Dr. Alun Davies

Alun Davies has over 20 years experience in science education, health research and community engagement in Kenya: nine years as a science and senior teacher at urban and rural schools in Kenya; followed by eleven years as a researcher at KWTRP. Prior his current post, Alun managed an HIV research project in Kilifi, employing 50 staff at three sites to initiate HIV clinical trials. Alun’s current role in community engagement draws on a combination of his experience in education and health research towards facilitating engagement interactions between researchers and school students. Over the past six years, Alun has established a ‘Schools Engagement Programme’ (SEP) which facilitates interactions between researchers and up to 1000 students form 25 schools a year. The activities are aimed at promoting positive attitudes towards science among secondary school students; and promoting mutual-understanding between health researchers and the community. SEP has also enabled Kilifi students’ views to be incorporated into the Nuffield Council on Bioethics Working Party report on Ethical Issues for Research Involving Children. Alun’s current research explores ways of evaluating engagement with health research using a combination of quantitative, qualitative and participatory approaches.

Nancy Mwangome

Affiliation(s):

KEMRI – Wellcome Trust

Education:

Sept 2015- Sept 2016: UCL-IOE, MA Education, Health promotion and international Development- Wellcome Trust Fellowship

2012 Jan – June: Research intern at KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Kilifi

August 2006- Dec 2010: Kenyatta University, BSc Food Nutrition and Dietetics

Research Interests:

I enjoy working with young people, particularly concerning their well being and health. I am currently running a study seeking to understand the sexual and reproductive health education needs of secondary school students in Kilifi, as part of the Wellcome Trust Masters fellowship award.