ISSBD 2 x 2 Grant for Early Career Scholars Awardee’s Spotlight: Interview with Ijang Ngyah

This interview series highlights the remarkable work of grantees from the 2023 ISSBD 2×2 Grant for Early Career Scholars from around the world. Through these conversations, we offer a glimpse into their research journeys, achievements, and the impact of their collaborative projects across diverse fields.

In this feature, we spotlight Ijang Ngyah, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Buea in Cameroon, who, in partnership with Yaser Ramirez, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Montreal in Canada, are investigating the intricate relationship between physical activities, sedentary behaviors, screen time, and sleep quality among children aged 3 to 5 years in Cuba and Cameroon.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from our 2×2 awardees as they share insights into their work and the transformative impact the grant has had on their professional journeys.

Can you share the main focus of your research project funded by the 2×2 grant?

Our research examines lifestyle, school readiness, and later academic achievement in Cuba and Cameroon. Current global social trends, characterized by severe economic problems in LMICs and increased screen-based, sedentary activities as alternative entertainment, require the exploration of how the current lifestyle affects children’s readiness for school. School readiness has mostly been explored from a cognitive and socio-emotional dimension, with little regard for physical activities, which has been proven by the SUNRISE project in over 65 countries to be a good predictor of lifestyle. Most LMICs do not meet the WHO’s integrated guidelines for movement behavior, sedentary behavior, and sleep quality in children under 5.

Our study thus centers on physical activities in terms of sedentary behaviors, screen time, and sleep quality, as well as the association between these, school readiness and academic achievement of 3 to 5-year-old children in Cameroon and Cuba. The study also aims to do rural/urban, gender, and inter-country comparisons for the different variables.

What inspired you to pursue this particular area of research?

Prior research and inspiration from our mentor, Professor Linda Pagani. Previously, I worked on developing creative skills in children through their engagement in creative activities such as play, crafts, running errands, and the development of creative skills.

My collaboration with Linda since we met at the ISSBD 2021 regional meeting in Rhodes inspired me to further explore how the activities children engage in influence their readiness for school. Linda has written extensively on school readiness and has been part of the SUNRISE study. As a result, we published a paper on children’s precursor ecological awareness skills and kindergarten readiness in Cameroon.

Through Linda, I also met Yaser, during an online she organized at the University of Montreal, Canada, where I presented a paper on physical school readiness and the resilience of 3 to 5-year-olds. When the 2×2 call was launched, we noted our common interest and decided to build a proposal that compares our issue across Cuba and Cameroon for submission.

How has the 2×2 grant impacted your research journey and overall career?

The 2×2 award has impacted my research journey and career in several ways:

• It has greatly broadened my collaborative networks. It is thanks to this opportunity that I have been able to meet and connect with renowned scholars like Tony Okely and other members of the SUNRISE team. I learned so much from these networks and engaged in other collaborations with scholars conducting similar research in other African countries in the course. Working with my dynamic partner, Yaser, and my mentor, Linda Pagani, has been instrumental in my career, as I have learned about reputable publishing and the value of building networks.
• It has improved my writing skills. Our mentor, Linda, constantly motivates and supervises our writing, providing very constructive and timely feedback on our manuscripts. We had the opportunity to write papers on our issue, which has been quite an educative process. Some are currently under review.
• I have achieved collaborative publications with my partner and other great scholars. I am currently leading an African team of researchers engaged in the SUNRISE study for a publication that compares the findings obtained from different countries.
• Recognition. I was recognized at my university thanks to the 2×2 award. The support and collaboration with the Wollongong University of Australia and the SUNRISE team through the collaboration agreement signed with my university was applauded. The training of some staff at my faculty and a few postgraduate students who served as research assistants as part of the study was appreciated. Based on this, I received a congratulatory note from my university vice Chancellor. My team also received a communication award during the SUNRISE AGM on the 29th of August, 2024. Other colleagues have expressed interest in collaborating with me as a result.
• It has built my leadership skills. I have been leading, but the 2×2 grant has been an outstanding opportunity to lead an international study. I have successfully planned and organized the training and data collection phase of the SUNRISE study in Cameroon. I succeeded in navigating the challenges we encountered. I am happy with this and confident that I can manage even bigger projects. Building team spirit among my research assistants was instrumental in our success.
• It has also improved my knowledge and skills in measuring movement behaviors and executive functions in children, especially with the use of tools like accelerometers, hand grip, and EYT Games.

What challenges did you encounter during your research, and how did you overcome them?

One challenge was getting parents’ consent. Some parents rejected the involvement of their children in the study, citing distrust of anything connected to international organizations. They also saw some of the data collection tools as tracking devices, so, were not comfortable with them. To address this, we engaged trusted education stakeholders like school inspectors, head teachers, and teachers, who communicated the non-harmful nature of the research as well as the value of the research towards the development of the children. This helped us gain the trust and acceptance of more parents.

Also, we had envisaged larger sample sizes that were not feasible given the funding we had. To resolve this, we limited our work to the pilot phase of the study, which was achievable with the available funds. We are currently exploring other funding options to conduct the larger study. Additionally, I was able to secure some support from my faculty during the training, which was helpful. The faculty provided office space, a hall, and lunch during the training.

Could you highlight any key findings or outcomes from your research that you’re particularly proud of?

No findings yet, but we hope to have them soon. However, I am proud of the award the Cameroon team received at the SUNRISE Annual General Assembly on the 29th of August, 2024. I am also proud of the two papers (one in submission) Yaser and I are currently working on from our study.

I am happy about feedback from study participants that has sparked our thoughts on further studies and interventions to improve children’s cognitive and motor development in my context.

How do you see your research contributing to the broader field or benefiting the community?

The SUNRISE international study of movement behaviors is being conducted in Cameroon for the first time. This will highlight many issues regarding Cameroonian children’s lifestyle and its effects on their executive functions, which can inform national policy or contribute to African regional and international policy on childcare. Data on the study variables for Cameroon will also be included in the international data repository and made available for comparative analysis.

The 2×2 research grant has been a capacity-building opportunity for some postgraduate students and faculty of education staff at my department and faculty, as they gained skills and knowledge on assessing movement behaviors and executive functions in young children during the training and data collection. Some students who served as research assistants in the project developed more interest and are writing their theses in the domain.  The findings will inform parents and the communities involved on the current lifestyle of children with implications of such on their learning and development

What advice would you give to future researchers applying for the 2×2 grant?

Create networks and strive to excel at every given opportunity, especially during conferences like ISSBD Biennial Meetings and Regional Workshops, where a multitude of renowned scholars and early-career researchers converge. Do your best in whatever research you are pursuing, as people are drawn to quality. Be intentional and committed to the networks you build; no one wants to work with an unserious person. Once you create a network, keep the conversation going. Share emails, chat on social media platforms, initiate collaborative research ideas and stay flexible to accommodate other perspectives. With such an attitude, you can find a good partner to apply for the 2×2 grant.

Complementarity and mastery of project ideas are also vital aspects of the 2×2 grant. Partners should read widely on their research area to clearly identify the necessary gaps and ideal methods to adapt. Also, partners who complement each other in every domain (background knowledge and experience, research approach and methods, context, elements in the project idea) are ideal for the 2×2 grant opportunity. Partners should be committed and flexible to accommodate and support each other all the way. It should be a “we swim or sink together” kind of attitude.

Are there any future directions or next steps for your research that you’re excited about?

First, we are determined to conduct the larger study in our respective countries, so we intend to explore possible funding opportunities that will enable us to achieve this vision.

We also look forward to and are working towards collaborative publications on our study variables in Cuba and Cameroon, and within other African countries engaged in the study, as well as across continents.

Can you share a memorable experience or connection made through ISSBD that has been significant for you?

When I met my mentor for the 2 x 2 grant award. I met Prof. Linda Pagani for the first time during a poster symposium session where our team of Professional Development fellows presented the work we did on human flourishing in Africa at the 2022 ISSBD Biennial meeting at Rhodes.  She was interested in the work and talked with a few of us about it. We shared contacts and kept in touch. She sent me her CV and a couple of her papers which I found very interesting. I also shared with her my research area and the challenges I had concerning scientific writing and publishing in reputable journals. At the time I was very worried as I realized the journal where I published one of my papers was predatory. I shared this with her and she was determined to help me improve on my writing and aim for top journals. Thereafter,  I was privileged to attend Prof. Pagani’s  “publish and flourish workshop”  was very instrumental in my writing. Since then, I have been writing with her. and some other scholars in her network. She also recommends me and links me up to opportunities. She has been one very significant person in my career. My appreciation to the ISSBD. I can say I am a child or a product of the ISSBD.

How do you typically unwind or relax after a busy day or week of work?

I chat and socialise with family and friends. Sometimes I watch TV or sing with my children.

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As we celebrate our current grantees, this is a reminder that the call for applications for this year’s cohort is now open! Early-career scholars looking to make a difference are encouraged to apply before the deadline on 31st October 2024.