Research Associate

Global Diet and Physical Activity Research Group

Current work and interests

Nina is a Research Associate and member of the Global Diet and Activity Research Group and Network (GDAR). GDAR aims to better understand urbanisation and climate-change (syndemic)-related NCD hazards in LMICs. Nina’s research interests include health promotion and evaluation, non-communicable disease prevention, disability studies, and complexity of health systems.

Background and experience

Nina graduated in History and Psychology (2015) and holds an MPH in health systems (2018) from the University of Cape Town. In 2023 she obtained a cotutelle PhD in Exercise, Nutrition, and Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town and the University of Bristol. Her PhD explored the use of mixed-methods social network analysis in scaling-up and sustaining physical activity and healthy eating community-based programmes in low resource settings.

Her previous experience includes working at an action-based research and development hub using sense-making software, as a disability researcher and assistant for staff and students in academia, as well as work in HIV related research including a World Health Organisation systematic review and quality control in randomised-controlled trials.