CIRA Welcomes New Yale AIDS Prevention Training Program (Y-APT) Fellows

CIRA bids a fond farewell to one cohort of pre and post-doctoral fellows, while we also welcome 3 new scholars to our Yale AIDS Prevention Training Program (Y-APT), directed by Dr. Trace Kershaw. We pass on our warmest congratulations to our 'graduating' NIMH fellows -- Skyler Jackson, Isabel Martinez, Jillian Scheer, Cynthia Shi, and Melody Tulier -- and wish them well in their further endeavors!

We look forward to retaining strong connections to our fellows and to hearing more about their future research. Joining continuing Y-APT fellows -- postdoctoral fellows DeAnne Turner and Debbie Vitalis, and predoctoral fellows Dan Bromberg, Tony Maiolatesi, and Shannon Whittaker -- please welcome our new fellows!

• Mohammed-Rabiu Abubakari received his Ph.D. in Community and Public Affairs (population health sub-specialty) from the State University of New York at Binghamton. His program of research broadly focusses on optimizing HIV prevention and treatment outcomes in informal settlement communities by using community participatory approaches to improving access to human and health services, with a special interest in Zongo (predominantly Muslim and Hausa speaking enclaves) in West Africa. Mohammed-Rabiu’s mentor at CIRA is Dr. LaRon Nelson.
• Marie-Fatima Hyacinthe holds a BA in Government and Global Health from Harvard University and is an incoming PhD student in Social and Behavioral Science at the Yale School of Public Health. She comes to the program with professional experience in both immigrant rights and HIV advocacy. Marie-Fatima takes a justice-oriented approach to public health, and is interested in melding frameworks of critical race theory and Black feminist theory with her public health research and will be advised by Dr. Yusuf Ransome.
• Eric Layland earned his Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Pennsylvania State University His program of research broadly investigates stigma-related mechanisms underlying sexual minority mental health and substance use disparities and seeks to support further refinement and adaptation of LGBTQ-affirmative interventions. Eric’s mentor at CIRA is Dr. John Pachankis.

As always, over the coming weeks the fellows will be engaging with individual CIRA cores with a view to participating fully in the CIRA community. Please join us in welcoming our new colleagues and making them feel at home!