Liliane MATCHUETOM, a PhD student working at the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun. A special prize was also awarded for the design of the logotype of the Young Scientists community of the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun.
All these interesting discussions gave participants a better idea of what it’s like to be a researcher and how it works. In his closing remarks, Dr Mirdad Kazanji suggested that this initiative be continued by involving more young researchers from the CPC’s partner universities in future editions.