The topic of the research is to apply artificial intelligence techniques to derive optimum intervention strategies used to combat malaria in Africa. These strategies will incorporate climate information by accounting for local seasonality and predictions of climate anomalies using state-of-the-art, operational seasonal forecasting systems.

The project will focus on the strategies for the role out of the sterilized insect technique in collaboration with IAEA (Vienna), and also on medicine distribution and residual spraying campaigns with other international organisations. As well as the application of artificial intelligence techniques, the project will involve the use of a Fortran-based, dynamical model for malaria transmission and gridded climate information from the Copernicus climate data store. The position entails working directly with Adrian Tompkins at ICTP based in Trieste, Italy, but will provide the opportunity to travel to project partner institutes.

The successful applicant will have a good capability in at least one of the programming languages Fortran, C++ or python and be familiar with handling gridded datasets. Fellows must have completed a PhD in a relevant area, in particular the areas of climate, health or computational sciences or mathematics. The most important attribute is an enthusiasm to contribute to this important application of climate science.

The ICTP takes seriously its commitment to equal opportunity and diversity in hiring, and in its global mission to promote science in the developing world.