Program Description
Despite the widespread efforts and notable successes in preventing and treating Malaria, sustaining reductions in Malaria disease burden remains an important global challenge. Treatment and prevention efforts such as drug treatment, vector control and bed nets are beset by challenges, including a lack of adequate surveillance data. National Malaria Control Programs (NMCPs) are continuously improving systems to gather critical data on malaria surveillance, coverage, and effectiveness of interventions. Mathematical modeling and geospatial analyses are opportunities to leverage existing and emerging data sources, extracting insight from entomological, epidemiological and intervention data to inform national and regional decision-making.

The MaModAfrica doctoral training program established at AIMS through funding from the Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation will strengthen expertise in applied mathematical and statistical malaria modeling among African academic institutions with a particular focus on the monitoring and implementation challenges faced by NMCPs. This doctoral training program will provide emerging African scientists with the opportunity to conduct research at the forefront of disease modeling, and work towards a PhD degree within a high-quality training program based in an Africa Institution, embedded in a cooperative network of international institutions.

This transdisciplinary program will focus on state-of-the-art modeling approaches driven by real-world questions in public health to reduce the burden of Malaria in Africa. It is built on the understanding that impactful approaches in Malaria modeling require technical expertise (e.g., mathematics, statistics, computation, and data science), the ability to formalize problems coming from experimental fields (e.g., parasitology, entomology, public health, and epidemiology) and communicate efficiently on the modeling process and the models with NMCPs.

MaModAfrica Consortium, will offer eight fully funded PhD positions in this prestigious new doctoral program. Most of the recruited students will be based in our three focus countries (Rwanda, Benin, and Mozambique) in partnership with universities and research institutions across Africa and globally. The program aims to train future African modelers, who will have an impact across academia, industry, education, and government.

Candidates can choose from a list of proposed research topics, and MaModAfrica Consortium will assist in building a supervision team around these topics. Alternatively, candidates can suggest their own research topics, together with a proposed supervision team. Depending on the topic, candidates will enroll in appropriate graduate programs of our partner universities. Selected students start in October 2023.

Information for applicants

Eligibility criteria

• Master’s degree or equivalent (completed by Sept 2023) in relevant quantitative fields (e.g., mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering, physics, bioinformatics, econometrics, infectious disease epidemiology)
• Research potential evidenced by academic performance and involvement in relevant academic activities
• Being an African national; citizenship or permanent residence in focus country is a plus
• Language proficiency in the spoken language(s) of focus country/countries
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Willingness and ability to travel (training courses, collaborations, conferences)
• Female applicants are highly encouraged

Summary

• Length of program: 3 years
• Fully funded (stipend, equipment, health insurance, relocation costs, conference attendance, direct cost to graduating institution such as tuition fees and registration fees)
• International supervision teams from well-known research institutions
• Research topics that push the boundaries of Malaria modeling
• Application Deadline: 17th March 2023
• Program start: October 2023

Supervision

Candidates are mentored by a supervision team of 2-4 supervisors, forming a partnership between higher education institutions in Africa and internationally. Each supervision team should consist of at least one supervisor affiliated or working closely with an NMCP, and one
supervisor affiliated with the graduating institution.

The supervision team will be formed during Phase 2 of the application process in communication with shortlisted candidates, the MaModAfrica management board, and potential supervisors. Candidates have the possibility to suggest their own supervision team.

Research topics

Applicants can select from a list of research topics suggested by leading researchers in their field. Each candidate can choose at most two topics and rank them by preference. Alternatively, applicants are welcome to suggest their own research topics. Shortlisted candidates will be put in touch with the supervision teams that proposed their selected topics for discussions on more concrete research ideas in Phase 2 of the application process.

Training Components

All candidates will be invited to participate in an intensive training school in the first year of the program, organized by MaModAfrica at AIMS-Senegal. Here, candidates will acquire skills relevant to their research and broaden their subject knowledge in applied disease modeling through a small number of intensive core courses taught by top international researchers. The program plans to provide continuous training opportunities virtually and/or in person.

Additional training components may include (but are not limited to):

• Guided seminars and reading groups
• Participation in transferable skills courses (academic writing, presentations skills,
research methodology course)
• Participation in translational meetings with public health specialists (NMCP, etc.)
• Designing and delivering a mini course (senior PhD students)

Application guidelines

The application must be submitted via the Google online form provided on the website. You need to have a Gmail account to be able to submit your application. Before starting the application process, please make sure to prepare the following documents in pdf format:
• Up-to-date resume (two pages maximum, 10Mo maximum size)
• Transcripts of academic records (Bachelor and master’s level, all in one pdf, 10Mo maximum size),
and the following information:
• Name, affiliation, and email addresses of two persons who can provide a letter of support if asked by MaModAfrica
• Your motivation to pursue a Ph.D. in general? Here, you can also mention plans for your future career (1500 characters maximum)
• Topics choice (two topics max with ranking, and/or your own topic)
• Research directions you are most interested in and why? Justify why you are qualified to pursue research in this area. Here, you can also comment on your reason for choosing the research topic selected above (3500 characters maximum)
• Additional funding sources (if any)
After submission, you can choose to receive a summary email of your application to your
Gmail account. You will be able to edit your application until the deadline of the call.

Contact for application details: application-mamodafrica@nexteinstein.org