User:Lolanallie123/sandbox

= Leickness Simbayi = Leickness Chisamu Simbayi, M.Sc., D. Phil. is a South African research psychologist and professor who has served as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Research of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) since 2016. He is the former Executive Director of the HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB research programme within the HSRC at which he served from 2010 to 2015.

Career
Simbayi received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Sussex in England, United Kingdom. He spent 15 years in his early career teaching courses in psychology at the undergraduate and graduate level at several different universities within Southern Africa. He is the former Head of Psychology Department at University of Fort Hare and the former Chairperson of the Department of Psychology at the University of the Western Cape.

Research
For the last two decades, Simbayi has been primarily studying the social aspects of STIs and HIV/AIDS, including second-generation HIV surveillance, stigma and discrimination, vulnerable children, poverty, drug use, and more. He also studies positive prevention methods used to reduce HIV risk infection which includes targeting HIV positive individuals who are aware of their status. He has published over 100 scientific articles in peer-reviewed academic journals and has contributed to several research textbooks.

Contribution to South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Surveys
South Africa has one of the worst HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world, with an adult prevalence rate of approximately 18.90% and over 100,000 annual deaths, according to a 2016 estimate. In 2002 and 2005, Simbayi was the project director for an Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, Nelson Mandela Foundation, and HSRC collaborative study that analyzed HIV prevalence in the general population, behavioural risks of infection, and mass media exposure. This study was the first of its kind to establish a national estimate of HIV prevalence in South Africa. In 2008, Simbayi was the co-Principal Investigator for the third installment of the report, in the 2012 report he was the Principal Investigator, and for the 2017 report he was the Overall Principal Investigator.

Appearances in News and Media
In December of 2011, Simbayi appeared on a South African Broadcasting Corporation News segment to commemorate the 23rd World AIDS Day and discuss the country's new HIV and AIDS, STI and TB National Strategic Plan. In 2012, he appeared on another SABC News segment to discuss the recently released South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey Report.

Memberships
Simbayi has worked under the HSRC since 2001. He is also a current National Research Foundation-rated researcher, Honorary Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Cape Town, Member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, and a registered Research Psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa's Professional Board of Psychology. He is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Psychology in Africa.