Dr. Lena Acolatse
Current Position: Researcher, Public Health Nutrition, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds (UK)
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: Zambia
Interested in child health and development. Currently researching food choice architecture in schools using behavioural insights.
Jean-Pierre AKILIMALI KANANE-Muzinge
Current Position: Teacher-Researcher and post-graduate auditor-DEA, Université de Goma (The Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Languages: French, Swahili
Conducting research in these African countries: The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jean-Pierre Akilimali Kanane-Muzinge est Chef de Travaux–Maitre d’enseignement, enseignant –Chercheur au Domaine des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’Éducation, Département de Psychologie de l’Université de Goma depuis Juillet 2012. Il a obtenu son Bac+5 en 2011 en Psychologie du Travail et des organisations et actuellement auditeur aux Cycles supérieurs/DEA-Master de Recherche avec intérêt porté sur la Psychopathologie, Santé Psychologique au travail. Membre d’unité de recherche trauma, accès à la justice et résilience aux Grands Lacs Africains. Certifié en Management et Leadership Humanitaire de l’Institut Bioforce de France. IL a débuté sa carrière comme Enseignant-Chercheur au Département de Psychologie et a ensuite travaillé avec plusieurs organisations humanitaires comme consultant et contractant psychologue. Depuis mi-novembre 2022, Jean-Pierre a rejoint l’équipe de l’Observatoire Psycavi comme Coordinateur Local de l’Antenne de Goma et assure les activités de soutien à la réalisation des projets de recherche au niveau de l’antenne.
Contact
Email: akilimalikanmuz@unigom.ac.cd ; jean-pierre.akilimali-kanane-muzinge.1@ulaval.ca
Oluwagbemiga E. Alabi
Current Position: M.Ed. Student, Counselling and Human Development (Adolescent and Youth) University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Previous Degrees: B. Education, Guidanca and Counselling, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
M.A. Philosophy, University of Victoria (Canada); B.A. Philosophy, University of Louisville (U.S.A.)
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Oluwagbemiga Alabi is a Nigerian researcher with a first degree in Guidance and Counselling. He conducted research on the psychosocial factors predicting suicidal ideation among adolescents in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria, where he explored the roles of bullying, emotional exhaustion, family background, and depression in predicting suicide. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Ibadan, pursuing a master's degree in Counselling and Human Development, with a specialisation in adolescent and youth counselling. His research interests focus on mental health and illness among adolescents and emerging adults, particularly examining how childhood experiences shape an individual’s adult life. In addition, ‘Gbemiga is dedicated to providing interventions and is actively involved in research and volunteering on issues affecting the teenage and emerging adult populations.
Contact
Email: alabidamilare2000@gmail.com; LinkedIn
Salah Aziz
Current Position: Ph.D. student, Cognitive Science, at Carleton University (Canada)
Previous Degrees: M.A. Philosophy, University of Victoria (Canada); B.A. Philosophy, University of Louisville (U.S.A.)
Languages: English, French, Arabic
My research focuses on understanding consciousness and how it deviates from ordinary states, particularly in the context of mental illness and cognitive decline. My work is driven by a desire to explore the subjective experiences of those affected by neurodegenerative diseases, especially in areas of cognition that remain under-researched. Focusing on Alzheimer’s disease, I study the ways in which neurodegeneration disrupts cognition, identity, and awareness. My current work also leverages advanced neuroimaging tools to analyze potential biomarker data in these affected populations via MRI or EEG, which includes uncovering structural changes in the hippocampus that contribute to cognitive decline. By understanding these shifts, I aim to provide insights that extend beyond clinical diagnoses and delve into the lived experiences of those affected. Rooted in my lived experience as a Palestinian, my research also seeks to address cognitive decline in contexts and populations that have historically been overlooked in scientific research. Whether through studying altered states of consciousness or working with underrepresented communities, I’m dedicated to uncovering perspectives that challenge conventional approaches to cognitive science. It is well known that there is a large gap of research within the African continent, and this is especially demanding considering the rising incidence of dementia and age-related cognitive decline. Through interdisciplinary work, I aim to contribute to both academic discourse and a broader understanding of mental health, cognitive disorders, and the complexities of consciousness.
Contact
Email: salahreyes@gmail.com ; Personal Website
Mr. Ebrima Bah
Current Position: M.Sc. student, Educational Management Information System (EMIS) at The University of The Gambia ; Lecturer, Department of Early Childhood Development at The Gambia College School of Education (The Gambia)
Previous Degrees: Higher Teachers' Certificate (HTC) at the Gambia College, BSc in Mathematics at the University of The Gambia (The Gambia)
Languages: English, Fula, Mandinka, Wolof, Jola, French
Conducting research in these African countries: The Gambia
I work with the University of The Gambia Research Directorate. We are currently look at the LtP project which is a multicountry research project ( Gambia, Nigeria and Kenya). We are at the end line of the research. The M&E result from the first phase of the observation has open up for scalability.
Contact
Email: ebah@gambiacollege.edu.gm
Oluwabunmi Kehinde Balogun
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Counselling Psychology, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Previous Degrees: Master's degree, Counselling Psychology, University of Ibadan (Nigeria) ; Bachelor's degree, Guidance and Counselling, Tai Solarin University of Education (Nigeria)
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
She is currently working on using varying interventions to mitigate parental burnout among working mothers in Ibadan. Her current research interest includes parenting, burnout, stress as well delinquency.
Contact
Email: balogunoluwabunmi@ymail.com ; LinkedIn
Blaise Balume
Current Position: Teacher-Researcher, Université de Goma (UNIGOM) ; Local Coordinator of the Observatoire Psycavi, Goma branch ; PhD Student, Psychology, Université de Kisangani (UNIKIS), (The Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Previous Degrees: - Certificat de fin d'études primaires à l'école primaire Luberizi à Goma - Diplôme d'État en Pédagogie à l'Institut Musawato de Goma/RDC - Diplôme de Graduat en Psychologie à l'Université de Goma (UNIGOM) - Diplôme de Licence en Psychologie à l'Université de Goma (UNIGOM) - Diplôme de Master en Psycho traumatologie et Psychologie cognitive à l'Université de Kisangani (UNIKIS) - Plusieurs certificats et attestations de participation aux séminaires, colloques et conférences
Languages: Kiswahili, French, English, Lingala, Kinyarwanda, Kihavu
Conducting research in these African countries: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda
Blaise Balume est de nationalité congolaise, marié et père de 7 enfants et une épouse. Il est Enseignant-Chercheur et promoteur des capacités en recherche et en formation dans le cadre des enseignements en Psychologie. Il co-coordonne localement le projet projet de l'Observatoire Psycavi, respectivement sous la direction de la Professeure Isabelle Blanchette et Marie-Chantal Ingabire. Blaise Balume mène ses recherches dans les domaines de psycho traumatologie psychologie cognitive et psychologie sociale dans la Province du Nord-Kivu à l'Est de la République Démocratique du Congo. Il aime travailler dans la paix et la quiétude en collaborant avec les autres personnes.
Contact
Email: blaise.balume.1@ulaval.ca ; Departmental Website
Dr. David Bearden
Current Position: Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Rochester (USA) ; Visiting Lecturer, University of Zambia, Department of Educational Psychology (Zambia)
Previous degrees: MD MSCE
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: Zambia
Dr. David Bearden is a pediatric neurologist with a focus on neurogenetic disorders and infectious or inflammatory conditions affecting the central nervous system. His research focuses on neurologic complications of infectious disorders such as HIV and neurocysticercosis, and looks at the epidemiology of neurologic disorders in lower-resource settings. Dr. Bearden is the principal investigator of the HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorders in Zambia (HANDZ) study, a longitudinal study investigating cognitive and psychiatric comorbidities in children and adolescents with HIV. In addition, Dr. Bearden investigates the epidemiology and optimal treatments of genetic disorders, and is the Principal Investigator of the Genomic Research in Neuromuscular Disorders in Zambia (GRINZ) study. This study investigates the genetics of neuromuscular disorders in collaboration with five other low-and-middle-income countries as part of the International Center for Genomic Research in Neuromuscular Disorders.
Contact
Email: david_bearden@urmc.rochester.edu ; Departmental Website
Ms. Nabeelah Bemath
Current Position: Academic coordinator and sessional lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa)
Languages: English
Nabeelah Bemath is a registered research psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. In addition to her role as an academic coordinator of the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree at the University of Witwatersrand’s Faculty of Health Sciences, Nabeelah has engaged in sessional work in the University’s Department of Psychology. Through her dual work roles, Nabeelah has been involved in research supervision, the teaching of research design and methodology, and student mentoring and support. Her work in the Faculty of Health Sciences has also involved curriculum oversight and development. Her research interests are primarily focused on public mental health, cognitive neuropsychology, and psychological assessment in the South African context. Nabeelah is also engaged in research within other Health Science disciplines, including research related to the teaching and learning of Health Sciences students. She has also been a member of the executive committee of the Psychological Society of South Africa’s Division for Research and Methodology.
Contact
Email: nabeelah.bemath@wits.ac.za
Dr. Isabelle Blanchette
Current Position: Professor at École de Psychologie, Université Laval (Canada)
Previous degrees: PhD, McGill Univeristy
Languages: French, English
Conducting research in these African countries: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Namibia, Tanzania
Isabelle Blanchette est professeure à l'École de Psychologie de l'Université Laval, au Québec (Canada). Son expertise porte sur l'interaction entre les émotions et la cognition. Elle réalise des projets en Afrique depuis 2013, notammen sur l'impact des événements traumatiques (génocide, conflits armés) au Rwanda et en République Démocratique du Congo. Elle a aussi réalisé plusieurs projets en cognition interculturelle, incluant en Tanzanie et en Namibie.
Contact
Email: isabelle.blanchette@psy.ulaval.ca ; Personal Website ; Departmental Website
Dr. Anna Blumenthal
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Cervo Brain Research Center, Université Laval (Canada)
Previous degrees: PhD Psychology, Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience, Western University (Canada); M.S. Cognitive Science, Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Trento & SISSA (Italy); B.A. Psychology, Drew University (U.S.A.)
Languages: English, Français (en cours)
Conducting research in these African countries: Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda
Anna is a cognitive neuroscientist by training, with expertise in human memory and visual perception (feel free to check out her publications, or CV). She came to the Cogite lab in beautiful Québec City, Canada, to understand how individual and cultural differences do (or do not) shape these processes. Currently, she has projects with diverse African populations, such as the Himba, individuals who lived through the Rwandan Genocide, and 3–5-year-olds in South Africa. Anna is passionate about promoting more collaborative and open approaches to science, and is excited to help facilitate this network!
Contact
Email: blumenthal.anna@gmail.com
Taeko Bourque
Current Position: Phd Candidate, Cognitive Science, Carleton University (Canada) ; Research Assistant, Université Laval
Previous degrees: M. Cog.Sci., Carleton University (Canada)
Languages: English, French
Taeko is pursuing her PhD in Cognitive Science at Carleton University, Ottawa (Canada). Her current research focuses on bilingualism and its relation to mathematical cognition, as well as early numeracy and literacy skills. She is passionate about knowledge mobilization and enjoys creating graphics to help simplify complex information and make it more accessible for all. Taeko actively supports equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives, through her work on various projects, committees, and networks.
She is currently working as Head of Operations for AfriBCD and collaborating with the founders to translate their long-term visions into actionable plans. She has a wide range of responsibilities, including managing the Community of Practice (CoP), designing and developing the AfriBCD website, developing resources (i.e., reports, videos, guides, social media posts), and working with members to continually improve the CoP.
Although she is not currently conducting research in any African countries, she was especially drawn to this project due to her personal experiences. Taeko only spoke French when her family moved to South Africa, and it was there that she learned English. Moving around a lot as a child gave her an appreciation for regional and international cultural differences and instilled in her the importance of equitable collaboration.
Contact
Email: taebourque@cmail.carleton.ca ; LinkedIn ; Twitter ; Personal Website ; Departmental Website
Dr. Serge Caparos
Current Position: Associate Professor, Université Paris 8, Psychology Department (France)
Languages: French, English, Spanish
Conducting research in these African countries: Namibia, Tanzania, Rwanda, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Serge Caparos is interested in the origins of cross-cultural differences in perception and attention (by contrasting Western and African populations), and the links between trauma exposure, cognitive health and attitudes (notably, impact of exposure to violence related to armed conflicts on reasoning and general cognitive functioning, psychological health, and openness to reconciliation).
Contact
Email: serge.caparos@univ-paris8.fr ; Personal Website ; Departmental Website
Leah Caragol
Current Position: Recent MSc Graduate of King's College London (UK)
Previous Degrees: MSc Global Health, King's College London (United Kingdom); BA Medical Anthropology and Global Health, University of Washington, (United States)
Languages: English
Leah recently earned her Master's in Global Health from King's College London and is enthusiastic about advancing her career in global health research, particularly in early childhood development. During her studies, Leah conducted a qualitative study on how rural communities in The Gambia are supported to facilitate nurturing care for infants, aiding in their neuro and cognitive development. She's actively working on publishing her findings and continues her impactful work in this field. Leah is also contributing her skills to AfriBCD, where she handles tasks like transcribing videos for translation, engaging with the community, and supporting social media content creation to broaden our impact.
Contact
Email: leah.caragol@kcl.ac.uk ; LinkedIn
Dr. Takondwa Crispin Chimowa
Current Position: Fellow in Developmental Paediatrics at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town (South Africa)
Previous degrees: MMED, FC Paeds(SA) University of Malawi and University of Cape Town
Languages: English, Chichewa
Conducting research in these African countries: South Africa
Takondwa is doing a Fellowship in Developmental Paediatrics at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town. His current research is looking at the characteristics of epilepsy in children with cerebral palsy. The main aim is to describe in detail epilepsy in these children including the clinical phenotype, electroencephalogram (EEG) semiology and management. He is interested in improving access to quality care of children with neurodevelopmental disorders for all children and especially those living in less remote areas by improving community advocacy and using low cost community/family based interventions which also empower parents/caregivers with these children.
Contact
Email: tchimowa@gmail.com
Justine Cinq-Mars
Current Position: Étudiante au doctorat en neuropsychologie (profil intervention et recherche) de l'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (Canada)
Languages: French, English
Justine, étudiante doctorante en neuropsychologie à l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, se concentre sur deux volets dans le cadre de son doctorat. Elle mène une thèse en psychologie cognitive sous la direction de la professeure Isabelle Blanchette, et elle poursuit sa formation clinique en neuropsychologie. Ses travaux portent sur l'impact des événements traumatiques et des difficultés post-migratoires sur la santé mentale et cognitive. Outre cela, ses centres d'intérêt englobent la psychologie interculturelle et les neurosciences cognitives. Son projet de thèse, financé par les Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et Culture (FRQSC), s'intitule "Conséquences des expériences traumatiques sur la santé cognitive des personnes réfugiées". Ce projet comprend deux études impliquant la participation de personnes réfugiées et de demandeurs d'asile actuellement établis au Québec.
Contact
Email: Justine.Cinq-Mars@uqtr.ca ; LinkedIn
Prof. Zanna Clay
Current Position: Professor, Department of Psychology, Durham University (UK)
Languages: English, French
Conducting research in these African countries: Uganda, Zambia, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa
Zanna Clay is a Professor of comparative and developmental psychology at Durham University, where she leads the Comparative Cognition and Cross-Cultural Development Lab. Combining naturalistic observations and experimental methods, Prof. Clay and her lab study infants, young children across cultures and our closest relatives, the great apes in order to investigate the evolutionary and developmental basis of empathy, social cognition, language, culture and communication. Zanna conducts research in multiple settings in Africa as well as in the UK and Europe. Having completed a Joint Honours BSc in Psychology and Zoology at the University of Bristol, Zanna conducted her doctoral work with Prof Klaus Zuberbuhler (Univ. of St Andrews) investigating language evolution through the study of bonobo vocal communication. She then conducted post-doctoral work with Prof Frans de Waal (Emory University, USA) examining empathy development in young bonobos followed by post-doctoral research in the Dept of Comparative Cognition, University of Neuchatel (Switzerland) studying wild bonobo vocal communication. Before starting her faculty position at Durham University in 2017, she completed a Marie Curie Research Fellowship at the University of Birmingham examining the evolution & development of imitation and language with young children and great apes. She is currently leading a large-scale EU funded project longitudinally investigating the comparative and cross-cultural development of empathy in human infants across cultures and in great apes.
Contact
Prof. Kate Cockcroft
Current Position: Professor, Department of Psychology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa)
Previous Degrees: PhD, MA (Psychology)
Languages: English, Afrikaans, French
Conducting research in these African countries: South Africa
Kate is both a neuropsychologist and research psychologist by training. She has over twenty-five years of experience teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses in cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology and psychological assessment. Her scholarly work addresses theoretical and practical issues of local and global relevance related to the relationship between executive functioning and multilingualism, the malleability of executive functions, as well as valid and fair ways of assessing these abilities. She has particular interests in working memory functioning, how it is assessed and how it may be remediated. She is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, an NRF-rated researcher and an executive editor of the African Journal of Psychological Assessment. View her publications.
Contact
Email: kate.cockcroft@wits.ac.za ; Twitter ; Personal Website ; Departmental Website
Dr. Caylee Cook
Current Position: Postdoctoral fellow at the SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit at the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa)
Previous degrees: PhD Exercise Science, Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Languages: English, Afrikaans
Conducting research in these African countries: South Africa
Dr Cook is a postdoctoral researcher at the SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. She obtained her PhD in Exercise Science in 2019 from the University of Cape Town. She has since transitioned to developmental psychology and over the last few years her research has aimed to identify risk and protective factors for early childhood cognition and mental well-being in the South African context. Her current projects include the development and piloting of a digital tool (WhatsApp) for preschool social-emotional development and mental well-being in low-income communities across South Africa and exploring the effects of exposure to community violence and attention to threat in preschool children. She is passionate about promoting the importance of the early years and helping all children reach their potential.
Contact
Dr. Catherine Draper
Current Position: Associate Professor in the SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa)
Languages: English, Afrikaans
Conducting research in these African countries: South Africa
Dr Catherine Draper is an Associate Professor in the SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand. She has a background in Psychology and the social sciences, and obtained her PhD in Public Health in 2005 from the University of Cape Town. Dr Draper’s research interests include the development and evaluation of community-based health promotion interventions, and she is particularly interested in early childhood health and development. She led the initiative to develop South African 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years, and was a member of the World Health Organization Guideline Development Group for guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in children under 5 years of age. She is part of the leadership group of the International Study of Movement Behaviours in the Early Years (SUNRISE). Dr Draper is currently leading studies on early learning, social emotional development and mental health in young children in vulnerable settings in South Africa, and also works on the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI) with young women in Soweto, Johannesburg. HeLTI aims to optimise young women’s physical and mental health, intervening from preconception through to early childhood, in order to establish healthier trajectories for themselves and their children. Dr Draper is currently part of a global initiative on executive function measurement, and is part of the consultative group for the World Health Organization’s Global Scale for Early Development 2.0.
Contact
Mr. Aruoture Ezekiel
Current Position: M.Sc. student at the University of Ibadan ; a tutor at the department of psychology, university of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Previous Degrees: B.Sc. Psychology, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Languages: English, Pigin, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Aruoture Ezekiel is a dedicated Master's student in clinical psychology at the University of Ibadan with a profound interest in neuropsychology and hereditary diseases. His passion for understanding the intricate connections between the brain, behavior, and genetic factors has been a driving force throughout his academic journey. Aruoture's commitment to the field is evident through his hands-on experiences and academic achievements. Notably, he has collaborated with UNICEF on a project focused on juvenile health in prison settings. This experience allowed him to apply psychological principles in challenging environments, contributing to his practical understanding of the impact of mental health on young individuals in confined spaces. In addition to his work with UNICEF, Aruoture showcased his expertise by delivering a lecture at a program hosted by the neuropsychology hospital during Dementia Week. This opportunity highlighted his ability to communicate complex concepts effectively and engage with diverse audiences on critical issues related to neurological health. Aruoture's research endeavors align closely with his passion for neuropsychology and hereditary diseases. His current project investigates the health-related quality of life among patients with hereditary diseases, demonstrating his commitment to exploring the psychosocial aspects of individuals affected by genetic conditions. This research not only contributes to the academic understanding of hereditary diseases but also holds the potential to inform interventions that enhance the well-being of those impacted. Driven by a relentless zeal to address neurological illnesses, Aruoture Ezekiel is poised to make meaningful contributions to the field of clinical psychology. His combination of academic excellence, practical experiences, and a commitment to improving the lives of individuals facing neurological challenges sets him apart as a promising scholar and future leader in the realm of neuropsychology.
Mr. Chika Ezeugwu
Current Position: PhD candidate in the Play Education Development and Learning (PEDAL) research centre at the University of Cambridge (UK)
Languages: English, Igbo, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Chika Ezeugwu is a PhD candidate in the Play Education Development and Learning (PEDAL) research centre at the University of Cambridge. He is currently funded by the LEGO-Cambridge Scholarship and his scientific interests focus on integrating neuroscience, cognition, and child development, to improve experience of children from low-income contexts. Chika studied applied psychology (BSc) at Adekunle Ajasin University before joining the master’s programme in Psychology and Education at the University of Cambridge. Prior to Cambridge, Chika has worked on policy and strategy projects as a research scholar at Lagos Business School, Nigeria.
Contact
Anna Felleiter
Current Position: Student & Co-Investigator, Department of Cognitive Development at University of Regensburg (Germany)
Languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria, Uganda
I’m currently studying psychology and working as an intern at the Department of Cognitive Development at University of Regensburg. I am investigating the connection between parent child interaction and early child development with 24 to 30 month-old-children through a cross-cultural lens. We try to include especially non-WEIRD countries all across the world. Following that notion, I already collected data in Nigeria and Brazil, but many more sites are planned f.e. in Uganda, Japan or India.
Dr. June Temitope Gbadamosi
Current Position: Junior Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Languages: Yoruba, English, German
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
June Gbadamosi holds a PhD in African Studies (Cultural and Media Studies) with research interests in digital identities, cultural identities, indigenous knowledges and cognitive behavioural sciences.
Contact
Email: junegbadamosi267@gmail.com; Twitter
Prof. Melissa Gladstone
Current Position: Professor of Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics and International Child Health, University of Liverpool (UK)
Previous degrees: BSc Psych Hons (Edin), MBChB (Edin), MD (Liverpool), FRCPCH (Royal College of Paediatrics), Dip Neurodisability (Sheffield Hallam)
Languages: English, French (minimal)
Conducting research in these African countries: Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Gambia, Zimbabwe
Professor Gladstone is a professor of neurodevelopmental paediatrics at the University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital with over 20 year’s experience researching child neurodevelopment in resource poor environments – particularly in Africa. Her recent research aims to understand how best to measure neurodevelopment in resource limited settings as well as to utilise this to identify the early problems that children with disabilities and developmental disorders in order to support them. She has undertaken and is presently undertaking large field studies in a number of African settings looking at the effect of health and social factors on early child development (malaria in pregnancy, nutrition, prematurity, HIV exposure) but is also interested to pursue the linkages between assessment of children’s development and behaviour with interventions which can be provided in low income settings. She has written over 90 publications and she holds several large grants with colleagues in Sub-Saharan Africa. She created a neurodevelopmental assessment tool, the MDAT, which is being utilised in over 25 countries in Africa for research and programmatic work – much of this linking early interventions in nutrition, WASH and early stimulation programmes with later outcomes in children. She has recently been working with the World Health Organization on creation of the Infant and Young Child Developmental Indicators (IYCD) and more recently, the Global Scales of Early Development (GSED). Her future plans include incorporating ways of better measuring childhood disability in the early years in multiple settings globally.
Contact
Email: melglad@liverpool.ac.uk ; LinkedIn ; Twitter ; Departmental Website
Laurence Grenier
Current Position: Étudiante au doctorat en psychologie clinique à l'Université Laval (Canada)
Previous Degrees: Baccalauréat en neuroscience cognitive, Université de Montréal
Languages: Français, Anglais
Laurence a participé à différentes activités de recherche en neuroscience cognitive et en neurosciences sociales. Depuis un an, ses intérêts de recherche se concentrent sur les impacts de la culture sur les émotions et la cognition.
Contact
Email: laurence.grenier.4@ulaval.ca
Dr. Kristin Hadfield
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Trinity Centre for Global Health, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa
Dr. Kristin Hadfield is an Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology and the Trinity Centre for Global Health. Dr Hadfield completed her PhD in psychology at Trinity College Dublin in 2015. Following this, she worked as a visiting research specialist in the Department of Health Systems Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago (2015), a postdoctoral research fellow at the Resilience Research Centre at Dalhousie University (2015-2017), and as an assistant professor of positive psychology at Queen Mary University of London (2017-2020). Dr Hadfield's research focuses on how the resilience, wellbeing, and mental health of young people can best be promoted. She is interested in what makes children and adolescents thrive when faced with adverse or challenging contexts.
Contact
Email: kristin.hadfield@tcd.ie ; Twitter; Departmental Website
Dr. Claire Hughes
Current Position: Deputy Head for the Psychology Department ; Deputy Director of the Centre for Family Research ; Director of Studies at Newnham College ; Subject Convenor for the PBS Tripos (UK)
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: South Africa, Ghana
Claire Hughes completed her first degree and PhD (on the topic of executive function in autism) at the University of Cambridge. After a two-year post-doc position in Paris, investigating executive functions in parents and siblings of children with autism, Claire returned to the UK and worked for 6 years at the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, where her research interests focused on ‘hard to manage’ preschoolers. Claire then returned to Cambridge and joined the Centre for Family Research and Newnham College. She is currently a Deputy Head for the Psychology Department (Wellbeing, Equality and Diversity), Deputy Director of the Centre for Family Research, Director of Studies at Newnham College, and Subject Convenor for the PBS Tripos. Adopting international designs, her current research interests encompass the development of children’s executive functions and theory-of mind, periods of transition (e.g., transition to school, transition to parenthood).
Contact
Email: ch288@cam.ac.uk
Dr. Chantal Ingabire
Current Position: Professionnelle de recherche au Centre de Recherche CERVO (Canada)
Previous Degrees: PhD en Psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Languages: English, French
Conducting research in these African countries: Rwanda, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ses travaux de recherche portent sur la psychopathologie en lien avec l'exposition aux événements traumatiques dans le contexte des conflits armés et des violences de masse. Elle s' intéresse également à la psychométrie dans les cultures non-occidentales; la psychopathie et les attitudes envers l'aide psychologique professionnelle.
Contact
Email: marie-chantal.ingabire.2@ulaval.ca
Dr. Mathilde Josserand
Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at Université Laval, School of Psychology (Canada)
Languages: French, English
Conducting research in these African countries: Namibia, Rwanda, The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mathilde Josserand has been a postdoctoral researcher at Université Laval, School of Psychology since July 2024. She obtained her PhD at the Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage in Lyon, France, in December 2023, where she explored the links between language and cognition, as well as conducting cross-cultural studies with the Himba community in Namibia.
At Observatoire PSYCAVI, Mathilde Josserand is interested in the links between schooling and mental health, particularly in relation to high-level cognitive functions. Her approach is resolutely quantitative, emphasizing data analysis to shed light on her research.
Contact
Email: mathilde.josserand.1@ulaval.ca; Twitter; LinkedIn; Scholar
Dr. Yesiru Adeyemi KAREEM
Current Position: Consultant Psychiatrist, Neuropsychiatric Hospital (Nigeria)
Previous Degrees: MBBS, Fellowship
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Ghana, Nigeria
Dr Kareem attended the Federal Government Academy (FEDACAD), the Centre for the Gifted & Talented in Suleja (Niger State), and had his Medical education at LAUTECH, Ogbomoso (Oyo State). He had his Housemanship at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina (Katsina State), NYSC at General Hospital, Gusau (Zamfara State), and Medical Residency Training at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH) Maiduguri (Borno State). He is now a Consultant Psychiatrist at Neuropsychiatric Hospital (NPH), Aro, Abeokuta (Ogun State). Under the tutelage of erudite teachers and esteemed mentors, he has honed his skills as an ambitious, multitasking, and thoroughbred clinician and politician. He is an early career researcher and member of several local and international research interest groups with collaborations in Psychogeriatrics, Forensics, Consultation liaison, Public Health, Psychiatric Epidemiology, and Academic Psychiatry. Thus, he has had over sixty journal club presentations, attended several academic seminars and training workshops, and presented papers at seventeen Scientific conferences, with twenty-two Publications and thirty-one research items to his credit. Dr. Kareem has received different honours and holds membership in various boards, a fellowship award from the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (JSPN), and a Fellowship qualification from the West African College of Physicians (Faculty of Psychiatry). His fellowship dissertation centred on the Comparison of Cognitive Impairment and Quality of Life, from which he has five paper publications. He now represents Nigeria for the African CDC and African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) scholarship award for an M.Phil Degree in Applied Epidemiology and Disease Control (AEDC) and the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP) at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana. He is the MD/CEO of the MINDREST Services Hub (RC 7690553), a platform for Mental health consultation, academic writing, research, and other services. He is happily married, and this union is blessed with children and others.
Contact
Email: mallamkay15@gmail.com; LinkedIn ; ResearchGate
Mr. Honnête Kasali
Current Position: Etudiant en doctorat à l'Université Laval (Canada)
Previous Degrees: Master en psychologie clinique et pathologique à l'Université de Dschang en République du Cameroun
Languages: Français, Swahili, Mashi, Anglais, Lingala
Conducting research in these African countries: République démocratique du Congo
Honnête KASALI est enseignant-chercheur à l’Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (ULPGL-Goma), au sein de la Faculté de sciences psychologiques et de l’éducation (FSPE). Il est détenteur d’un diplôme de licence (5 années d’études universitaires) en psychologie clinique obtenu dans la même université. Il est aussi détenteur d’un autre diplôme de licence (5 années d’études universitaires) en Sciences politiques et administratives (SPA) obtenu à l’Université de Goma. Il détient actuellement un diplôme de Master en psychologie clinique et pathologique obtenu à l’Université de Dschang en République du Cameroun. Il est enfin Doctorant en thèse (PhD) de spécialisation en psychologie cognitive à l’école de psychologie de l’Université Laval au Canada. Honnête KASALI est actuellement chercheur au sein du laboratoire COGITE du Centre de recherche CERVO au Québec/Canada. Il est psychologue consultant chargé de la recherche, stage et formation au Centre de Consultation et des Soins Psychologiques (CCSP Clinique-Psy de Goma). Il est secrétaire exécutif du Centre de Recherche et d’Intervention en Psychologie et en Education (CRIPE) de la FSPE de l’ULPGL-Goma. Il est aussi Psychologue consultant formateur et évaluateur des programmes d’intervention en santé mentale et prise en charge psychosocial dans plusieurs organisations comme le Bureau Diocésain des Œuvres Médicales (BDOM) en partenariat avec l’UNICEF, la Fondation Panzi en partenariat avec le Fond Sociale de la République et Heal Africa.
Contact
Dr. Laura Katus
Current Position: Assistant Professor at the University of Greenwich ; Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge (UK)
Previous Degrees: Ph.D. in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: The Gambia, Ghana, South Africa
Laura is an Assistant Professor at the University of Greenwich and a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge. Her research aims to 1) identify early brain markers of long-term developmental outcomes, and 2) understand the impact of environmental risk on child development.
Laura conducted her PhD research as part of the Brain Imaging for Global Health (BRIGHT) project, which examined early brain development in cohort in the UK and The Gambia, West Africa. Following the completion of her PhD in 2019, she moved to the University of Cambridge to link in with the Evidence for Better Lives Study (EBLS), which examines infant cohorts across Jamaica, Ghana, South Africa, Romania, Pakistan, Sri Lanka the Philippines and Vietnam.
Contact
Email: l.katus@greenwich.ac.uk ; LinkedIn ; Twitter ; Departmental Website ; Scholar
Fatimah B. Ayete Labi
Current Position: Ph.D. Candidate, Public Health at University of Ghana (Ghana)
Previous Degrees: BSc. Radiography and Master of Public Health, University of Ghana
Languages: English, Twi, Ga, Hausa, Larteh
Conducting research in these African countries: Ghana
My research interest lies in the developmental trajectories of the Human brain. The development and use of advance imaging techniques and other developmental tools to understand how the brain is influenced by factors such nutritional status (maternal and child nutrition), health status (e.g., HIV), home environment and language acquisition to improve birth outcomes, growth, development, and health outcomes in low-middle-income countries.
Contact
Email: ifatiwill@gmail.com
June Larrieta
Current Position: Head of Impact, SHM Foundation, Spain
Languages: Spanish, English
As Head of Impact, June leads the strategic direction of the impact and evaluation work at the SHM Foundation and particularly of its mental health programme, Ember Mental Health. With a background in psychology and global mental health, she brings previous experience working in global health within academic institutions and international organisations, spanning research and policy. She is interested in championing community approaches to mental health care globally and understanding the ways in which these respond to the social, political and economic aspects of wellbeing.
Contact
Email: june@shmfoundation.org ; LinkedIn
Dr. Sarah Lloyd-Fox
Current Position: Principle Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge (UK)
Previous Degrees: PhD in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: The Gambia
Sarah is a Principle Research Associate at the University of Cambridge and the co-founder of AfriBCD. She leads several multi-disciplinary projects focusing on developmental trajectories of early cognitive and brain development during pregnancy, infancy and early childhood and how family and environmental context - i.e. contextual factors such as poverty associated challenges and enriched multigenerational family support - shape early life (see BRIGHT project (www.globalfnirs.org); PIPKIN study (www.pipkinstudy.com) and the CoCoPIP Study (www.pipkinstudy.com/covid). Since 2012 she has been collaborating with colleagues in The Gambia and UK on the Brain Imaging for Global Health (BRIGHT) project leading research to examine neurodevelopmental trajectories from pregnancy to early childhood and co-led the first team to undertake developmental neuroimaging in Africa. Key aspects of her work are to (i) develop community-friendly, global-context tailored neuroimaging and behavioural toolkits and to (ii) partner with families and communities to optimise family-mediated and community informed interventions that bridge the transition between pre- to post-natal life, and support child development and families.
Contact
Email: sl868@cam.ac.uk ; Twitter ; Personal Website ; Departmental Website
Leah Marshall
Current Position: Undergraduate student, Cognitive Science at Carleton University (Canada)
Languages: English, French
Leah is currently finishing her bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science with a concentration in Cognition and Psychology at Carleton University, Ottawa (Canada). Her honours thesis focuses on research in math cognition, specifically pre-school age number learning and acquisition of the cardinality principle in bilingual children. Leah works on the social media team for the Carleton Math Lab and through this has developed a passion for knowledge mobilization, as well as creating content and organising it to be as easily accessible as possible.
Leah is the resource coordinator for AfriBCD. She manages the external resources for the website, and assists with the creation and maintenance of internal resources (i.e., social media, captioning videos, creating transcripts, French translations). As Leah works on completing her undergraduate degree it has become clear that the majority of the research she reads comes from North America and Europe, while other continents, such as Africa are acknowledged in research much less often. This has led to her interest in supporting diverse and inclusive research efforts. Leah is happy to have the opportunity to use her organisational skills working with the AfriBCD network to make data collected in Africa more easily available to researchers and partners, and to showcase the work, and amplify the voices, of those doing research in Africa.
Contact
Email: leahmarshall@cmail.carleton.ca ; LinkedIn ; Departmental Website
Mr. Esau G. Mbewe
Current Position: HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders Study in Zambia ; Post graduate student in Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Zambia, (Zambia)
Previous Degrees: Bachelor Of Education Special Education; Masters Educational Psychology
Languages: English, Nyanja, Bemba
Conducting research in these African countries: Zambia
Esau G Mbewe is a child development researcher with over ten years of experience currently working as graduate Research fellow at University Teaching Hospital under HANDZ project focusing on Cognitive outcomes in children and adolescents with HIV. He has focussed his research in HIV and child development. He is so passionate about Neuropsychological Assessment. Besides holding a masters Degree in Educational Psychology and Bachelors Degree in Special Education from University of Zambia, Esau is currently studying a Masters of Science degree in Medical statistics at the University of Zambia, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics to further enhance his research skiils. He is currently investigating how Nutrition (Micronutrients and macronutrients) status predict Neurocognitive Function over time in Children and Adolescents with perinatal HIV infection. He is very motivated to make a positive impact on child and adolescents well being through research.
Contact
Email: mbewe.esau@yahoo.com
Dr. Bosiljka Milosavljevic
Current Position: Lecturer (Assistant Professor), Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, Queen Mary University of London (UK)
Previous degrees: PhD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London
Languages: English, Serbian
Conducting research in these African countries: The Gambia
Bosiljka is a lecturer (assistant professor) in Psychology at Queen Mary University of London and the co-founder of AfriBCD. Her research aims to identify infant markers of child neurocognitive outcomes and mental health. She is also very interested in supporting the implementation of neurodevelopmental research in diverse, global settings.
Since 2017, she has worked on the Brain Imaging for Global Health (BRIGHT) project, a prospective longitudinal study that examines child neural and cognitive development, from the antenatal period to preschool age, in a rural area of The Gambia. Prior to working on BRIGHT, Bosiljka completed her PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Psychiatry (IoPPN) at King’s College London. Her PhD focused on identifying infant markers of autism and co-occurring anxiety among children with a family history, as part of the British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS).
Contact
Email: b.milosavljevic@qmul.ac.uk ; LinkedIn ; Twitter ; Personal Website ; Departmental Website
Dr. Louisa Mudawarima
Current Position: Lecturer, University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Child, Adolescent and Women’s Health Department (Zimbabwe)
Previous degrees: MPhil Developmental Paediatrics, University of Cape Town
Languages: English, Shona
Conducting research in these African countries: Zimbabwe
Dr Louisa Mudawarima is a Neurodevelopmental Paediatrician from Zimbabwe who works at the Children’s Rehabilitation Unit at Harare Central Hospital and is a lecturer with the University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Child, Adolescent and Women’s Health Department. She trained at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, and University of Cape Town. Louisa has interest in interdisciplinary management and community involvement in the care of children with disability and delineating the aetiology of disability in Southern Africa with the aim of reducing the incidence of preventable disability in the region. She has also noted the impact of cultural beliefs in the care seeking behaviour of families in Zimbabwe and believes more research is needed to explore cultural understanding of developmental disability and how to support families with affected children.
Contact
Email: Drlouisarudo@gmail.com
Anderson Mughogho
Current Position: Ph.D. student, Pediatric Physiotherapy at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences; Lecturer, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (Malawi)
Previous degrees: Master of Physiotherapy, University of the Western Cape (South Africa)
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: Malawi
Anderson is a doctoral student based at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (formerly University of Malawi-College of Medicine). His PhD project aims at determining the feasibility of using the general movement assessment (GMA) to identify infants at risk of cerebral palsy in our hospital settings and to develop a context-based caregiver administered early intervention for the identified infants. In the long term, he is interested in improving early identification of infants at risk of neurodevelopmental disability, establishing follow up system and access to early intervention support for infants and their caregivers.
Contact
Email: amugho2@gmail.com ; Twitter
Dr. David Mukunya
Current Position: Senior Lecturer, Department of Community and Public Health, Busitema University (Uganda)
Previous degrees: MD, Mphil, PhD
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: Uganda, South Sudan
David is a medical doctor and epidemiologist interested in neurodevelopment in low income settings. He has conducted studies assessing the burden of neurodevelopment and is now focusing on the effect of neonatal sepsis and birth asphyxia on the risk of neuro-developmental delay. For the studies above he is using low-field MRI scans to measure brain volume differences and FDNIRS to measure metabolism differences in the risk groups above. He is also interested in developing brain stimulation guides or aids to help caregivers in low resource settings to promote neurodevelopment among their children.
Contact
Email: zebdaevid@gmail.com
Ms. Eunice Ndyareeba Murokore
Current Position: PhD student, Kyambogo University ; Assistant lecturer, Faculty of Education at Kabale University (Uganda)
Previous degrees: B.A. with Education (BEAD) English Double main, Uganda Christian University ; M.Ed. (Psychology), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda)
Languages: English, Runyankole
Conducting research in these African countries: Uganda
Eunice is an assistant lecturer of Educational Psychology, focusing on Human Growth and Development in the Faculty of Education at Kabale University, Uganda. She did a bachelor of arts with education (BEAD), English Double main at Uganda Christian University, Mukon, and MEd (Psychology) at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda focusing her research on Parenting styles, self-esteem, and behavioral outcomes among female adolescents in Uganda. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Kyambogo University, Uganda, and her research project aims at examining the role of achievement goals, self-efficacy, and other factors that influence academic engagement dynamics among adolescent students in low-education resource settings in southwestern Uganda.
Since 2020, Eunice has been involved in data assessment and local coordination of two big cross-cultural research projects in child development; maternal predictability- investigating maternal sensitivity and maternal predictability as potential mediators between maternal childhood trauma and infant emotional reactivity, and the origins of empathy - Investigating empathy development in the first two years of life.
Contact
Email: emurokore@kab.ac.ug ; eunicemurokore@gmail.com ; LinkedIn
Ruth is pursuing her Bachelor of Cognitive Science (Honours) with a concentration in Neuroscience. She has taken many interdisciplinary courses that contribute to her understanding of cognition and neuroscience, and she enjoys volunteering in Carleton University research labs. She is passionate about metacognition, cognitive development, neurodiversity, mental health, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). She is a student liaison and translation volunteer for the AfriBCD network. She helps with English-French translation, undergraduate student outreach and engagement, and creating media visuals. She is also a moderator for online AfriBCD events, and she helps out with other tasks on a need basis. Ruth was drawn to the AfriBCD Network due to her background and personal interest in cognition research in Africa. She is Canadian-Cameroonian from an immigrant family, and her experience growing up with a French-Cameroonian immigrant community made her more aware of the developmental differences between immigrant Cameroonian children their non-African peers, as well as the importance of an intersectional approach when studying child cognition.
Contact
Email: ruthnobossi@cmail.carleton.ca ; LinkedIn
Ruth Nobossi
Current Position: Undergraduate Student, Cognitive Science, Carleton University (Canada)
Languages: English, French
Dr. Jamiu Agbolade Ogunsola
Current Position: Principal Counselling Psychologist, Fountain University; Lecturer, General Studies Unit, Fountain University (Nigeria).
Languages: Yoruba, English
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Jamiu Agbolade is deeply passionate about creating a progressive world. As a counselling psychologist, he is dedicated to offering practical solutions to the overwhelming challenges faced by youths in Nigeria and Africa. This dedication drives his efforts in career development, providing academic support, mentorship, confidence-building, and critical thinking skills to educationally aspiring youths in Nigeria. He is committed to creating an environment that supports the academic, emotional, and personal growth of students and individuals, knowing that societal progress hinges on informed and emotionally balanced people. With his expertise in psychometrics, Agbolade offers comprehensive diagnoses and assessments, covering social-personal issues like anxiety disorders, depression, and stress; cognitive assessments for intelligence and learning disabilities; and vocational tools like aptitude tests. Additionally, he provides training on information collection techniques and tools, ensuring a holistic approach to support and development.
Contact
Email: agbolade.jamiu@yahoo.com
Ernest Ochuko Okpako
Current Position: Ph.D Student, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Ernest is a passionate researcher specializing in the mental health and well-being of vulnerable children. Currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Ibadan, his work focuses on understanding the challenges faced by children with special needs and adolescents with psychological challenges. By exploring factors such as parental efficacy, child temperament, and social support, Ernest aims to develop practical interventions to improve outcomes for these children and their families. His research reflects a deep commitment to advocating for underrepresented and vulnerable groups in society.
Dr. Gloria Aghogho Okunola
Current Position: Lecturer, Department of Educational Foundations and Counseling, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)(Nigeria)
Languages: Okpe, Yoruba, English
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Dr. Gloria Aghogho Okunola is a dedicated academic and researcher in educational psychology. She currently serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Dr. Okunola's career has been marked by a deep commitment to education and student development. Dr. Okunola's educational journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Business Education (Accounting) from the University of Benin in 2006. She continued her studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, earning a Master in Business Administration (MBA) in 2012, a Master of Arts in Psychology of Education in 2018, and a Ph.D. in Psychology of Education in 2023. This diverse academic background has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of both business and educational psychology. Dr. Okunola’s research focuses on educational psychology, psychosocial well-being of adolescents and young adults and professional competence.
Contact
Email: gloriaokunola40@gmail.com ; LinkedIn
Dr. Ade Abdulrasaq OLOFIN
Current Position: Educational Psychologist, Hospital Administrator, and Researcher at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (Nigeria).
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Dr. Ade Abdulrasaq OLOFIN is a passionate hospital administrator , educational psychologist and a researcher. He is very passionate about the welfare of the patients and patients' relatives in the hospital, and also of the strong belief that the formative stage of every child is very important and crucial hence his areas of research.
Contact
Email: adeobafemiawolowouniversity@gmail.com
Dr. Lere P. OLUWADARE
Current Position: Paediatrician, Redeemer's Health Village (Nigeria)
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Dr. Mary Iwaret Otiti
Current Position: Clinical Research Scientists at Kenya Medical Research Institute- Centre for Global Health Research (KEMRI-CGHR), PhD student at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) (Kenya)
Previous degrees: BSc. Anatomy (University of Nairobi, Kenya); MBChB, (University of Nairobi, Kenya); MSc. Epi (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , UK)
Languages: English, Kiswahili
Conducting research in these African countries: Kenya
Iwaret is an early career clinical research scientist currently based at KEMRI- Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu, Kenya and pursuing a PhD in Clinical Sciences at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Her research interest is in the field of child health and currently understanding paediatric gastroenterology and the impact on growth and cognitive development with a focus on seeking novel interventions to tackle childhood malnutrition. Since 2020, she has worked as the Trial manager for the Probiotics and Synbiotics in infants in Western Kenya (PROSYNK) study, a 4-arm, open-label, individually randomised, controlled, phase-2, study of a probiotic and two synbiotics in young children in western Kenya. This trial seeks to assess whether the administration of pro/synbiotics early in life improves gut health and growth in infants exposed to high levels of faecal-oral pathogen transmission. Her ongoing study also further delves into the understanding the associations between Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (EED) and cognitive development whilst accounting for potential confounders of under-nutrition as well as environmental factors such as WASH, feeding and common illnesses.
Contact
Dr. Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin
Current Position: Senior Lecturer Biostatistics Unit, Dept of Statistics, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Sub Sahara Africa
With a profound passion for both data and education, Dr Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin has seamlessly merged the worlds of statistics and teaching. Armed with a PhD in Statistics and a teaching certification, Dr Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin possesses a unique ability to unravel the complexities of statistics and make them accessible to learners of all levels. With 15 years of experience, Dr Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin has spearheaded numerous workshops, enlightening participants about the power of statistical analysis. His teaching style combines clarity, real-world examples, and interactive exercises to foster an engaging learning environment. Dr Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin's workshops have consistently received high praise for their effectiveness in demystifying intricate statistical concepts. Beyond workshops, Dr Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin has contributed significantly to the field through published articles, sharing insights on innovative statistical methodologies and their practical applications. His dedication to staying at the forefront of statistical advancements enriches his training content with the latest trends. Whether guiding beginners through the basics or assisting professionals in refining their analytical skills, Dr Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin exudes patience, expertise, and a genuine commitment to his participants' growth. Through workshops and trainings, Dr Oluwafemi Samuel Oyamakin empowers individuals to harness the true potential of statistics, equipping them with invaluable tools for data-driven success.
Contact
Dr. Adebunmi Oyebisi Oyekola
Current Position: Senior Lecturer Department of Counselling and Human Development Studies, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Previous degrees: PhD Developmental Psychology, M.Ed Counselling Psychology (Remedial and Reformatory Counselling), M.M.P Master in Managerial Psychology, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Languages: Yoruba, English
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Adebunmi Oyebisi Oyekola, currently a Senior Lecturer, began her faculty position in the Department of Counselling and Human Development Studies at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, in 2013. She obtained her PhD in Developmental Psychology in 2015. Her thesis focused on examining the effectiveness of Dialectical Behaviour and Cognitive Processing therapies in reducing emotional stress among sexually abused female in-school adolescents in Ibadan metropolis. Subsequently, her research has centered on investigating the consequences of exposure to maltreatment, abuse, and neglect on children and adolescents' developmental milestones. It also includes identifying risks and protective factors with the aim of developing preventive and psychotherapeutic interventions to preserve the dignity, mental health, and well-being of vulnerable children and adolescents. Another key aspect of her research is identifying how intimate partner violence impacts parenting (intergenerational transmission of values/abuse) and how other social factors build resilience and protect against the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences, such as internalizing behaviour, aggression, and social withdrawal among children and adolescents.
Contact
Email: dradebunmioyekola@gmail.com ; ao.oyekola@mail1.ui.edu.ng
Dr. Violeta Pina
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Economics and Technology (Ceuta Campus). University of Granada (Spain)
Previous degrees: Ph.D. in mental health at the Universidad de Almería and Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain)
Languages: Spanish, English
Conducting research in these African countries: Algeria
During my career, I researched the cognitive mechanisms behind mathematical performance in children. Currently, I am trying to incorporate the advances offered by artificial intelligence in the area of medical imaging into the study of learning difficulties. Specifically, I study the possibilities offered by radiomics for the extraction of information from medical images and by Machine Learning for the multidimensional analysis of data. My short-term goal is to deepen our knowledge of cognitive abilities and brain areas related to mathematical performance in search of performance phenotypes. My long-term goal is to be able to create personalized interventions based on the individual cognitive profiles and specific needs of children with learning difficulties. I am a member of a Development Cooperation Educational Project in the Sahrawi refugee camps of Tindouf (Algeria) with the aim of creating educational materials and support for the teachers in the camps.
Contact
Email: violetapina@ugr.es ; Twitter ; Personal Website
Prof. Michael Pluess
Current Position: Professor of Developmental Psychology, University of Surrey (UK)
Languages: English, German, French
Conducting research in these African countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe
My research focuses on three areas: 1) individual differences in Environmental Sensitivity, the notion that some people are more affected by both negative and positive experiences due to being more sensitive to environmental influences, 2) Positive Development, such as the development and evaluation of interventions aimed at promoting the development of psychological well-being in children and adults, and 3) Mental Health and Resilience in Humanitarian Crises, including longitudinal studies and randomised controlled trials on mental health interventions in humanitarian settings.
Contact
Email: m.pluess@surrey.ac.uk ; LinkedIn ; Twitter ; Personal Website ; Departmental Website
Dr. Joanna M. Rutkowska
Current Position: Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Psychology and Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich (Switzerland)
Languages:: Polish, English, German
Joanna is a developmental psychologist based in Switzerland. She has completed her PhD on intention and emotion perception from movement kinematics in adults and infants at Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands. She is currently working on the mechanisms behind differences in communicative (pragmatic) skills between monolingual and bilingual children. Joanna is open to setting up new collaborations.
Contact
Email: joanna.m.rutkowska@gmail.com ; LinkedIn ; Twitter ; Departmental Website
Jeremy Solomons
Current Position: Independent coach, facilitator and writer on Inclusive Leadership, Diverse Teams and Career Re-Imagining, with a Global South perspective (Rwanda)
Previous Degrees: MA Oxon, BA Honours French, University of Oxford (Brasenose College)
Languages:: English; French, German, Italian, Kinyarwanda
Jeremy Solomons is the UK-born and USA-naturalised founder, co-owner and managing partner of JSA Consulting (Rwanda), Ltd. His main focus is to help current and future leaders to connect and communicate effectively across all cultures – geographical, organisational, professional and individual. Since he first worked in Rwanda in 2016 and relocated to Kigali in April 2019, he has coached, consulted, designed curriculum, facilitated and trained both individuals and groups on the following topics: Accountability; Career/Life Planning; Change Leadership; Communication; Creativity; Difficult Conversations; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Entrepreneurship; Ethics and Integrity; ”Face the Gorillas” Investor Pitching; Giving Equitable Feedback; Inclusive Leadership; Job Interviewing and Negotiating; Job Skills; Proposal Writing & Editing; Servant Leadership; Small Business Marketing; Team Dynamics and Virtual/Distance Working.
Contact
Email: Jeremy@jeremysolomons.com ; LinkedIn
Mr. Abdulganiy Aremu Sulyman
Current Position: Lecturer in Educational Foundations, Federal University Lokoja (Nigeria)
Previous Degrees: Guidance and Counselling/ Philosophy of Education
Languages: Yoruba, English, Arabic
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
Abdulganiy Aremu Sulyman researches in Guidance and Counselling and Philosophy of Education. He is particularly interested in marital and school counselling; critical thinking and creativity. He has published peer-reviewed papers on different areas of education including Happiness Education; Peace Education; Critical Thinking; etc.
Contact
Email: abdulganiy.sulyman@fulokoja.edu.ng ; LinkedIn ; Twitter
Rachel Thomas
Current Position: PhD Student, University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
Previous Degrees: Masters in Counselling Psychology
Languages: English, Yoruba
Conducting research in these African countries: Nigeria
As a doctoral student in university of Ibadan, Nigeria, my research was based on the effects of Self-efficacy and life-skills training on Psychological well-being of Sexually-molested female adolescents in Ibadan, which involves functioning effectively in one's endeavour, and it consists of positive social relationships, autonomy, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, a sense of purpose, and personal growth. Preliminary investigation reports have shown that sexually-molested female adolescents in Ibadan have low psychological well-being, thus have adverse effects on their mental health, poor school attendance, poor academic performance, social phobia due to increased anxiety, lifetime stigma and sleep problems. Previous studies on psychological well-being of sexually-molested adolescents had focused on predisposing factors such as social support of significant others, parental involvement and peer influence with little emphasis on psychological interventions to enhance it. Therefore, the study was designed to determine the effects of Self–efficacy Training (S-eT) and Life-skills Training (L-sT) to enhance the psychological well-being of sexually-molested female adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Contact
Email: littletommy2003@gmail.com
Dr. Pamela Wadende
Current Position: Developmental Psychologist ; Senior Lecturer at Kisii University (Kenya)
Previous Degrees: undergraduate and Masters degree in Educational Psychology at Kenyatta University (Kenya) ; Education PhD degree from Texas State University, San Marcos (USA)
Languages: English, Kiswahili, Luo, Kipsigis
Conducting research in these African countries: Kenya
Dr. Pamela Wadende is a Developmental Psychologist and senior lecturer at Kenya’s Kisii University, where she teaches and supervises graduate students from East Africa and other parts of the world.
Pamela is interested in how human beings acquire and change behaviour across the life span and she believes that environmental factors heavily shape developmental outcomes. Successful interventions aimed at improving the human condition should therefore target individual environments and experiences in order to facilitate behavioural changes such as learning new content or embracing new healthy practices. She believes that research that takes a multidisciplinary approach yields findings that best represents the perspectives of local populations. Consequently, she has been involved in many such projects in the fields of education (early childhood learning), health (working with the Global Diet and Activity Research Network-GDAR-to survey upstream modifiable determinants of Non-Communicable Diseases progression in local populations starting in childhood onwards eg sedentary lifestyles and inefficient diets), working with the Pan African Mental Health Research Network-PAMHRN- to survey the impact of climate change on the mental health of pastoralists in rural Kenya and education- (Determinants of uptake of targeted education content in local populations).
She is an International Society for the Study of Behavior Development (ISSBD) and Jacobs Foundation 2020-2023 African Professional development Fellow. For this fellowship she surveys the youth perspectives on conceptualizations of human flourishing, its pathway and impediments in rural populations in selected countries of Africa.
Contact
Email: pamela.wadende@gmail.com ; Personal Website
For over 20 years, Dr. Wamoyi has worked on: understanding social and behavioural determinants of Adolescents and Young people’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH); Structural drivers of HIV risk. In her work, she has explored the dynamics of transactional sex in adolescents and young women's sexual elationships in sub-Saharan Africa and sexual harassment in schools, workplace, and public place in Tanzania. She is currently working on the evaluation of the scale up of Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH) programme to prevent violence against children in Tanzania and the digital delivery for PLH (ParentApp) in Tanzania. She is a member of the: WHO Behavioural Insights Technical Advisory Group; and UNICEF Advisory Board for the multi-country project “Children’s Experiences and Perspectives of Covid-19, and restrictions related to it”.
Contact
Email: j.wamoyi@gmail.com ; LinkedIn
Dr. Joyce Wamoyi
Current Position: Social and Behavioural researcher at the National Institute for Medical Research (Tanzania)
Languages: English
Conducting research in these African countries: Tanzania