During part three, of the Future Africa - 1HOPE Webinar Series, held on the 27th of January 2021, we specifically wanted to embrace what is being done already by doctoral and early career scholars.

During this webinar we had two panels, Early Career and Doctoral Students TD, where these doctoral and early career scholars shared their thoughts, knowledge, and expertise as to being the next generation scholars and what they think is required for us to move forward as scientists.

The two panels were chaired by Prof. Liesel Ebersöhn (Director of the Centre for the Study of Resilience (CSR) at the University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa), and Dr. George Lueddeke (Chair of the International One Health for One Planet Education Initiative (1HOPE) in the United Kingdom). The two panels consisted of the following panelists:

• Ms. Adele May (Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) at UP in South Africa),
• Ms. Samantha Mukonjia (International Student One Health Alliance (ISOHA)),
• Dr. Adriano Mendez (Centre for Viral Zoonoses (UP CVZ) at UP in South Africa),
• Dr. Willeke de Bruin (Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS) at UP in South Africa),
• Ms. Robyn Moore  (CAAC at UP in South Africa),
• Mr. Dauda Onawola (ISOHA),
• Dr. Assefa Woldegerima (UP CVZ at UP in South Africa),
• Dr. Lizyben Chidamba (CoE-FS at UP in South Africa).

And key participants who posed suggestions on how the development of transdisciplinary research might be strengthened in research or education settings to the above panelists:

• Ms. Loandi Richter (CoE-FS at UP in South Africa),
• Ms. Tiffany Naidoo (School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) at UP in South Africa),
• Mrs. Marinda Mortlock-de Vries (UP CVZ at UP in South Africa),
• Ms. Thabang Msimango (CoE-FS at UP in South Africa),
• Ms. Chiedza Mandimika (SHSPH at UP in South Africa),
• Mrs. Marike Geldenhuys-Venter (UP CVZ at UP in South Africa),
• Ms. Ulonka Barnard (UP CVZ at UP in South Africa).

After the Early Career and Doctoral Student TD panels, we engaged in a Consensus Consultation on TD with Prof. Belinda Reyers (Senior Advisor at UP and is affiliated with the Stockholm Resilience Centre) and Prof. Liesel Ebersöhn. This session was chaired by Dr. George Lueddeke.

We concluded the Webinar Series with Developing a Career in One Health. This interactive discussion, chaired by  Prof. Liesel Ebersöhn, involved the knowledge, experience, and expertise of Prof. Renzo Guinto (New Generation One Health Adviser at The Lancet One Health Commission) and Dr. Deborah Thomson (Founder and President of One Health Lessons). 

We ended the Future Africa - 1HOPE Webinar Series with a brief closing which was chaired by Prof. Liesel Ebersöhn and Dr. George Lueddeke. 

The Webinar Series is a stepping-stone and pilot for what may happen in the future in order to strengthen TD research capacity. Initially we attempted to gather doctoral and early career scholars in person or place-based, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic alternatives, such as a hybrid model, were considered. However, this did not work and new arrangements had to be made. 

In the end, we settled for a virtual webinar series. Who knows what the future may bring, perhaps a hybrid model where we can engage both virtually and place-based with doctoral and early career scholars?