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Keynote Speaker

Prof. Gregory D. Zimet

Professor, Pediatrics & Psychiatry
Co-Director, IUPUI Center for HPV Research, School of Medicine
Indiana University
United States

Speech Title: "The Path towards Elimination of HPV Cancers: Vaccination, Screening, and Public Health Policy"

Dr. Zimet is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. Since he arrived at IU School of Medicine in 1993 he has guided an extensive and multi-faceted behavioral and social science research program focused on attitudes about and determinants of vaccination with a particular focus on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Dr. Zimet’s research also has involved randomized clinical trials designed to evaluate the effects of behavioral interventions on hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HPV vaccine uptake and on acceptance of HIV testing. In addition, through his 15 year involvement in the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network (ATN) for HIV/AIDS Interventions. Dr. Zimet has expanded his research focus to examine consent and ethical factors related to recruitment of adolescents into biomedical HIV prevention clinical trials. Dr. Zimet’s research has been funded by NIH, CDC, and private industry. He collaborates with researchers throughout the U.S. and from several other countries who represent many different disciplines including health marketing, health communication, medicine, psychology, biostatistics, nursing, and public health. Dr. Zimet has served as a research mentor to physician fellows, medical students, pediatric residents, pre- and post-doctoral fellows in psychology, social work, health behavior, and nursing, and junior faculty across several departments and schools. In the 1980s, Dr. Zimet and several colleagues (including his mother) developed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), a measure that is widely used in research worldwide and has been translated into over 35 languages.

Meet Gregory Zimet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqw1AW_luuE

Keynote Speaker

Prof. Dr. Krishna Gopal Rampal

University Of Cyberjaya,
Malaysia

Prof. Dr Krishna Gopal Rampal is Professor of Community and Occupational Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Cyberjaya (UoC). He joined UoC, previously known as CUCMS, in February 2017 after working 6 years at the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (PUGSOM) and 28 years at the Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Prof Rampal has the following academic qualifications M.B.B.S in 1975; Master of Public Health (Urban Health) in 1982; Master of Public Health in 1986 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in 1990. He was made a Fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FFOM), Royal College of Physicians Ireland in 1995 and Fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, Royal College of Physicians London in 1997. In 2004 Prof Rampal was given the National Leadership Award (Tokoh) in Occupational Safety and Health by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH) Malaysia. In October 2012 he became the first Malaysian to be inducted as a Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini based in Italy. He received the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Occupational Environment Malaysia in 2019.

He has edited books in his field, written chapters in books, written scientific reports and policy documents and published articles in both in local and international journals. He is regularly invited to present papers at local and regional scientific conferences. Dr Rampal has been involved in numerous research projects and consultancies.

Keynote Speaker

Major General Professor Dato’ Dr. Mohd Zin Bidin

University Of Cyberjaya,
Malaysia

Speech Title: "Ethics in Disaster – When Nothing is Normal"

Major General Professor Dato’ Dr. Mohd Zin Bidin was commissioned by His Majesty the Yang Dipertuan Agong as a Captain in the Royal Medical and Dental Corps on 11 November 1983. During his illustrious career, he has held various clinical, operational, academic, and leadership positions and was decorated with several National and International awards. He joined the University of Cyberjaya on 2nd January 2018 as a Professor and Dean. Prior to that, he was the founding Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, National Defense University of Malaysia, and former Vice-Chancellor of Widad University College (formerly known as University College Shahputra).

Dr. Zin graduated from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and attained post-graduate qualifications in Aerospace Medicine, Public Health Medicine, Tropical Medicine, Travel Health, Sports Medicine, and Occupational Health. He is the National Chief Medical Officer of the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix and also holds the Chief Medical Officer Superlicence of the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).

Dr. Zin was the Founding Chairman of the National Sports Institute, a member of the Scientific Council of the International Committee of Military Medicine, and a member of the International Advisory Committee of the Journal of Military and Veterans Health Australia. He is also a member of the Fellowship Awards Committee of the Malaysian Public Health Physician Association and Founding Head of the Committee of the International Network of UNESCO Chair in Bioethics Malaysia.

Keynote Speaker

Prof. Dr. Ayfer TEZEL

Ankara University
Dean of the Faculty of Nursing
Chair of Public Health Nursing Department
Turkey

She graduated from Atatürk University School of Nursing in 1990. She received the degree of “Masters of Science in Public Health” in 1995, and “Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health Nursing” in 2003 from Atatürk University Institute of Health Sciences. She worked as a teacher of vocational courses in Erzurum Health Vocational High School between 1991 and 1996, as a lecturer at Ataturk University Erzurum Health School in 1996-2003. She got a title of assistant professor in 2003, associate professor in 2006, professor in 2013. She has been in Ohio State University Nursing School as an observer in 2006 and Keele University-Nursing and Midwifery School for Erasmus Teaching Mobility in 2012. She was the chair of Nursing Department in 2014-2020. Also in 2013-2020, she was the manager of Health Science Institue. Ayfer Tezel has been working as the Dean of Ankara University Faculty of Nursing and Head of Public Health Nursing Department since 2020.She is the founding president of the Public Health Nursing Association. She is a member of Turkish Nurses Association since 2000. Her main interests include public health nursing, community-based public health nursing practices, health psychology and school health. She took part as an executive, researcher and trainer in four international (WHO) projects. She has many publications on these topics in various national and international journals and books.

Plenary Speaker

Dr. Guoxi CAI

Guest Professor of Fujian Medical University, China
Senior Researcher of Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN)
Nagasaki University, Nagasaki
Japan

Dr. Guoxi CAI graduated with honors from Fujian Medical University in China in 1993. In 2007, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Science from Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine in Japan. He is currently a Guest Professor at Fujian Medical University in China and a Senior Researcher at Nagasaki University’s Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN). His research interests include epidemiology, public health, environmental and occupational health, and international health.

Plenary Speaker

Dr. Maseeha Ansermeah

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Department of Health
Province of Kwazulu-Natal
South Africa

Speech Title: "Healing a Fractured Health Care System – A System Dynamics Approach"

As a medical doctor employed by the Department of Health since 2007 working in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Whilst finding immense sense of purpose in the type of work she was engaged in, there has always been a background observation regarding the ramifications of a reductionist outlook affecting the spheres of patient care. Patients are often mechanistically managed; being reduced to their full blood count results or their Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images. There is a tendency to explain through analysis and reduction rather than by cohesive synthesis and integration. It is primarily for these reasons; that gave rise to an innate resonance towards exploring the System Dynamics (SD) modality of thinking which seeks to better appreciate the overall grander schemata of phenomena in all its subtle and manifest ways .Over the years with several hospital related challenges mounting, be they poor resource allocation or declining numbers in human resources, there has been an inquiry towards a more robust, scientific manner to identify blind spots and design effective interventions. Hence the researcher has embarked on this route of being a research practitioner exploring the domain of System Dynamics in Healthcare. The researcher aims to demonstrate that in a seemingly complex, challenge- ridden setting of a large scale hospital setting; breakthrough interventions can be uncovered when the appropriate heuristic is applied. This aim is propelled by unified objectives of tying together the interconnected, non-linear, whole-system blueprint of System Dynamics to unlock potential solutions.

In Participatory Action Research, the emphasis is on ownership in improving one’s own working environment rather than providing generalisations around issues concerning healthcare and invites towards self-reflection and personal transformation. This resonates with systems-as-cause-thinking whereby an active role in taking responsibility is stressed upon instead of seeking to allocate blame to other sources. Incorporating Theory U into the journey of personal transformation is considered critical for the researcher to practice medicine from a holistic paradigm and sense of purpose that extended beyond the linear boundaries of healthcare. Overall, the researcher seeks to find emergent opportunities for transformation instead of being weighed down by structural failures of the healthcare system. The researcher aims to highlight the possibilities of achieving gains of cultivating personal and professional growth, leading to individual and organisational successes in a large scale, complex healthcare setting.

Plenary Speaker

Prof. Wan Iryani Wan Ismail

Faculty of Science and Marine Environment
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
Malaysia

Speech Title: "World After COVID-19: Improving Quality of Life through Apiculture and Meliponiculture Practices"

Plenary Speaker

Dr. Anand Prakash

Clinical Psychologist
Central Institute of Psychiatry (Govt. of India)
Professor & Head- Amity Institute of Clinical Psychology br India

Speech Title: "Students' Behavioural & Mental Health''

Dr. Prakash is a clinical psychologist from the Government of India’s Central Institute of Psychiatry in Ranchi. In the 1990s, he earned an honours degree and a postgraduate diploma in psychology from Banaras Hindu University. He has 24 years of international experience, including work in Africa (under the UNDP), the Middle East, and India. He is the founder of Clinical Psychologist and Faculty at the Composite Regional Centre (Govt. of India), Bhopal, the University of Gondar, the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia (at the country level), and an internationally accredited medical college in Saudi Arabia. He established the first Postgraduate Programme in Clinical Psychology in North-East Africa. Dr. Prakash is the first and youngest Clinical Psychologist – for course development, teaching, and professional supervision, with a B.Ed in Special Education from M.P. Bhoj Open University in Bhopal (2001). He has received the following honors: Outstanding Reviewer Award: International Journal of Life Sciences & Pharma Research-2021 (Indexed in Web of Science); Best poster paper award in 2017 (Saudi Arabia); National Merit Scholarship in collegiate education, and (BRA Bihar University, Muzaffarpur). He is the Executive Editor-in-Chief of Science Insights (New York), as well as a member of the Editorial Boards of Psychology & Psychiatry (London) and the International Journal of Psychological & Brain Science (New York). He has 45 international and national publications to his name, including three books, research articles, and five case studies, and he has previously been selected for senior faculty positions in Caribbean and African countries. He is currently employed as a Professor and Head of the Amity Institute of Clinical Psychology at Amity University Rajasthan in Jaipur.

Workshop Speaker

Prof. Eleanor Krassen Covan

Editor-in-Chief - Health Care for Women International

I am a Professor Emerita of Gerontology at UNC Wilmington where I founded their gerontology programs. I am also the Editor-in-Chief of the scholarly journal, Health Care for Women International. In both roles I mentor others to conduct research which informs practice. I aim to help others make a positive difference in their local communities and in the global world of scholars, by offering workshop tips for publishing success. I am most proud of my research about the impact of combat on aging and the family and my work about caregiving networks in retirement communities. I have also published work predicting the cross-cultural status of older adults, mentoring processes, how older adults respond to natural disasters, and how gender predicts access to health care and decisions made about treatment. I respect all attempts to understand how gender, ethnicity and social class impact the life course.

Workshop Speaker

Dr. Elizabeth Fugate-Whitlock

Managing Editor of Health Care for Women International

Elizabeth Fugate-Whitlock teaches courses in both the undergraduate and graduate Gerontology programs. She combines online teaching with service-learning opportunities working with older adults in various settings. She serves as a Quality Matters Online Course Reviewer. She is also the Managing Editor for Health Care for Women International. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work from UNCW, a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Gerontology from UNCW and a PhD in Health-related Sciences with a concentration in Gerontology from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research interests are disasters and older adults, access to health care, and women’s health.

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