PhD studentships in Community Nutrition and clinical nutrition
Dietary micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), especially among women and children. MNDs arise through inadequate dietary intakes, low nutrient bioavailability, or nutrient losses, e.g. due to infection. This ‘hidden hunger’ poses many burdens on human health and economic growth and constrains efforts to alleviate poverty. Poor and rural households who typically consume cereal-dominated diets, and who often suffer from infection, are usually at greatest risk of MNDs. This poses a major challenge as these populations are the hardest to reach through supplementation and food fortification programs.
Alleviating MNDs is critical for the healthy mental and physical development of citizens. Agronomic biofortification is one potential strategy to address MNDs, yet policy development is limited by a lack of evidence. The GeoNutrition project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to improve evidence, knowledge and capacity for addressing MNDs using geographically-informed approaches along the Agriculture-Nutrition-Public health axis.
We are delighted to invite applications for two PhD positions to start in September 2019. Successful applicants will receive monthly stipend (500 USD) and tuition fees. In addition, research costs will be covered.
The projects are:
(1) Studying novel biomarkers of zinc nutrition status for use in population health surveillance and evaluation of agriculture-to-nutrition interventions.
Preferred educational background: Biochemistry, Human Nutrition
(2) A socioeconomic analysis of agronomic biofortification policies and their potential effectiveness in Ethiopia.
Preferred educational background: Agricultural economics, Community Nutrition, Food Science and Nutrition,
To apply, please send a CV and cover letter indicating to which of the PhD topics you are applying(max. one side of A4) to dawd.gashu@aau.edu.et until May 1, 2019 (5:00 PM EAT).
Please direct enquiries and copy all correspondence to dawd.gashu@aau.edu.et. Interviews will be held via Skype on May 10, 2019; details of interview criteria will be provided to candidates after shortlisting is completed. Private applicants are also eligible.
Successful applicants will subsequently need to meet the requirements for postgraduate study at Addis Ababa University.
Women are highly encouraged to apply!