AKPEVWE EMMANUELLA BENSON

Reached the finalist stage of a nationally competitive designathon partnered with leading research institutions, selected from an initial national pool of 85 team entries.

Focused on developing community-based solutions to increase HPV self-collection uptake among women aged 30-49 years old, engaging diverse stakeholders through human-centred design thinking and co-creation methodologies.

Co-organized and executed a community health outreach, serving as the lead for participant registration and data collection, including administering pre-engagement surveys to assess baseline health knowledge.

Performed data analysis on survey responses to measure knowledge gaps, directly informing the focus of health education delivery during the outreach.

Collaborated with intern colleagues to plan and deliver an additional community health outreach, reaching 200 individuals with health education and pharmaceutical counseling.

Managed pharmaceutical care for 50+ patients daily with full accountability for medication therapy management using digital health platforms, ensuring optimal patient outcomes.

Conducted patient consultations to promote rational drug use and chronic disease management, enhancing patient understanding and adherence.

Coordinated and managed a community health outreach at a local government council, planning field logistics and overseeing pharmaceutical resources (medications, consumables, medical devices).

Successfully reached over 300 individuals within the community, ensuring effective delivery of health services and resources.

Participated in an interactive youth participatory workshop focused on co-creating public health solutions for young people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

Engaged in technical sessions regarding the Nigerian pilot study for long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) Cabotegravir to address pill fatigue in HIV prevention.

Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to brainstorm awareness strategies for modern HIV prevention medications in underserved youth populations.

Contributed to ideation activities aimed at improving community-level education on the benefits and barriers of emerging antiretroviral therapies.

Contributed to systematic review methodologies and data extraction on drug use disorders in Persons Living with HIV (PLWH) to inform public health outcomes and programmatic recommendations.

Conducted systematic evidence synthesis on PEPFAR funding impacts, drawing on community-level data from Nigeria and other LMICs to inform programmatic recommendations.

Represented the organization at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), Accra, Ghana (2025), presenting oral research on the 'antioxidant effects of Vitamin E in HIV-Tuberculosis co-morbidity' to an international audience.

Conducted ethnographic field research with traditional birth attendants in Ekosodin, Benin City, Edo State, documenting their lived experiences and referral practices for Hepatitis B vaccination of newborns.

Managed manuscript editing, technical figure development, and reference management using Zotero, Mendeley, and other online reference managers, ensuring high-quality research output.

Led research teams in drafting, structuring, and coordinating manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, streamlining the publication process.

Contributed to the discussion and interpretation of two (2) original research projects, including spatial analysis for Hepatitis B outcomes in Nigeria, enhancing the depth of findings.

Organized multiple community outreaches and market-based health education initiatives, reaching 500+ individuals from tertiary institutions to various community settings.

Adapted messaging and engagement strategies to suit different community audiences, including market traders, students, and community leaders, maximizing impact.

Contributed to ongoing nationwide Hepatitis B research engaging over 1,000+ Nigerians, actively involved in research work and synthesis of field data for an original publication on population health outcomes.

Developed visual health communication materials, grounded in community feedback and behavioral insights, to drive attitudinal change during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applied graphic design and visual storytelling to translate complex health data into accessible community-level advocacy campaigns, enhancing public understanding and engagement.

Delivered patient-centred pharmaceutical counseling, achieving over 100% growth in monthly sales through trust-based client engagement, demonstrating strong communication and patient relations.

Delivered hands-on first aid, CPR, and Heimlich maneuver training to over 100+ community members, including commercial bus drivers in Benin City, Edo state, enhancing public safety.

Conducted structured in vivo pharmacological experiments using rat models to investigate neuroprotective mechanisms of Vitamin E, documenting detailed field/lab observations and behavioral data.

Analyzed experimental data using GraphPad Prism (Brown-Forsythe ANOVA, Welch ANOVA, Multiple Comparison Tests) to derive statistically significant insights.

Presented research findings at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), Accra, Ghana 2025 conference, sharing key scientific contributions.

Designed and developed a digital health application concept using user-centred research methods, conducting virtual user interviews.

Synthesized insights from user interviews to inform design decisions, ensuring the application met user needs and preferences.

Led a transnational youth-focused social impact initiative spanning 3 African countries (Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia), reaching over 300 secondary school students with mental health and self-esteem education.

Designed and administered pre- and post-engagement surveys to measure knowledge gain and attitudinal shifts, applying quantitative and qualitative analysis to assess program impact.

Coordinated cross-country collaboration, content delivery, and data synthesis across all three country cohorts, ensuring consistent program execution and data integrity.

Co-designed and led a field-based AMR awareness outreach with team members across three interconnected markets in Benin City, Edo State, reaching approximately 400 community members.

Secured mini-grant funding from the Alliance Against Antimicrobial Resistance and The South Centre, with support from the UK Fleming Fund, to resource and deliver community health interventions.

Collected community-level data on antibiotic use behaviors, synthesizing findings to inform advocacy materials and policy engagement.

Utilised EMR systems for clinical documentation, ADR reporting, and medication review, ensuring accurate record-keeping and patient safety.

Developed strong observation and structured documentation skills, directly applicable to rigorous field research and data collection methodologies.

Provided daily pharmaceutical care and ART dispensing for 50-100 people living with HIV, offering adherence counseling and psychosocial support with cultural sensitivity.

Engaged vulnerable youth and adult populations with structured, non-judgmental communication, directly aligned with ethical community field research practices.

Trained in UX research methodologies including affinity mapping, empathy mapping, and user persona development, directly applicable to participatory design research and community-grounded innovation.

Led group study sessions, synthesizing multidisciplinary inputs into human-centred design solutions grounded in real user experiences.

Designed two (2) web application prototypes with colleagues, demonstrating practical application of product design principles.