This candidate brings a robust combination of experience, leadership, and research acumen. His focus on critical national themes and methodological rigor positions him as a credible nominee for a Best Researcher Award. He has made sustained contributions to governance, public engagement, and inequality—issues that resonate with contemporary societal challenges.

Professional Profile 

Scopus Profile
ORCID Profile

Education

Dr. YD Davids holds a PhD in Public Health from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), awarded in 2023. She also earned a Master of Public Health with distinction from UWC in 2017. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Social Science in Psychology and Public Administration obtained from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2005. She has complemented her formal education with advanced certificates in monitoring and evaluation, including a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation Methods from Stellenbosch University in 2014.

Professional Experience

Dr. Davids brings over 17 years of experience in public health research, evaluation, and policy engagement. She currently serves as a Chief Research Specialist in the Human and Social Capabilities research division at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Since joining HSRC in 2006, she has progressed through multiple research roles, evidencing her sustained contribution and leadership in health systems research. Her work spans leading complex evaluations, managing national surveys, and contributing to program design in public health across South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries.

Skills

Dr. Davids is proficient in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research. She is skilled in monitoring and evaluation, impact assessments, and implementation science. Her competencies extend to team leadership, project management, stakeholder engagement, and policy advocacy. She is also adept with research tools such as NVivo, ATLAS.ti, and SPSS, among others, enabling rigorous data analysis and interpretation.

Research Focus

Her research centers on strengthening health systems, improving healthcare access, and advancing health equity. She has led studies on universal health coverage, social determinants of health, and the performance of national health insurance schemes. Dr. Davids is particularly focused on implementation science and translational research that informs policy and programmatic decisions in public health.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Davids was awarded a PhD scholarship from the National Research Foundation and was selected as a fellow of the South African Research Ethics Training Initiative (SARETI). She also received a full scholarship for her Master of Public Health studies. Her academic and professional excellence has been recognized through multiple merit awards during her career at HSRC.

Conclusion

Recommendation: Highly suitable for the Research for Best Researcher Award.
Rationale: The candidate’s long-standing research leadership, thematic relevance, and technical expertise align well with the award’s intent to recognize impactful, policy-relevant scholarship. Strengthening documentation on outputs and global engagement would enhance the case further.

Publications Top Notes

• • Labadarios, D., Mchiza, Z.J.R., Steyn, N.P., Gericke, G., Maunder, E.M.W., Davids, Y.D., et al. (2011). Food security in South Africa: a review of national surveys. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 89(12), 891–899.
    Citations: 316

  • Steyn, N.P., Mchiza, Z., Hill, J., Davids, Y.D., Venter, I., Hinrichsen, E., et al. (2014). Nutritional contribution of street foods to the diet of people in developing countries: a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition, 17(6), 1363–1374.
    Citations: 235

  • Masiya, T., Davids, Y.D., & Mangai, M.S. (2019). Assessing service delivery: Public perception of municipal service delivery in South Africa. Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, 14(2), 20–40.
    Citations: 141

  • Mattes, R., Bratton, M., & Davids, Y.D. (2002). Poverty, survival and democracy in Southern Africa.
    Citations: 99

  • Davids, Y.D., & Gouws, A. (2013). Monitoring perceptions of the causes of poverty in South Africa. Social Indicators Research, 110, 1201–1220.
    Citations: 90

  • Labadarios, D., Davids, Y.D., Mchiza, Z., & Weir-Smith, G. (2009). The assessment of food insecurity in South Africa.
    Citations: 83

  • Masiya, T., Mazenda, A., & Davids, Y.D. (2019). Effective public participation in municipal service delivery. Administratio Publica, 27(3), 27–47.
    Citations: 65

  • Mattes, R.B., & Davids, Y.D. (2000). Views of democracy in South Africa and the region: Trends and comparisons. Southern African Democracy Barometer, 2, 35.
    Citations: 61

  • Hart, T.G.B., Davids, Y.D., Rule, S., Tirivanhu, P., & Mtyingizane, S. (2022). The COVID-19 pandemic reveals an unprecedented rise in hunger: The South African Government was ill-prepared to meet the challenge. Scientific African, 16, e01169.
    Citations: 40

  • Roberts, B., & Davids, Y.D. (2010). South African Social Attitudes: 2nd Report: Reflections on the age of hope. HSRC Press.
    Citations: 36