Principle Investigators

Densmore is an Associate Professor in Computer Science. Her research looks at community-based digital innovation and content creation for maternal and child health and community wireless networks, especially in bandwidth-constrained settings. She has done research in India, Uganda, Lesotho, South Africa, and D R Congo, looking at the ways in which media on mobile phones might improve health practices. She is a member of the ACM SIGCHI Research Ethics committee and the ACM COMPASS steering committee.

Melissa Densmore

HCI Lab, Centre in ICT4D
University of Cape Town

Nervo is a Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction with particular interest on the application of digital health to address maternal and child health challenges in LMIC countries with experience in Ecuador, Peru and India. He recently led an MRC-AHRC scoping project with multiple stakeholders exploring the socio-cultural practices that influence pregnancy care in South India and the role technology can play to support pregnancy care. He is also part of a multidisciplinary network that focuses on digitizing reproduction.

Nervo Verdezoto

School of Computer Science and Informatics
Cardiff University

Co-Investigators: Community Engagement Leads

Tebogo Mothiba

University of Limpopo

Tebogo is a Professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences with expertise on healthcare management, health education and promotion, health equity, healthcare delivery with particular focus on maternal and child health in regard to socio-cultural practices and ethnic minorities experiences. She has worked in previous projects related to sexual and reproductive health as well as HIV, AIDS, TB and gender-based violence interventions. Tebogo is also the Deputy Chairperson of the newly elected Turfloop Research Ethics Committee at the University of Limpopo.

Shane Norris

University of Witswaterstrand

Shane is a professor within the Department of Paediatrics and Director of the South African Medical Research Council’s Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), and Director of the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Council’s Centre of Excellence in Human Development (CoE-HUMAN) in Joahnnesburg. He has many years of research experience in South Africa and other LMIC countries and in particular he has developed long-standing ties to the Soweto community and Department of Paediatrics at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.

Alastair van Heerden

Human Sciences research Council

Alastair is an Associate Professor at the University Witwatersrand and research director within the Human and Social Development Programme at the Human Sciences Research Council. His research combines technology for development with public health, particularly how to harness inexpensive mobile technology to both address barriers and provide solutions to the challenges faced by low resource communities around the world. His previous work includes practical implementation of ICT4D projects in the context of high poverty and HIV in South Africa.