ASEC’s Research Initiative aims to promote research on Catholic sisters in Africa. The Initiative is designed to increase African women religious’ research skills, provide opportunities for them to engage in research projects and develop ASEC as a central repository of data related to women religious in Africa.
Through the Initiative, ASEC strives to increase the academic literature available on Catholic women religious in Africa and develop sisters as critical investigators. Equipped with investigative skills, sisters will be capable of conducting rigorous research that will strengthen the capacity of their congregations and positively impact human development.
Academic Publication & Research-Related Webinars
In 2021, the ASEC Research Initiative saw tremendous growth in the areas of academic publication and research-related webinars. The Initiative focused its efforts on conducting research related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact in ASEC’s 10 African countries of operation. This research has provided critical insight into how to best support ASEC’s beneficiaries and stakeholders through this unprecedented time.
In total, four ASEC-related research articles were published in academic journals, five are currently under peer review and two are in development.
Explore ASEC's Research & Published Work
Sr. Bibiana M. Ngundo, LSOSF, Ph.D., of Kenya, arrived in the U.S. in January 2016 to begin her six-month term as the inaugural CARA/ASEC Visiting Scholar.
Visiting Scholar Fellowship
ASEC continues to strengthen its partnership with the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, through the implementation of the Visiting Scholar Fellowship and the hosting of a virtual webinar on the integration of charism, spirituality, mission and ministry.
The 7th visiting scholar, Sr. Lucy Dora Akello, LSMIG, was selected from Uganda and is currently studying remotely with researchers at CARA due to travel restrictions.
ASEC is currently in the process of selecting an 8th visiting sister scholar from Ghana.
Raising Awareness
The Initiative has made strides in developing additional connections with institutions and research partners with similar objectives. By participating in events such as Marywood University’s Virtual Research Day, we are able to bring awareness to ASEC 's Research Initiative.
Central Repository of Data
Further, ASEC has advanced the integration of its organization-wide customized database, which will be greatly beneficial in future research projects and help pique interest in ASEC-related research opportunities going forward.
You can learn more about ASEC's Research Initiative at asec-sldi.org/research.
