Napoleon Bellua Sam | Epidemiology and Biostatistics | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Napoleon Bellua Sam | Epidemiology and Biostatistics | Best Researcher Award

University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana.

Dr. Napoleon Bellua Sam is a biostatistician, epidemiologist, and Senior Lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana. With a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, he has significant expertise in medical research, data governance, biostatistical modeling, and public health analytics. Dr. Sam has held roles including Research Development Officer and Statistician at UDS, and Senior Tutor at the University of Cape Coast. He has led multiple impactful research projects on disease trends, healthcare efficiency, and treatment adherence. Internationally engaged, he serves as Co-PI for the NIHR Global Health Group on equitable healthcare and actively contributes to workshops, editorial boards, and training programs across Africa and Asia. Dr. Sam’s work aims to enhance healthcare systems through advanced statistical applications and evidence-based practices, with a strong passion for mentoring and capacity building in research and academia.

Professional Profile

Education

Dr. Napoleon Bellua Sam holds a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Anhui Medical University, China (2017–2020), a Master’s degree in Industrial Mathematics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana (2010–2012), and a BSc. in Statistics from the University of Cape Coast (2004–2008). He also earned a Higher National Diploma in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from Takoradi Polytechnic (2000–2003). In addition to his formal education, Dr. Sam has undertaken extensive global training through short courses on biostatistics, research ethics, statistical software, data management, climate science, and machine learning in countries such as Kenya, India, Nigeria, and South Africa. He also holds a diploma in Pastoral Counseling from Rhema Leadership Institute and is a ministerial candidate at Trinity Theological Seminary. These multidisciplinary credentials have shaped his expertise in statistical analysis, epidemiological modeling, and health research governance, enabling his leadership in academic and public health research domains across Africa and beyond.

Professional Experience

Dr. Napoleon Bellua Sam has amassed over 15 years of academic and research experience. He currently serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medical Research and Innovation at UDS. Previously, he was Research Development Officer (2016–2021) and Assistant Research Development Officer (2014–2016) at UDS. He also worked as a Senior Technician (Statistician) from 2009–2014. Concurrently, he has been a Senior Tutor at the University of Cape Coast’s Center for Distance Education since 2012. His academic contributions include teaching graduate-level courses in Biostatistics, Research Methods, and Health Statistics. Earlier in his career, he completed national service at Takoradi Polytechnic and the University of Cape Coast. His diverse roles have allowed him to bridge teaching, statistical consultancy, and research administration. Dr. Sam’s teaching and leadership roles underscore his commitment to enhancing academic excellence, research productivity, and evidence-informed policy-making in health and education systems.

Research Interests

Dr. Napoleon Bellua Sam’s research focuses on applying advanced biostatistics and epidemiological methods to improve public health outcomes, particularly in resource-limited settings. His current projects explore the efficiency of healthcare delivery using data envelopment analysis, longitudinal quality of life assessments among leprosy patients, and statistical modeling of disease patterns such as cerebrospinal meningitis in Northern Ghana. He applies survival analysis, structural equation modeling, and time-series forecasting in his studies. Dr. Sam is also engaged in systematic reviews and meta-analyses, particularly in inflammatory biomarkers like myeloperoxidase in rheumatoid arthritis patients. His research supports decision-making in health policy and planning. As Co-PI of the NIHR Equi-Injury project, his work centers on equitable healthcare access for injured populations across low- and middle-income countries. Passionate about data science for health systems strengthening, Dr. Sam continuously integrates machine learning and modern analytics to address complex healthcare challenges in Africa and beyond.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Napoleon Bellua Sam has been honored with multiple prestigious awards and grants. He was named Best Postgraduate Foreign Student upon graduation from Anhui Medical University in 2020 and served as Alumni Liaison Ambassador for Ghana and Africa graduates of the university. He received a fully funded Ph.D. scholarship from the Chinese Scholarship Council in 2017. He has secured several competitive international grants, including travel and training grants from institutions such as NIHR Global Surgery Unit, NAMBARI/DSSD, and the Data Science Initiative for Africa. These funded his participation in workshops on machine learning, climate change, health systems, and statistical data analysis in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, India, and Liberia. As a Co-PI of the NIHR Global Health Group project, he is currently involved in a multi-country research program on equitable access to quality healthcare, managing a substantial grant of over £213,000. These recognitions affirm his impactful contributions to global health research.

Publications Top Notes

Dr. Felipe Menares | Population Studies | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Felipe Menares | Population Studies | Best Researcher Award

Postdoctoral Fellow at Population Studies, UC Berkeley, United States

Dr. Felipe Menares is a Postdoctoral Fellow for the CenSoc Project in the Department of Demography at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his Ph.D. in Demography from UC Berkeley in 2023, with a committee comprised of William H. Dow (advisor), Joshua R. Goldstein, and Ronald D. Lee. He also holds an M.A. in Demography from UC Berkeley (2019), an M.A. in Economics from Universidad de Chile (2012), and a B.A. in Economics from Universidad de Chile (2010).

Professional Profiles:

Education:

Dr. Felipe Menares has a diverse educational background, including a Ph.D. in Demography from UCBerkeley in 2023. He completed his M.A. in Demography at UCBerkeley in 2019, and prior to that, obtained an M.A. in Economics from the Universidad de Chile in 2012. His academic journey began with a B.A. in Economics from the Universidad de Chile in 2010.

Awards:

Dr. Felipe Menares has received several prestigious grants and awards throughout his academic career. In 2022-2023, he was honored with the Conference Travel Grants Award from the Graduate Division at UCBerkeley. In 2021, he was recognized with the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award. Additionally, in 2021, he was awarded The John L. Simpson ABD Graduate Students Research Fellowships in Global, International, and Area Studies (GIAS) by the Graduate Division at UCBerkeley. His academic excellence was further acknowledged with the Department of Demography Award from 2018 to 2021.

Teaching Assistant:

Dr. Felipe Menares has extensive experience as a Teaching Assistant, contributing significantly to the academic environment. At UCBerkeley from 2018 to 2022, he served as a Teaching Assistant for courses such as Economic Demography (Head TA), Introduction to Population Analyses (Methods), and Formal Demography Workshop: COVID-19. Earlier in his career at Universidad de Chile from 2008 to 2011, he taught courses in Labor Economics, Public Finance, Applied Econometrics in Stata, Computational Skills for Data Analysis, and Applied Econometrics at Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, showcasing his diverse teaching abilities and dedication to education.

Expereince:

Dr. Felipe Menares has a wealth of relevant experience in various research and analytical roles. As a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Research in Market Imperfections and Public Policy at Universidad de Chile in 2023, he contributed valuable insights to the research environment. From 2021 to 2022, he served as a Graduate Student Researcher at UCBerkeley, working on R01 applications related to the long-term health effects of social insurance programs on older adults and the Caribbean American Dementia and Aging Study (CADAS) under the supervision of Professor Will H. Dow. In 2020, Dr. Menares was a Research Assistant for the Mathematical Demography Online Book Project at UCBerkeley, collaborating with Professor Joshua R. Goldstein. His experience also includes roles as a Country Specialist at the Human Mortality Database (HMD) in the Department of Demography at UCBerkeley from 2018 to 2019 and as a Research Assistant for the CenSoc Project in the Department of Demography at UCBerkeley in 2018. Prior to his time at UCBerkeley, he worked as an Analyst in the Research Department, Studies Division, at the Chilean Pensions Supervisor, Government of Chile, from 2013 to 2018, focusing on research related to labor and pensions. He also served as an Analyst in Labor Studies at the Ministry of Labor, Government of Chile, from 2012 to 2013, and as a Research Assistant in the Department of Economics at the University of Chile in 2010-2011.

Publications:

P. Granados, F. Toledo, F. Menares, X. Quintanilla. “Proyección de los Fondos de Pensiones.” Superintendencia de Pensiones Working Papers. 2018.

E. Aguila, W.H. Dow, F. Menares, S.W. Parker, J. Peniche, S. Ryu. “Do Conditional Cash Transfers Reduce Hypertension?” Economics & Human Biology. 2024.

F. Menares, P. Muñoz. “The Impact of a Disease-Specific Health Insurance Reform on Mortality.” Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers. 2023.

W.H. Dow, F. Menares, S.W. Parker, S.R. UM. “Do Conditional Cash Transfers Reduce Hypertension?” 2023.

F. Menares. “The Impact of Disease-Specific Health Insurance Reform on Mortality and Healthcare.” UC Berkeley. 2023.

F. Menares, N. Rivera, C. Palominos, X. Quintanilla, S. de Pensiones. “Estudio Actuarial de los Fondos del Seguro de Cesantıa.” 2020.

F. Menares. “Longevity during retirement: A first approach using survival analysis.” 2019.

F. Menares Salas. “Destruction, creation and survival: evidence from the evolution of firms in an emerging market, in a post-crisis context.” Universidad de Chile.