What do you do at Imperial?
I am a Professor of Neglected Tropical Diseases, working with the NTD Modelling Consortium, stakeholders and country partners to understand the burden of NTDs and the impact of interventions on infection and disease through mathematical modelling.
Who is an inspiration to you?
Dr Mwelecele Malecela (1963–2022), a medical scientist from the United Republic of Tanzania who was the first woman to become Director-General of the National Institute for Medical Research of her country, and subsequently, Director of the World Health Organization’s Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases.
How important is digital education and transformative technology for women in your field?
Digital education, computer science and data science are increasingly important in NTD-endemic countries, where there is still a pressing need to access transformative technologies in general, and a wide gender gap in particular. Through my work, I try to inspire young data scientists and epidemiologists in Africa, where the needs are the greatest. On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, I received a beautiful message from a female colleague based in East Africa: “I just wanted to celebrate with you during this International Women’s Day and to thank you for being an advocate of giving opportunities to women in the infectious disease modelling space.” This will provide further inspiration for my continued efforts to empower women in my field.