MrsAlejandra Chamorro Palacios

My background in systems engineering, complemented by training in Instructional Design, Teaching Techniques, Project Planning and Mentorship along with my experience as Training Course Portfolio Manager, have allowed me to identify training needs and priorities, design and adapt training programs, conduct and evaluate training activities at the Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM). In addition, I have been a member of the institutional research capacity building team that has developed proposals and programs that have engaged diverse national, regional and international institutions through postgraduate courses, workshops, short courses and webinars.  

Since 2022, I have been leading the TDR Global node for the Americas supported by TDR. This is a worldwide community of passionate scientists and experts who have been working with TDR on infectious diseases of poverty research. As Leader of TDR Global node for the Americas, I have actively contributed to initiatives promoting Mentorship, including:

1. the development of the practical guide: “HEalth Research MEntorship in Low and Middle-Income CountrieS (HERMES): A TDR Global Practical Guide to Spur mentorship institutionalization” (https://tdr.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240058675)
2. participation as a member of the steering committee for the TDR Global open call focused on equity in research mentorship, and was an evaluator for proposals in Spanish and
3. leading the development of a podcast series on Mentorship (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJPa9pzwoCCQDpTTw2QQMz9r1pjqxwP05&si=rxWN9voWVcNOOj5o)
4. I also participated in the TDR Mentorship Programme delivered by Antoinette Oglethorpe (https://www.antoinetteoglethorpe.com/) and supported by TDR 

Additionally, I have participated as a facilitator for the course “Effective Project Planning and Evaluation in Biomedical Research (EPPE)” at CIDEIM (Cali, Colombia), Universidad de Antioquia (Medellin, Colombia) and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (Tegucigalpa, Honduras).  During the last several years the research capacity building has strategically sought and achieved the participation of the public health sector.  Incorporation of implementation research in the training portfolio has promoted engagement and appropriation of research results across sectors.