Please tell us about your career pathway to date (positions and institutes).
Vida is a PhD student at the University of Ghana, and an Assistant Lecturer with the Physical Education and Sport Depart of the School of Education and Leadership at the University of Ghana Legion. She holds an MPhil in Public Health (Health Policy Planning and Management) from the University of Ghana. She is a teacher by profession. Had her Post-Secondary Teacher Training at the Presbyterian Training College Akropong-Akwapim in the Eastern region of Ghana in 1995. Started teaching in the Junior High School (JHS) in 1995 and left for further studies in 1998. Acquire a Diploma of Education in Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports from the University College of Education in 2001 and a Bachelor of Education in Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sport in 2002 from the same institution. She taught Physical Education at the Labone Senior High School from 2001 to 2016. And also coached the various sports teams whilst teaching at Labone SHS. She was the head of department for the PE department from 2010 to 2016. She also served on the Welfare and the Executive committee of Greater Accra Second Cycle Schools sports Association (GASSA). Vida holds a Diploma in Olympic Education (2007) from the International Olympic Academy in Olympia (Greece), and a member of the International Olympic Academy Participants Association (IOAPA).
She has served on conferences, seminars and workshop planning committees and facilitated Youth Sports leadership training program since 2013 to date, for teachers, coaches and the youth in Ghana, Jamaica, Bahrain, Oman and UAE, Saudi Arabia and Paris.
What is your main research interest?
Her research interest is in children and adolescent physical activity and overweight. She is also into the built environment and physical activity research.
How do you explain your current research/job to friends and family?
A physical education teacher and an advocate for the promotion of physical activity and healthy lifestyles, very passionate about youth empowerment through the development of leadership skills in the youth.
What are the main barriers you encounter/experience when conducting research, or what information/skills do you lack to conduct high quality research?
Finding, logistics and data analysis skills
What could help you as a student/ECR to further develop/grow in your current position?
Workshops on data analysis, seminars and conferences on my area of study. Funding opportunities for research and publications and mentorship program.
What do you think will be the next most important development in the nutrition and/or physical activity field?
Education, advocacy at the primary school level and provision the right built environment.
Given unlimited funding, what would your dream research project be?
The neighborhood environment and physical activity in Ghana
What’s something you have learnt about your research or yourself that was unexpected?
Publishing my MPhil dissertation and attending the ISBNPA 2018 conference in Hong Kong.
If you would like to get in touch with Vida, you can do so via email [email protected]
