This time Scientific Bangladesh interviewed Dr. Mashura Shammi. She is a Professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, and Co-PI of the
Hydrobiogeochemistry and Pollution Control Laboratory.
Here are her stories, experiences, and insights:
1. Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to tell us about your academic and research life? In another way, how would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: I completed my BSc (honors) and MSc in Environmental Sciences from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. I completed PhD in Ecology from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) through the funding of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and The World Academy of Sciences (CAS-TWAS) President’s Fellowship Program in 2017. I was a fellow of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and completed an international training program on Strategic Environmental Assessment ITP-SEA, 2017B Asia. I am the coordinator of the ITP-SEA Alumni Network (SEAN) Bangladesh. I’m also the project coordinator and PI of the local steering committee of the Jahangirnagar University for Erasmus+ Joint Program on “Strategic Environmental Assessment for Capacity Building in Higher Education in Asia / SEA-ASIA” along with Gothenburg University and 8 other partner universities. In addition, I am a fellow of the Organization of Women in Science for the Developing Worlds (OWSD) Early career women scientist (ECWS) 2018-2022 on “Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission and carbon dynamics in the Ganges River, Bangladesh”. I was also a fellow of the Eco-Peace Leadership Center (EPLC)-Asia from 2018-2019. Recently, I also completed a fellowship with the LANDac (2022) the Netherlands Academy on Land Governance ‘Ten Years After: A “reality check” on impact assessments of infrastructural projects. I have a keen interest in interdisciplinary environmental research such as biogeochemistry of salinity intrusion, climate change, and environmental assessment.
2. Scientific Bangladesh: What has made you a researcher and/or a teacher? In another way, what is the story behind your becoming a researcher?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: My father was a university professor who always encouraged me to teach. However, I’m a late bloomer in research. After joining the department of Environmental Sciences, JU it is my two mentors from the Department of Environmental Sciences, JU, and two mentors from the PhD program at the Chinese Academy of Sciences that encouraged me to do biogeochemistry research. For publishing in reputed journals, it was not until 2017 when I first published my article in the Nature Scientific Report. And this truly encouraged me to carry on my biogeochemical work. As I returned to Bangladesh, I was looking for international funds to work on similar types of work. As I can’t go for a post-doc, I was looking for an international fellowship program to work in Bangladesh. Hydrobiogeochemistry research is not a well-explored field in Bangladesh. Proper laboratory facilities are not available. Initially, it was a challenge but as I won the OWSD early-career women scientist grant, it helped us establish a research group and the research laboratory. Moreover, the ERASMUS+ grant (2019-2023) also enriched us in strategic environmental assessment (SEA) research, and impact assessment research.
3. Scientific Bangladesh: What is your research area? What type of research facilities/ infrastructures you have or developed over years and how?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: I am interested in the research of hydrobiogeochemistry of natural waters and wastewater, salinity, and climate change. In addition, Strategic environmental assessment (SEA), and environmental policy and planning assessment are also interesting. In 2020, I helped establish the Hydrobiogeochemistry and Pollution Control Laboratory in the Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University and serving as a CO-PI and supervising future researchers. I am also interested in collaborative research and partnership development with scientists, researchers, NGOs, and industries for interdisciplinary environmental research and project implementation.
4. Scientific Bangladesh: Tell us about your publications and patent, if any. Tell more about your most loved publication/s and/or patents.
Dr. Mashura Shammi: So far, I’ve 48 peer-reviewed publications with 22 H-indexed (from 2017-2022). I also have 6 published book chapters from reputed publishers. However, there are several articles that I’m proud of. In 2022, I published in the Q1 journal of Environmental Impact Assessment Review (Shammi et al., 2022. From environmental impact assessment to strategic environmental assessment in Bangladesh: Evolution, perspective, governance, and challenges. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 97:106890). Probably from Bangladesh, this is the first article published in this journal on SEA and EIA. During the early COVID-19, we published several strategic articles on COVID-lockdown, psycho-social assessment, and biomedical waste management. One of the Articles on biomedical waste management was published in the ACS EST (Shammi, M., Behal, A., & Tareq, S.M. (2021) The escalating biomedical waste management to control the environmental transmission of COVID-19 pandemic: a perspective from two South Asian countries. Environmental Science & Technology, 55, 7, 4087–40932021). And off course, I’m very proud of my PhD article published in Nature Scientific Reports (Shammi et al., 2017. Photo-flocculation of microbial mat extracellular polymeric substances and their transformation into transparent exopolymer particles: Chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Nature Scientific Reports, 2017, 7).
5. Scientific Bangladesh: Tells us about research grants and awards you have obtained till now.
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Most of my grants are in the form of a fellowship from different international organizations. 1. Fellow of LANDac (2022): the Netherlands Academy on Land Governance 2022 ‘Ten Years After: A “reality check” on impact assessments of infrastructural projects’ 2. Ministry of Science and Technology special research grant 2019-20: Molecular screening of microbial community in the landfill leachate and their potential for microbial bioremediation 3. Fellow of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) Early career women scientist (ECWS-2018-2022): “Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission and carbon dynamics in the Ganges River, Bangladesh” 4. Fellow of Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) 2017: Advanced International Training Program on “Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA Project) 2017 B – Asia” 5. Fellow of Eco-Peace Leadership Center (EPLC)-Asia, Korea 2018-2019 6. Erasmus+ Joint Projects on “Strategic Environmental Assessment for Capacity Building in Higher Education in Asia / SEA-ASIA” along with Gothenburg University and 8 other partner universities of Europe and Asia. 2019-2023.
6. Scientific Bangladesh: Do you have any research that has been commercialized or developed products What should Bangladesh do to encourage the commercialization of research outputs?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: My research has not been commercialized. But my SEA research can help policy-makers and planners in environmental assessment. I’ve served as a technical reviewer and trainer on “Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Southwest Region of Bangladesh and the Sundarbans,” a Project of Bangladesh Forest Department 2020-2022. In addition, our greenhouse gas monitoring and hydrogeochemical research can help the policy-makers and Department of Environment (DoE), and the ministries to understand the real scenario of emission.
Funding
7. Scientific Bangladesh: How do you manage funds for research? From where do you get funds for research?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Most of my funds have been obtained from foreign fellowships and grants. ERASMUS+ program required a collaborative network which I have built over my previous fellowship program from the SIDA. My funders were OWSD (a sister organization of TWAS), SIDA, LANDAC, EPLC-ASIA, and IDRC. In addition, UGC-JU also gives a small fund (1 lac) each year for research which is helpful. I also got funds from the Ministry of Science and technology 2 times.
8. Scientific Bangladesh: Do you think Bangladeshi researchers apply enough for international funds?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: I think now many Bangladeshi researchers are applying for foreign funds. I can say that after I won the OWSD fellowship, at least 10-15 women researchers from JU applied for the funds.
9.. Scientific Bangladesh: Inadequate funds for research is a major problem in Bangladesh. What would you say in response to pointing fingers by many to this basic problem worldwide, not only in Bangladesh?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Inadequate fund for research is a major problem. Sometimes we get funds from the Ministry of Science and Technology like 1-1.5 lac BDT which is finished by field works and purchasing chemicals. But to maintain a lab, repairing costs are hardly met. In addition, we also need to buy field instruments for which we don’t get support from the university or the central labs. My suggestion is it is important that ministries should fund capable groups who show constant good performance in research and publishing in good journals.
Supervisory experiences.
10. Scientific Bangladesh: How many researchers (PhDs and Masters) have you developed by this time? In other words, share your supervisory experience and story.
Dr. Mashura Shammi: I’ve supervised 10 MS students so far. Many of them are in USA, and Australia for higher studies. In addition, many of them are working in the industries. However, I’m particularly proud of my 2 ex -RAs Nahin Mostofa Niloy and Md. Morshedul Huq who served me in my OWSD project for greenhouse gas monitoring. It was tiresome work, and they were required to stay in the field days and nights. It was because of their hard work our lab has established.
11. Scientific Bangladesh: What 1. Qualities and 2. skills you expect in prospective researchers?
Dr. Mashura Shammi:1. Resilience is an important quality for a prospective researcher. Accidents in data collection and field monitoring may occur. A whole data set might be lost to a mistake. A resilient student would not panic and will do the work again; of course, he won’t repeat that mistake again. A resilient student would look for opportunities and won’t get depressed. 2. Skills: many skills are required for prospective researchers. Skills in sample analysis, instrument management, field management, data analysis, writing skill, presentation skills, social skills such as collaborative and network development, etc.
Editorial and Review experiences
12. Scientific Bangladesh: Tell us about your experience and story as a journal or book editor and reviewer.
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Guest Editor for Special Issue on the research topic: Hydrobiogeochemistry of Major Asian Rivers in Frontiers in Earth Science: Biogeoscience volume 1 (2021-2022). Recently volume 2 was also launched and several articles are under review. I’m also serving as a Guest Editor for Special Issue on the research topic: “Blue-Green Infrastructure Solutions: A Sustainable Way to Urban Development for MDPI Land (2022-2023). Here also we have several articles under review. I’ve also served as a reviewer for many articles.
13. Scientific Bangladesh: How important is the experience of working as an editor of a scientific Journal and reviewer? What is your experience in those cases?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Working as an editor of a scientific journal and reviewer obviously enriches my knowledge of editing and reviewing. One can critically edit/review the article. As mentioned above my editing experience is recent and served as a guest editor or handling editors in Frontiers and MDPI. My recent experience says that getting reviewers for free would not be possible shortly. For example, if I invite 50 reviewers, I can get 2/3 responses from the reviewers. Then 1/2 of reviewers forget to submit the reports and despite reminders, they don’t submit them. In such a case we look for the reviewers again.
Organizational experiences and stories
14. Scientific Bangladesh: What are the professional organizations of researchers you involved with? How important it is for researchers to join such professional bodies?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: I’m the coordinator of the ITP-SEA Alumni Bangladesh on “Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA Project) 2014-2017 B – Asia”. I’m also a Member of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) since 2018. I’m also a co-convener for the Bangladesh environmental science graduate’s association (BESGA). I’m also a founding member of the Jahangirnagar University Research Society (JURS) for popularizing scientific lectures among the teacher’s community. For the researchers, these professional bodies are important to share experiences, collaborate on research, and getting new ideas to explore.
15. Scientific Bangladesh: Do you think different professional bodies of scientists play their due role in Bangladesh? What are your suggestions for the leading professional organizations of scientists?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: There are different professional bodies of scientists in Bangladesh. BAS-TWAS, OWSD national chapters, etc. However, I try to stay away from them because of my recent experiences. Most of them are controlled by the agriculturists and the fellowships of BAS-TWAS are also biased in my point of view. In OWSD national chapter election, I saw how the agriculturists did the nasty politics of eliminating scientists from the general universities. My suggestion is simple, stop nepotism and bias in professional research bodies.
Suggestions from your experiences
16. Scientific Bangladesh: What would be your three suggestions for early career researchers?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: 1. Be resilient 2. Be curious and work smart 3. Be Ambitious
17. Scientific Bangladesh: If asked what will be your three suggestions for the Science Ministry of Bangladesh?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: From my experience, young researchers receive funds like 1.5 lac to 2.5 lac. For true researchers, it is difficult to buy any proper instruments for his/her research. My suggestions to Science Ministry Bangladesh:
1. Do not provide funds only to agriculturists. Researchers from general universities work hard also and publish in good journals. 2. Provide funds based on research proposals, performance, and published articles. 3. Encourage young researchers to buy instruments, and give start-up funds to establish labs. Funds of 1.5-2.5 lac with lots of documentation are very irritating.
18. Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to give any suggestions to our university authorities?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: I want to provide two suggestions: 1. Provide funds based on research proposals, performance, and published articles. 2. Encourage young researchers to buy instruments, and give start-up funds to establish labs.
Miscellaneous
19. Scientific Bangladesh: How important is leadership ability to become a great researcher? Should researchers take leadership training? Did you ever get training on Leadership?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Leadership ability is very important to become a great researcher. It is the lead researchers who can train the prospective young researchers to work independently and confidently and create great scientists and lead specialized labs. However, some are natural leaders, while others acquire the skill over many years of experience. Leadership training can help researchers to lead a group of young researchers, communicate, to collaborate, and do research. I attended leadership training from the OWSD fellowship. It was very helpful for me to understand and lead research students.
20. Scientific Bangladesh: Doing Research is a stressful job. What do you do to manage stress? do you exercise regularly?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: I try to exercise every day for 15-20 minutes. Besides, I have hobbies like gardening, reading books of poems, and novels, and practicing calligraphy to reduce my stress.
21. Scientific Bangladesh: Would you like to add any more points for our readers?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Sometimes research itself becomes a hobby. As we are loaded with courses, we try to escape to research from administrative and teaching stresses.
22. Scientific Bangladesh: How important for researchers to maintain an updated profile in different professional networks?
Would you like to share your google scholar, LinkedIn, or any other profile?
Dr. Mashura Shammi: Profile links are as follows
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=27pttNgAAAAJ
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mashura_Shammi2?ev=hdr_xprf;
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mashura-shammi-01538b95/
23. Scientific Bangladesh: Would you want to contribute regularly to Scientific Bangladesh and have a profile as an Author? If yes, then register at https://scientificbangladesh.com/registration-2/
Dr. Mashura Shammi: It might be difficult to contribute regularly. But occasionally possible.
Scientific Bangladesh: Thank you for sharing your experiences and insights. We look forward to your regular contributions to the Bangladeshi research ecosystem by and through Scientific Bangladesh.
