Neetha Shagan Morar is currently employed as a Specialist Scientist within the HIV Prevention Research Unit (HPRU) of the Medical Research Council, South Africa. She has been employed with the unit for the past 10 years and has made a valuable contribution to the field of HIV prevention research especially with regards to community and social issues. Ms Morar began her career at the MRC as a junior scientist. Prior to this she has been involved in teaching and training of medical students. Currently her portfolios include being the Research Manager/ Community manager. Neetha has been a project director, principle investigator and co-investigator in various studies at the HPRU. Presently, Ms Morar is a principle investigator of two Social Science studies and a co-investigator in a further two studies.
Neetha Morar is actively involved in and oversees all the community work being done within all trials at the HPRU including the community education and outreach programs. She facilitates trainings with community staff and peer educators on continuous basis and reviews their implementation reports to ensure that all gaps are addressed and needs are met.
She is involved in both rural and urban area CWG/CABs. Ms Morar has been the driving force in the gender shift within the male dominated Hlabisa CAB, of which the outcome was increased female participation in the CAB with a female chair in 2003.
Neetha Morar attends and presents at community feedback meetings – conveying detailed messages of HIV Awareness and prevention and HIV prevention research (particularly microbicide research and the trials being conducted). She has been invited to present at workshops and trainings both locally and nationally, as well as delivers talks at local schools, youth correctional facilities and corporate organizations.
Internationally, Ms Morar has been involved in international conferences both as a speaker and as track chair. She has recently served as Track C Chair at the Microbicides 2008 Conference in India.