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Timothy is currently a PhD student in the Department of Statistics at the University of Cape Town. His PhD work aims to inform policy on malaria interventions in Ghana.
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Jenna is currently a PhD student in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town. Jenna’s PhD work aims to inform evidence-based considerations of introducing routine hepatitis A vaccination in South Africa. Her research interests include the marriage of epidemiology, mathematical modelling, health economics and evidence-based policy. Jenna is conducting her PhD research under the guidance of the Vaccines for Africa Initiative, the Cochrane Hepato-Billary Group and the MASHA research unit.
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Fadzai is currently a prospective PhD student and social science researcher on Infectious diseases affecting but not restricted to developing countries with the aim to improve the social development of these areas and alleviate poverty.
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My primary research interest is in Spatial and Agent-based modeling of invasive insect pests under climate change. Invasive insect pests pose a great threat to fruit and vegetable production globally. The damage they cause in their native and invaded areas ranges from reduced quality and quantities of produce, increased management cost, lowered marketability and in some cases loss of trade opportunities for farmers. In addition, climate change is known to have altered the global climatic patterns and has an impact on the spatial distribution of insect pests. There is need for effective predictive tools to reduce the impacts of these invasive pests on horticulture. My research focuses on predicting their potential spatial distribution and spread patterns under current and future climate change scenarios leading to targeted phytosanitary measures by biosecurity authorities.
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Owolabi is currently pursuing a PhD in Mathematical modelling of infectious disease, specifically, on the malaria transmission dynamics in Nigeria. The study seeks to describe the transmission of malaria in Nigeria and develop transmission models that describe the dynamics of the disease and investigate the impact of various interventions on the possible eradication of malaria.
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Saadiyah is currently a Masters student at the University of Cape Town. Her project focuses on the optimal placement of quarantine centres to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa, and particularly the Western Cape. The project aims to give special focus to the dynamics of informal settlements, where self-isolation is not possible. There is also scope for the project to expand to other questions of optimisation in the COVID-19 space, such as resource allocation.
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Joshua's main research interests lie in using statistical techniques, in conjunction with other disciplines, to improve the lives of others. He is interested in the field of mathematical modelling, specifically infectious disease modelling and is currently trying to assess the impact of cross-border clinics on malaria transmission in South Africa.