Prof Judy Wawira Gichoya: Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow Visit to University of Pretoria
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming visit of Prof Judy Wawira Gichoya, who will be joining us at the University of Pretoria from 8 to 25 July 2025 as a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow. Prof Gichoya will be hosted jointly by the Data Science for Social Impact Research Group (DSFSI), AfriDSAI (African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence), and the Faculty of Health Sciences. This visit represents another significant step in AfriDSAI’s commitment to advancing transdisciplinary, Africa-centric AI and Data Science research while building bridges across disciplines and strengthening African leadership in AI innovation.
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming visit of Prof Judy Wawira Gichoya, who will be joining us at the University of Pretoria from 8 to 25 July 2025 as a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow. Prof Gichoya will be hosted jointly by the Data Science for Social Impact Research Group (DSFSI), AfriDSAI (African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence), and the Faculty of Health Sciences. This visit represents another significant step in AfriDSAI’s commitment to advancing transdisciplinary, Africa-centric AI and Data Science research while building bridges across disciplines and strengthening African leadership in AI innovation.
About Prof Judy Wawira Gichoya
Prof Gichoya is an Associate Professor of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, USA, where she leads the Healthcare AI Innovation and Translational Informatics (HITI) Lab. Her groundbreaking work sits at the intersection of healthcare AI, equity, and translational research, making her uniquely positioned to contribute to Africa’s growing AI ecosystem.
Her impressive academic journey combines an MD from Moi University (Kenya), MS in Health Informatics from Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Radiology Residency at Indiana University Health, and Fellowship in Interventional Radiology from Oregon Health & Science University. This diverse background enables her to bridge clinical practice with cutting-edge AI research.
Prof Gichoya’s research focuses on building diverse, real-world medical AI datasets, studying AI fairness and bias, validating AI models in clinical practice, and ensuring that AI tools can safely serve all patient populations. Her influential 2022 Lancet Digital Health paper demonstrated how AI can recognize patient race from medical images, raising critical questions about equity, fairness, and unintended bias in AI systems that resonate strongly with African contexts.
Recent Achievements and Recognition
Prof Gichoya’s impact extends far beyond her research publications. She served as a keynote speaker at Deep Learning Indaba 2024, where she addressed the African AI community on the critical importance of fairness and equity in AI systems. As Associate Editor of Radiology: Artificial Intelligence (RSNA) and Co-director of the HITI Lab at Emory University, she continues to shape the global conversation around responsible AI in healthcare.
Her commitment to mentorship is equally remarkable, having guided over 60 students globally while actively promoting open-source healthcare AI through her contributions to LibreHealth and global health informatics collaborations. This dedication to nurturing the next generation of researchers aligns perfectly with AfriDSAI’s mission to develop African talent in AI and data science.
Strategic Importance of This Visit
This Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship visit embodies AfriDSAI’s vision to build pan-African collaborations across AI and healthcare while promoting transdisciplinary innovation grounded in African health challenges. The collaboration will expand research on AI equity, fairness, and responsible deployment in African contexts while strengthening training pipelines for the next generation of African AI researchers.
During her time in Pretoria, Prof Gichoya will engage with our growing research ecosystem through workshops and seminars on Health AI, fairness, and translational AI research. She will participate in collaborative meetings with clinicians, data scientists, and AI researchers, while exploring opportunities for student mentorship and future joint projects that could have lasting impact across the African continent.
Events and Opportunities
Health Sciences Seminar: "AI Fairness in Medical Imaging"
Date: July 11, 2025 | Time: TBA | Venue: Health Science (Prinshof) Campus - University of Pretoria
Join Prof Gichoya for an in-depth exploration of AI bias in medical imaging, featuring case studies from her groundbreaking research on racial bias in AI systems. This seminar is tailored for clinicians, radiologists, and healthcare researchers interested in understanding the equity implications of AI deployment in clinical settings.
Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, medical students, clinical researchers
Hatfield Campus Seminar: "Building Equitable AI Systems"
Date: July 21, 2025 | Time: TBA | Venue:TBA
A technical deep-dive into methodologies for developing fair and unbiased AI systems, with practical examples from healthcare AI. This session will cover algorithmic fairness, bias detection techniques, and strategies for building inclusive datasets—perfect for computer scientists, data scientists, and AI researchers.
Target Audience: Computer scientists, data scientists, AI/ML researchers, postgraduate students
Health AI Datathon: "Fairness in Practice"
Date: July 15-16, 2025 | Time: 09:00-17:00 | Venue: Health Science (Prinshof) Campus - University of Pretoria
A hands-on, two-day datathon where teams will work with real healthcare datasets to identify and mitigate AI bias. Prof Gichoya will provide guidance on best practices for ethical AI development, with prizes for the most innovative solutions addressing healthcare equity challenges in African contexts.
Target Audience: Students, early career researchers, data scientists (all levels welcome)
What to bring: Laptop, enthusiasm for problem-solving, interdisciplinary thinking
One-on-One Student Mentoring Sessions
Dates: TBA Time: Various slots available | Venue: DSFSI Meeting Rooms
Limited mentoring slots are available for postgraduate students and early-career researchers working on health AI, medical informatics, or AI fairness projects. Prof Gichoya will provide personalized guidance on research directions, career development, and navigating the intersection of healthcare and AI research.
Who should apply: MSc/PhD students, postdocs, early-career researchers in health AI or related fields
Duration: 45-minute sessions
Application required: Please include a brief description of your research interests and specific questions
Building Lasting Collaborations
This visit represents more than an academic exchange—it’s an opportunity to establish enduring partnerships that advance African-led, globally relevant research in AI for Health. Prof Gichoya’s experience in addressing AI bias and ensuring equitable healthcare AI deployment will provide invaluable insights for researchers working in diverse African healthcare contexts.
For inquiries or to participate in events during her visit, please contact:
📧 afridsai.info@up.ac.za
📧 dsfsi.info@up.ac.za
📧 vukosi.marivate@cs.up.ac.za