Dr. Marilyn Ahun, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine鈥檚 Division of Clinical Epidemiology at 51吃瓜网, has been selected as a , joining a global network of leading-edge academics brought together to forge new interdisciplinary collaborations. The fellowship marks a significant milestone in the work of a researcher whose career has been shaped, from the very beginning, by a deep commitment to children鈥檚 well-being.
Dr. Ahun鈥檚 path into child development research began long before her academic career. 鈥�My passion for giving every child the best start in life was initially inspired by my many years caring for children, whether in family, community, or educational settings,鈥� she explains. Her graduate studies later broadened that perspective. 鈥�This passion was deepened during my graduate studies, where I learned about the critical window of opportunity we have in the first few years of life to strengthen child development, as the foundations for virtually every aspect of human development are laid in early childhood.鈥�
Her research investigates how parental mental health and caregiving behaviours shape early developmental outcomes. Her work in Ghana has revealed both the strength of community caregiving systems and the gaps in available support. Her hope, she says, is to generate tangible change: 鈥淢y hope is that my work will provide parents and other caregivers the necessary resources to care for themselves and in doing so provide a healthy early environment for young children to grow and thrive.鈥�
The provides both the support and collaborative platform she needs to advance this next phase of her work on a global scale. 鈥淚t is truly an honor to be selected as a Jacobs CIFAR Foundation Research Fellow,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 deeply appreciate the Foundation鈥檚 overall vision to give children around the world and their communities the resources they need to thrive. As a Ghanaian researcher, I also admire their commitment to equitable partnerships with countries, including Ghana, to improve the use of evidence in policy and practice.鈥�
With support from the fellowship, Dr. Ahun will design, implement, and evaluate a new multi-component parenting and mental health intervention in Ghana. This next phase directly builds on her research identifying parenting practices as a key mechanism linking parental depression to child outcomes. Her upcoming projects will focus on strengthening community-based, culturally grounded supports for caregivers and improving the integration of early childhood interventions into existing services.
Ultimately, she sees the fellowship as an opportunity for both support and connection. 鈥淚 am excited for this opportunity not only for the support of my research but also for the opportunities it will provide to connect with and learn from other Research Fellows and the Foundation鈥檚 Ghanaian partners,鈥� she says.