BIOMETRY at C.A.V.S

1. BIOMETRY at C.A.V.S Prof Levi Akundabweni (ag Dean Agriculture Faculty & M/s Parin Kurji (Co-ordinator BUCS) Elias Obudho (BUCS), Peter Mong’are (BUCS)

2. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE • Responsibilities • Service courses for all Mathematics & Statistics for Agric. Faculty • Advisory service for all research scientists

3. COURSES- UNDERGRADUATE • Mathematics – Preparatory/Review to ensure that there is a common understanding amongst the first year students • Statistics 1 – Introductory course: emphasizing the role of data exploration • Statistics 2 – Statistical modeling: emphasizing generalization from sample to population • Statistics 3 – Lab & Field Expt (optional) bringing the different aspects together, practical issues of investigation, leading to the students’ projects.

4. COURSES -POSTGRADUATE • Research methods & Seminars: explores the philosophy of research and general ideas • Experimental Design & computers: a nuts-and –bolt course going into the mechanics of analysis and interpretations The Postgraduate course are complementary – Both done by the Biometry Unit and so conducted in a way that allows them to be combined where it leads to better understanding ; especially for seminars where both the aspects can be explored together

5. APPROACH • Problem solving, data used • Using real or simulated data, including climatic data • Integrating computers both for data manipulation and for teaching (CAST) With emphasis on: • Understanding concepts so that the learning can be generalized to other applications • Soft skills

6. OUTREACH - BUCS • Biometry Unit Consultancy Services • The outreacharm of BUCS (andby extension of the College) • Works in partnership with SSC (Reading University) & RSU (ICRAF) to promote good statistics practice • Responding to the changing University policy on income generation – BUT with a difference

7. BUCS Philosophy • Complete transparency & accountability on all extra work done by the Faculty • All activities to be used to enrich student learning • Sharing of experiences and expertise for the wider community – including training & advisory services • Developing practical, workable collaborations with other institutions, organizations – both in the user and producer areas • Use the interactions to provide more relevant training

8. BUCS – Special Projects An example of how Units/Depts can play a pivotal role in the university development • GenStat Discovery Edition (working with SSC & ICRAF to negotiate a free GenStat Version for Institutions in Africa, courtesy VSN) • CAST for Africa (negotiating with the developer to produce a special free version for Africa, courtesy Rockefeller Foundation grant) • Resource Pack (collation of materials and software for wide distribution, courtesy Rockefeller Foundation grant) • Undergraduate Computer Lab (courtesy UK Met Office) • Postgraduate Computer Lab (courtesy Rockefeller Foundation grant)

9. Conclusions • Universities need to be dynamic, pro-active and flexible in their approach • Quality: Yes • Rigidity: No • Substance: Yes • Theory without application: No • We need to keep this in mind when preparing our Statistics Curriculum • It has been difficult in the past but we have no excuse now!