Pauline Scheelbeek

Two PhD scholarship opportunities are available in health, food systems, and quantitative modelling through the Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems in Southern Africa (SHEFS-SA) Programme . The students will be based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa , and will work within an interdisciplinary and international research team across Southern Africa and the UK. The projects are co-supervised by Pauline Scheelbeek (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) together with colleagues at UKZN and the Harare Institute of Technology. PhD 1: Modelling the health impacts of food-system interventions focuses on quantitative health-impact models to assess population-health effects of sustainable food-system interventions in Southern Africa, including school meals, neglected and underutilised crops, and methodological work on micronutrient deficiencies. PhD 2: Climate change, food prices and food insecurity examines how climate change and extreme weather affect food prices, affordability, and food insecurity in Southern Africa using mathematical, statistical, econometric, and/or computational modelling. The call is especially suitable for applicants with a strong quantitative background in mathematics, statistics, economics/econometrics, computer or data science, engineering, physics, epidemiology, operations research , or related disciplines. Prior experience in food systems, nutrition, or health is not essential, but strong modelling skills are key. Deadline: 30 September 2026.