Global Health Work in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities for Research ft. Dr. Fred Ssewamala

Dr. Fred Ssewamala leads innovative, interdisciplinary research that informs, develops, and tests family-based economic empowerment and social protection interventions to improve life chances and long-term developmental impacts — including health, mental health, and educational outcomes — for youth impacted by poverty and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To ensure scale-up and sustainability of his research, Ssewamala partners with local institutions and policymakers. Prior to joining the Brown School, Ssewamala was a tenured professor at Columbia University, where he established the International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD). Now at the Brown School, ICHAD contributes to the reduction of poverty and improvement of health outcomes for youth and families in low-resource communities in SSA. Dr. Ssewamala is also the director of the SMART Africa Center, which aims at reducing gaps in child and adolescent mental health services and research in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. Dr. Fred Ssewamala will present on 15 years of global work experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and provide insights on the existing gaps/untapped research opportunities on the African continent as informed by this experience.