OPR hosted a conference organized by Jessica Metcalf and Bryan Grenfell featuring a range of work on vaccination from OPR's two African visiting fellows and graduate students and post-docs across Princeton. Topics ranged from abstract theoretical work -- challenging the implicit assumptions that underpin widely used mathematical vaccination models (Daniel Park) -- to highly specific applied modeling projects -- informing Cambodia’s efforts to distribute the Dengue vaccine (Holly Burrows). Additionally, several projects invoked fascinating connections across academic disciplines ranging from veterinary medicine (Justin Sheen) to behavioral science (Ari Freedman) and climate science  (Benjamin Rice). As part of this conference, OPR had the pleasure of welcoming two visiting African fellows, Fidisoa Rasambainarivo and Wariri Oghenebrume, who discussed some of the challenges of implementing vaccine programs on the ground in high-risk areas. Dr. Oghenebrume presented his extensive research into the current state of Measles vaccination in The Republic of Gambia, and reviewed several pathways forward towards improving vaccine accessibility and efficacy in the country. Contrastingly, Dr. Rasambainarivo discussed the impacts of COVID-19 in Madagascar, with a focus on some of the political and pragmatic factors that are currently restricting improvement in the country. The conference closed with the concluding remarks of Princeton SPIA Lecturer, Alyssa Sharkey, who summarizing the current global health landscape, and outlining critical policy objectives for the coming decade

Invited (+speakers): Bryan Grenfell, Jessica Metcalf, Libby Blazes, Prerna Singh, Siyu Chen, Nicole Nova, Jamie Caldwell, Sarah Cobey, Gates Dupont, Keenan Duggal, Daniel Villela, Qiqi Yang, Ari Freedman, Sanyu Mojola