Centering Equity and Impact in Global North-South Research Partnerships

Equitable research partnerships require intentionality, shared decision-making, and a commitment to long-term impact. This session will bring together leading voices in global health research, Bethany Hedt-Gauthier, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Vincent Cubaka, MD, MMed (FM), PhD, Head of Knowledge and Social Medicine Division at Partners In Health, to discuss their global research partnership, touching upon extractive research and exploring what their work looks like on the ground with best practices in decision-making, equity, and maintaining community relevance. The session will examine the development of their mobile health platform that uses AI and community health workers to detect infection in Cesarean section wounds to exemplify these principles in action. Attendees will learn actionable strategies on how academic institutions, individual researchers, and NGO partners can move forward to foster effective global health collaborations.

About the Speaker

Dr. Bethany Hedt-Gauthier, PhD

Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School

Dr. Bethany Hedt-Gauthier is a biostatistician specializing in health systems and implementation science research in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Hedt-Gauthier received a BS with distinction in mathematics from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her PhD in Biostatistics from Harvard. She is an Associate Professor in Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and has led global surgery and digital health research in Rwanda for the last 10 years. Dr. Hedt-Gauthier is committed to improving partnerships in global health research, by innovating within her own practice and by leading research and advocacy on issues of power dynamics and inequitable research collaborations.

Dr. Vincent K. Cubaka MD, MMed (FM), PhD

Head of Knowledge and Social Medicine Division, Partners in Health

Dr. Vincent K. Cubaka is a medical doctor, health systems researcher, and educator with a wealth of experience in various healthcare capacities. Beginning his career as a rural clinician, he transitioned into academia, where he served as both a lecturer and researcher. Eventually, Dr. Cubaka assumed the leadership role of Head of the Department of Primary Health Care at the University of Rwanda (UR). In 2019, he embarked on a new phase of his career by joining Partners in Health (PIH/IMB) as Director of Research and Training. Most recently, he has taken on the important role of Head of Knowledge and Social Medicine Division within the organization. Dr. Cubaka’s academic qualifications include a Master of Medicine in Family and Community Medicine from UR, as well as a Doctorate in Medicine from Aarhus University in Denmark.

About the Global Health Coffee Sessions Event Series

The HGHI Coffee Sessions Virtual Series takes place on the last Friday of each month from 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM Eastern Time. Showcasing global health researchers and practitioners from Harvard and beyond, this series aims to explore the role of partnership and collaboration when working to advance global health equity. A diverse range of topics will be covered; including climate change and health, global health security, mental healthcare, reproductive healthcare access, financing and governance for global health, healthcare in conflict areas, digital health, and more. This series will take place online over Zoom, and all sessions will be recorded and available on our YouTube Channel.

Through our events and programs, the Harvard Global Health Institute provides a platform for different perspectives and debates within the field of global health through a variety of media. The views expressed in these events and programs are solely those of the speakers, authors, researchers, and participating audience. As such, they do not speak for the Institute or the university.