Although the Current Program has taken a different direction, the initial implementation of the McGoldrick Fellowship program, made possible through the generous support of Mr. John L. McGoldrick, was just as dedicated to its goal of biostatistical capacity building.
In 2009, the Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research (CBAR) located in the Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) established the John L. McGoldrick Fellowship in Biostatistics in AIDS Research. The broad goal of the Program was to improve human capacity within the developing world to combat HIV/AIDS and related diseases by better equipping Fellows with tools that will be useful upon their return to their country of residence.
The McGoldrick Fellowship Program supported researchers from developing countries for intensive short-term (typically 4-6 months) training in quantitative methods useful in the design and analysis of HIV/AIDS studies. The training program for each McGoldrick Fellow was tailored to her/his needs, and typically consisted of coursework at HSPH and involvement in a recently-completed, ongoing, or planned HIV/AIDS prevention or treatment study involving investigators at HSPH or the Fellow’s home institution. Financial support included airfare and a stipend.
Mr. McGoldrick, Dr. Stephen Lagakos, and the first two McGoldrick Fellows: Paul Mwai (Kenya) and Anna Awor (Uganda)
Eligibility / Application Requirements
Applicants held an advanced degree (PhD, MD, MS, MPH), were engaged in HIV/AIDS or related service or health research activities in sub-Saharan Africa, and planned to return to these research activities upon completion of their training at HSPH.
A completed application consisted of
a cover letter describing current and relevant activities in HIV/AIDS or related health areas, long-term career the achievement of these goals
a current curriculum vitae
the names and contact information of 3 persons familiar with the applicant’s research skills, activities, and commitment to HIV and related health research in Africa
Approximately 2 Fellows were appointed each year.
Training Program
Upon selection but prior to coming to Harvard, the McGoldrick Fellow worked with Prof. Marcello Pagano to plan their individualized training program, consisting of coursework and supervised research.
Typically, the nature of the coursework needed determined the timing of the Fellowship.
In particular, the fellowship period typically occurred in conjunction with Harvard’s fall semester (September to December) or spring semester (February to May). For example, a Fellow visiting in the fall would arrive between August 1 and August 31 and depart between January 1 and January 31, while a Fellow visiting during the spring semester would arrive between January 1 and January 31, and depart between May 1 and May 31.
The goal of the supervised research project was to enhance the Fellow’s research skills by direct involvement in research methods relevant to the Fellow’s anticipated activities upon return to their country of residence. Projects might be related to HIV/AIDS research being conducted by researchers at Harvard or possibly at the Fellow’s home institution. The project were supervised by Dr. Pagano or another HIV/AIDS researcher at Harvard.
Training Program
Upon selection but prior to coming to Harvard, the McGoldrick Fellow worked with Prof. Marcello Pagano to plan their individualized training program, consisting of coursework and supervised research.
Typically, the nature of the coursework needed determined the timing of the Fellowship.
In particular, the Fellowship period typically occurred in conjunction with Harvard’s fall semester (September to December) or spring semester (February to May). For example, a Fellow visiting in the fall would arrive between August 1 and August 31 and depart between January 1 and January 31, while a Fellow visiting during the spring semester would arrive between January 1 and January 31, and depart between May 1 and May 31.
The goal of the supervised research project was to enhance the Fellow’s research skills by direct involvement in research methods relevant to the Fellow’s anticipated activities upon return to their country of residence. Projects might be related to HIV/AIDS research being conducted by researchers at Harvard or possibly at the Fellow’s home institution. The project were supervised by Dr. Pagano or another HIV/AIDS researcher at Harvard.
For our selected Fellows, the Program provided visa application and appointment preparation, airfare to & from Harvard, housing, office space, access to Harvard libraries and internet, and a stipend to cover food and other living expenses.
Past Fellows
Our Program has been fortunate to have the following individuals participate:
