Five doctoral scholars from South Africa visited Brown for month-long mini-sabbaticals this fall. The visiting scholars are part of a collaborative, NIH-funded Brown University/University of Cape Town (UCT) training partnership called Building Research to Integrate and Deepen the Gains against HIV through the Social Sciences (BRIDGES).
Date
February 20, 2024
South African Scholar Exchange: The BRIDGES Symposium
“ The program played a pivotal role in maintaining my network and support during a time of isolation. ”
The program, run through the International Health Institute at Brown and led by Mark Lurie, associate professor of epidemiology, aims to increase the diversity and quality of public health doctoral training in South Africa. BRIDGES pairs doctoral students from Africa with Brown faculty mentors, forming a network that students say goes beyond academics, providing a critical support system. UCT doctoral student Laing de Villiers said that “when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I was in the third year of my Ph.D.” It was also the first year of the Bridges program. “The program played a pivotal role in maintaining my network and support during a time of isolation,” de Villiers said.
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University of Cape Town student Jennifer Githaiga attends the BRIDGES Symposium at Brown.
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University of Cape Town student Shehani Perera speaks at the BRIDGES Symposium.
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