The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research (CeSHHAR Zimbabwe) is proud to announce its upcoming annual Early Career Researchers and Innovators’ (ECRIs) Conference, themed “Strengthening Collaboration and Skills for Research and Innovation,” scheduled for October 24-27, 2023. This event is made possible through funding from CeSHHAR’s unrestricted funds and the NIHR’s IMPALA project at LSTM.

Conference Program Highlights:

 The conference’s initial day presents a series of oral and poster presentations by ECRs, alongside keynote addresses by internationally and nationally acclaimed speakers. Esteemed experts will contribute insights through keynote speeches. The day encompasses a dynamic policy panel with governmental policy discussants, Parliamentary insights, and traditional leadership perspectives. An education panel, featuring Vice and Pro-vice Chancellors, Deans from leading international and local universities, the NIHR, and indigenous knowledge authorities, will add much value. Day one culminates in the Frances M. Cowan Emerging Innovator Award presentations, showcasing pioneering abstracts embodying innovation, followed by an impactful address by our invited guest, Dr Joao Monteiro, Chief Editor of Nature Medicine, to inspire and facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange, and talent development within the African research community.

The objective of the second day is to facilitate two parallel events. The first event involves a symposium centred on presentations by PhD students, culminating in a session that advances PhD supervision through micro-teaching qualifications. Simultaneously, the second parallel event initiates the Research Administration & Management Training Programme (RAMP). The symposium extends into the third and final days with continued RAMP training.

Abstract Submission.

The conference welcomes diverse submissions that encompass research conducted in any setting (e.g., geographic location, population, age, health sector). The conference particularly emphasizes three main themes:

• enhancing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and maternal, new-born, and child health (MNCH);
• addressing the unique health challenges of key populations (KPs); and
• exploring the convergence of climate and health for sustainable practices.

Submissions are encouraged to offer fresh perspectives and contributions to existing literature, and the event is open to CeSHHAR and other LSTM Global Hubs (LSTM-Kenya/KEMRI, and Malawi Liverpool Welcome Trust (MLW)), and a limited number of top Early Career Researchers and Innovators from Zimbabwean Universities and Research entities. For eligibility as an early career researcher/innovator (ECR/I), the conference offers an inclusive environment that embraces various career stages, from undergraduates to postdocs, lecturers, clinicians, program implementers and data managers.

Furthermore, the conference includes specialized training in Research Administration, Management, and Finance (RAMP). This training is designed for research support professionals and candidates who will be nominated for participation and sponsorship by their respective institutions.

The conference recognizes pioneering initiatives with the Frances M. Cowan Emerging Innovator Award. This accolade is geared towards enhancing the capabilities of research and program personnel at CeSHHAR, enabling them to engage deeply with the critical topics and concepts of the day. The recipient of this award should be affiliated with CeSHHAR, and it aims to provide financial backing, up to a maximum of US$4,000, to facilitate the international conference participation, internship, or pertinent training of a deserving CeSHHAR staff member.

To apply for the abstract-led conference or the Frances M. Cowan award, if eligible, you have the flexibility to structure your abstract in either of the following formats:

• Option 1: Abstracts encompassing all types of research should include the following sections: Title, Author Names along with Institutional Affiliations, Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.
• Option 2: Abstracts focusing on lessons learned or best practices from programs and/or training should consist of the following components: Title, Author Names along with Institutional Affiliations, Background, Description, Lessons Learned, and Conclusions/Next Steps.

Abstracts also have the option to incorporate an additional table or figure if deemed relevant. The total word count for the abstract, including any optional table or figure, should not exceed 400 words.

Key Conference dates:

•  Abstract led symposium dates: October 24-25, 2023
• RAMP dates: October 25-27, 2023
• Abstract Submission Deadline: September 29, 2023
• Acceptance Decisions Deadline: October 6, 2023
• PowerPoint Presentation Submission Deadline: October 13, 2023
• Printed Poster Delivery Deadline: October 23, 2023
• Venue: Cresta Lodge Hotel, Masasa, Harare
• Conference Fee: Participation is free.

Send your abstract by 29 September 2023 to annualresearchday@ceshhar.org , with the subject line “ECRIs2023 Conference” for any inquiries about potential submissions.

Year 2022 abstract

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