The 2nd SASH cohort, would like to invite you to SASH Research Day.

This event has been postponed until 13 March 2017. More details to follow shortly.

Date: Monday 17 October 2016

Where: The Wild Fig Restaurant, Observatory

The South African Social Sciences and HIV program (SASH) cordially invites you to attend the inaugural SASH Research Day on Monday the 17^th of October 2016.

This Research Day has been organized by the SASH fellows (cohort 2) to present their research projects, brainstorm about unique opportunities for their work and build relationships with colleagues from the academic field.

The day will be filled with interactive conversations and workshops as well as a key-note speaker (to be announced).

The program will be finalized within the next few weeks, but please diarize this date, as we would appreciate your attendance and input during this annual Research Day.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us.

Warm regards,

SASH fellows Research Day Planning Team

Namhla Sicwebu (scwnam001@myuct.ac.za) and Myrna van Pinxteren (myrna.vanpinxteren@gmail.com)

In March 2015, SASH co-sponsored a Critical Health Social Sciences workshop for 35 junior scholars from South Africa, other countries in the region, and the UK.  Funded by the British Council, the aim of this workshop was to foster critical engagement among junior social scientists with social science theory and development of a written product, such as a paper for publication, for critique by senior scholars.  Conducted in the style of a five-day retreat in a remote location, the venue provided a unique opportunity for extended engagement and interaction.  Five SASH Fellows participated in the retreat, as well as numerous SASH faculty from UCT and from Brown University, as well as other institutions.

Dr. Kathy Takayama, Director of Brown University’s Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning, made a week-long visit to UCT in March, 2015 to work with MPH course convenors at UCT and other SASH-affiliated faculty in a series of detailed curriculum mapping exercises.  The goal of this work is to ensure coherence and integration of core courses for the new Social and Behavioural Sceiences track in the MPH curriculum, and for HIV social science teaching more broadly.  Dr. Takayama’s work with UCT faculty was initiated through a series of meetings with key personnel from UCT (Dr Chris Colvin) and Brown (Associate Dean for Public Health, Don Operario and Dr. Mark Lurie) in late 2014, and then carried forward through several virtual meetings with key players from both institutions.  During her visit, Dr. Takayama also conducted two training workshops for SASH Fellows and DSBS staff on Research Mentoring relationships and strategies, Peer Evaluation techniques, and Skills for Effective Presentation.

Two scientific writing workshops were conducted by SASH Faculty member Caroline Kuo from Brown, for SASH Fellows and Associates as well as the broader community of scholars at UCT.  The aim of the workshops was to provide concrete, hands-on skills-building in the area of scientific writing, including techniques for unpacking the idea of a paper into a series of discrete tasks, and addressing the question of ‘where do I begin?’, and ‘how do I write a paper for publication?’

Acquisition of technical skills related to the management and analysis of qualitative data is a primary objective for many SASH Fellows, and a well-defined need in the broader research community.  In October, 2014 Rochelle Rosen, a SASH-affiliated faculty member from Brown, traveled to Cape Town to conduct a week-long series of workshops and one-on-one consultations with the SASH community.  Twenty-five people attended a 2.5 day workshop that addressed ‘Advanced Analytical Skills with NVivo’, and an additional twenty people attended an initial meeting for a potential NVivo users group at UCT.

This workshop reviewed methods for reviewing and synthesizing both quantitative and qualitative health research.  Evidence-based practice and policy are of increasing importance in the response to the HIV epidemic, and in the health and social sciences more generally. We examined common evidence synthesis approaches theories and discussed how reviews of evidence should form an important part of each Fellow’s research project.  More details and photos to come.

This workshop reviewed both historical and contemporary theories in behavioral science and examined how these theories have been applied to understanding and intervening in the HIV epidemic.  We also discussed how particular theories of behavior might be usefully integrated into the research projects of the SASH Fellows.  More details and photos to come.

The South African Social Science and HIV (SASH) Fellows Programme was launched last month. The programme is a key component of the NIH R24 funded collaboration between UCT and Brown University that seeks to strengthen HIV social science research and training. The award covers the period 2013-2018 and amounts in total to over R20 million.

The project – ‘Partnerships for the Next Generation of HIV Social Science in South Africa’ – is led by Professor Mark Lurie (Department of Epidemiology, Brown University) and Dr Christopher J. Colvin (School of Public Health and Family Medicine (SoPHFM), Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT). Among its aims are to develop academic capacity through curriculum development, teaching and mentoring, and fostering a culture of excellence in the interdisciplinary HIV social science research environment. Fellows who are selected receive various types of support including funding, mentorship and training opportunities. Mentorship and support is based both at UCT and at Brown University.

Thirteen Fellows have been selected for this round of the Programme. Each works in one of three strategic areas: Gender in HIV/AIDS Risk and Response, Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence and Expansion, and HIV Prevention for Women, Youth and Families. The Fellows are at different levels of study, ranging from Masters to the postdoctoral level. Many of the Fellows have connections to UCT. Dr Alex Muller is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine. The SASH team from HAICU—Cal Volks, Sianne Abrahams, Lucina Reddy and Stella Kyobula-Mukoza—will be engaging in a group SASH project. Dr Brendan Maughan-Brown works as a Senior Research Officer at the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU). Ntobeko Nywagi has worked on range of research projects with the Women’s Health Research Unit in the SoPHFM at UCT. Vuyiseka Dubula, Tim Shand and Marlise Richter all work in different capacities at Sonke Gender Justice, and Zoe Duby and Kate Snyder work at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation.

The SASH Programme supported Sonke Gender Justice in its ICASA satellite session on the gender gap in access to antiretroviral therapy.  The session was a huge success and featured panelists talking about challenges and opportunities around getting men involved in HIV and Health Services. Many of the 200-250 people who attended were wearing the MIND THE GAP (“To Get To Zero, We Must Also Get To Men”) t-shirts that were a visual part of ICASA in Cape Town. Prof. Sheila Tlou of UNAIDS was one of the panelists, and a vibrant discussion with the audience and media present followed.

Panelists included:

• Dr. Christopher J. Colvin, Senior Research Officer, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town
• Bafana Khumalo, Senior Programmes Specialist and Co-Founder, Sonke Gender Justice, Men’s Sector Chair, South African National AIDS Council (SANAC)
• Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, Deputy Chairperson, SANAC
• Phumzile Nwyagi, Senior Trainer, Sonke Gender Justice
• Michael Onyango, Executive Director, Movement for Men Against AIDS in Kenya (MMAAK)
• Prof. Sheila Tlou, Director Regional Support Team – East and Southern Africa, UNAIDS