Welcome to Ternyata.org, Elizabeth Pisani’s home space. “Ternyata” is an Indonesian word which signals an unexpected discovery, a surprising finding, a curious explanation

The combination of curiosity, discovery and explanation embodied by Ternyata is the bedrock of both of Elizabeth’s careers so far – journalism and epidemiology (for more background and a full c.v., click here).

As a journalist and foreign correspondent, from the mid 1980s to the mid-1990s, she covered everything from business and financial markets to politics and rebellion, with a leavening of travel and culture features. For examples of Elizabeth’s writing, click here.

The skills of investigative journalism – a nose for the unexpected, an ability to ask the right questions of the right people and formulate the responses into a coherent explanation of the situation – are very similar to those of epidemiology; Elizabeth crossed the barrier in the mid-1990s and has for a decade contributed to understanding the evolution of the HIV epidemic worldwide. For more information about HIV/AIDS work and for access to papers, presentations and guidelines, click here.

Unexpected discoveries continue. Elizabeth is currently in southwest Ireland, exploring the stunning coastline by sea kayak, singing to seals and paddling with whales.

Contacts: Landfall Cottage Castletownshend Co. Cork Republic of Ireland Tel: + 353 36378