WISE Workshop — Data Sciences for Modeling & HTA
2026-02-02
WISE Project Training Workshop
Addis Ababa University | February 2-7, 2026
Building local capacity in:
The WISE project aims to strengthen Ethiopia’s pharmaceutical supply chain through data-driven approaches.
| The Challenge | The Opportunity |
|---|---|
| Medication stockouts | Rich data sources |
| Inefficient distribution | Growing technical capacity |
| Limited forecasting capacity | Commitment to improvement |
| Instructor | Affiliation | Expertise |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Sachiko Ozawa | UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy | WISE PI, Supply chains, ABM |
| Dr. Sean Sylvia | UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health | Health economics, ML, Reproducibility |
| Dr. Gebremedhin Gebretekle | Public Health Agency of Canada | HTA, Health economics, Antimicrobial stewardship |
Please share:
We have diverse backgrounds and perspectives — that’s a strength!
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
| Technical Skills | Conceptual Understanding |
|---|---|
| Python for data analysis | When to use ML vs. statistics |
| Machine learning pipeline | Bias-variance tradeoff |
| Demand forecasting models | Model validation strategies |
| ABM simulation basics | Connecting predictions to policy |
| Day | Focus | Lead |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Foundations & Reproducible Research | Joint |
| Day 2 | Machine Learning Pipeline | Sylvia |
| Day 3 | Modeling Concepts & Integration | Joint |
| Day 4 | ABM Deep Dive | Ozawa |
| Day 5 | Health Technology Assessment | Gebretekle |
| Day 6 | Economic Evaluation Methods | Gebretekle |
Today’s Schedule
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:30-9:30 | Welcome & Introductions ← You are here |
| 9:30-10:30 | Fundamentals of Data Science |
| 10:50-12:30 | Data Science in Public Health Policy |
| 1:30-3:00 | ML Foundations: Core Concepts |
| 3:20-5:00 | Hands-on: Setup + ML Demo |
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:30-10:30 | Regularization: LASSO & Ridge |
| 10:50-12:30 | Hands-on: Regularized Regression |
| 1:30-3:00 | Trees & Ensembles |
| 3:20-5:00 | Hands-on: Demand Forecasting |
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:30-10:30 | Modeling Concepts (SD vs ABM) |
| 10:50-12:30 | Integration: ML Predictions to Simulation |
| 1:30-3:00 | Supply Chain Simulation Foundations |
| 3:20-5:00 | Hands-on: Introduction to ABM |
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:30-10:30 | Agent-Based Modeling for Supply Chains |
| 10:50-12:30 | ABM Implementation |
Led by Dr. Gebremedhin Gebretekle
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Day 5 | Health Technology Assessment — frameworks, methods, decision criteria |
| Day 6 | Economic Evaluation — cost-effectiveness, budget impact, policy application |
We’ll use Google Colab for all hands-on exercises.
| What You Need | What’s Provided |
|---|---|
| Google account | Pre-configured notebooks |
| Web browser | Sample datasets |
| Laptop (charged!) | Shared Google Drive folder |
All materials on workshop website
We’ll practice this in the hands-on session this afternoon!
| Engagement | Logistics |
|---|---|
| Questions welcome anytime | Breaks are important — take them! |
| No question is too basic | Step out if needed |
| Help your neighbors | Let us know if pace is too fast/slow |
| Share your expertise |
“The best way to learn is to teach, and the best way to understand is to explain.”
| About the Workshop | About the Project |
|---|---|
| Schedule | WISE goals |
| Materials | Expected outcomes |
| Computing setup | Next steps |
Session 2 | 9:30-10:30
We’ll explore:
WISE Workshop | Data Sciences for Modeling & HTA