Meet HGHI’s Fellows

Current and Past Undergraduate Fellows

HGHI 2022 Summer Fellows

During the summer of 2022, HGHI supported 73 exceptional students to work with 57 different organizations around the world. Please click on the images below to learn more about each of their experiences.
Sasha Agarwal, Sangath
Isabella Almanza, UCSF
Marie Ayiah, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Abdullah	Bannan, Multi-Aid Programs (MAPs)
Alejandra Beltran, VHL Alliance
Maya Bharara, Brady Campaign
Calli	Bianchi, LifeMoves
Sidonie Brown, UCLA Art and Global Health Center
Julia Casas, San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Huiwen Chen, Computational Epidemiology Lab
Thea Chung, The National Academy for Social Prescribing
Patrick Clark, PHRU
Sophie Clivio, Village Health Works
Raina Cohen, International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Disease (IQIC)
Anais Colin, Socios En Salud | Partners In Health Peru
Mia Colman, Lumiere Health International
Ellen Deng, Stop TB Partnership
Caroline Dent, HGHI
Sofia Diaz Rodriguez, WeCancer
Alex	Dyer, Mass Eye and Ear
Nicole Farkouh, Save the Children
Sophia Fend, NHS Strategy Group
Alice Ferguson, Hollywood, Health and Society
Imani Fonfield, Partners In Health
Coby Garcia, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey
Sakshi Garg, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Soleil Golden, Mental Health For All Lab
Sophie Haugen, UNFPA
Felicia He, Homeless Healthcare LA
Muammer Karaca, PHRU
Alexandra Kassinis, Save the Children
Jai Khurana, New York Health Foundation
Lauren Kim, University of Global Health Equity
Kareem King, Partners in Health
Kris King, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Sophie Kocho, National Academy for Social Prescribing
Sajeev Kohli, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program
Shruthi Kumar, CDC
Keza Levine, Kaiser Medical School
Kevin Lin, NHS England, Strategy Group
Jenny Lu, Healthy London Parternship
Anjeli Macaranas, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
Hamaad Mehal, Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives
Namira Mehedi, VHL alliance
Maanasa Mendu, Alter lab
Emily Meng, Health Leads
Aqil Merchant, GAVI
Akila Muthukumar, STAT
Sarosh Nagar, NICE
Misha Nair, Rubin Lab at Harvard School of Public Health
Ruhi	Nayak, UNFPA
Saddat Nazir, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Mass Eye and Ear
Melanie Ng, Ariadne Labs
KayLeigh	Noblin, Thoracic Surgery and Oncology Clinical Research, MGH/HMS with Dr. Yang
Omowonuola Obasa, Touch Foundation
Sajen Plevyak, Penn Medicine, Jefferson Med, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Vot-ER
Sraavya Sambara, GAVI
Helen Scarborough, Mount Sinai Hospital
Lara	Schenk, UNFPA
Sophia Scott, Heath Leads
Sneha Shenoy, CFAR and Fenway Health
Jennifer Su, Lumiere Health
Katalina Toth, UChicago Urban Health Labs
Lucy Tu, Greater Boston Legal Services
Anna Volpp, Socios en Salud
Cindy Wang, Harvard School of Public Health
Peyton Williams, Massachusetts General Hospital
Minjue Wu, Stop Tuberculosis Partnership / UNOPS
Margaret Yin, IDHA
Abigail Yoon, Joint Committee on Public Health
Erin Yuan, National Institutes of Health
Malaika Zaidi, UChicago Urban Health Labs
Brian Zhou, Sangath
  • Sasha Agarwal, Sangath
  • Isabella Almanza, UCSF
  • Marie Ayiah, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
  • Abdullah	Bannan, Multi-Aid Programs (MAPs)
  • Alejandra Beltran, VHL Alliance
  • Maya Bharara, Brady Campaign
  • Calli	Bianchi, LifeMoves
  • Sidonie Brown, UCLA Art and Global Health Center
  • Julia Casas, San Francisco AIDS Foundation
  • Huiwen Chen, Computational Epidemiology Lab
  • Thea Chung, The National Academy for Social Prescribing
  • Patrick Clark, PHRU
  • Sophie Clivio, Village Health Works
  • Raina Cohen, International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Disease (IQIC)
  • Anais Colin, Socios En Salud | Partners In Health Peru
  • Mia Colman, Lumiere Health International
  • Ellen Deng, Stop TB Partnership
  • Caroline Dent, HGHI
  • Sofia Diaz Rodriguez, WeCancer
  • Alex	Dyer, Mass Eye and Ear
  • Nicole Farkouh, Save the Children
  • Sophia Fend, NHS Strategy Group
  • Alice Ferguson, Hollywood, Health and Society
  • Imani Fonfield, Partners In Health
  • Coby Garcia, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey
  • Sakshi Garg, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • Soleil Golden, Mental Health For All Lab
  • Sophie Haugen, UNFPA
  • Felicia He, Homeless Healthcare LA
  • Muammer Karaca, PHRU
  • Alexandra Kassinis, Save the Children
  • Jai Khurana, New York Health Foundation
  • Lauren Kim, University of Global Health Equity
  • Kareem King, Partners in Health
  • Kris King, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
  • Sophie Kocho, National Academy for Social Prescribing
  • Sajeev Kohli, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program
  • Shruthi Kumar, CDC
  • Keza Levine, Kaiser Medical School
  • Kevin Lin, NHS England, Strategy Group
  • Jenny Lu, Healthy London Parternship
  • Anjeli Macaranas, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
  • Hamaad Mehal, Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives
  • Namira Mehedi, VHL alliance
  • Maanasa Mendu, Alter lab
  • Emily Meng, Health Leads
  • Aqil Merchant, GAVI
  • Akila Muthukumar, STAT
  • Sarosh Nagar, NICE
  • Misha Nair, Rubin Lab at Harvard School of Public Health
  • Ruhi	Nayak, UNFPA
  • Saddat Nazir, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Mass Eye and Ear
  • Melanie Ng, Ariadne Labs
  • KayLeigh	Noblin, Thoracic Surgery and Oncology Clinical Research, MGH/HMS with Dr. Yang
  • Omowonuola Obasa, Touch Foundation
  • Sajen Plevyak, Penn Medicine, Jefferson Med, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Vot-ER
  • Sraavya Sambara, GAVI
  • Helen Scarborough, Mount Sinai Hospital
  • Lara	Schenk, UNFPA
  • Sophia Scott, Heath Leads
  • Sneha Shenoy, CFAR and Fenway Health
  • Jennifer Su, Lumiere Health
  • Katalina Toth, UChicago Urban Health Labs
  • Lucy Tu, Greater Boston Legal Services
  • Anna Volpp, Socios en Salud
  • Cindy Wang, Harvard School of Public Health
  • Peyton Williams, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Minjue Wu, Stop Tuberculosis Partnership / UNOPS
  • Margaret Yin, IDHA
  • Abigail Yoon, Joint Committee on Public Health
  • Erin Yuan, National Institutes of Health
  • Malaika Zaidi, UChicago Urban Health Labs
  • Brian Zhou, Sangath
  • Sasha Agarwal, Sangath

    This summer, I worked with the Addictions Research Group at the Sangath Goa office on their NIHR Dating Violence project group. As an intern, I supported projects centred around enhancing psychosocial support for female survivors of domestic violence in resource constrained settings in India. Some of my responsibilities included compiling an intervention manual and materials to equip primary healthcare providers with intervention skills, screening bodies of literature, and coding primary research materials. The experience has been an incredible way to engage deeply with a cause I'm passionate about, and I'm thankful to the HGHI team for facilitating this opportunity to work in my home country over the summer.
  • Isabella Almanza, UCSF

    This summer I am interning with The University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where I am researching under an Assistant Professor in UCSF's computational epidemiology lab. I am leading my own research project and using UCSF's electronic health record data to look for disparities in care across racial and ethnic groups. More specifically, I am doing a sentiment analysis of prenatal care discrepancies among POC women. I am working on manually annotating the EHRD, which comprises over 108 million clinical notes on patient treatment at UCSF hospital. The goal is that by the end of the summer I will submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal to overall summarize my findings and contribute to the ongoing conversation regarding racial bias in the clinical setting.
  • Marie Ayiah, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine

    This summer, I am working as an intern in the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM). As an intern, I am assessing the impact of KPSOM's high school mentorship program by performing a landscape analysis on health career pipeline programs, examining survey data from high school students, and interviewing the medical students who served as mentors. Additionally, I am creating resource lists and developing community outreach materials for students who are underrepresented in medicine. These projects have been incredibly enriching and I am grateful for the opportunity to work at Kaiser over the summer!
  • Abdullah Bannan, Multi-Aid Programs (MAPs)

    This summer, I will be working with Multi Aid Programs nonprofit on two main fronts. First, we are trying to relaunch a fundraising for education campaign by selling robot crouched toys made by refugee women in Lebanon. A mascot of hope and innovation, the robot came to be after a robotics team entirely formed of refugees won an international competition. This also inspired our planning of a conference to redefine refugees, from a global narrative that victimizes them to instead let refugees tell their own stories of success and the way they challenged these global definitions.
  • Alejandra Beltran, VHL Alliance

    At VHL Alliance, I am an intern for the Volunteer Engagement Role. Working with my supervisor, we're updating the types of volunteer roles to optimize the ambassador program, along with promoting the volunteer opportunities across different platforms to reach out to as many who want to help. We're coordinating focus groups to meet the ambassadors and hotline volunteers, and get their feedback on the program. I've also been able to get some insight into how the board of the nonprofit works, editing this year's manual, updating their history, and creating modernized rosters. I've met with the staff and other interns to share our experiences and get to know each other more.
  • Maya Bharara, Brady Campaign

    This summer, I'm working at Brady: United Against Gun Violence, which is a nonprofit that advocates for tangible change and comprehensive solutions to gun violence. I am an intern on the legal team, which takes court action on behalf of individuals and communities who have been affected by gun injuries and deaths. Some of my projects have included: reading through police reports and writing a memo for lawyers drafting a complaint in an accidental shooting case; taking notes on previous settlements a gun manufacturer has agreed to so that we can evaluate whether they are still following that agreement; doing research on self-defense laws around the country and the world; and creating a dossier of potential witnesses.
  • Calli Bianchi, LifeMoves

    I am working as the Nutrition and Wellness intern at LifeMoves, a non-profit dedicated to serving unhoused individuals and families in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been working on producing resources that will be provided to clients and contain information about food and nutrition resources such as CalFresh. I have also worked to interview clients about their eating experience with LifeMoves in order to critically examine this process and how it impacts the health and success of the clients.
  • Sidonie Brown, UCLA Art and Global Health Center

    This summer I've been interning for the UCLA Art & Global Health Center (AGHC), which creates arts-based public health interventions guided by principles of human rights and social justice. AGHC is currently working on a sexual education film that is designed for young people who are in the process of re-entry after being in juvenile detention. For this project, I have been contributing in the writers' room, editing the script, and devising sexual health workshop sessions that will accompany screenings of the film. I have also been helping with video editing and archival work for Through Positive Eyes, a photographic advocacy project that collaborates with people living with HIV and AIDS around the world to fight stigma. I'm grateful to work with such a creative and inspiring team that is dedicated to tapping into the powerful intersection of art and activism.
  • Julia Casas, San Francisco AIDS Foundation

    The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is a historic public health non-profit that promotes health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV. This summer, I have had the opportunity to serve as a Mindich Service Fellow with the Foundation, in collaboration with the Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) and Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship (CPSES). My internship is with the Stonewall Project, a counseling program dedicated to providing harm reduction–based substance use and mental health treatment to men interested in addressing their drug or alcohol use. My advocacy work centers around the distribution and publication of educational sexual health and substance use services for the underserved Latinx community in the heart of the Castro District, Mid-Market and Mission District. In partnership with the National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC), funded by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), I am helping to write a report on the findings from the first-ever harm reduction needs assessment of the diverse population of Latinx people who use drugs (PWUD) who are monolingual Spanish/Mayan speakers. The report seeks to address racial inequity in the provision of health and harm reduction services in San Francisco, and provide the SFDPH with recommendations for better serving this community.
  • Huiwen Chen, Computational Epidemiology Lab

    This summer, I am interning at The Computational Epidemiology Lab at Havard Medical School under the mentorship of Dr. Yulin Hswen. My research consists of analyzing racial disparities in clinical narratives using a dataset from UCSF's electronic health records (EHRs) database. Through developing a natural language processing method that applies to free-text clinical notes related to mental health, I hope to investigate clinician bias in the diagnosis and treatment of depression across different racial and ethnic groups. Both implicit and explicit bias in medical settings contributes to disparities in health care, and detecting such inequality in clinical notes informs us about possible interventions. In addition to examining EHRs, I will conduct a systematic review about identifying and evaluating different natural language processing approaches used for clinical notes extraction.
  • Thea Chung, The National Academy for Social Prescribing

    This summer I am working with The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) in London to develop assets alongside two other Harvard interns for the Global Social Prescribing Alliance, which aims to promote and implement social prescribing internationally. My asset focuses on the challenges and considerations of workforce development. A growing health initiative, social prescribing is a means by which a clinician or local agency can refer a patient to a social prescribing ‘link worker.’ By asking what matters most to the person, the social prescribing link worker co-designs a flexible support plan with the person to improve their health and wellbeing through referring the patient to community-based resources. Throughout my time with NASP, I have met several health policymakers and professionals who have deepened my understanding of personalized care and the limitations of the biomedical model.
  • Patrick Clark, PHRU

    This summer I am working for the Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), situated at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, as a hybrid intern. The first half of the summer I have been working remotely from home and for the final half I will be in person. Thus far, I have been taking the lead in writing manuscripts for some of their many studies, which has been a wonderful opportunity to hone my skills in writing for social science research. The studies themselves I have worked on have been investigations into the psychosocial response of South Africans to the COVID-19 pandemic, and more specifically, looking at the impact of COVID on the household and the reasons behind vaccine hesitancy. My work has been incredibly fulfilling thus far, and I cannot wait to go in person!
  • Sophie Clivio, Village Health Works

    This summer I am working with Village Health Works as an intern under the Procurement team. We are currently working to get all the necessary goods, equipment, and pharmaceuticals for the Kigutu Hospital and Woman's Health Pavilion. I have been engaging in bid analyses, product demonstrations with vendors, and engaged with selection committees all with the purpose of gaining the best goods for each need. I have learned all the necessary criteria to evaluate when making a decision on which vendor provides the most holistically beneficial service and good, as well as have made recommendations for specific vendors based on these criteria. I look forward to engaging in more projects with vendors and working on getting the Health Pavillion the equipment and goods they require.
  • Raina Cohen, International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Disease (IQIC)

    The mission of the IQIC is tracking clinical outcomes in a database with the goal of improving care for congenital heart surgery worldwide. It has been a privilege garnering a birds-eye view of quality improvement skills and methodology that has practical applications to helping children and healthcare partners around the globe. The opportunity to work directly with our partner sites from all over the world and the excellent Boston Children’s medical leaders and public health professionals has afforded me such a unique perspective and skill set . This internship has been a tremendous opportunity as an undergraduate student, already informing my future career aspirations.
  • Anais Colin, Socios En Salud | Partners In Health Peru

    This summer, I am interning with Socios En Salud, a Peru-based sister organization of the non-profit Partners in Health. As an intern for the Mental Health Program, I am working alongside psychologists and community health workers on a project that aims to strengthen the processes of referrals and counterreferals between the psychiatric unit of a hospital in southern Lima and nearby community mental health centers. This initiative serves to promote the Peruvian government’s efforts to bolster the role of general hospitals and primary health centers in the delivery of mental health care services nationwide. In my role, I am conducting interviews with various health care providers and patients in order to contribute to a report that will evaluate the overall impact of the project. I have also had the opportunity to join psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses on their daily rounds to the patients in the hospital’s psychiatric unit.
  • Mia Colman, Lumiere Health International

    This summer, I am interning with Lumiere Health International. My work with the Lumiere team has been engaging and exciting, and has allowed me to further explore my interests in human rights, consulting, and global health. As a global health summer associate, I have mainly worked on Lumiere's ongoing project developing an psychosocial and ecosocial consulting program for the United Nations in Zimbabwe. Later this summer, I will work with the team to develop strategies and tactics to accelerate access to (Rx) prescription medication for underserved populations in New York City. Throughout my internship, I have been struck by Aldo's commitment to my professional growth as an associate, and inspired by the entire Lumiere team's commitment to and passion for their work.
  • Ellen Deng, Stop TB Partnership

    This summer, I have had the pleasure of working with Stop TB Partnership (STBP), a UNOPS partner organization, based in Geneva, Switzerland. Stop TB, comprised of over 2000 global partners, aims to achieve a world free of tuberculosis through a rights-based approach. My work primarily focuses on furthering advocacy and communications work through innovative channels with projects such as drafting and developing the 2021 annual report, generating material for the Global Plan to End TB 2023-2030, and creating a new media strategy for the organization. This internship has strengthened my passion for global health and I am excited to continue my work in TB advocacy throughout the remainder of the summer.
  • Caroline Dent, HGHI

    This summer I am working as an administrative and development intern with the LEAD Fellowship for Promoting Women in Global Health. The LEAD Fellowship is a collaboration between the Harvard Global Health Institute and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Women and Health Initiative. Our goal is to offer prestigious leadership development to women from vulnerable countries who are often underrepresented in global health leadership positions. So far I’ve been exploring donor relations, administrational challenges, social media management and graphic design. I’m learning how best to use my skills in the field of global health to make change. I’ve had the opportunity to interact and learn from current and past fellows throughout my time with LEAD. I feel incredibly lucky to work with this community of intelligent and driven women who are taking great strides to promote gender and health equity in their own countries and beyond.
  • Sofia Diaz Rodriguez, WeCancer

    This summer, I am working with WeCancer in São Paulo, Brasil. My internship with WeCancer has been very impactful and eye-opening, as it has allowed me to combine research, health/medicine, and consulting. So far, I've learned the importance of allowing cancer patients to play an active role in their treatment through accessible symptom monitoring and management. My project focuses on exploring the public and private health systems in Brasil and their respective impact on cancer patients. In the future, I will be visiting hospitals to speak with health professionals, patients, and clients. Through this, I hope to come up with creative ways to equally improve and expand WeCancer’s services for patients in both health systems.
  • Alex Dyer, Mass Eye and Ear

    This summer, I have worked at the Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab in Mass Eye & Ear to expand medical education with research collaborators and clinicians. The primary component of my work has been to outline the steps for common otolaryngologic surgeries, such as canaloplasty and stapedectomy. Beyond the direct clinical application of these videos, I have prepared content on the methods to dissect tympanic membranes to increase engagement with research collaborators in Portugal. With these international colleagues, I am helping in an ongoing study to determine drug delivery efficacy into the middle ear. This experience has been incredibly enriching and insightful!
  • Nicole Farkouh, Save the Children

    This summer, I am interning at Save the Children. I have been given the opportunity to be working on a few projects. One is a department-wide landscape analysis on data management and data use, which is important as we try to maintain a data-driven organization. I am also working on pilot testing for a contraceptive decision-making app to help alleviate the disproportionate barrier to healthcare adolescents face, and that will be implemented on a global level in the near future. I am extremely grateful for this meaningful internship experience this summer and for HGHI’s support!
  • Sophia Fend, NHS Strategy Group

    This summer, I have been working both in person and virtually with NHS England’s Strategy Group, a team within the UK’s National Health Service that focuses on strategic improvement of various macroscopic concerns within the British Healthcare system. My role within the team has been incredibly multidisciplinary, allowing me to learn more about my interests and apply various portions of my studies and experiences––I have learned more about data work within the social sciences, used philosophical knowledge and readings to craft applicable proposals, and surveyed a number of different career paths within public health that have helped offer clarity about my goals after graduation. Moreover, I have benefitted tremendously by immersing myself in a foreign, universal health system, allowing me to better understand and work through questions surrounding health equity and accessibility. Above all, my positive experience has been driven by the welcoming, fun, informative, and motivating nature of this team.
  • Alice Ferguson, Hollywood, Health and Society

    I have had the pleasure of working with Hollywood, Health & Society in LA. I have been working on research for the entertainment industry in areas such as abortion, gun safety and systematic racism. Moreover, I have had amazing opportunities to attend learning-driven events with members of the public health sector and entertainment industry raising conversations on often under represented areas of health in TV/film.
  • Imani Fonfield, Partners In Health

    At Partners In Health this summer, I am relishing the incredible opportunity to take lead on advocacy projects as a leadership team intern for the PIH Engage grassroots network. Within Partners In Health’s overarching commitment to medical and moral global health justice, PIH Engage’s mission is rooted in a dedication to building a movement for the right to health. In my role, I have been developing PIH Engage Training Institute conference trainings on effective health equity organizing skills. This conference occurs in the month of July, when over 80 PIH Engage teams across the U.S., Mexico, and Peru come together to initiate a new campaign year. To accompany collaborative projects, I have also been engaging in thoughtful reading-based discussions on organizing and theory of change with my team each week. Concurrently learning and applying my internship insights in the name of health justice is a true highlight of mine.
  • Coby Garcia, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey

    This summer, I have the pleasure of working with the Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey. During my internship, I helped launch a peer-reviewed student-run academic journal on Global Health called Fronteras en Salud Global and published several articles and papers related to global health. I carried out qualitative work, data processing, analyzing, and led the process for publication submission. I also integrated global health topics in the residency training, evaluated the needs and strategies of global health projects, and created a tutorial to help the future writers of Fronteras en Salud Global.
  • Sakshi Garg, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

    This summer, I am working with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s (LSHTM) Gender Violence and Health Center. For my first project, I worked with the Violence Against Children research team to research and create a social history of the Contexts of Violence in Adolescence Cohort Study (CoVAC), a longitudinal mixed-methods study assessing violence exposure in Uganda. For the remainder of the summer, my co-intern and I will assess UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) for gender bias in survey instruments and design and then provide recommendations for gender-sensitive survey development moving forward. Along with getting to engage with unfamiliar global health topics and methodologies, I’ve really appreciated the supportive environment and emphasis on mentorship at LSHTM!
  • Soleil Golden, Mental Health For All Lab

    This summer I am working as a student researcher at the Mental Health for All lab of Harvard Medical School. The EMPOWER project is one of MHAL’s most impactful projects and is led by Dr. Vikram Patel and Dr. John Naslund, both of whom I am incredibly honored to be working with as they are incredibly influential in the field of mental healthcare. Within EMPOWER, I work on the content development team, which entails revising and creating content for training community health leaders in delivering treatment for mild anxiety and depression. I am truly enjoying my time at the lab.
  • Sophie Haugen, UNFPA

    This summer I am interning with the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch (SRHB) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). I specifically support a project that works to increase and ensure access to reproductive health commodities and comprehensive abortion care to the fullest extent possible. I have been mapping and consolidating programmatic indicators and sociopolitical contexts by country to identify technical support needs in areas where mothers and children are particularly vulnerable. For the remainder of the summer, I will also be working on conducting scoping literature reviews on related topics, drafting country profiles to highlight the situational status in focal areas, and developing case studies in collaboration with country offices and affiliates.
  • Felicia He, Homeless Healthcare LA

    This summer I’ve been lucky to intern with Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles, a nonprofit that provides housing aid, mental health and substance use treatment, and syringe exchange – among other services – to the population of LA County. I am working in both the project-based housing and the education and training departments, meaning that I am either shadowing case management on housing sites or developing curriculums on harm reduction, Housing First, and behavioral and public health. Along with impactful interactions with dually diagnosed clients, I’ve also learned about the intricacies of supportive housing and the many obstacles to housing retention in this county and beyond.
  • Muammer Karaca, PHRU

    This summer, I'm interning at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU) in Soweto, South Africa. With PHRU, I am conducting mixed methods research to assist in two manuscript write-ups: evaluating the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the mental wellbeing of college students and understanding misconceptions surrounding COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa. So far, I have conducted a thorough literature review to understand previous work in this area, composing the introduction and methodology parts of the manuscripts. Next, I will be analyzing survey data to quantify the impact of lockdowns and low vaccination rates on the mental health of youth in South Africa, bringing together quantitative and qualitative considerations to reach a conclusion.
  • Alexandra Kassinis, Save the Children

    This summer, I am working at Save the Children US as part of their Nutrition, WASH and Climate Change Team. Integrating climate change resilience, adaptation and prediction strategies into humanitarian activities is important for the sustainability of projects and safety of developing communities. As part of my work at Save, my project aims to bridge the gap between on-the-ground activities that need digestible climate change data to integrate into their work, and the organizations that have this climate change data, such as rainfall or temperature patterns. Through interviews and workshops with project donors, knowledge providers and those running the projects themselves, the goal is to increase communication and share usable climate data which will have the potential to enhance the long-term success, viability and sustainability of Save’s work.
  • Jai Khurana, New York Health Foundation

    Working for the New York Health Foundation this summer has been an extremely educational and rewarding experience. As an intern, I have worked closely with the Healthy Food Healthy Lives program area to analyze data and write briefs on a poll of food insecurity across New York State. I have also had the chance to work closely with the other program areas such as Consumer Empowerment and Veterans Health. Importantly, I’ve begun to understand how grantmakers undergo the difficult process of selecting organizations to fund. Working at the intersection of philanthropy, policy, and health has helped me learn about important ways that organizations can make impacts on millions of lives.
  • Lauren Kim, University of Global Health Equity

    This summer, I have had the privilege of working with the Center for Gender Equity (CGE) at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Kigali, Rwanda. UGHE is a Partners in Health initiative that focuses on empowering more people with the knowledge they need to work broadly in the field of healthcare. As an intern with CGE specifically, I have been able to assist with a largely interdisciplinary variety of projects, including designing a breakthrough BM/BS curriculum for women who dream of pursuing surgical careers, refining the MS in Global Health Delivery program to stress greater collaboration and leadership, as well as conducting research to better inform the content of future Executive Education certificate courses. Getting to work with so many members of the UGHE team and feeling integrated into the greater work environment has been an incredible learning experience that has merged seamlessly with my previous interests in menstrual hygiene, healthcare delivery systems, and gender equity in Africa.
  • Kareem King, Partners in Health

    This summer, I am interning with Partners In Health, a non-profit organization focused on strengthening health systems in foreign countries. It is an international team operating in over 13 unique locations to address global health inequity through care delivery, fundraising, grassroots advocacy, and policy development. This summer, I am working alongside the leadership team to develop their summer advocacy campaign. My responsibilities include creating training modules on health advocacy, organizing constituent meetings with Members of Congress to discuss emerging global health legislation, coordinating grassroots efforts for the yearlong campaign, and utilizing graphic media to mobilize health advocates.
  • Kris King, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

    During my internship with the Policy and Strategic Initiatives (PSI) group of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Unit of the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, I was responsible for information gathering on upcoming and current legislation at the county, state and federal level in addition to developing systems for tracking local organizations and legislation. I also worked with internal and external partners to reform equity focuses on LGBTQ+ populations and relevant intersectionalities and share policy recommendations for the health department, PSI unit and substance abuse support providers and programs.
  • Sophie Kocho, National Academy for Social Prescribing

    This summer, I am interning with the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) in London, England. I have been working with two other interns and our supervisor to help collate and create a toolkit of social prescribing assets for international bodies who hope to implement social prescribing programs. Additionally, we are writing a journal article on the global opioid epidemic and how overprescribing has contributed to it. NASP is a collaborative environment, and people are incredibly welcoming and eager to speak with us. We have been able to participate in meetings with NASP, NHS, and global social prescribing leaders. I am learning a lot about healthcare systems around the world and becoming a passionate advocate for social prescribing!
  • Sajeev Kohli, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program

    This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work at the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program. As part of the clinical case management team, I was able to meet numerous patients on a daily basis, helping them with housing applications, acquisition of mobile phones, food vouchers, clothing vouchers, transportation, medical appointments, cash benefits, and more. As part of the foot care clinic, I was able to meet a large number of patients as well, helping provide care for their feet and having meaningful discussions with them. I also had the opportunity to help with patient outreach in the community as part of the community care van and through working with physicians on the street team. On the whole, this has been a truly remarkable and very rewarding learning experience and has reinforced my belief in the power of combining medicine and social justice work to make meaningful change.
  • Shruthi Kumar, CDC

    This summer I am working at the CDC Center for Global Health based in Washington, D.C. I work in the Office of the Director on interagency partnerships and health policy. This summer, I have worked on a variety of projects from conducting a landscape analysis for CDC’s Global Health Equity Strategy to preparing briefings on global health for U.S. Ambassadors. I have learned about the intersection of global health and foreign policy by gaining insight into the inner-workings of the U.S. Government and how health priorities are addressed. In the context of COVID-19, we work on pandemic preparedness and response (PPR) as a top global health priority.
  • Keza Levine, Kaiser Medical School

    I have been conducting a landscape analysis of community engagement offices and programs of medical schools across the country. This analysis will be used to improve the office of community engagement at Kaiser so that it may set a standard in the field of medical education. I have also done fieldwork in a number of federally qualified health centers to see how medical students can better understand and contribute to these spaces while working with community members.
  • Kevin Lin, NHS England, Strategy Group

    Interning with the Strategic Insights Group of the Strategy Team at England's National Health Service (NHS), has been an incredibly rich experience. I've found myself working on a couple projects this summer that have taught me a lot about healthcare and the overall health landscape in England. One of which has been a market insights project in which I look into different markets that the NHS engages with and identify potential risks and opportunities. My main market of focus has been the private acute health sector, or the independent healthcare sector. I've also been revamping the Strategic Insights Weekly Update email, which compiles the latest insights in health care in a consolidated weekly email. Throughout the internship, I've also had opportunities to talk with various people who work throughout the NHS!
  • Jenny Lu, Healthy London Parternship

    This summer, I am interning with the Regional Integrated Urgent Care (IUC) Team at Healthy London Partnership. I am working on analyzing data in order to understand the outcomes of the Clinical Assessment Service (CAS) and how they vary by region and provider. My work also ties into the new Single Virtual Contact Center (SVCC) and aspirations of a single clinical queue in London. This has been a wonderful opportunity to learn about the 111 telephony service and NHS England.
  • Anjeli Macaranas, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

    I have had the incredible opportunity to work with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) as an intern with their Child Protection Research Group this summer. Over the past few weeks, I have conducted qualitative analyses of researcher debriefs from the Contexts of Violence in Adolescence Cohort Study (CoVAC), a longitudinal study assessing health outcomes among children in Uganda who have experienced violence. For the remainder of my internship, I will be assisting in the creation of a conceptual framework aimed to help identify and remedy gender bias in UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS).
  • Hamaad Mehal, Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives

    I work with the Planning Commission of the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives in Islamabad, Pakistan. This has been an incredibly enriching experience as it has provided me with a complex understanding of the special considerations and processes that go into policy creation, specifically in the developing world. From health care to education policy, I have been exposed to a wide array of national initiatives that are currently being spearheaded by the Government of Pakistan, and I cannot wait to gain exposure and engage in more policy discussions over the next month!
  • Namira Mehedi, VHL alliance

    This summer I have had the amazing opportunity to work with the VHL Alliance (VHLA) as the Strategic Outreach Intern. My work is primarily focused on making connections with organizations and individuals to strengthen VHLA’s mission of Curing Cancer Through VHL, a genetic form of cancer. I work closely with the staff to align our internal goals with new and existing partner relationships alongside strategizing ways to connect with new partners. In my role, I strategize, research, and compile materials related to the organization’s strategic outreach efforts to foster support and research to improve the quality of life for those affected by VHL. Through this experience, I have been able to improve my skills while learning more about rare diseases and the inner workings of a non-profit to create an impact for both the organization and patients within the rare disease space.
  • Maanasa Mendu, Alter lab

    I've been interning at the Alter Lab at the Ragon Institute. The Alter lab applies systems serology profiling to better understand the role of antibodies in various infectious diseases and design better vaccines. I am a part of the computational team, which applies univariate and multivariate analyses (e.g. PLS-DA and LASSO) to large multidimensional systems serology datasets. Firstly, I’m working on a project focused on understanding how the antibody response to Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection changes over time and identifying markers of severe infection. Secondly, I'm working on automating how experimental data is formatted for analysis and projecting COVID-19 antibody levels over time.
  • Emily Meng, Health Leads

    This summer I've had the opportunity to work with Health Leads Boston on their SNAP (food stamp) enrollment project. Aside from helping individuals with applying to SNAP, I am also able to collaborate with SNAP advocates from Boston neighborhoods like Roslindale and Hyde Park to understand the impact of these outreach projects. It's taught me a lot about the importance of community work and I look forward to continuing this project with them for the rest of the summer.
  • Aqil Merchant, GAVI

    My internship is with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. To generate learnings that enhance Gavi’s delivery of its programs and policies, the organization commissions external suppliers to evaluate its strategies. Currently, I am conducting a comprehensive supplier analysis aimed at improving how Gavi assesses firms to conduct evaluations with a particular emphasis on safeguarding evaluation independence and impartiality. This position has provided valuable exposure to Gavi’s learning-driven evaluation activities and institutional decision-making processes. I also appreciate how my supervisors have fostered a welcoming environment in which I am encouraged to share my perspective and contribute to meaningful dialogue on evaluation policies.
  • Akila Muthukumar, STAT

    This summer I am an intern at STAT covering various topics in health and science, ranging from news stories on recently published research that are assigned to me to longer investigations I am able to pitch, such as one tracing racial disparities in the pre-hospital workforce. I was treated like a colleague and independent reporter from my first day. I work closely with one editor to refine my writing skills, but have opportunities to attend meetings and write stories in any beat; I found that everyone on staff is incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and generous with their support. I really enjoy feeling the energy of an in-person office, chatting with reporters from both STAT and Globe at meals, and growing closer to the other interns. We have brown bag lunches on different aspects of reporting such as research and data visualization, breaking into politics and biotech coverage, sourcing from social media, multimedia and podcasting efforts, or what makes a strong narrative story. All together, I've loved my time at STAT!
  • Sarosh Nagar, NICE

    This summer, I am working at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom on two different projects. First, I am working on the European Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis, a joint project of the US, UK, and EU governments and pharmaceutical firms like Janssen to develop novel drugs against antibiotic-resistant (ABR) diseases. In particular, I am developing a novel value assessment framework based on Markov chain and decision tree economic modeling to help policymakers assess the cost-effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals. I am also working on a similar project to assess the cost-effectiveness of different artificial intelligence applications in healthcare. I would like to thank HGHI for this wonderful opportunity and look forward to publishing and presenting my work in the future!
  • Misha Nair, Rubin Lab at Harvard School of Public Health

    Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s leading causes of death from a single infectious agent, but there is no effective vaccine and growing resistance to antibiotics. At the Rubin Lab, my project focuses on chromatin structure in Mycobacterium smegmatis, a non-pathogenic model organism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As a part of the project, I am trying to generate a strain of cell cycle synchronizable M. smegmatis, which would be used to generate a high-resolution structure of the chromatin using the Hi-C technique. Very little is known about the structure of mycobacteria chromatin, so a better understanding may help identify novel therapeutic targets.
  • Ruhi Nayak, UNFPA

    This summer, I am interning with the Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund (MHTF) at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). I am supporting the development of the 2021 MHTF Annual Report that is delivered to member states and donors summarizing the MHTF-supported work done by headquarters and the dozens of UNFPA country offices and affiliates across the globe on advancing midwifery, emergency obstetric and newborn care, maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response, and the path to ending obstetric fistula. I have been consolidating case studies from dozens of country-level annual reports, selecting pictures, writing paragraphs, and editing the entire draft of the report for clarity and coherence. I have also been given the opportunity to collaborate with our midwifery and abortion access teams on various initiatives and am grateful to the UNFPA for allowing me to experience different sides of each project. I am deeply inspired by the work and collaborations supported by UNFPA and its partners and feel privileged to be part of such a great organization.
  • Saddat Nazir, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Mass Eye and Ear

    Throughout this summer, I was fortunate enough to conduct research at the Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, located in Mass Eye and Ear. I have analyzed the design, fabrication, and in vitro testing of novel three-dimensionally printed tympanic membrane grafts in the middle ear and provided several literature reviews. Additionally, I drafted a standard operating procedure for whole mount staining of the tympanic membrane in chinchillas, based off former cochlear whole mount research. I took part in several audiology experiments that sought to research presbycusis, the first being extended frequency air and bone audiometry. Following this, I researched the applications of Laser Doppler vibrometry, a non-invasive test using a laser to measure the tiny vibrations of the umbro, the middle ear bone underneath the eardrum in high-frequency, age-related hearing loss. Currently, I am continuing calibration research in holographic, middle-ear imaging using biomechanics software to produce nonlinear models of the tympanic membrane and ossicles.
  • Melanie Ng, Ariadne Labs

    This summer, I am interning with Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. As part of the Better Evidence team, I am assisting the implementation of our Better Evidence for Training Program, which aims to enhance access and uptake of the latest clinical evidence across providers. By increasing access to digital medical tools, this program seeks to habituate consultation of evidence-based clinical practices for future health care practitioners. By conducting research on the medical schools across Africa, I am working to create a comprehensive database to map a prioritized scaling plan for the program. This assists in furthering the outreach of our program’s coverage to new regions and communities, contributing to narrowing the “know-do” gap in health care delivery.
  • KayLeigh Noblin, Thoracic Surgery and Oncology Clinical Research, MGH/HMS with Dr. Yang

    This summer, I have had the opportunity to perform clinical research on lung cancer in Dr. Yang’s lab at MGH/HMS. My work has focused on raising awareness about lung cancer among vulnerable patient populations, including Native American communities. I am currently leading a highly impactful study using the National Cancer Database to identify disparities in the treatment and outcomes of Native patients with lung cancer.  I have been able to lead all aspects of the study, and my work was chosen to be featured at the most significant conference for Native American health in the country, AAIP’s 50th National Health Conference. I have also led outreach projects for Native healthcare clinics and an MBTA funding opportunity. This has been a great opportunity, and it has been a great blessing to have HGHI funding for my work!
  • Omowonuola Obasa, Touch Foundation

    As an intern for the Touch Foundation, I am assisting them in implementing projects that will increase revenue for a rural clinic close to Mwanza, Tanzania. I went on-site to observe the workings of the hospital, interviewed both patients and doctors to investigate potential areas of quality and revenue improvement, and initiated the on-ground implementation of a telemedicine service.
  • Sajen Plevyak, Penn Medicine, Jefferson Med, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Vot-ER

    This summer I am researching the implementation of nonpartisan civic engagement interventions in hospitals across Philadelphia as a means of understanding how accompanying patients and empowering them through the voting process can improve the social factors that determine their health (affordable housing, education, gun safety, abortion access, etc.)
  • Sraavya Sambara, GAVI

    This summer, I am working at Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, an innovative public-private global health partnership which funds essential immunizations in developing countries. This internship is at the perfect intersection of my interests in global health and international development, and has been a deeply enriching intellectual and professional experience. Through my work with the Vaccine Programmes and Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning Teams, I have worked on health campaign implementation work and immunization equity research projects. I have particularly enjoyed writing research policy briefs for the Executive Office, working with Gavi and WHO teams on health campaign data projects, and meeting incredible global health leaders, including the former Prime Minister of Portugal!
  • Helen Scarborough, Mount Sinai Hospital

    This summer, I am working with a public health research team based both in my hometown, NYC, and Nigeria, where the results of the work I am currently doing will be applied. This team is working to understand the psychosocial barriers experienced by patients undergoing breast cancer treatment in low- and middle-income countries by reviewing patient-reported outcomes. The end goal of this research is to provide recommendations for improving breast cancer treatment uptake throughout Nigeria where there are higher breast cancer-related mortality rates as compared to higher-income countries. My specific role will be to review literature and provide assistance in writing the official manuscript. Thus far, I have had an incredible experience working with this research team as I have not only had the opportunity to take part in significant, inspirational research, but also I have been able to build relationships with mentors currently working in a field I one day hope to take on myself!
  • Lara Schenk, UNFPA

    Working at the UNFPA this summer, I have been focusing mostly on writing the midwifery chapter in the annual report of the UNFPA’s maternal health thematic fund. This encompasses culling information from 32 country office and regional reports, researching specific case studies, as well as fact-checking and accumulating overall numbers for midwifery education and regulation purposes. After submitting this report at the end of June, I will be working on documenting select midwifery good practices and creating a midwifery advocacy booklet while continuously supporting colleagues within the sexual and reproductive health branch.
  • Sophia Scott, Heath Leads

    This summer, I am interning at Health Leads, a national non-profit organization that strives to promote “health, dignity, and well-being for every person, in every community." Health Leads works closely with hospitals and clinics to connect people to essential resources like food, housing, and transportation. As an intern, I conduct research to unearth and address the deep roots of racial inequity that impact individuals' health both locally and nationally. I am passionate about health equity, service, and reducing racial disparities in medical care, particularly for underserved communities. I admire Health Leads’s dedication to coordinating programs for health systems and clinics around the country working to connect vulnerable populations with vital resources, and I am honored to be a part of these efforts this summer."
  • Sneha Shenoy, CFAR and Fenway Health

    This summer, I am working as a Policy & Advocacy Intern at Fenway Health, covering a breadth of different projects and topics related to global health. On the policy side, I’ve gained hands-on, real-time experience with health legislation. I especially love being a part of the Rally Planning team for the Healthy Youth Act, an act that requires more comprehensive, LGBTQ+ inclusive sex education in Massachusetts public schools, while emphasizing the importance of topics like consent and healthy relationships from an early age. On the advocacy side, I’ve had the opportunity to work on programming materials and facilitator guides for Getting to Zero, an initiative that aims for “zero new HIV infections, zero HIV-related deaths, and zero HIV-related stigma”. These programs include The People’s Sex Ed, a series of free webinars that help communities make informed choices and Activist Academy, an initiative that creates community activists in Massachusetts.
  • Jennifer Su, Lumiere Health

    This summer, I am interning at Lumiere Health International, a nonprofit that aims to provide health and psychosocial services for underserved populations. A few of the projects that I am working on include supporting the development of the Women Safe Spaces Programme through the Zimbabwe National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and researching into expanding access to prescription medications in New York City. The team has been incredibly supportive, and I am excited to continue learning and doing impactful work with everyone for the rest of the summer.
  • Katalina Toth, UChicago Urban Health Labs

    I am spending the summer interning at the University of Chicago Urban Health Labs, on the CTIME and CARE projects. The CTIME project administers Critical Time Intervention to individuals with mental illness transitioning from homelessness to housing, in an effort to improve their experience and facilitate staying in housing in the long term. The CARE project is developing a co-response program to divert mental health calls that the police would usually respond to alone to a team including mental health professionals and other workers who can improve the interaction and make connections to other mental health workers for follow ups. I am conducting literature reviews, recruitment, and qualitative interviews, among other tasks.
  • Lucy Tu, Greater Boston Legal Services

    As an intern for Greater Boston Legal Services' Elder, Health, and Disability Unit, I have had transformational experiences working one-on-one with clients and conducting research for local-to-federal health policy projects. My primary responsibilities involve meeting with GBLS clients, most of whom are low-income MA residents, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, or high-risk elders, to ensure they have access to care, justice, and health coverage. I have also written several legal briefs, including a 25-page memorandum filed in federal court for a Social Security Disability hearing. The GBLS team is comprised of dedicated legal and health advocates, who provide me with incredible opportunities to devise legislative revisions to MassHealth's application process and improve community collaboration through the GBLS Asian Outreach Program.
  • Anna Volpp, Socios en Salud

    I have been volunteering for Socios en Salud, a site of Partners in Health located in Perú. I have been working on the CASITA team focused on an intervention led by Community Health Workers (CHWs) aimed at equipping caregivers with the support and knowledge they need to raise infants at risk of developmental delays. My main task involves conducting a research project focused on the systematization of the training of the CHWs to lead the CASITA sessions, the first qualitative analysis of the experiences of the CHWs involved in CASITA. The research project consists of creating a proposal, reviewing literature, conducting interviews and focus groups, analyzing data, and creating a report and presentation. I have also helped brainstorm ideas for the team, translate calls with researchers in the US and other documents, and perform other tasks as needed. I have been traveling between Lima and Cuzco for work, getting to learn about the health care system in rural and urban parts of Perú as well as the cultures, history, and lifestyles in diverse parts of the country. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be part of the Socios team and do the work I am doing while being able to explore Perú and practice my Spanish.
  • Cindy Wang, Harvard School of Public Health

    This summer, I am working with Dr. Andrew Beam at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to identify medically significant subtypes of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). BPD is a prevalent and serious lung disease found in extremely preterm and/or low birth-weight infants defined by level of oxygen support at 36 weeks post-menstrual age. Since BPD is broadly characterized by treatment rather than pathophysiology, we are applying various deep learning models and clustering algorithms to find distinct, clinically relevant phenotypes of BPD from which we can identify more targeted and effective diagnosis and treatment to better overall treatment outcomes.
  • Peyton Williams, Massachusetts General Hospital

    I am working with the LiveWell/ViveBien Research Study at Massachusetts General Hospital this summer. My project is to investigate how social support can act as an effect modifier of psychological well-being in low income populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this internship, I have learned how to better analyze data through R programming, tailor research questions and goals, and work independently on a research manuscript. Moreover, I have thoroughly observed the effects of social support on health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A highlight of my internship has been working closely with my amazing mentors, including but not limited to the study's Principal Investigator and Database Manager!
  • Minjue Wu, Stop Tuberculosis Partnership / UNOPS

    This summer, I am interning with the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership (STBP), a UNOPS-hosted entity which aligns 1,600 partner organizations to lead global advocacy for ending tuberculosis. As part of the External Affairs and Strategic Initiatives (EASI) team, I am supporting the development and launch of the Re-imagining Tuberculosis Care (RTC) initiative, a project to transform TB care service delivery worldwide by working with high-burden countries to bring routine services from hospitals to homes and communities. I am creating the RTC website, a comprehensive platform which helps TB-affected countries and stakeholders identify, source, invest in, launch, and scale-up human-centered innovations that make routine services more accessible. In addition to content creation, I have produced concept notes of innovation sourcing strategies to ensure diverse and high-quality solution pipelines; researched innovative financing models to broaden donor engagement; helped create a deck presented at the AIDS 2022 Conference; and engaged with startups and international partners to identify strategies and modalities for their support. My work at STBP has exposed me to a wide array of emerging needs and priorities in health system transformation. Furthermore, it has also helped me gained practical knowledge ranging from project management and human centered design to procurement and grant-making processes. I am incredibly grateful for this wonderful experience, and am eager to continue working at the intersection of digital innovation and global health advocacy this summer and beyond.
  • Margaret Yin, IDHA

    As an intern at the Innovation and Digital Health Accelerator at Boston Children's Hospital, I've had the opportunity to explore the cutting-edge of patient treatment from the hospital strategy standpoint. My work centers around the remote patient monitoring program, a digital health strategy that BCH is working on developing into an enterprise-level solution. Through self-led research, providing strategic recommendations, and meeting with top healthcare vendors and systems, I've gained a new perspective on how healthcare systems work to bring their patients the best and most accessible care.
  • Abigail Yoon, Joint Committee on Public Health

    This summer, I got to lead tasks aligning with my interests and create memos of bills that would help inform how JCPH would proceed with them, help organize JCPH's newly-created Poverty Commission by researching other states' anti-poverty commissions, help a state representative draft an article advocating for legislation against gun violence, create a summary of MA health cost trends, and design and lead my own independent project on summer programs empowering low-income students of color. I've learned a lot about how MA's legislative process works, and how various public health issues are being discussed or addressed in the state legislature.
  • Erin Yuan, National Institutes of Health

    This summer, I'm working at the National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center on several COVID-19 related projects, including using genomic sequencing to track viral spread and optimizing an algorithm to forecast case numbers, which is especially interesting and relevant given the current pandemic. I've loved working with my team so far and am very grateful towards HGHI for the opportunity!
  • Malaika Zaidi, UChicago Urban Health Labs

    This summer I have had the incredible opportunity to serve as a research assistant at the University of Chicago's Urban Health Lab. I have primarily been an assistant with the Reducing Opioid Mortality in Illinois (ROMI) project team. ROMI is a controlled trial that aims to examine the impact of medication-assisted treatment and health outcomes for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) as they exit jails and prisons in Illinois. This internship has given me the incredible opportunity to assist with behind the scenes work of the ROMI team and work alongside such passionate and talented individuals. I am humbled to have been granted the chance to work with this wonderful team.
  • Brian Zhou, Sangath

    I am incredibly excited to be working with the Addiction Research Group at Sangath, one of the leading global mental health research organizations based in Goa, India. My main focus is on the IMPRESS trial, which tests the effectiveness of a community-oriented volunteer program in increasing overall demand and adherence to a mental health intervention implemented by lay counsellors trained through Sangath's other projects. As an intern, I have had the opportunity to conduct literature reviews and presentations on study design, develop Excel-based tools to assess counsellor ratings and economic costs of the entire study, and even draft an introduction to IMPRESS' first qualitative paper!
  • Sasha Agarwal, Sangath
  • Isabella Almanza, UCSF
  • Marie Ayiah, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
  • Abdullah	Bannan, Multi-Aid Programs (MAPs)
  • Alejandra Beltran, VHL Alliance
  • Maya Bharara, Brady Campaign
  • Calli	Bianchi, LifeMoves
  • Sidonie Brown, UCLA Art and Global Health Center
  • Julia Casas, San Francisco AIDS Foundation
  • Huiwen Chen, Computational Epidemiology Lab
  • Thea Chung, The National Academy for Social Prescribing
  • Patrick Clark, PHRU
  • Sophie Clivio, Village Health Works
  • Raina Cohen, International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Disease (IQIC)
  • Anais Colin, Socios En Salud | Partners In Health Peru
  • Mia Colman, Lumiere Health International
  • Ellen Deng, Stop TB Partnership
  • Caroline Dent, HGHI
  • Sofia Diaz Rodriguez, WeCancer
  • Alex	Dyer, Mass Eye and Ear
  • Nicole Farkouh, Save the Children
  • Sophia Fend, NHS Strategy Group
  • Alice Ferguson, Hollywood, Health and Society
  • Imani Fonfield, Partners In Health
  • Coby Garcia, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey
  • Sakshi Garg, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • Soleil Golden, Mental Health For All Lab
  • Sophie Haugen, UNFPA
  • Felicia He, Homeless Healthcare LA
  • Muammer Karaca, PHRU
  • Alexandra Kassinis, Save the Children
  • Jai Khurana, New York Health Foundation
  • Lauren Kim, University of Global Health Equity
  • Kareem King, Partners in Health
  • Kris King, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
  • Sophie Kocho, National Academy for Social Prescribing
  • Sajeev Kohli, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program
  • Shruthi Kumar, CDC
  • Keza Levine, Kaiser Medical School
  • Kevin Lin, NHS England, Strategy Group
  • Jenny Lu, Healthy London Parternship
  • Anjeli Macaranas, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
  • Hamaad Mehal, Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives
  • Namira Mehedi, VHL alliance
  • Maanasa Mendu, Alter lab
  • Emily Meng, Health Leads
  • Aqil Merchant, GAVI
  • Akila Muthukumar, STAT
  • Sarosh Nagar, NICE
  • Misha Nair, Rubin Lab at Harvard School of Public Health
  • Ruhi	Nayak, UNFPA
  • Saddat Nazir, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Mass Eye and Ear
  • Melanie Ng, Ariadne Labs
  • KayLeigh	Noblin, Thoracic Surgery and Oncology Clinical Research, MGH/HMS with Dr. Yang
  • Omowonuola Obasa, Touch Foundation
  • Sajen Plevyak, Penn Medicine, Jefferson Med, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Vot-ER
  • Sraavya Sambara, GAVI
  • Helen Scarborough, Mount Sinai Hospital
  • Lara	Schenk, UNFPA
  • Sophia Scott, Heath Leads
  • Sneha Shenoy, CFAR and Fenway Health
  • Jennifer Su, Lumiere Health
  • Katalina Toth, UChicago Urban Health Labs
  • Lucy Tu, Greater Boston Legal Services
  • Anna Volpp, Socios en Salud
  • Cindy Wang, Harvard School of Public Health
  • Peyton Williams, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Minjue Wu, Stop Tuberculosis Partnership / UNOPS
  • Margaret Yin, IDHA
  • Abigail Yoon, Joint Committee on Public Health
  • Erin Yuan, National Institutes of Health
  • Malaika Zaidi, UChicago Urban Health Labs
  • Brian Zhou, Sangath

HGHI 2021 Summer Fellows

During the summer of 2021, HGHI supported 70 exceptional students to work with 50 different organizations around the world. Please click on the images below to learn more about each of their experiences.
Mohammed Abuelem, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, USA
Hilary Adeleke, Joint Committee on Public Health, Boston, USA
Yishak Ali, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA
Hayat Alkadir, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
Kenji Aoki, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco, USA
Simar Bajaj, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC, USA
Niara Botchwey, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa
Anjali Chakradhar, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa
Raina Cohen, Maternal Health Task Force, HSPH, Cambridge, USA
Rachel Chen, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England
Dominick Contreras, GOTVax, Boston, USA
Marissa Diggs, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA
Muriel Dol, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA
Connor Dowd, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston , USA
Udochi Emeghara, International Quality Improvement Collaborative (IQIC), Boston, USA
Sonia Epstein, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England
Nicole Farkouh, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Bekaa, Lebanon
Salomé Garnier, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland
Alfonso Godinez Aguilar, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA
Alexandrea Harriott, Kings Health Partners, London, England
Sophie Haugen, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
Moti Heda, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA
Kylie Hilton, Independent Funding: Alzheimer's Research in Kosik Lab, Santa Barbara, USA
Ryan Ixtlahuac, Village Health Works, New York, USA
Isileli Kakala, The Touch Foundation, Mwanza, Tanzania
Harini Kannan, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA
Sameer Khan, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA
Lauren Kim, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Kareem King, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA
James Kitch, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
Shruthi Kumar, SaveLIFE Foundation, New Delhi, India
Sheung Wai Julian Lee, Wadhwani AI, Mumbai, India
Kevin Lin, STAT, Boston, USA
Elizabeth Lites, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA
Maanasa Mendu, Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation, New York, USA
Jessica Miller, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
Hebatalla Mohamed, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Tanaayel/ Bekaa , Lebanon
Emerson Monks, AUB Global Health Institute, Beirut, Lebanon
Hafso Muse, Kings Health Partners, London, England
Akila Muthukumar Valliammai, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England
Shreya Nair, Alter Lab, Boston, USA
Alicetonia Nwamah, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
Abigail Obeng-Marnu, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA
Varshini Odayar, Sangath, Goa, India
Elizabeth Pachus, Independent Funding: World Resources Institute Internship: Healthy Dietary Interventions in China, Boston, USA
Vincent Pan, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA
Christian Malachy Porter, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England
Michelle Qin, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA
Kashfia Rahman, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA
Brammy Rajakumar, Sangath, Goa, India
Kaelin Ray, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA
Marilyn Rodriguez, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
Asmer Safi, Independent Funding: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Pakistan., Islamabad, Pakistan
Jayram Sastry, Independent Funding: The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the California Individual Insurance Marketplace, Boston, USA
Maximilian Schermer, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA
Simran Shah, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA
Chloe Shawah, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Washington DC, USA
Amy Shi, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA
Aaron Shirley, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), Boston, USA
Sarah Shirley, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England
Ivy Tran, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA
Birukti Tsige, Partners in health, Boston, USA
Lucy Tu, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, USA
Toochi Uradu, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA
Erica Wu, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA
Julia Yanez, Lumiere Health International, New York, USA
Grace Yeboah-Kodie, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
Seo-Hyun Yoo, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England
  • Mohammed Abuelem, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, USA
  • Hilary Adeleke, Joint Committee on Public Health, Boston, USA
  • Yishak Ali, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA
  • Hayat Alkadir, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
  • Kenji Aoki, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco, USA
  • Simar Bajaj, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC, USA
  • Niara Botchwey, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa
  • Anjali Chakradhar, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa
  • Raina Cohen, Maternal Health Task Force, HSPH, Cambridge, USA
  • Rachel Chen, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England
  • Dominick Contreras, GOTVax, Boston, USA
  • Marissa Diggs, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA
  • Muriel Dol, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA
  • Connor Dowd, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston , USA
  • Udochi Emeghara, International Quality Improvement Collaborative (IQIC), Boston, USA
  • Sonia Epstein, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England
  • Nicole Farkouh, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Bekaa, Lebanon
  • Salomé Garnier, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Alfonso Godinez Aguilar, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA
  • Alexandrea Harriott, Kings Health Partners, London, England
  • Sophie Haugen, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Moti Heda, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA
  • Kylie Hilton, Independent Funding: Alzheimer's Research in Kosik Lab, Santa Barbara, USA
  • Ryan Ixtlahuac, Village Health Works, New York, USA
  • Isileli Kakala, The Touch Foundation, Mwanza, Tanzania
  • Harini Kannan, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA
  • Sameer Khan, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA
  • Lauren Kim, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Kareem King, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA
  • James Kitch, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
  • Shruthi Kumar, SaveLIFE Foundation, New Delhi, India
  • Sheung Wai Julian Lee, Wadhwani AI, Mumbai, India
  • Kevin Lin, STAT, Boston, USA
  • Elizabeth Lites, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA
  • Maanasa Mendu, Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation, New York, USA
  • Jessica Miller, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
  • Hebatalla Mohamed, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Tanaayel/ Bekaa , Lebanon
  • Emerson Monks, AUB Global Health Institute, Beirut, Lebanon
  • Hafso Muse, Kings Health Partners, London, England
  • Akila Muthukumar Valliammai, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England
  • Shreya Nair, Alter Lab, Boston, USA
  • Alicetonia Nwamah, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Abigail Obeng-Marnu, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA
  • Varshini Odayar, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Elizabeth Pachus, Independent Funding: World Resources Institute Internship: Healthy Dietary Interventions in China, Boston, USA
  • Vincent Pan, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA
  • Christian Malachy Porter, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England
  • Michelle Qin, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA
  • Kashfia Rahman, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA
  • Brammy Rajakumar, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Kaelin Ray, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA
  • Marilyn Rodriguez, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
  • Asmer Safi, Independent Funding: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Pakistan., Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Jayram Sastry, Independent Funding: The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the California Individual Insurance Marketplace, Boston, USA
  • Maximilian Schermer, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA
  • Simran Shah, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA
  • Chloe Shawah, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Washington DC, USA
  • Amy Shi, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA
  • Aaron Shirley, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), Boston, USA
  • Sarah Shirley, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England
  • Ivy Tran, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA
  • Birukti Tsige, Partners in health, Boston, USA
  • Lucy Tu, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, USA
  • Toochi Uradu, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA
  • Erica Wu, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA
  • Julia Yanez, Lumiere Health International, New York, USA
  • Grace Yeboah-Kodie, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
  • Seo-Hyun Yoo, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England
  • Mohammed Abuelem, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, USA

    This summer, I am interning at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent research center that analyzes global population health problems using quantitative epidemiologic methods, along with data modeling and visualization techniques. Within IHME, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study quantifies health loss from various diseases and injuries across the world, along with their risk factors, and helps inform health policy decisions that reduce disease burden. As part of the GBD, my project investigates Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E prevalence that may be attributable to certain risk factors such as access to unsafe water and sanitation. I am specifically conducting a systematic review and extracting relevant data that will be used to model the risk-exposure relationship between Hepatitis A and E and access to unsafe water and sanitation in different regions of the world.
  • Hilary Adeleke, Joint Committee on Public Health, Boston, USA

    My experience with interning for the Joint Committee on Public Health at the Massachusetts State House has been great. As an intern, I prepare memos covering different public health topics, track news coverage about COVID-19, assist in summarizing bills, research constituents' concerns, and more! From attending various events covering COVID-19 regulations, environmental health, maternal health, racial inequity in probation, and more, my perspective on public health has expanded. My supervisor encourages my involvement in topics that interest me. I initially mentioned an interest in maternal health inequity. Now, I attend and document the meetings of the Commission of Racial Inequity in Maternal Health. During this internship, I see people from different walks of life passionately engage in the legislative process to make effective change for millions of people, and it is inspiring.
  • Yishak Ali, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA

    This summer, I have the pleasure of working with the New York State Health Foundation as an intern on the Policy and Research team. The Foundation is committed to improving the health of New Yorkers through grants in addition to internal research that informs health policy. The hope is to promote programs that are similarly working to advance health care in NY. My main project this summer is working on an upcoming update report on veteran's health that seeks to highlight the veteran population and its needs. I am also assisting in data analysis and visualization for a project looking at the mental health impact of the pandemic on New Yorkers. Overall, I have enjoyed my time at the Foundation, learning a lot about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into guiding health policy.
  • Hayat Alkadir, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA

    This summer, I am interning with the Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund (MHTF) at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). I am supporting the development of the 2020 MHTF Annual Report that is delivered to member states and donors summarizing the MHTF-supported work done by headquarters and the dozens of UNFPA country offices and affiliates across the globe on advancing midwifery, emergency obstetric and newborn care, maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response, and the path to ending obstetric fistula. I have been consolidating case studies from dozens of country-level annual reports, selecting pictures, writing paragraphs, and editing the entire draft of the report for clarity and coherence as several UNFPA colleagues contribute to its development. I am deeply inspired by the work and collaborations supported by UNFPA as I read about the challenges faced and resilience demonstrated by midwives and health workers in already fragile health systems to care for mothers and newborns throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
  • Kenji Aoki, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco, USA

    SFAF is currently working on finding ways to transition to a transformative justice and harm reduction model that destigmatizes substance use and challenges punitive forms of discipline in the workplace. Given that SFAF serves many individuals with lived experiences with substance use, maintaining archaic policies that reinforce substance stigmatization is counter-productive and hurts the retention of both staff and clients. Thus, our work is centered on creating anti-bias training, employee resource groups, and revising employee handbook policies to reflect the missions of SFAF on an internal level.
  • Simar Bajaj, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC, USA

    CMS Office of Minority Health is an incredible place to engage in impactful health equity work, especially with the current Administration's focus on combating health disparities. The work you do is anything but busy work and is intrinsically connected to the priorities of the Office, as well as your personal interests. I have done everything from developing a framework for CMS components to self-evaluate their health equity focus to working on data highlights focused on expanding access to treatment for opioid use disorder to writing a research report on expanding coverage for intensive behavioral therapy for obesity. The other members of the Office are incredibly supportive, and being in CMS is just an incredible opportunity (and excuse) to meet Harvard alumni across the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Niara Botchwey, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa

    This summer, I have the pleasure of working within one of Africa's leading research centers, the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in South Africa. PHRU engages in research, policy-formulation, and advocacy concerning HIV-positive and negative people. In my role, I work with our Roads to Health Immunization App, which helps parents and caregivers monitor the health of their children, establish an accurate digital health record of child development, and interact with healthcare professionals while empowering caregivers with childcare information and best practices. I enjoy working with my colleagues across the Atlantic in conducting literature-reviews, coding in NVivo, and bettering the application!
  • Anjali Chakradhar, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa

    This summer I am interning at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto, South Africa. With the PHRU, I am conducting mixed methods research to better understand community sentiment and comprehension of COVID guidelines implemented by the government. I have helped the biobehavioral team with the CARE project, that aims to identify and quantify the effects of rumors and miscommunications on community adherence to COVID guidelines (ex. conspiracy theories around vaccination and mask wearing). On the qualitative side, I have been using softwares like Nvivo to analyze and code interviews. I will also be conducting quantitative analysis of survey data and putting this information together into a manuscript deliverable at the end of this project. On community initiatives, I have been helping with the Youth KeStarring initiative, a global effort to reach youth and educate them about important facets of life such as sexual education, resume building, and mental health. Huge thank you to the PHRU and the HGHI for this opportunity to work on something so impactful, even during such a turbulent time in all of our lives. Wishing everyone to stay healthy, safe, and happy this summer.
  • Raina Cohen, Maternal Health Task Force, HSPH, Cambridge, USA

    This summer I have had the opportunity to work on two different research projects with The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Maternal and Child Health Center of Excellence. I am working with a team conducting a systematic review of family mental health during the pandemic and gotten to learn how the systematic review process works and the nuances of public health studies. My other project at the Center is conducting qualitative interviews with the organization Motherhood Beyond Bars for our study of incarcerated mothers.
  • Rachel Chen, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England

    This summer, I've been working with NASP to establish a global alliance for social prescribing. We're creating an international framework to guide interested students from across the globe in starting groups that can raise awareness of social prescribing in their respective communities and nations. We are also planning to launch a student movement in the U.S., which has involved collaborating with physicians, students, and leaders of all kinds to plan events. In the meantime, I'm also sitting in on various meetings with officials of NASP and NHS England, which has taught me a lot about how healthcare looks in a system very different from our own, and how grassroots movement building and overhead policy interact to create change.
  • Dominick Contreras, GOTVax, Boston, USA

    This summer I am working for GOTVax. A nonprofit focuses on creating popup equity COVID-19 vaccine clinics for communities throughout Boston and beyond. For my work, I am in charge of helping to organize these clinics as well as reaching out into the community to find individuals who have not yet been vaccinated and help them do so. The work itself has been very fulfilling and I feel as though I am making a real difference as the world continues on with the COVID-19 pandemic. Even helping one individual get vaccinated makes my entire work worth it in the end.
  • Marissa Diggs, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA

    I am excited to be working at Hollywood, Health, & Society and the Norman Lear Center to explore entertainment narratives as a source of health and safety education. I've been helping to develop two new Tip Sheets related to substance use disorder (SUD) in the U.S. for screenwriters interested in creating storylines related to the topics. I've also been helping to strategize and source content for their social media accounts. Recently, I've begun screening entries for the Sentinel Awards, a ceremony that recognizes TV shows that educate and motivate viewers to lead healthier and safer lives. This has been a wonderful opportunity to learn about careers at the intersections of healthcare and entertainment!
  • Muriel Dol, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA

    This summer, I am so excited to work with Health Leads California! As a part of the Health Leads team, I am assisting in the implementation of a campaign that aims to uplift equity and anti-racism in social determinants of health interventions. I have been conducting research on the communities we serve to ensure that we address any existing disparities and adequately cater to their needs. I am also using network tools to map out stakeholders and non-profits within these communities that can help uplift Health Leads mission. Towards the end of my work I will be aiding in the development of narrative pieces and events that aim to develop commitments with an accountability structure. In preparation for these deliverables, I am conducting, transcribing, and analyzing interviews of community based organizations and professionals in the health systems. I am so grateful for this eye-opening experience!
  • Connor Dowd, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston , USA

    As an intern at the Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, I have had the amazing opportunity to work with Dr. Yulin Hswen studying patterns and social determinants of disease. My work this summer has consisted primarily of analyzing data, with some additional time spent reading relevant research papers to inform that analysis. Most recently, my research has focused on investigating the relationship between various social factors – including income inequality and voter turnout – and health outcomes in different regions across the United States.
  • Udochi Emeghara, International Quality Improvement Collaborative (IQIC), Boston, USA

    This summer, I am working at the International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Disease at Boston Children's Hospital. IQIC is an organization dedicated to lowering mortality rates for congenital heart disease (CHD) in low and middle income countries by creating a collaborative space centered on sharing quality improvement techniques; in addition, cardiology data from over 70 sites around the world is displayed to showcase the global state of congenital heart disease. I am aiding IQIC by organizing reports for all of the involved sites and by helping with the GRACE project, a unique system that tracks how physicians can make more informed decisions depending on the severity of a patient's case.
  • Sonia Epstein, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England

    My time with the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) has proven to be eye-opening. NASP, in partnership with England's National Health Service, aims to establish a new healthcare model that supports individuals beyond their biomedical needs through working with the community and voluntary sector to promote the psychosocial elements of wellbeing. I am developing an international framework that considers how this model can be adopted in other countries, a project that has prompted me to think deeply about different healthcare systems. NASP is small, but – by nature of its holistic approach to health – incredibly interdisciplinary. Beyond working with those in clinical, research, and managerial roles, I have engaged with an inspiringly wide array of individuals using their expertise to advance community health, whether through the arts, athletics, or national historical projects.
  • Nicole Farkouh, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Bekaa, Lebanon

    This summer, I will be interning at the Multi-Aid Programs, which is an organization based in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. I will be helping design and deliver an 8-week research training program for refugee students involved in higher education, which focuses on community-based participatory research. This program has the ultimate goal of mending the gap between Western researchers and refugees who are often exploited, as well as amplifying refugees' narratives by empowering them to tell their own story and participate in the full process of research. Throughout the summer, I will also be writing a working paper about various refugee participatory research methods, their shortcomings, and ways in which our research training program addresses these shortcomings.
  • Salomé Garnier, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland

    I am working in Gavi's Evaluation & Learning Unit with a specific focus on gender barriers to vaccination and learning hubs in partner countries. Most of my work consists in analyzing country-specific documents, in both English and French, to both complete Gavi's Gender Monitoring Framework and create a new Mapping Framework for Learning Hub Countries. In the former framework, I am analyzing to what extent countries acknowledge and address gender barriers in their grant proposals to Gavi. In the latter, I am focusing on countries' approaches to reaching and monitoring "zero-dose" children.
  • Alfonso Godinez Aguilar, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA

    This summer I have had the amazing opportunity to work the VHL Alliance (VHLA) as a Fundraising and Marketing Intern! Over these past few weeks, my work has primarily focused on the development of a digital marketing campaign using Google Ads, the creation of a digital marketing strategy for the organization, and the creation of improved leave-behind and outreach materials for potential sponsors. Through this experience, I have been able to improve my skills in digital marketing and content creation to create an impact for both the organization and patients within the rare disease space.
  • Alexandrea Harriott, Kings Health Partners, London, England

    My primary project is on a health dashboard(report) for the boroughs of South East London. My part in this project is limited since this may take years to come to fruition, so I am tasked with helping create a foundational plan for the rest of the dashboard work. I am using logic models to create a framework of how future actions, programs, and processes can lead to the changes we would like to see in the health care system to reduce inequalities and improve overall health. The final goal is to present this report to health officials, in hopes that they will adopt the recommendations.
  • Sophie Haugen, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda

    This summer, I am working at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), a health sciences university focused on equitable health care delivery based in Kigali, Rwanda. As an intern at the Center for Gender Equity (CGE) at UGHE, I am researching course materials for the Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health track within the Master of Science in Global Health Delivery program. I have also been contributing to ongoing projects at the Center, such as research proposals and examining the impact of COVID-19 on sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Additionally, I am working with the mentorship program for students and distinguished leaders in global health. It has been very rewarding to learn about the innovative approach to health education and health care that UGHE takes, and to work with the incredible team at the university.
  • Moti Heda, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA

    This summer I am working with Save The Children as a qualitative research fellow under the Emergency Health and Nutrition team. With the assistance of monitoring and evaluation specialists, we are currently conducting a study to better understand how Covid-19 has impacted family planning service uptake in Somalia, Syria, and Yemen. I have been engaging in interviews with health managers and advisors to better understand how facilities have responded to restrictions and obstacles brought on by the pandemic. With this knowledge, we are looking to roll out interviews with health providers to get a better understanding of how these same obstacles have impacted service users. We are planning to wrap up qualitative and quantitative analysis in the coming weeks and I look forward to seeing what insights and lessons can be learned from this study.
  • Kylie Hilton, Independent Funding: Alzheimer's Research in Kosik Lab, Santa Barbara, USA

    This summer I have worked on a project with the Kosik lab, which analyses the condensation and aggregation of Bag 2 and Tau proteins in a wide range of cell lines. This work is critical in discovering the pathway and function of Tau in cells, and how it can go awry, with the end goal of ultimately discovering therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease that can be distributed world wide.
  • Ryan Ixtlahuac, Village Health Works, New York, USA

    My name is Ryan Ixtlahuac, and I am interning with a global health NGO called Village Health Works that operates in Burundi. The organization strives to provide and support quality healthcare for those in Kigutu, Burundi, valuable educational resources, women's health campaigns, and sustainable food programs. As a member of the supply chain/procurement team my responsibilities include the organization of buyer/supplier contracts, the management of stock keeping units (SKUs) in a specialized procurement software, and the implementation of the organizational objectives in procuring everything from pharmaceuticals to vehicle spare parts. This internship has been a continual learning process, and I look forward to seeing the tangible impact of my work in the future.
  • Isileli Kakala, The Touch Foundation, Mwanza, Tanzania

    This summer, I am interning at The Touch Foundation, an NGO based in Mwanza, Tanzania where our work looks at providing better access to care and improving the quality of local health systems in sub-Saharan Africa through consulting services and the design and implementation of different health programs. I've been staffed on three different programs: informing the development of a vaccine literacy chatbot, designing a monitoring and evaluation framework for Touch's various programs, and creating an inventory system for our engineering department's medical technologies. This internship has given me the opportunity to strengthen my passion for global health while providing me insights into my future academic and professional endeavors.
  • Harini Kannan, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA

    This summer I am working at the Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab in Mass Eye & Ear on a clinical study about conductive presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss due to middle ear dysfunction. Through various standard and high-frequency hearing tests, we hope to understand mechanisms of conductive presbycusis and how aging affects the middle ear. I am helping with subject recruitment and testing for normal and hearing loss patients. I am also helping with a meta-analysis about compliance of the middle ear system as it relates to age and gender. The experience has been educational and rewarding, and I look forward to continuing this project!
  • Sameer Khan, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA

    This summer, I've been working remotely with Health Leads, California– an innovation hub whose efforts focus primarily on dismantling structural racism in healthcare and addressing systemic racial inequities that govern health status. Particularly, I've been helping to develop Health Leads' Beyond "Do No Harm" campaign, which centers around the harm perpetuated by tech-forward social-determinants-of-health interventions that have increasingly caught the eye of health systems in favor of those that have been championed by community-based organizations (CBOs) for decades. Spotlighting the community is of critical concern to Health Leads, so my work–from drafting project plans for the Beyond "Do No Harm" campaign to conducting interviews with representatives from healthcare and CBOs and writing pieces about the developments in this sector–is no stranger to that mission. Interning with Health Leads has been an incredibly rewarding opportunity, and I'm immensely grateful to be able to cultivate my love for working directly with communities through this position.
  • Lauren Kim, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    This summer, I have been working remotely with WeCancer, a healthcare startup based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that focuses on improving outpatient cancer treatment to minimize unnecessary hospitalizations and discover complications in a more time-efficient manner. My role with the company has been largely multidisciplinary and tapped into my multitude of interests: oncology as a field of scientific research, medicine as a career path, global health impact as a central driving force, and healthcare consulting as a side passion. I have gained an incredible amount of knowledge about health equity in Brazil, including the implications of its universal healthcare system (SUS) and the tremendous disparities between the public/private sectors as well as across different Brazilian states. In working closely with nearly all twenty people on the team, I have grown to become especially grateful for WeCancer's immersive, welcoming, and endlessly supportive work culture, and am excited to continue shaping its value for patients, oncologists, and pharmaceutical companies throughout the remainder of the summer.
  • Kareem King, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA

    This summer, I am working in the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine as an intern in the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Diversity (EI&D). My project has been to work alongside staff to develop curriculum for first and second year medical students. Specifically, I craft patient backstories that provide a more holistic view of identity and the role it plays in the health care setting. I also work on curriculum evaluation for incorporation of EI&D principles. \
  • James Kitch, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

    This summer, I'm working as a research intern for the Computational Epidemiology Lab under the guidance of Dr. Yulin Hswen. My project focuses on how city greenspace has changed in the last two decades across neighborhoods of different income levels and racial compositions. Increases in greenspace--whether it is trees lining a street, an urban park, or even grass in front of an apartment complex--have been linked to a host of human health benefits. My research aims to generate a better understanding of how cities are evolving in the 21st century, as an increasing number of people live in urban areas. Dr. Hswen has been a knowledgeable, passionate mentor and has made this internship experience incredibly valuable and interesting for me. I'm so grateful for HGHI's funding and support.
  • Shruthi Kumar, SaveLIFE Foundation, New Delhi, India

    I am working with the SaveLIFE Foundation, an NGO based in New Delhi, India. Given that road crash fatalities are one of the leading causes of death in India, this organization works on improving road safety and emergency medical care throughout the country. Thus far, majority of road safety guidance has come from developed countries which largely fails to address issues faced by developing countries. Therefore, this summer, I am working on replicating and scaling the Zero Fatality Corridor (ZFC) model, one of the only road safety models based in the Global South. I am developing a framework which will allow the model to be seamlessly implemented in other low and middle-income countries that may experience similar infrastructural barriers to ensuring road safety.
  • Sheung Wai Julian Lee, Wadhwani AI, Mumbai, India

    This summer, I've been using my data science & machine learning background to work on predicting pest infestation levels on cotton farms across India. This has been a hugely impact-driven & rewarding project so far, as crop loss from pests has historically been a serious agricultural problem and has unfortunately led to a high rate of suicide among small farmers. I'm working all across the machine learning pipeline, from data sourcing and pipeline construction to model construction, optimization, and validation. While I chose to work with more tabular data aggregated from multiple sources, there are also many fascinating deep learning and object recognition projects that other interns are working on, if you're interested in that. The team here has been wonderful to work with - they're highly knowledgeable, well organized, and super welcoming! I've enjoyed my day-to-day relationship with my direct supervisor, as well as the mentorship and guidance from senior researchers who have many years of AI research experience both in academia and industry.
  • Kevin Lin, STAT, Boston, USA

    Working for STAT this summer has been incredibly rewarding. They've seemingly mastered the remote internship format for journalism; my editor was providing active support throughout the pitching, sourcing, writing, and editing processes. The remote aspect did not seem to interfere significantly with my internship experience, for although I was unable to work in person, I was given the guidance and freedom to write on topics that expanded my breadth of health and medicine knowledge and deepened my appreciation for science journalism. From the lunch-and-learn events where members of the STAT community would discuss with the intern some critical facet of journalism to the check-ins in which I got a chance to meet more members of the community despite a remote setting to the kind outreach on the part of many community members just seeing if I needed help, I felt supported and engaged. This support network gave me the foundation to investigate topics that were interesting to me such as opioid crisis modeling and bioresorbable biotechnology. Furthermore, I'm walking away with skills in humanizing science news and making science news more accessible.
  • Elizabeth Lites, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA

    I am a rising junior concentrating in History and Science on the Medicine and Society track with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. I am interning at the University of Chicago Urban Health Lab this summer. During my time there, I have been working on their Critical Time Intervention Multisite Evaluation (CTIME) which aims to evaluate the effect of care coordination services for those who have serious mental illness and are experiencing homelessness. I have been conducting literature reviews, engaging with partners, assisting with IRB approval, creating a comprehensive platform for inter-partner engagement, and creating a manual of procedures for the piloting of this intervention with the aim of improving and supporting the housing stability of those who have serious mental illness.
  • Maanasa Mendu, Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation, New York, USA

    This summer I have had the incredible opportunity to intern at the Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation (CQII). CQII provides education and technical assistance on quality improvement (QI) for recipients of Ryan White HIV/AIDS funding to ultimately improve the viral suppression and overall wellbeing of people with HIV. At CQII, I have been involved in the create+Equity collaborative, an intensive community of learning of 71 sites nationwide that seeks to reduce inequities in care. I have created a benchmark report and data dashboards to summarize sites' performance. I am writing a literature review of experience-based co-design, designing a semi-structured interview guide to better understand how participation in the collaborative has impacted sites, and am providing logistical support.
  • Jessica Miller, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA

    This summer, I'm interning with the UN Population Fund's Maternal and Newborn Health Team. Specifically, I am assisting with a project, which aims to reduce maternal mortality by ensuring access to a range of reproductive health commodities and comprehensive abortion care to the full extent of national laws. So far, I have consolidated data from over 50 countries on legal indications and programmatic work ongoing and will be writing several literature reviews on the topic. I'm really enjoying my time as an intern, learning so much about maternal and newborn health in general and what is being done on the ground to ensure women are provided their basic right to health.
  • Hebatalla Mohamed, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Tanaayel/ Bekaa , Lebanon

    Working for the Multi-Aid Programs in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, I am helping develop and support the Refugee Research Network. I provide hands-on support to prepare and conduct capacity-building research workshops for Syrian refugee students in higher education. These workshops are centered around the community-based participatory research (CBPR) model. Students are mentored to synthesize a research question, collect data, and answer that question. The goal of this work is to help ease MAPs students into the world of academic research and empower them to lead the charge in telling their own stories and writing about the challenges that impact their communities. In addition to this, I am also helping develop a working academic paper about existing CBPR models and the successes and failures of their application in refugee settings.
  • Emerson Monks, AUB Global Health Institute, Beirut, Lebanon

    During my time as an intern for the Global Health Institute of the American University of Beirut, I have had the incredible opportunity to become involved with a wide variety of opportunities and projects. I began my internship by writing and publishing a blog article about the double burden of malnutrition in the Middle East/North Africa region. Since then, I have assisted with a key public health program that seeks to educate vulnerable female populations about sexual and reproductive health. Additionally, I have researched and updated a comprehensive regional COVID-19 timeline, the only of its kind that currently exists for the Middle East. My internship has provided me with invaluable experience in multiple sectors that I will carry with me throughout my future.
  • Hafso Muse, Kings Health Partners, London, England

    I am working as health research intern at King's Health Partners (KHP) this summer. I am primarily working on the Vital 5- reducing obesity, smoking, harmful drinking, controlling blood pressure, and identifying and improving poor mental health- to promote value-based healthcare. I am also doing Urban policy research with the London mayoral team and conducting mental health research with Mind & Body Programme at KHP.
  • Akila Muthukumar Valliammai, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England

    I am working with the LSHTM Violence Against Children (VAC) and Social Norms research teams this summer. My first project is to understand how children felt when asked about violence using responses from VAC surveys in Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. My co-intern and I learned to create a qualitative codebook and use mixed method approaches to analyze surveys. For another project, I am extracting data from quantitative papers to better understand how disclosure of different types of VAC is measured. Apart from these two projects, we are compiling descriptions of videos on digital media and family planning in Kenya and, later in the summer, I will create a conceptual framework for a grant to study cancer and violence. In addition to learning every step of the research and paper writing process, it's a privilege to chat one-on-one with different team members and learn from incredibly supportive mentors!
  • Shreya Nair, Alter Lab, Boston, USA

    I've been interning at the Alter Lab at the Ragon Institute. We focus on immunology research and its public health implications. Our research contributes to vaccine and diagnostic development for a variety of diseases, including HIV, Tuberculosis, Lyme Disease, and of course, COVID. Currently, I'm working on two main projects. Firstly, I'm exploring how non-CoV-2 immune responses (e.g. to flu, CMV, Ebola) are impacted by COVID infection. To this end, I'm performing and analyzing ADNP/ADCP/ADCD assays in the lab to test the degree of immune activity in COVID / non COVID patient samples. Secondly, I'm exploring diverse characteristics of Tuberculosis (TB) antigens to help find a widely expressed protein for use in a novel TB vaccine. To this end, I'm performing analysis in R and Python on historical lab data.
  • Alicetonia Nwamah, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda

    This summer, I am interning at the University of Global Health Equity, a university based in Rwanda that offers unique interdisciplinary learning experiences to budding global health leaders. As an intern for the MGHD Program and Office of Student Services, I am conducting background research and assisting in the production of career resources for UGHE alumni. Additionally, I am working with the MGHD team to research course materials and create an online course curriculum for their Professional Development Program. It has been an enriching experience thus far working with such an incredible team and aiding in the growth and progression of UGHE!
  • Abigail Obeng-Marnu, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA

    This summer, as a Quantitative Fellow for the Emergency Health & Nutrition team at Save the Children, I have been working on a retrospective study, analyzing how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted access to family planning services in Syria, Yemen, and Somalia. Particularly, I am helping to investigate why the access, overall, wasn't impacted as expected. My role so far has consisted of conducting quantitative analysis of family planning, demographic, and COVID-related data from the past few years in R and helping my team prepare a guide to interview healthcare workers in our countries of interest based on my analysis.
  • Varshini Odayar, Sangath, Goa, India

    This summer, I am working at Sangath, an NGO with teams in Goa and Bhopal India who are working towards improving access to mental healthcare and decreasing the treatment burden of mental health in India. I am specifically working on a project called TransCare which seeks to understand the experiences of trans peoples, and particularly their experiences with the healthcare system before, during, and after the pandemic with a focus towards access to mental health care and support. The project is especially unique and important as it uses community based participatory research to ensure that research is co-created with the transgender community.
  • Elizabeth Pachus, Independent Funding: World Resources Institute Internship: Healthy Dietary Interventions in China, Boston, USA

    This summer I am excited to be interning with the World Resources Institute, a global research organization that develops practical solutions to improve people's lives and protect the planet. As the Sustainable Diets Intern in the Food Program, I am working on a project researching sustainable dietary behavior in China, focusing on interventions to slow the growth of beef consumption due to its damaging impact on the environment. Specifically, I will be reviewing existing literature on dietary patterns and behavior change interventions in Asia, identifying and analyzing relevant datasets, and convening key researchers, practitioners, and non-profit and business leaders with related expertise.
  • Vincent Pan, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA

    Working as a summer research intern at NIH Fogarty, I have been given the opportunity to work with SARS-CoV-2 sequences and reconstructing viral transmission history through building phylogenetic trees and establishing infection relationships and seeding events. I am currently working on four projects, three exploring viral transmission patterns in Cote d'Ivoire, Mexico, and Uruguay, as well as one investigating VOI/VOC lineages in Mexico. These projects have allowed me to apply my skillset and understanding from statistics courses into a public health field, using both ML and MCMC/Bayesian methods to understand infection patterns. So far, I have begun writing manuscripts for three projects and began the data cleaning process for the fourth project, Uruguay. Our research focuses on transmission patterns and will offer retrospective understanding of lineage and infection origins, as well as offer guidance for future government protocols in transmission mitigation.
  • Christian Malachy Porter, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England

    This summer, I am interning with the Strategy Group of England's National Health Service (NHS), which is the branch of the organization responsible for informing nationwide healthcare priorities and decisions. So far, I've found myself splitting time between a few different projects, with most of my work being focused on the Strategic Insights Team's "Patient & Public Insights Project," which has tasked me with combing through data, surveys and polls to analyze trends in patient satisfaction in the UK and globally both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, I've been helping the Health Inequalities team evaluate various funding bids for startup preventive health programs across England.
  • Michelle Qin, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA

    This summer, I am interning with the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub, a multi-institutional collaboration that combines multiple models to project six-month-ahead (long-term) U.S. cases, deaths, and hospitalizations–under four defined scenarios. I work with other group members to ensemble component models using linear opinion pool and quantile aggregation methods and generate figures for our public website as well as reports for stakeholders including the CDC. I am also evaluating past rounds of projections, using statistical methods found in fields ranging from epidemiology to climate forecasting and decision science.
  • Kashfia Rahman, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA

    I am a research intern on the Reducing Opioid Mortality in Illinois (ROMI) project, which is a trans-NIH effort to improve prevention and treatment strategies for opioid misuse and addiction and to enhance pain management. UChicago is one of 10 research hubs studying evidence-based medications, behavioral interventions, digital therapeutics, and comprehensive patient-centered treatments. In the process of assisting with the research and implementation for this study, I have learned a lot about the state of the opioid crisis in America and especially in urban pockets of the country. I've had the opportunity to learn how the criminal justice and healthcare systems intersect, and have learned how vital it is that social workers, scientists, and physicians alike are given platforms to shape policymaking that impacts the treatment of opioid use disorders. Thus far, my primary responsibilities have been coding surveys that participants in the study will take, editing IRB forms to distribute to our partners and research sites, and attending implementation meetings in preparation for the quantitative and qualitative research that our team will conduct at jails, prisons, and other related facilities. I have also immensely enjoyed getting to hear the perspectives of all of the committed and passionate team members invested in improving outcomes for those who experience substance use.
  • Brammy Rajakumar, Sangath, Goa, India

    This summer, I am interning virtually with Sangath's Addiction Research Group, working on their IMPRESS project (Implementation of Evidence-Based Facility and Community Interventions to Reduce Treatment Gap for Depression). I am working on multiple aspects of this project: 1. I am developing e-course training materials and scripts to equip community agents with a mental health background to break down treatment barriers in the community, 2. I am spearheading a systematic review on mental health help-seeking interventions to help inform IMPRESS, and 3. I am crafting guidelines and schedules for the planning of the annual, worldwide INEBRIA conference. Through these experiences, I have deepened my understanding of community-based mental health interventions and the complexities behind the shifting of mental health perceptions in the community.
  • Kaelin Ray, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA

    This summer I'm interning with Mass Eye & Ear in collaboration with the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. Our work mainly focuses on developing direct, more effective treatments for common ear infections, like otitis media. We're currently using diffusion assays as a model of the ear's tympanic membrane to test the permeability of liposomes loaded with an endolysin, which have been found to fight the bacteria that causes otitis media. In addition to this, we're further investigating the use of different hydrogel formations loaded with ionic liquids and antibiotics or steroids as another way to directly treat the same types of infections.
  • Marilyn Rodriguez, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA

    This summer, I have had the opportunity to work at the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, a new medical school in Los Angeles that places a strong emphasis on community engagement and public service. During my time here, I have been working on two projects regarding Service-Learning and Global Health. I have done extensive research on existing service-learning literature, which will provide background information for a scoping review being written by the Service-Learning team. For my project on Global Health, I have done research on global health programs and publications so that the school can develop its own program to provide international opportunities for their students, as well as longitudinal support for international communities. I have already learned so much from the faculty and staff, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn about how medical professionals can best support the communities in which they work.
  • Asmer Safi, Independent Funding: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Pakistan., Islamabad, Pakistan

    I have been working at the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Co-ordination, Pakistan under an Asian Development Bank Project aiming to establish disease surveillance units for COVID-19 surveillance and monitoring in Pakistan. Specifically, I assist the National Technology and Innovation Advisor to the Ministry in researching on decision support frameworks for disease surveillance, response and containment across the world and especially in the context of emerging economies. Based on this research, our team identifies parameters in Pakistan to inform policy responses that are then instituted on a national and regional level. I have been responsible for drafting policy memos and briefs based on primary and secondary data analysis, as well as original research.
  • Jayram Sastry, Independent Funding: The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the California Individual Insurance Marketplace, Boston, USA

    My work this summer focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the individual health insurance marketplace in California. We are exploring how the public health crisis may have contributed to enrollment changes either directly, by increasing demand for health coverage, or indirectly, by increasing unemployment. I am focused on evaluating the relationship between changes in unemployment and enrollment in the individual marketplace. As employer-sponsored health insurance forms a substantial share of the overall market, large shifts in employment could affect the individual insurance marketplace. We are particularly interested in potential heterogeneity in the relationship between job loss and marketplace enrollment by race and income. We will evaluate the impact of pandemic shocks and policy interventions on the marketplace by analyzing enrollment data at the individual, county, and statewide levels. Utilizing econometric methods, like regression discontinuity design and difference-in-differences analysis, will help establish possible causal relationships between variables of interest.
  • Maximilian Schermer, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA

    This summer I'm working with HGHI as their communications intern. I've been helping to compile newsletters, spread awareness about the organization's relevant work, and manage social media accounts. Being exposed to different global health publications and university-sponsored events has taught me a lot about the intersection of science/medicine and the populations they serve. HGHI has also shown the importance of inclusive communication in public health, especially regarding global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Carissa, Luke, and the rest of the team have been very helpful so far and I'm looking forward to working with them in the coming weeks!
  • Simran Shah, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA

    This summer, I am working remotely with the VHL Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to providing resources and support to patients of Von Hippel Lindau disease and their families. As VHL is a rare disease, many patients struggle with the diagnosis and understanding their treatment options. My work is primarily focused on creating a decision guide for patients and their support system to be as informed as possible as they begin to make choices about their care. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the amazing staff at the VHLA and learn more about these important decisions.
  • Chloe Shawah, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Washington DC, USA

    I came to Brady with some previous exposure to the area of gun violence prevention, but watching progress being made and setbacks being overcome in real time in states, cities, courts cases, Congress, etc., is an unbelievable experience that I would not have been able to get anywhere else. Brady has many teams and departments conducting important work, and my home for the summer has been the crime guns team where we focus on the supply side of gun violence. My team works in a multitude of different ways – litigating, researching, community organizing, writing policy – to try to stop the flow of crime guns and keep Americans safer.
  • Amy Shi, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA

    This summer, I am working with the Innovation and Digital Health Accelerator (IDHA) at Boston Children's Hospital. From early stage vendor research to pilot program implementation, I have had the opportunity to engage in multiple projects over my internship. While my work in the space of digital therapeutics has involved hands-on product research and company interviews, I have also been attending many team meetings to learn about exciting efforts in remote patient monitoring and virtual visits. These experiences have allowed me to meet people across different departments and develop a broader understanding of how hospitals work to advance patient care. I am very grateful for the support of my wonderful supervisors at IDHA.
  • Aaron Shirley, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), Boston, USA

    This summer at Fenway Health I have the wonderful opportunity to be this year's Policy and Advocacy intern. In this role I am conducting clinical and legislative research to support Fenway Health's priority legislation and AIDS Action programming. I have been the lead researcher and designer of a comprehensive guidebook for Fenway Health's Activist Academy which is a fellowship program designed to equip community members with tools to advocate for, inspire, and enact change in legislative, social, and clinical arenas surrounding HIV and AIDS. I also have been able to take lead in programming and executing a webinar series called "The People's Sex Ed," which is open to the public and discusses sexual health as it pertains to people living with HIV (PLHIV), trans and nonbinary folks, younger school aged children, and other issues like white supremacy and misogynoir. I have learned so much about the intricate webbing of issues that affect health outcomes of PLHIV including sex education, drug use, houselessness, stigma, and sex work. All of these are political and social issues that we interact with in our day to day and my experience so far has been rewarding, as I reflect on the work that I am doing to help turn the tide.
  • Sarah Shirley, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England

    Working with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's (LSHTM) Gender Violence and Health Centre has been a life-changing opportunity that has broadened my perspective on policy-driven gender violence research and interventions. This summer, I had the privilege to work on three main projects with the Violence Against Children (VAC) and Social norms research teams. In the first project, my co-intern at I are utilizing mixed-method measurement tools to analyze survey responses addressing how children feel when being interviewed about violence. For the second project, I am qualitatively investigating the intersection of digital media usage and family planning for the online to offline norms diffusion project for young women in Kenya. The last project closely aligns with the second project as it involves writing descriptions of intervention episodes (that were beautifully crafted) that address social norms and family planning. Despite the virtual nature of this internship, I have received immense support, guidance, and opportunities from the supervisors and fellow researchers to contribute to and learn about new topics and methodologies pertaining to public health, academia, the formative research project, and my interests. The researchers are exceptionally warmhearted and brilliant; It has truly been an honor to hear about all of the members' tremendous passion, impactful work and myriad of experiences. I look forward to seeing how each project will unfold over the summer and to interacting (hopefully in person) with all of the team members in the future!
  • Ivy Tran, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA

    This summer, I am interning at the UCLA Art & Global Health Center. I have been primarily working to support Through Positive Eyes, a photography storytelling project for individuals living with HIV/AIDS to fight stigma. Additionally, I have been helping with a social media campaign that we are hoping to host with UNAIDS to celebrate long-term HIV survivors. Lastly, I am working to increase the accessibility of the center's videos about sex-education and from those living with HIV/AIDS through captioning the videos. I really love working with such a passionate and advocacy-oriented team.
  • Birukti Tsige, Partners in health, Boston, USA

    This summer, I'm interning with Partners in Health Engage and helping plan Training Institue which takes place at the end of July. TI weekend brings together 50+ PIHE teams and 250+ attendants from across the country, Mexico and Peru for a year kickoff; I've been helping organize the weekend and working through specific engagement and participation projects so that Engagers can meet each other, extend their networks, develop organizing skills, and get re-energized for a new campaign year. It's been a delightfully challenging and healthy work environment where I've gotten to take readings on organizing, discuss them with my intern team, and apply that to my projects.
  • Lucy Tu, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, USA

    My experience with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Division has transformed my understanding of public health, as well as the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery field. As an intern, I have analyzed pending legislation on drug decriminalization and assessed policies' impact on underserved communities, health equity initiatives, and substance use treatment systems. I have also formed legislative proposals on contingency management and harm reduction services for implementation within the LA County legislative agenda. The SAPC team is committed to creating an educational and enriching environment and always offers opportunities to discover more about the public health landscape.
  • Toochi Uradu, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA

    Hello! My name is Toochi Uradu and I work as the Programs Intern for the Harvard Global Health Institute. My main role is to support our Programs team with administrative and technical tasks. I have had the opportunity to help organize and support work around HGHI's LEAD and Burke Fellowships and I also perform literature reviews and research to support our vaccine equity work.
  • Erica Wu, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA

    This summer, I am supporting the writing and thought leadership development for a paper by the American Academy of Pediatric's Telehealth Equity Working Group focused on creating standards and guidance for hospitals and other institutions interested in measuring digital health equity through dashboards. I am conducting literature reviews, conceptualizing visualizations, and writing, as well as attending broader IDHA meetings. I have learned a lot about barriers to healthcare equity and how dashboards are utilized and developed. It has also been such a great experience to learn more about IDHA's initiatives and how they function to support the hospital as a whole!
  • Julia Yanez, Lumiere Health International, New York, USA

    My internship at Lumiere Health has been everything I hoped it would be. I have been able to combine the fields of consulting, business administration, health advocacy, international diplomacy, and professional research during my time at the company. Through partnerships with UN Women Zimbabwe, the Weill Cornell Hospital, NeedyMeds, and immigrant's rights lawyers, I am able to make a measurable impact in the fields I am most passionate about: health advocacy, women's rights, and migrant's rights. I have worked on developing financing solutions for international NGOs, providing prescription drug access for forced migrants, advocating for health equity for women and immigrants, creating sell-sheets and effective presentations, and directly meeting with our partner organizations. The work at Lumiere is project-based, and through both independent research and team-collaboration we problem-solve to support these partner-organizations in enacting a genuine impact on health equity and accessibility.
  • Grace Yeboah-Kodie, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA

    This summer, I am an intern at the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch of UNFPA. I support the Midwifery Programme by analyzing data from country reports to draft sections of the Maternal Health Thematic Fund (MHTF) Annual Report, as well as by developing profiles which reflect the status of midwifery in MHTF-supported countries. My other responsibilities include updating maternal and newborn health data and providing assistance in the hosting of high level virtual forums. In my time at UNFPA, I have also greatly appreciated the opportunity to attend sessions of the International Confederation of Midwives Triennial Congress. Doing so has broadened my understanding of the importance of midwifery for sexual and reproductive health worldwide.
  • Seo-Hyun Yoo, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England

    This summer, I have been working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which analyzes the efficacy and cost of different clinical treatments to develop guidelines for their use. My work has consisted of performing a rigorous literature review of methods, frameworks, and case studies of ways that environmental impact has been incorporated into health technology assessments and the formation of guidelines for health technology use. I have been searching through both academic papers and grey literature by other public bodies that work in this field. NICE is at the forefront of considering environmental impacts in healthcare, and it has been a privilege to begin work that will support the sustainability portion of their new 5 year strategy.
  • Mohammed Abuelem, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Seattle, USA
  • Hilary Adeleke, Joint Committee on Public Health, Boston, USA
  • Yishak Ali, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA
  • Hayat Alkadir, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
  • Kenji Aoki, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco, USA
  • Simar Bajaj, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC, USA
  • Niara Botchwey, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa
  • Anjali Chakradhar, Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Soweto, South Africa
  • Raina Cohen, Maternal Health Task Force, HSPH, Cambridge, USA
  • Rachel Chen, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England
  • Dominick Contreras, GOTVax, Boston, USA
  • Marissa Diggs, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA
  • Muriel Dol, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA
  • Connor Dowd, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston , USA
  • Udochi Emeghara, International Quality Improvement Collaborative (IQIC), Boston, USA
  • Sonia Epstein, The National Academy for Social Prescribing and NHS England, London, England
  • Nicole Farkouh, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Bekaa, Lebanon
  • Salomé Garnier, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Alfonso Godinez Aguilar, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA
  • Alexandrea Harriott, Kings Health Partners, London, England
  • Sophie Haugen, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Moti Heda, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA
  • Kylie Hilton, Independent Funding: Alzheimer's Research in Kosik Lab, Santa Barbara, USA
  • Ryan Ixtlahuac, Village Health Works, New York, USA
  • Isileli Kakala, The Touch Foundation, Mwanza, Tanzania
  • Harini Kannan, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA
  • Sameer Khan, Health Leads, Los Angeles, USA
  • Lauren Kim, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Kareem King, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA
  • James Kitch, Computational Epidemiology Lab at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
  • Shruthi Kumar, SaveLIFE Foundation, New Delhi, India
  • Sheung Wai Julian Lee, Wadhwani AI, Mumbai, India
  • Kevin Lin, STAT, Boston, USA
  • Elizabeth Lites, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA
  • Maanasa Mendu, Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation, New York, USA
  • Jessica Miller, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
  • Hebatalla Mohamed, MAPs Multi-Aid Programs, Tanaayel/ Bekaa , Lebanon
  • Emerson Monks, AUB Global Health Institute, Beirut, Lebanon
  • Hafso Muse, Kings Health Partners, London, England
  • Akila Muthukumar Valliammai, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England
  • Shreya Nair, Alter Lab, Boston, USA
  • Alicetonia Nwamah, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Abigail Obeng-Marnu, Save the Children, Washington DC, USA
  • Varshini Odayar, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Elizabeth Pachus, Independent Funding: World Resources Institute Internship: Healthy Dietary Interventions in China, Boston, USA
  • Vincent Pan, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA
  • Christian Malachy Porter, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England
  • Michelle Qin, NIH Fogarty Center, Washington DC, USA
  • Kashfia Rahman, University of Chicago Urban Health Lab, Chicago, USA
  • Brammy Rajakumar, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Kaelin Ray, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Boston, USA
  • Marilyn Rodriguez, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
  • Asmer Safi, Independent Funding: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Pakistan., Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Jayram Sastry, Independent Funding: The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the California Individual Insurance Marketplace, Boston, USA
  • Maximilian Schermer, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA
  • Simran Shah, VHL Alliance, Boston, USA
  • Chloe Shawah, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Washington DC, USA
  • Amy Shi, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA
  • Aaron Shirley, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), Boston, USA
  • Sarah Shirley, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England
  • Ivy Tran, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA
  • Birukti Tsige, Partners in health, Boston, USA
  • Lucy Tu, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, USA
  • Toochi Uradu, Harvard Global Health Institute, Boston, USA
  • Erica Wu, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Boston, USA
  • Julia Yanez, Lumiere Health International, New York, USA
  • Grace Yeboah-Kodie, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
  • Seo-Hyun Yoo, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England

HGHI 2020 Summer Fellows

During the summer of 2020, HGHI funded 56 exceptional students to work virtually with 39 different organizations. Please click on the images below to learn about each of their experiences.
Maya Almoussa, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs) and AUB Global Health Institute, Lebanon
Oluwatobi Ariyo, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa
Manuela Arroyave, Physicians for Human Rights, New York, USA
Nadine Bahour, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
Fahima Begum, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
Anushka Bhaskar, Partners in Health, Boston, USA
Haruka Margaret Braun, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA
Cheyenne Brooks, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, New York, USA
Beatrice Castillo-Sahagun, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
Borey Chea, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA
Jenna Cohn, UNFPA Midwifery Program, New York, USA
Sheila De La Cruz, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England
Sofia de la Morena, Village Health Works, New York, USA
Sadia Demby, Partners in Health, Boston, USA
Cammie Dopke, International Quality Improvement Collaborative, Boston, USA
Patricia Fuentes, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico
Leo Garcia, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA
Isaac Gotlieb, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Lily Gulledge, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England
Isra Hamdi, NASTAD, Washington, USA
Joanne Hokayem, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
Katrina Hon, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England
Juliet Isselbacher, STAT News, Boston, USA
Alis Jones, Save the Children, Washington, USA
Efe Karaca, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USA
Prashanth Kumar, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland
Seungil
Chloe LeStage, Independent Research to help map gender-based violence, reproductive, and sexual health services in South Africa
Isabel Levin, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA
Cheaheon
Kevin Lin, LA County Dept. of Public Health; Substance Abuse Prevention and Control program, Los Angeles, USAImage
Cynthia Liu, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USAImage
Sanika Mahajan, Healthy London Partnership, London, England
Fari Mbaye, UNFPA Safe Abortion and SRHR linkages Program, New York, USA
Hafsa Muse, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, USA
Varshini Odayar, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA
Heer Patel, Center for AIDS Research, Boston, USA
Alex Pipkin, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA
Rosie Poling, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA
Christian Malachy Porter, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA
Siona Prasad, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
Nesreen Shukr, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs), Lebanon
Luz Ramirez-Ramirez, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA
Olivia Scott, UNFPA Obstetric Fistula Team, New York, USA
Palak Shah, UNFPA Global Programme to End Child Marriage, New York, USA
William Shen, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England
Austin Shin, SaveLife Foundation, New Delhi, India
Allison Tu, Sangath, Goa, India
Alejandro Villar Leeman, Sangath, Goa, India
Brian Wee, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
Meimei Weston, Save the Children, Washington, USA
Lila Williams, Independent Research to examine the Lancaster Amish and their experiences and interpretations of COVID-19
Minjue Wu, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa
Grace Yeboah-Kodie, NYU Langone Health Center at NYU School of Medicine, New York, USA
Alisha Yi, Independent Research with the MGH Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program
  • Maya Almoussa, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs) and AUB Global Health Institute, Lebanon
  • Oluwatobi Ariyo, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa
  • Manuela Arroyave, Physicians for Human Rights, New York, USA
  • Nadine Bahour, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Fahima Begum, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Anushka Bhaskar, Partners in Health, Boston, USA
  • Haruka Margaret Braun, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA
  • Cheyenne Brooks, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, New York, USA
  • Beatrice Castillo-Sahagun, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
  • Borey Chea, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA
  • Jenna Cohn, UNFPA Midwifery Program, New York, USA
  • Sheila De La Cruz, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England
  • Sofia de la Morena, Village Health Works, New York, USA
  • Sadia Demby, Partners in Health, Boston, USA
  • Cammie Dopke, International Quality Improvement Collaborative, Boston, USA
  • Patricia Fuentes, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Leo Garcia, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA
  • Isaac Gotlieb, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Lily Gulledge, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England
  • Isra Hamdi, NASTAD, Washington, USA
  • Joanne Hokayem, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
  • Katrina Hon, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England
  • Juliet Isselbacher, STAT News, Boston, USA
  • Alis Jones, Save the Children, Washington, USA
  • Efe Karaca, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USA
  • Prashanth Kumar, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Seungil
  • Chloe LeStage, Independent Research to help map gender-based violence, reproductive, and sexual health services in South Africa
  • Isabel Levin, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA
  • Cheaheon
  • Kevin Lin, LA County Dept. of Public Health; Substance Abuse Prevention and Control program, Los Angeles, USAImage
  • Cynthia Liu, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USAImage
  • Sanika Mahajan, Healthy London Partnership, London, England
  • Fari Mbaye, UNFPA Safe Abortion and SRHR linkages Program, New York, USA
  • Hafsa Muse, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, USA
  • Varshini Odayar, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA
  • Heer Patel, Center for AIDS Research, Boston, USA
  • Alex Pipkin, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA
  • Rosie Poling, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA
  • Christian Malachy Porter, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA
  • Siona Prasad, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
  • Nesreen Shukr, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs), Lebanon
  • Luz Ramirez-Ramirez, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA
  • Olivia Scott, UNFPA Obstetric Fistula Team, New York, USA
  • Palak Shah, UNFPA Global Programme to End Child Marriage, New York, USA
  • William Shen, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England
  • Austin Shin, SaveLife Foundation, New Delhi, India
  • Allison Tu, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Alejandro Villar Leeman, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Brian Wee, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
  • Meimei Weston, Save the Children, Washington, USA
  • Lila Williams, Independent Research to examine the Lancaster Amish and their experiences and interpretations of COVID-19
  • Minjue Wu, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa
  • Grace Yeboah-Kodie, NYU Langone Health Center at NYU School of Medicine, New York, USA
  • Alisha Yi, Independent Research with the MGH Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program
  • Maya Almoussa, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs) and AUB Global Health Institute, Lebanon

    This summer, I was fortunate to be able to intern at both the American University of Beirut Global Health institute and the Multi-Aid Programs nonprofit, both of which are Lebanon-based. With MAPS, I am developing a Needs Assessment report for Syrian refugees in a southeasten Turkish city that will help in creating a clearer picture of what humanitarian aid services are needed most. With AUB, I helped expand the first COVID timeline and one of the first NGO-empowerment platforms in the MENA region, along with other research-based projects.
  • Oluwatobi Ariyo, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa

    As a summer research intern for the Perinatal HIV Research Unit located in Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa, I've been given the opportunity to see first-hand the varying roles social, economic, psychosocial, and structural barriers play in the HIV epidemic. My work this summer has taken on literature research and data analysis to characterize these health-determining factors with the eventual aim of producing a manuscript, virtual public health programming to engage South African youth during the COVID pandemic, and writing grants for mobile health expansion. So far, I have worked on literature review and subsequent writing for a manuscript about the psychosocial barriers to HIV treatment adherence in adolescent young women in South Africa. This summer we also successfully coordinated a week-long virtual public health and social activism programming event for youth in commemoration of South Africa Youth Day. Currently, I am conducting data analysis on a social science experiment analyzing factors affecting HIV susceptibility in the adolescent genital tract. Additionally, I am working on a grant for mobile health expansion and accessibility for youth in South Africa.
  • Manuela Arroyave, Physicians for Human Rights, New York, USA

    This summer, I am working for Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), an organization that uses medicine and science to document and advocate against human rights violations. I have been working with PHR's Asylum Program, which has a large network of volunteer health professionals who provide forensic evaluations to survivors of torture and ill-treatment seeking asylum in the United States. My work primarily involves helping the asylum team with case management, which consists of connecting attorneys and their clients with PHR-affiliated health professionals so that these pro-bono evaluations can take place.
  • Nadine Bahour, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda

    This summer, I am interning at the University of Global Health Equity, a new and unique health science university in Kigali, Rwanda. My work is geared towards e-learning and shaping course for remote instruction and integrating online features into in-person classes. Most of this support is geared towards their 2-year long Masters in Global Health Delivery (MGHD) and their 6-year long Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery programs. In addition, I am working on the forming and cultivating relationships with simulation labs at other universities globally. It is very rewarding and interesting to learn the ins and outs of instruction at UGHE and meet the incredible team that is behind this quickly developing institution.
  • Fahima Begum, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda

    This summer, I am working at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Kigali, Rwanda. UGHE is a health sciences university striving for equitable health delivery, and it provides students with the opportunity to gain perspective about care and become professional global health leaders. As an intern at the Institute of Global Health and Student Services, I am contributing to the formation of UGHE's Career services and assisting with any Student-Service related activities through career services research and forming context-based documents. Additionally, I am researching course materials for the Master in Global Health Delivery Program and contributing to up and rising research projects at the Institute of Global Health. This has been an incredibly transformative experience thus far and I am excited to see what I continue to learn while working in this reflective and progressive space!
  • Anushka Bhaskar, Partners in Health, Boston, USA

    This summer I have had the incredible opportunity to work with Partners in Health Engage, where I am part of a team organizing the people and resources across the nation needed for advocacy campaigns around global healthcare and health equity (for example, the People's Pandemic Prevention Plan) during the summer and the campaign year 2020-2021. By helping to organize the PIH Engage Training Institute, training "Engagers" for their conversations with elected officials, and working on strategy and community building, I am able to apply my skills in advocacy and my passion for health equity and healthcare systems both domestically and globally. I have learned so much from the wonderful human beings around me and I am sincerely thankful for this amazing experience in health advocacy and community organizing.
  • Haruka Margaret Braun, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA

    I am a Policy and Research Intern at the New York State Health Foundation. The Foundation is a private organization committed to improving the health outcomes of New Yorkers. In my role, I engage in team projects related to health coverage, maternal health, food insecurity, and the COVID-19 pandemic. I create map data visualizations documenting changing population demographics, conduct literature reviews regarding food insecurity and telemedicine, and assist in writing articles related to public health messaging campaigns. My colleagues are extremely engaging and inspirational, and delegate me assignments in projects that allow me to hold real responsibility that allows me to have a voice in decision making.
  • Cheyenne Brooks, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, New York, USA

    I am a rising senior concentrating in Human Evolutionary Biology with a secondary in Psychology. I am interning at the AIDS Institute at the New York State Department of Health. I have been analyzing patient data from the department's Statewide Planning and Research Cooperatives System (SPARCs) database to identify how structural stigma, particularly HIV status, affects Discharge Against Medical Advice (DAMA). I also work with the Adolescence Quality Learning Network (AQLN) to collate providers' experiences and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. From this data, we are compiling a summary of potential strategies that could improve the quality of care for the HIV+ adolescent community moving forward.
  • Beatrice Castillo-Sahagun, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA

    I have been working with the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine for the summer and have been excited every day about the amazing opportunity to support a new medical school as it envisions its plans for a global health program. I have reviewed medical schools and done extensive qualitative research on their global health programs. As this internship continues to be offered, I know students will enjoy being mentored by a compassionate doctor, professor, and director like Dr. Aaron Berkowitz who has worked for many years in providing and sustaining high level care for the most vulnerable around the world.
  • Borey Chea, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA

    This summer, I'm interning at Greater Boston Legal Services' Elder, Health, and Disability Unit. I perform thorough client intake interviews, work with clients to resolve SNAP issues as well as MassHealth and Medicare issues, and review medical records to find evidence for cases. One of the highlights of my internship so far is assisting a client who had issues obtaining a prescription. I was able to get the cost of the prescription down from $300 to $0.
  • Jenna Cohn, UNFPA Midwifery Program, New York, USA

    At the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) Midwifery Programme this summer, my work has included a variety of projects on maternal and newborn health, especially centering around drafting and completing the Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund (MHTF) Annual Report. This Report showcases achievements within midwifery, emergency obstetric and newborn care, obstetric fistula, and maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response. For this project, I have reviewed international reporting on these areas, documented best practices, and compiled data relating to their respective outcomes in 32 countries. Beyond this, operating within UNFPA's Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch has allowed me to engage with fascinating and important work and discussion on COVID-19, vulnerable populations, and human rights advocacy.
  • Sheila De La Cruz, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England

    This summer I have the privilege of working with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on three main projects. For the first project, I have been working to help finalize a social norms course that was developed to help NGO's working with children in low and middle income countries integrate a social norms perspective into their work. For the second project I have been reviewing, analyzing, and developing methodology criteria for a study on the disclosure of violence against children (VAC) through qualitative and quantitative measurement tools. Our team is just starting to delve into the third project, which aligns very closely to the second but places emphasis on the response (emotional or otherwise) that children have during VAC disclosure. Even though the study is still in its initial stages, I look forward to seeing the course of its implementation beyond the summer, especially because it will give me a great excuse to keep in touch with my LSHTM team! They truly are the most supportive and welcoming people, and have made my research experience so wonderful!
  • Sofia de la Morena, Village Health Works, New York, USA

    This summer, I had the opportunity to intern for Village Health Works, a global health NGO based in Bujumbura, Burundi that focuses on providing quality healthcare to the village of Kigutu, alongside educational opportunities, women empowerment campaigns, and agricultural projects. As their supply chain analyst, I am in charge of optimizing resources, from pharmaceutical items to classroom equipment, that are needed to run our campus. Many of the inequities within healthcare have been exacerbated due to COVID19, forcing us to think creatively to ensure we can supply the hospital with the necessary materials they need to address this pandemic. From writing proposals for a wastewater treatment plant to jumping on calls with the WHO, I am constantly exposed to rewarding learning opportunities that have a tangible impact on the lives of hundreds of people.
  • Sadia Demby, Partners in Health, Boston, USA

    This summer, I have been working with Partners in Health, which is a global health and social justice organization based in Boston and across the globe. I am working with a small, tight-knit team in the grassroots advocacy branch of PIH to lead a summer campaign surrounding pandemic prevention and global health equity. We are also working to prepare the nation-wide network for 100+ meetings with Members of Congress to advocate for global health legislation in August. My main role thus far has been preparing advocacy documents and briefing materials, coordinating meetings, as well as leading workshops and sessions to equip our network members with the necessary skills for successful advocacy and social justice activism. I am thoroughly enjoying my internship and the impactful work to which I get to contribute!
  • Cammie Dopke, International Quality Improvement Collaborative, Boston, USA

    This summer I am interning at the International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Disease at Boston Children's Hospital who works to improve care in low- and middle-income countries through 75 sites in 28 different countries. The mission of IQIC is to reduce mortality and major complications for patients with congenital heart disease and they aim to achieve this goal through quality improvement strategies. My projects for the summer include developing curriculum for IQIC cardiac catherization registry's quality improvement platform, support the development of educational resources to address the issue of malnutrtion, and to assist in compiling and distributing annual benchmarking reports to sites. These benchmarking reports allow sites to evaluate their program performance with the rest of the collaborative and help drive quality improvement at each institution. Overall, I have had an amazing experience working with IQIC this summer and supporting their goal to improve the care for every child with CHD.
  • Patricia Fuentes, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico

    This summer I am working closely with the Global Health Initiative (GHI) at The Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec) located in Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico. The Global Health Initiative is a new project spearheaded by Tec and colleagues from a myriad of professional avenues with the objective to broaden its public and global health impact in Mexico, and Latin America. With GHI, I have had the opportunity to delve into the intricacies and complex dynamics of the Mexican healthcare system, especially during its COVID-19 response. Our focus has centered on the country's initial and current emergency response to the pandemic, and in particular its care of vulnerable populations. Through my role as a Research Intern, I have been able to advise and work closely on COVID-19 policy brief proposals addressed to the Mexican Ministry of Health, State Departments, and State Ministers of Health. Additionally, I have written for the Tec's Medical Student Journal - Fronteras en Salud Global - on varying topics related to Mexico's healthcare system and its response to COVID-19. Soon, I will serve as a COVID-19 contact tracer for the Partners in Health Compañeros en Salud sector in Mexico where I hope to continue learning about the country and its healthcare, as well as its culture and people (from afar). I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn about Mexico's healthcare system and population dynamics, as well as how to use context specific information to guide policy proposals. The flexibility that my internship has offered me has let me pursue topics that not only intrigue me but challenge my professional and personal interests. Working closely with GHI and its members has been a rewarding opportunity that has enriched my education and experiences in Global Health!
  • Leo Garcia, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA

    This summer, I have been working as an intern at UCLA Art & Global Health Center. Primarily, I have been working to support Through Positive Eyes, an ongoing photography storytelling project for individuals living with HIV/AID. Additionally, I have been supporting the center's involvement in the International AIDS Conference, working to build a social media campaign and aiding the live workshop logistics. Lastly, I am working to increase the accessibility of the center's sex-education videos by transcribing and translating captions in multiple languages. I have loved getting to work with a team that is dedicated to justice and growth.
  • Isaac Gotlieb, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil

  • Lily Gulledge, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England

  • Isra Hamdi, NASTAD, Washington, USA

  • Joanne Hokayem, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA

  • Katrina Hon, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England

  • Juliet Isselbacher, STAT News, Boston, USA

  • Alis Jones, Save the Children, Washington, USA

  • Efe Karaca, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USA

  • Prashanth Kumar, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Seungil "Rick" Lee, Joint Committee on Public Health, Boston, USA

  • Chloe LeStage, Independent Research to help map gender-based violence, reproductive, and sexual health services in South Africa

  • Isabel Levin, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA

  • Cheaheon "Ian" Lim, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA

  • Kevin Lin, LA County Dept. of Public Health; Substance Abuse Prevention and Control program, Los Angeles, USAImage

  • Cynthia Liu, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USAImage

  • Sanika Mahajan, Healthy London Partnership, London, England

  • Fari Mbaye, UNFPA Safe Abortion and SRHR linkages Program, New York, USA

  • Hafsa Muse, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, USA

  • Varshini Odayar, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA

  • Heer Patel, Center for AIDS Research, Boston, USA

  • Alex Pipkin, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA

  • Rosie Poling, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA

  • Christian Malachy Porter, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA

  • Siona Prasad, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA

  • Nesreen Shukr, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs), Lebanon

  • Luz Ramirez-Ramirez, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA

  • Olivia Scott, UNFPA Obstetric Fistula Team, New York, USA

  • Palak Shah, UNFPA Global Programme to End Child Marriage, New York, USA

  • William Shen, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England

  • Austin Shin, SaveLife Foundation, New Delhi, India

  • Allison Tu, Sangath, Goa, India

  • Alejandro Villar Leeman, Sangath, Goa, India

  • Brian Wee, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA

  • Meimei Weston, Save the Children, Washington, USA

  • Lila Williams, Independent Research to examine the Lancaster Amish and their experiences and interpretations of COVID-19

  • Minjue Wu, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa

  • Grace Yeboah-Kodie, NYU Langone Health Center at NYU School of Medicine, New York, USA

  • Alisha Yi, Independent Research with the MGH Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program

  • Maya Almoussa, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs) and AUB Global Health Institute, Lebanon
  • Oluwatobi Ariyo, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa
  • Manuela Arroyave, Physicians for Human Rights, New York, USA
  • Nadine Bahour, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Fahima Begum, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Anushka Bhaskar, Partners in Health, Boston, USA
  • Haruka Margaret Braun, New York State Health Foundation, New York, USA
  • Cheyenne Brooks, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, New York, USA
  • Beatrice Castillo-Sahagun, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
  • Borey Chea, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA
  • Jenna Cohn, UNFPA Midwifery Program, New York, USA
  • Sheila De La Cruz, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England
  • Sofia de la Morena, Village Health Works, New York, USA
  • Sadia Demby, Partners in Health, Boston, USA
  • Cammie Dopke, International Quality Improvement Collaborative, Boston, USA
  • Patricia Fuentes, Global Health Initiative at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Leo Garcia, UCLA Art & Global Health Center, Los Angeles, USA
  • Isaac Gotlieb, WeCancer, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Lily Gulledge, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Department of Global Health and Development, London, England
  • Isra Hamdi, NASTAD, Washington, USA
  • Joanne Hokayem, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
  • Katrina Hon, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), London, England
  • Juliet Isselbacher, STAT News, Boston, USA
  • Alis Jones, Save the Children, Washington, USA
  • Efe Karaca, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USA
  • Prashanth Kumar, GAVI, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Seungil
  • Chloe LeStage, Independent Research to help map gender-based violence, reproductive, and sexual health services in South Africa
  • Isabel Levin, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA
  • Cheaheon
  • Kevin Lin, LA County Dept. of Public Health; Substance Abuse Prevention and Control program, Los Angeles, USAImage
  • Cynthia Liu, Reconstruction and Mechanics of the Middle Ear Lab, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Boston, USAImage
  • Sanika Mahajan, Healthy London Partnership, London, England
  • Fari Mbaye, UNFPA Safe Abortion and SRHR linkages Program, New York, USA
  • Hafsa Muse, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, USA
  • Varshini Odayar, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA
  • Heer Patel, Center for AIDS Research, Boston, USA
  • Alex Pipkin, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, USA
  • Rosie Poling, Hollywood, Health & Society, Los Angeles, USA
  • Christian Malachy Porter, University of Chicago Urban Labs, Chicago, USA
  • Siona Prasad, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
  • Nesreen Shukr, Multi Aid Programs (MAPs), Lebanon
  • Luz Ramirez-Ramirez, Duraisingh Lab, Boston, USA
  • Olivia Scott, UNFPA Obstetric Fistula Team, New York, USA
  • Palak Shah, UNFPA Global Programme to End Child Marriage, New York, USA
  • William Shen, NHS England, Strategy Group, London, England
  • Austin Shin, SaveLife Foundation, New Delhi, India
  • Allison Tu, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Alejandro Villar Leeman, Sangath, Goa, India
  • Brian Wee, Innovation & Digital Health Accelerator, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, USA
  • Meimei Weston, Save the Children, Washington, USA
  • Lila Williams, Independent Research to examine the Lancaster Amish and their experiences and interpretations of COVID-19
  • Minjue Wu, Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Soweto, Soweto, South Africa
  • Grace Yeboah-Kodie, NYU Langone Health Center at NYU School of Medicine, New York, USA
  • Alisha Yi, Independent Research with the MGH Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program