Professional Summary

Physician and accomplished clinical researcher with extensive expertise in designing, implementing and conducting behavioral studies in local and international sites including USA, and Africa.

Deep understanding of a vast array of clinical research methods.

Extensive experience in scientific writing, published studies on peer reviewed journals

Experienced lecturer in both tradition roles as an Assistant Professor, and non-traditional roles in teaching and impacting community groups, focus groups and diverse groups of people

Results driven with excellent team management skills, experienced in collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders with all public health and/or policy issues.

Track record working successfully with colleagues in diverse locations nationally and internationally

Education and Training

2004 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Health Psychology University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School

2002 PhD Statistics and Public Health, University of Fort Hare, South Africa

1994 MSc Environmental Epidemiology and Policy, London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine

1984 MD - Freie University School of Medicine, Berlin-West, Germany

Professional Memberships

Snow Society

IAS (International AIDS Society)

American Public Health Association

Global Public Health - HIV and AIDS

Consulting Positions

2015 – present: Associate Editor, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, London, UK

2014 – present: Executive Editor, Global Journal of Medicine and Public Health, Kashmir, India

2012 – present: Consultant, Institute for International Training and Development, Columbus Ohio

2000 – present: Consultant and Career Mentor, AuthorAID,

Professional Experience

2014 – 2019

Assistant / Adjunct Professor at the Department of Health Services, St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia

Lecturer graduate and undergraduate students in Statistics, Research Methodology, Public Health and Epidemiology, HIV/AIDS, Health Service Research.

Advising students

Service on University, College and Community level

2016-2016

Adjunct Professor, Division of Public Health, Lincoln University, Philadelphia

Lecturer graduate students in Statistics

2014 – 2015

Associate Professor, Penn State Department of Education and Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg

Conducted relevant clinical research on HIV prevention programs for the incarcerated population

Worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Public health in investigating the efficiency or HIIV prevention programs in prison populations.

Led teams of researchers in scientific writing, preparing publications and presenting all data at conferences

2004 - 2012

Senior Research Associate - Annenberg Public Policy Center for Health Behavior and Communication Research, University of Pennsylvania

Accomplishments

Developed key Health promotion programs in collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and the University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.

Led a training and development team, tasked with training of co-facilitators.

Developed and conducted focus group sessions, surveys, pilot studies and interventions.

Principal Investigator:

Health Promotion Project for University Students at the University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa

Longitudinal study of sexual risk among South African University students.

Cross-sectional study for South African and students in the US

Co-Investigator:

South African Men Health Promotion Project

South African Adolescent Health Promotion Project

Project Director:

HIV/STI Risk Reduction for African American Men in Philadelphia

Pilot study: South African Men Health Promotion Project, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Pilot study: Father Involvement among South African Adolescents

In my different roles I was responsible to set up pilot studies which involved IRB and Ethical proposals, setting up focus group sessions, surveys and interventions. Data analysis, report writing and preparing publications for international conferences and international journals.

Grant writing, which led to different intervention project and studies.

Research Experience

Co-Investigator, “South African Adolescent Health Promotion Project,” National Institute of Mental Health, 1 R01 MH065867, September 20, 2002 to July 31, 2007. Total Costs: $3,324,613.

Project Director “Father Involvement among South African Adolescents," Supplement to the South African Adolescent Health Promotion Project,” National Institute of Mental Health, 1 R01 MH65867-01S. Total Costs: $158,500.

Project Director, “HIV/STI Risk Reduction for African American Men,” FY 2007 Pilot and Feasibility Grant Program, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), University of Pennsylvania, July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007. Direct Costs: $46,476.

Co-Investigator, “South African Men Health Promotion Project,” National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, R01 HD053270, September 30, 2006 to June 30, 2011. Total Costs: $4,053,637.

Co-Investigator, “South African Adolescent Health Promotion Project,” National Institute of Mental Health, 2 R01 MH065867, September 28, 2007 to August 31, 2010. Total Costs: $1,876,620.

Principal Investigator, “Health Promotion for South African University Students,” National Institute of Mental Health, R34 MH078803, April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2012. Total Costs: $631,105.

Principal Investigator, “Preliminary Research Reduction of Stigma for people who are affected by HIV” Faculty Development Grant from Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia. Summer 2017. Total Costs: $6,000

Languages

Fluent in English and German

Publications

Books (selected)

Heeren, G. A., (May 2012) African Farming and Health Outcome; Applied Research Methodology in Sub-Saharan Africa; Lampert Academic Publishing ISB 978-3-8484-4734-3

Peer reviewed Articles (selected)

Zhang, J., Jemmott, JB. III, Icard, LD., Heeren, GA., Ngwane, Z., O’Leary, A., (2018) Predictors and Psychological Pathways for Binge Drinking among South African Men; Psychology and Health 2018 Jun;33(6):810-826

Heeren, GA., Jemmott, JB. III., Marange, C. S., Gwaze, AR., Batidzirai, JM., Ngwane, Z., Mandeya, A., Tyler, JC., (2017) Health Promotion Intervention Increases Self-Reported Physical Activity in Sub-Saharan African University Students, Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2017 Jul 6: 1-9 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2017.1350134

Heeren GA., Jemmott JB. III, Mandeya A., Tyler JC.; (2009) Sub-Saharan African university students’ beliefs about condoms, condom-use intention, and subsequent condom use: a prospective study 2009 AIDS and Behavior 13 (2), 268

Heeren GA, Jemmott JB. III, Mandeya A, Tyler JC.; Theory–based predictors of condom use among university students in the United States and South Africa 2007 AIDS Education & Prevention 19 (1), 1-12

Heeren GA., Tyler J, Mandeya A.; Agricultural chemical exposures and birth defects in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa A case–control study 2003 Environmental Health 2 (1), 11

Under review:

Heeren, GA., Marange, CS., Chiruka, R., Gwaze, A., Fetherston A; Intention to reduce stigma for people affected by HIV: A Theory of Planned Behavior based approach.

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