Hassen Chaka was born on 24 November, 1971 in Hidilola, Ethiopia. He obtained a doctoral degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 1996 from Addis Ababa University and an MSc (in tropical animal health) from Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium in 2006. Since his graduations he has worked as a field veterinary officer with the southern rangeland development project, as a researcher with the Ethiopian institute of Agricultural research and an Epidemiologist with the ministry of agriculture in Ethiopia. In 2009 he was awarded a fellowship under an international project (GRIPAVI) managed by French institutions, CIRAD to pursue a PhD at the Faculty of veterinary Science, University of Pretoria.
Thesis title:
Epidemiology of Newcastle disease in village chickens in Ethiopia: risk factors, molecular characterization and role of poultry markets.
Supervisor: Prof PN Thomson
Co-supervisor: Dr SPR Bisschop
Internal examiner: Celia Abolnik, Poultry health and production, University of Pretoria
External examiner: Jorgen Henning, University of Queensland, Australia
External examiner: Robyn Alders, University of Sydney, Australia