Job Allan Wefwafwa | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Job Allan Wefwafwa | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

The Technical University of Kenya | Kenya

Dr. Job Allan Wefwafwa is a scholar in Communications and Media Studies whose work examines digital media useespecially WhatsApp and social mediz in African electoral politics, with a focus on indigenous communication, social justice, and Afrocentric approaches. He holds a PhD in Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand, an MA in Communication Studies from the University of Nairobi, and a BA in Mass Communication from Makerere University. Professionally, he has taught and done research at institutions including the Technical University of Kenya, the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication, Mt. Kenya University, and Wits University, and he has experience designing curricula, supervising MA and PhD students, and innovating in pedagogy and digital ethnographic methods. His current research interests include digital deliberation, techno-affective politics, vernacular and indigenous media, disinformation, gendered intimidation in social media, media and democracy in Africa. According to AD Scientific Index, his profile includes metrics such as total h-index and citation and document counts, which reflect his scholarly output and influence. He has received grants and fellowships (e.g. Social Science Research Council, Open Society Foundation, NextGen Social Sciences in Africa, Mellon Foundation) and convenes and presents in international conferences. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and in edited volumes, and he is engaged in academic service, including examining, workshops, and collaborative research. In sum, he is an established researcher whose work bridges theory and practice in digital media in African electoral contexts, and he continues to expand knowledge in inclusive, indigenous, and justice-oriented directions.

Profile : Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Wefwafwa, J. A. (2014). An evaluation of training standards in Kenyan media colleges: A case study of public and private middle level media training colleges in Nairobi. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 19(2), 68–83.

Wefwafwa, J. A. (2014). Indigenous communication systems versus modern communication systems: A case study of the Bukusu Subtribe of Western Kenya. Global Media Journal – African Edition, 8(2), 301–317.

Wefwafwa, J. A., Wekesa, B., & Gagliardone, I. (2025). Tensions, confrontations, and consensus: WhatsApp use in Kenyan electoral politics. Social Media + Society, 11(1),

Wefwafwa, J. A. (2025). TV portrayal and people’s perceptions on indigenous environmental conservation in Kenya. African Journalism Studies, 1–19.

Wefwafwa, J. A. (2025). Vulgarities, vulnerabilities, and vengeance: Gendered intimidation and WhatsApp use in electoral politics in Kenya. Global Studies Quarterly, 5(3), ksaf065.

Phiman Thirarattanasunthon | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Research Article Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Phiman Thirarattanasunthon | Medicine and Health Sciences | Best Research Article Award

School of Public Health, Walailak University | Thailand

Dr. Phiman Thirarattanasunthon is an Assistant Professor of Public Health with significant contributions to health care management, health impact assessment, disaster risk management, and community health. He earned his Ph.D. in Public Health from Chulalongkorn University in 2011, following an MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health from Prince of Songkla University, and earlier academic training in public health and environmental science. His career spans more than two decades, beginning as a community health officer before advancing to senior public health officer roles and eventually transitioning to academia at Walailak University, where he also heads the Community Public Health Program. His research, with an h-index of 6, includes more than 70 scholarly documents and over 134 citations, reflecting wide recognition in areas such as environmental exposures, health literacy, risk reduction behaviors, and pandemic preparedness. He has published in high-impact journals indexed in Scopus and TCI, advancing evidence for both local and global health challenges. His excellence has been acknowledged through awards including the Outstanding Research Award (2024), Excellent Teaching Award (2024), Role Model for Social Contribution (2021), and Young Researcher Award (2017). Overall, his work demonstrates a balance of academic rigor and societal impact, strengthening the field of public health.

Profiles : Google Scholar | Orcid

Featured Publications

Thirarattanasunthon, P., Siriwong, W., Robson, M., & Borjan, M. (2012). Health risk reduction behaviors model for scavengers exposed to solid waste in municipal dump sites in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 5, 97–104.

Buakate, P., Thirarattanasunthon, P., & Wongrith, P. (2022). Factors influencing alcohol consumption among university students in Southern Thailand. Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny, 73(4), 435–443.

Sapbamrer, R., Sittitoon, N., Thongtip, S., Chaipin, E., Sutalangka, C., Chaiut, W., La-Up, A., Suwannakul, B., Sangkarit, N., Kitro, A., Panumasvivat, L., Thirarattanasunthon, P., & Chaiut, W. (2024). Acute health symptoms related to perception and practice of pesticide use among farmers from all regions of Thailand. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1296082.

Sapbamrer, R., Sittitoon, N., Thongtip, S., Chaipin, E., Sutalangka, C., La-Up, A., Suwannakul, B., Sangkarit, N., Kitro, A., Panumasvivat, L., Thirarattanasunthon, P., & Chaiut, W. (2024). Socio-demographic, agricultural, and personal protective factors in relation to health literacy among farmers from all regions of Thailand. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1364296.

Kotepui, K. U., Thirarattanasunthon, P., Rattaprasert, P., & Kotepui, M. (2022). A systematic review and meta-analysis of blood interleukin-4 levels concerning malaria infection and severity. Malaria Journal, 21, 217.