Women and HIV: Translation of Research into Practice: Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the KEMRI/UW HIV Research Training Program

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Summary In Kenya, first generation college graduates and students from backgrounds of extreme poverty and rural counties that have limited educational opportunities, especially for women, are collectively defined as underrepresented populations (URP). These students often experience substantial socioeconomic barriers to accessing tertiary degree programs and as a result, few become independent researchers leading to continued underrepresentation of these populations in STEM fields. Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in our D43 training program will strengthen the HIV response in Kenya by increasing opportunities for junior researchers with URP identities to become independent investigators and contribute their unique lived experiences and expertise to the HIV prevention and care field. In this supplement to our D43 award, Women and HIV: Translation of Research into Practice (TW009783), we propose to 1) provide PhD training support to scholars from URPs and with diverse backgrounds to increase their capacity as independent researchers and build capacity at KEMRI for conducting relevant HIV research on Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW); and 2) integrate DEI frameworks into the Women and HIV Research Training program and alter the processes for recruiting, selecting, and mentoring trainees to increase access and reduce barriers for trainees from URPs. We have identified three scholars to receive support for one year of PhD studies through this supplement. Funding from the supplement will provide these PhD students with the resources to conduct research impacting the lives of women living with HIV, and to enhance their scientific writing, leadership, and technical research skills as the work to become independent researchers. Additionally, to support the long-term integration of DEI principles into our training program, candidate selection team will critically review our admission criteria for future D43 awards using a DEI lens and will undergo training on how to best support trainees from diverse backgrounds. The program’s activities will be under the combined guidance of Dr. Elizabeth Bukusi (KEMRI) and Dr. Carey Farquhar (UW), who are both MPIs on the parent grant and have significant experience implementing Fogarty training programs. In addition to program leadership, the PhD trainees will be supported by a mentorship team of research and subject-area experts from KEMRI and the UW. This integrated approach will provide an outstanding opportunity to spur research by individuals from URPs to inform the design of policies and guidelines affecting women living with HIV, while also strengthening the mentorship framework of the D43 award by incorporating DEI principles into its very foundation.