Dr JSM Office Hours at the Great Lakes Center for the Study of the United States -- meeting with journalist (and Makerere graduate student) David Ayuna

My America@250: Opportunity for Civic Renewal in the United States lecture was well attended by faculty and staff.  (See this post for more about the event:

There were so many wonderful questions and reflections during the discussion at the event itself -- and then several faculty and students came by to see me in office hours to keep the conversation going.

One such attendee was graduate student David Ayuna, who is also a journalist with the Daily Monitor (an independent newspaper that I have been reading at my hotel in the mornings).

Link to articles written on the Daily Monitor:  Daily Monitor - David Ayuna

Makerere University Library Tour and meeting with the University Librarian Ruth Nalumaga

Betty Nabisubi from the International Relations Office (IRO) facilitated my getting a letter/credential so that I could use the main library on campus - and she also helped to facilitate a tour.

After meeting with the University Librarian, Prof Ruth Nalumaga, library staffer Lamek Okodi escorted us on a tour.

While on the tour we met Elijah Ajak Bul the Minister for International Students at Makerere University, a third year Civil Engineering student.

entrance to the main library

University Librarian Ruth Nalumaga contributed to the book about Makerere University's 100th anniversary

Prof Nalumaga's chapter about the library system

inside the entrance to the library

Inside the foyer/reception area of the main library you can see this exhibit of photos from when the Queen Mother came to Makerere University to open the library in 1959.

On the tour we met Elijah Ajak Bul the Minister for International Students at Makerere University, a third year Civil Engineering student.

Exploring the special collections:

Lamek Okodi showing me some of the treasures in the special collections

I was looking at the East African Standards -- and trying to find the original of the one sent to me by the Honorable Betty Castor

See this blog post: https://drjsmafricanacademicadventures.blogspot.com/2025/10/one-on-one-meetings-with-researchers.html

How I miss using actual card catalogs when conducting research!

with Betty Nabisubi from the IRO

One-on-One Meetings with the Research Fellows at the Great Lakes Center for the Study of the United States at Makerere University - Prof George Okiror -- Strengthening Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law - US-Uganda Relations

There are six research fellows in the first cohort at the Great Lakes Center for the Study of the United States.

Currently the researchers are each working on drafts of their book chapters for an edited volume that will explore Relationality: Uganda and America Since 1945. 

In addition to the collegial research seminars 

(See this article https://chuss.mak.ac.ug/en/us-professor-judithanne-scourfield-mclauchlan-joins-makerere-to-advance-uganda-america-relational-studies/)

I am also meeting with the researchers one-on-one, with several days set aside for this collaboration during my in-person Fulbright Specialist fellowship.

Pictured here - meeting with Prof. George Okirior -- who is studying US influence in development of Ugandan constitutionalism since Uganda's independence.

I look forward to continuing our discussions virtually as we move forward with our publications.