The Mind the Gap Fellowship Program

Under a collaboration entitled “Mind the Gap,” the Infectious Disease Research Collaboration (IDRC), Kinshasha School of Public Health (KSPH), National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) of the Ghana Health Service, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) – Faculdade de Medicina, and the Malaria Elimination Initiative (MEI) at the Institute for Global Health Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco will work collectively to realign efforts toward global malaria reduction and elimination by enhancing vector control and surveillance, with funding support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This will be achieved through three primary pathways:

  • Strengthening of individual and institutional capacity for vector surveillance;
  • Generating evidence to enable informed decisions on fit-for-purpose, adaptive entomological surveillance and control;
  • Synthesizing evidence and expertise to help countries adopt innovative strategies for vector control

The Mind the Gap (MTG) Fellowship Program aims to strengthen individual capacity for entomological surveillance, with a focus on supporting early-career public health/medical entomologists, particularly female entomologists. The fellowship offers its fellows academic growth through the pursuit of an advanced degree in vector biology/public health entomology, professional development opportunities and mentorship. The fellowship aligns with country-specific national malaria prevention strategies, with the broader goal of building resilient and sustainable vector surveillance systems.

Key elements

  • Malaria vector surveillance projects: Fellows design, implement, and analyze vector surveillance projects under the guidance of an advisory team.
  • Professional development: Fellows undergo knowledge and skill needs assessments and create tailored professional development plans, addressing both general and gender-specific challenges in their fields. To reinforce their professional development plan, the fellowship will also offer an MTG Fellowship Core Training Program, as well as provide opportunities for fellows to attend national and international conference and workshops.
  • Gender equity: A strong emphasis is placed on integrating gender-intentional approaches and methods into vector control and surveillance strategies.
  • Gender-specific mentorship scheme: Recognizing that women face unique challenges to career progression in the fields of entomology and vector-borne disease (VBD), female-identifying MTG fellows also participate in a mentorship scheme focused on development of leadership skills and capacity for women working in these arenas. Specifically, female MTG fellows participate as mentees in the Pan African Mosquito Control Association’s (PAMCA) Women in Vector Control (WIVC) Mentorship Program. This mentorship program, known as LiftHer2, pairs early to mid-career female VBD professionals with seasoned female leaders working in VBD across Africa, providing a platform for professional development to its mentees through 1:1 mentorship, group mentorship, and networking.

Objectives

Throughout the course of the program, fellows:

  1. Gain a comprehensive and advanced understanding of malaria vector ecology, biology, and surveillance and control methods;
  2. Design, implement, and analyze a rigorous research project that addresses country-specific critical gaps in vector surveillance and control;
  3. Develop fit-for-purpose, question-based, entomological surveillance systems, through identifying and addressing evidence gaps to inform decision-making and tailor vector control approaches within a programmatic context;
  4. Translate entomological research into actionable public health strategies;
  5. Communicate scientific findings effectively to decision-makers, policymakers, relevant public health professionals, and relevant community stakeholders towards influencing malaria surveillance and control strategies
  6. Integrate gender-intentional elements within the design and planning of an entomological surveillance project;
  7. Advocate for the integration of gender-intentional methods within vector surveillance and control;
  8. Complete a tailored, well-rounded and comprehensive professional development curriculum;
  9. Gain the skills necessary for a range of careers in public health entomology.
  10. Develop competencies for leadership roles in public health agencies such as national malaria programs, international organizations, and the private sector, addressing vector-borne disease control.

The MTG Fellows