
Meet HGHI’s Fellows
Current and Past Undergraduate Fellows
HGHI 2023 Summer Fellows
During the summer of 2023, HGHI supported 58 exceptional students to work with 39 different organizations in 8 US cities and 13 countries around the world. Please click on the images below to learn more about each of their experiences.
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Aishani Aatresh, CEPI
I'm interning with CEPI in the Policy and Public Partnerships teams (in the broader division for Policy, Partnerships, and Access). CEPI is generally focused on accelerated vaccine development for pandemic preparedness, aiming for a world in which vaccines can be ready for emergency use in 100 days from the identification of a pandemic pathogen and pandemics can be eradicated while trying to enable equitable access to these and other medical countermeasures. I've been working on a variety of projects both internally and with external partners, which has given me a good overview of the global public health landscape in general. I'm supporting efforts to pre-position what the equivalent to COVAX might be for future potential pandemics, specifically trying to map the triggers that prompt action at different points on the vaccine value chain for various organizations (international and regional); I've also been involved with the policy framing and discussions around an epidemiological-macroeconomic modeling project about the impact of preparedness and surge financing for vaccines. While these two have been my main focus, I've also gotten to work on and help with initiatives pertaining to CEPI's engagement with civil society as well as the European Commission, the structure of a "One World Vaccine Library," and questions around vaccine stockpiling. -
Safia Abou-Zamzam, Ariadne Labs
This summer, I am working at Ariadne Labs on the Better Evidence team. The lab was founded in 2012 by Atul Gawande and Bill Berry with the mission of ensuring health systems equitably deliver the best possible care for every patient, everywhere, every time. On my team, I am working to fulfill this mission by creating a curriculum to help teach people how to implement UpToDate, an evidence-based clinical resource, in their medical programs. Every year, my team donates UpToDate subscriptions to about 20 medical schools across Africa, and this curriculum will help ensure the schools can make the most of this resource. Spreading UpToDate and other evidence-based tools is critical, as these tools have been shown to increase treatment efficiency, improve quality of care, and lead to better patient outcomes. -
Hilary Adeleke, Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program
This summer, I am working at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program as a case manager intern. On a daily, I meet with patients to connect them to essential services such as transportation, shelter, housing, phones, etc. based on their needs. I also work at the Foot Clinic to provide direct foot care to patients. Through my internship, I have learned more about barriers to health due to stigma, available resources, and the effects of public policy on the daily lives of patients I see. This experience has been extremely rewarding and has provided clarity on my future career aspirations! -
Esha Ahmad, The National Academy of Social Prescribing
This summer I have had the opportunity to intern with the National Academy of Social Prescribing (NASP) in London. This national charity champions social prescribing which works alongside healthcare to resolve issues that contribute to poor health and quality of life by connecting people to non-medical support. As part of my role at NASP, I am currently engaged in a comprehensive mapping exercise focused on children's and young people's social prescribing initiatives across the globe. This endeavor has allowed me to connect with a diverse range of individuals, including parliamentarians, student leaders, and international policymakers. Additionally, I have had the privilege of going on on-site visits to witness firsthand the practical implementation of social prescribing in various communities. Beyond all of this, I have also had the opportunity to learn more about the UK healthcare system and familiarize myself with health equity concerns around the world. This experience has truly opened my eyes to the dire need of transitioning away from sick care to a healthcare model based on disease prevention and health creation! -
Nneka Arinzeh, Ariadne Labs
This summer, I am interning at 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 investigating the impact of providing the latest digital clinical decision support tools to healthcare providers in low-resource settings. This initiative serves to improve patient outcomes in areas with limited access to reliable clinical information. In my role, I have been analyzing and organizing thousands of testimonies from health providers around the world to assess the effectiveness of these support tools. I have also been involved in analyzing and documenting gaps in available data on medical schools across Africa to monitor and support the development of medical education institutions across the continent. I am honored to be a part of the inspiring work conducted by the Better Evidence team and Ariadne Labs to improve global patient outcomes this summer! -
Queen Balina, Massachusetts General Hospital
This summer, I am conducting research for the Division of Global Health at Massachusetts General Hospital. I’m working on the FLOURISH Cohort Study, a project under the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership. The work I do focuses primarily on data analysis to quantify the effect of in-utero HIV or antiretroviral exposure on children’s growth and development, academic performance, infectious morbidity, all-cause mortality, and more. My culminating product is going to be a manuscript on the relationship between HIV status and anxiety and depression in caregivers. The data I’m analyzing will then influence policies at the Botswana Ministries of Education and Health. -
Anil Cacodcar, National Institutes of Health
With the support of HGHI, I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Dr. Cecile Viboud at the National Institutes of Health’s Division of International Epidemiology and Population Studies. As an intern, I have supported research on how epidemiological projections account for vaccine interventions. In particular, I am working with the Scenario Modeling Hub, a consortium of researchers that have produced probabilistic forecasts for the flu and COVID-19 by combining over a dozen independent models into linear opinion pools. By analyzing the role of vaccine effectiveness in forecast models, this research will better inform public policy for vaccine allocation and rollout in future outbreaks. -
Belen Cerda Luna, Socios en Salud
This summer, I am working for Socios en Salud in Peru. Part of my work has been accompanying community agents to their home visits with patients living with schizophrenia and their caregivers. I’ve learned a lot about the needs of being a caregiver and the many challenges that the healthcare system in Peru can pose to patients and their families. I am currently working on a qualitative research report summarizing the needs of the program and the good work that the community agents provide. Through this internship, I hope to be able to come up with interventions to help these families and learn more about ways to improve mental health care. -
Henry Chen, Lesser Lab
Shigella bacteria play a role in hundreds of infections annually and do so through a fascinating infection process known as Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS). I specifically study the array of conserved T3SS genes on the virulence plasmid that currently have unknown structures and functions. Within this study, I focus on how these unknown genes influence the secretion of effectors, the proteins that carry out process of infection. This then allows me to draw conclusions on the role of such unknown genes to further build upon clinical and experimental models. -
Tina Chen, United Nations Population Fund
This summer, I'm interning with the United Nations Population Fund, the UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health. As part of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch, I am supporting the Global Campaign to End Fistula. Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury that results from prolonged, obstructed labor and is entirely preventable; eliminating it is crucial to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. I have been compiling data from 55 UNFPA-supported countries and conducting research to better inform the causes that lead to obstetric fistula. This has been an amazing opportunity to observe the international collaboration that comes out of a shared mission to improve healthcare for all. -
Cody Chou, Ragon Institute Internships in South Africa
This summer, I will be working in Durban, South Africa to study and research the cellular immune responses to HIV infection at the African Health Research Institute with Professor Zaza Ndhlovu. Through this opportunity, I have the unique experience of working directly in the world's epicenter of HIV infection while learning from the best scientists in Africa. -
Thea Chung, Tecnologico de Monterrey: The Public Policy and Health Initiative
This summer, I am interning as a researcher of health policy with the Tecnológico de Monterrey. My two research projects, by choice, focus on obesity in Mexico, an interest of mine sparked by working at a health clinic in Oaxaca during my gap semester. My first project examines the underconsumption of whole grains in Mexico, a driver of diabetes, as it relates to changes in the political economy and thus national food system. I am currently conducting a systematic literature review on the topic in preparation for a longer interview-based publication that will follow. The second project I am assisting will investigate the social media narratives surfacing around Ozempic and other semaglutide weight loss drugs and whether they aptly communicate public health messaging. I feel extremely fortunate to be collaborating with fantastic researchers across various disciplines and geographies! -
Anais Colin, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
This summer, I am interning with the Child Protection Research Group at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. As an intern, I am supporting the development of quantitative measurements that will be used to evaluate the Safe Schools Programme, an intervention designed to prevent violence against children in primary Catholic schools in Zimbabwe. In addition, I am conducting interviews and writing profiles about the first cohort of participants in a data-to-action research course that aims to equip researchers with the skills to conduct impactful research using data collected from Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS). Thirdly, I am contributing to a grant proposal for a project that seeks to generate new evidence on how climate mitigation and adaptation efforts can meet the needs of children and young people. -
Chase Conquest, NYU Langone Health
This summer, I am volunteering in the emergency department at Bellevue Hospital through the Project Healthcare Summer Volunteer Program. My role is primarily based around patient advocacy, ensuring all patients have their needs met within the busy (and often hectic) emergency department. I am able to address the gaps in public health evident from my work at Bellevue through both a public health fair presentation and a physician-guided research project. In addition to my active role, I also have the opportunity to observe a wide spectrum of medical care, from trauma interventions to social work to surgical procedures. -
Angie De La Cruz, Partners in Health
This summer I have been working with Partner in Health Engage (PIHE) as an Advocacy Intern. Each summer PIHE hosts a Training Institute and Hill Day for its national Team Coaches to learn more about PIH mission and introduce this year's Advocacy Campaign. During Hill Day participants meet with their Congressmen to discuss the bills/resolutions for this years campaign. My role has been to finalize the legislation plans included in this year's campaign, create resources for Team Coaches to meet with their representatives, and organize events and communication leading up to TI and Hill Day. -
Ella Deans, Ragon Institute Internships in South Africa
I have so enjoyed my work with the Ragon Institute’s FRESH Clinic this summer. During my time with Females Rising through Education, Support, and Health, I have had the opportunity to support development on the curriculum for FRESH 1.0: a nine month empowerment program focused on poverty alleviation in women aged 18-23 living in Umlazi (identified as a vulnerable population for contracting HIV). Additionally, I have also gotten to contribute to the social-behavioural research study that is currently underway at FRESH, learning about and supporting qualitative research in a trauma-informed setting. Working at FRESH this summer and meeting all of the wonderful people there has been a truly amazing experience! -
Ellen Deng, Ragon Institute Internships in South Africa
This summer, I am working at the FRESH program (Females Rising through Education, Support and Health) in Umlazi Township, South Africa, which combines basic science research and poverty alleviation for young HIV-uninfected women at high risk of infection. Along with the research program, participants are co-enrolled in a life and job skills empowerment program that seeks to uplift and empower them in their communities. My responsibilities include the development and redesign of the curriculum, study recruitment, on-site clinical support, data collection, and coordination of various sociobehavioral research projects. I am deeply inspired by and grateful to the team at FRESH and the Ragon Institute and am eager to continue learning and working at the intersection of social intervention and medical research. -
Michelle Doan, Touch Foundation
This summer, I am helping Touch Foundation launch and scale m-mama, a health communication technology that aims to reduce the number of neonatal and maternal deaths during labour. The health technology works by connecting hospitals to each other so they can quickly refer patients and organise transport to get mothers the care they need. During my internship, I am building an automated dashboard that centralises the referral information in one place too better process the data. Additionally, I am analysing data to understand the impacts of this technology on number of mothers and babies saved. It has been an incredible learning experience! -
Nico Dominguez Carrero, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
I support a quantitative course for mid-career researchers from LMICs to use the Violence Against Children Survey. I am interviewing participants and publishing the interviews for our stakeholders to use for future course funding and for participants' professional growth. I am developing a quantitative tool for an evaluation study of a school-based intervention preventing violence against children that will help to understand how the intervention works beyond the main outcomes of reduced bullying, corporal punishment, and improved school climate. I am researching various validated measurements towards this end, for example measures of discriminatory gender norms among students. Finally, I am writing portions of a grant on the impacts of climate change on child well-being, specifically climate anxiety in children and participatory youth methods in climate change policy planning. -
Ezra Feder, Socios en Salud
I have been working for Socios en Salud, the branch of Partners in Health for Peru. My work has been focused on improving a program to assist patients suffering from schizophrenia. I am using data on the patient’s well-being and participation in the intervention to understand the effectiveness of the program and identify ways to improve it. I am also using computational methods to optimize the assignment of patients to community agents so that funding for the program can more effectively and efficiently serve more patients. So far, my favorite part has been getting to meet and talk with the community agents, the patients, and their caretakers! -
Coby Garcia, Perinatal HIV Research Unit
I work at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU) located in Chris Hani Academic Hospital. My primary focus is on a research project that investigates interventions for violence among adolescents, particularly in relation to its intersectionality with HIV. As part of my internship, I engage in community outreach initiatives designed to reduce violence in Soweto and help develop grant proposals other various research endeavors. I shadow doctors and nurses from different divisions within Chris Hani, colloquially known as BARA, Africa's largest and the world's seventh-largest hospital and collaborate with professors and students at the University of the Witwatersrand. I immerse myself in new environments with PHRU and gain a deeper understanding of different perspectives and ways of life. -
Byron Gonzalez, Partners in Health
My internship at Partners In Health this summer has been an extraordinary experience. Within Partners In Health's unwavering commitment to achieving medical and moral global health justice, PIH Engage is dedicated to fostering a movement advocating for the fundamental right to health. In my position, I have been actively involved in the development of the PIH Engage Training Institute conference, which focused on equipping participants with effective skills for organizing health equity initiatives. This conference is taking place in August in Washington D.C., serves as a platform for 88 PIH Engage teams from across the United States, Mexico, and Peru to come together and launch new fundraising and advocacy campaign for the year ahead. -
Ellie Griffin, Touch Foundation
This summer, I have been working on three main projects for the Touch Foundation in Mwanza, Tanzania. The first is called MediFIKIA, and it has the overall goal of improving the care of NCD patients in Tanzania. It focuses on both preventing stock-outs of NCD medications in pharmacies to ensure patient access to medications and on patient tracking to improve long term patient care. I am also working on data-based analysis of various hospitals to inform interventions and hiring decisions. The third main project I am working on involves piloting different teleconsultation models to increase patient access. -
Anya Henry, UCLA Art and Global Health Center
This summer, the Mindich Public Service and HGHI summer programs have afforded me the amazing opportunity to intern at UCLA's Art and Global Health Center. Here, we used arts-based education initiatives to teach safe-sex practices and healthy relationship dynamics to high schoolers and justice-system-impacted youth while also utilizing photography and film as an avenue for HIV-positive individuals around the globe to share their own stories. My work rests at many intersections: I help with video editing, qualitative research analysis, social media, curriculum planning, data collection, and even a little bit of fashion design. Interdisciplinary in both nature and practice, my internship always keeps me on my toes and excited for what the next day may bring. -
John Hill, Ragon Institute Internships in South Africa
This summer, I am working in Durban, South Africa, at the African Health Research Institute in the lab of Dr. Zaza Ndhlovu. Dr. Ndhlovu and his team are investigating differences in how people living with HIV recognize the virus and mount an immune response, specifically differences in elite controllers - rare individual's whose bodies naturally fend off HIV. As part of an international collaboration, my role in this work has been processing samples from under-represented groups in order to build upon a body of findings from studies in the United States. -
Zazie Huml, Gavi
This summer, I am interning with GAVI the Vaccine Alliance and I am working with the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Unit. As I am focusing on zero-dose – GAVI’s initiative to reach individuals who have never been vaccinated, missed communities, and priority equity groups – my internship aligns with my passion for understanding and addressing social determinants of health. I am working on two main projects. The first is a comprehensive mapping of ZD learning activities across different teams at GAVI, which has provided a great opportunity to talk to many individuals and understand different roles/activities in the organization. The second is a review of grant applications countries have submitted to better understand the sources and quality of data used to identify and target ZD children. -
Waleed Ibrahim, Health Leads
This past summer I worked for Health Leads, a nonprofit organization based in Boston. I primarily worked with the Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative. My work included data imputing and analyzing using surveys about food health, quality, and sustainability. I also created presentations and focus group drafts that were implemented to NFAC members. -
Anushka Jetly, Perinatal HIV Research Unit
This summer, I'm interning remotely at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU) located at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa. My main responsibilities include writing a grant proposal and a manuscript that evaluates the reasons behind vaccine hesitancy and identifies the barriers towards vaccine accessibility among youth in South Africa. So far, I have completed literature reviews and helped to draft the introduction and methodology sections of the manuscript. I will also be performing qualitative data analysis using interviews conducted with community members. I am incredibly grateful for this enriching opportunity and am looking forward to conducting more meaningful work here! -
James Jolin, Health Leads CA
My name is James, and I am a rising senior at the College interning for Health Leads' California division this summer. My work is primarily on the "Beyond Do No Harm" Project, a learning innovation pilot intended to foster more equitable practices in health care. Through my work, I have been able to conduct research, work on organizational publications, and lead qualitative interviews with California residents to ensure Health Leads centers community members in their health equity work. -
Noah Kassis, Socios en Salud
Hi! I'm Noah, a rising junior concentrating in Social Studies, and this summer, I'm interning at Socios en Salud, a community-based health NGO based in Lima, Peru. My work focuses on the CASITA project, an evidence-based early childhood development program that we run in Carabayllo, an impoverished district on the outskirts of Lima. Every day, I'm out in the field, helping the team screen and enroll child-caregiver dyads, and working on my own evaluation of the unique community health agent methodology that CASITA uses. I'm so grateful to everyone at Socios and HGHI for giving me this opportunity! -
Khushi Kohli, Ragon Institute Internships in South Africa
This summer, I’ve had the privilege of working at the Ragon Institute of Harvard, MIT, and MGH in Durban, South Africa. As a hybrid intern at the Kwon lab and FRESH clinic, I spend half my time working on the phase II clinical trial for LACTIN-V (a potential HIV therapeutic) at the Nelson Mandela Medical School and half my time researching the biological and sociodemographic determinants of sexual health outcomes at the FRESH clinic. I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to meet traditional African healers, visit local clinics, and listen to the deeply moving stories of women enrolled in the FRESH clinic’s life skills and empowerment program. Overall, this transformative experience has reinforced my commitment to fostering greater equity in medical research and healthcare delivery. -
Aisha Kokan, LA County Department of Public Health
This summer I am interning at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in Alhambra, California. I work in the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Division on Policy and Strategic Initiatives. Thus far, I have worked on a variety of projects from analyzing pending legislation affecting substance use treatment systems to helping with capacity-building efforts to expand the substance use disorder counselor workforce. Through this experience, I have been able to glean how community stakeholders, network providers, County departments, and health plan partners collaborate to design and sustain accessible and effective systems of care. -
Kaleigh Kuddar, Sangath
This summer, I am interning with Sangath, an NGO based in Goa, India that has committed itself to improving access to mental healthcare services in low-resource communities. As an intern for the Addictions and Related Research Group, I am working alongside psychologists, researchers, and community leaders on the Mental Wellbeing through Sports (MeWeSports) project, which aims to co-produce and evaluate a sports-based substance use prevention program for adolescents. In my role, I have been able to synthesize and analyze qualitative data from the project’s recently completed pilot study, as well as help plan and facilitate an upcoming consultative workshop in New Delhi, where addiction, sports-for-development, and youth experts will come together to contribute to the refinement of the intervention’s components and Theory of Change. -
Ricardo Marrero-Alattar, Tecnologico de Monterrey: The Global Health Initiative
At Tec de Monterrey, my primary responsibility is to design a new Planetary Health course which analyzes the cyclic relationship between global food security and environmental sustainability. By grasping the social determinants of nutrition and human health in Mexico, and by understanding how climate change exacerbates global health inequities, undergraduates and graduates alike will learn how to create effective public undertakings in their respective fields to address environmental health crises across Mexico's diverse public policy landscape. I am grateful to serve the university’s Global Health Initiative at the Graduate School of Government and Public Transformation here in Mexico City. -
Maanasa Mendu, Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
This summer I am working as a clinical research intern at the Botswana Harvard HIV/AIDS Partnership. I joined the Thabatse and Potlako study teams focused on improving cancer care nationwide. I have enjoyed learning more about cancer staging, epidemiology, and causal inference-based methods. My day-to-day involves extracting information from medical records, editing manuscripts, and working on an independent project focused on exploring how HIV infection may increase the risk of vulvar cancer. Some highlights have included visiting a village for a cancer outreach session, shadowing physicians at the Scottish Livingstone Hospital, and exploring Gaborone's unique food scene and nature. -
Lauren Murphy, Fenway Health
This summer, I am working in the policy and advocacy division of Fenway Health. This work has given me a strong understanding of state governance and health policy at the state level. Specifically, we have been working to support the passage of the Healthy Youth Act, which would provide updates framework for Massachusetts public school sex education. My specific sector is in studying how to utilize social media to increase engagement and public support for the Healthy Youth Act. My work this summer will culminate with a social media implementation guide for Fenway Health. -
Sarosh Nagar, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
I'm working at the CDC this summer on a project related to mobilizing resources and improving public-private partnerships for a global fund that works to support pandemic preparedness. Along the way, I've gotten to talk to high-level staff from the White House, State Department, and Treasury Department, and it's truly been a great time. I'm really thankful to HGHI and CDC for this opportunity. -
Shreya Nair, Gavi
This summer, I have been working on the Measurement, Learning, and Evaluation team at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Through working at Gavi, I have had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with diverse players in global health on salient issues. For instance, I’ve been working with the World Health Organization on mainstreaming gender-specific concerns into Gavi evaluation procedures, and Ipsos on evaluations of our Zero Dose initiative. Compared to designing public health initiatives, evaluating them is especially inspiring: I got to quantify our organization’s impact, propose KPIs to evaluate future impacts, and research novel solutions to program implementation barriers. -
Janice Nam, Village Health Works
This summer, I am working at Village Health Works, a non-profit based in Burundi, Africa. As an intern for the Procurement and Supply Chain Department, I have analyzed procurement data, conducted operational bidding analysis, managed procurement processes using Precoro, and solved supply chain issues by cooperating with suppliers and internal members. Since the Procurement and Supply Chain Department is needed by all sectors of VHW, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with different sides of VHW. From supporting the opening of the Women’s Health Pavillion to helping with the accreditation of Kigutu International Academy, I have gained firsthand experience of VHW’s mission to provide compassionate and quality healthcare and education in an empowering way. -
Saddat Nazir, Greater Boston Legal Services
I have been fortunate to participate in an internship where I have gained invaluable experience in the field of disability claims and health care advocacy. My work has involved representing individuals with pending disability claims at the Social Security Office of Hearing Operations and Review, as well as advocating for clients facing denial or termination of health care coverage by the Office of Medicaid. I have conducted client interviews, developed records for administrative hearings, and even appeared at some hearings. Additionally, I have worked on access to health care issues, assisted uninsured individuals in accessing public health care programs, and contributed to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Massachusetts. It has been a remarkable opportunity for me to learn more about the intersections between health and science inequities with policy, areas that offer numerous ethical and legal implications that I hope to explore further. -
Beier Nelson, Rubin Lab
This summer, I interned as a student researcher at the Rubin Lab at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, working on a project to understand the genes essential for drug resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus, an extremely drug-resistant bacteria distantly related to Tuberculosis. My responsibilities included writing protocols for experiments, running the experiments, and analyzing the data as the project is mainly meant to be student-driven. Throughout the internship, I was also able to meet and interact with the wonderful people in the lab through conferences, socials, and surprise birthday celebrations. I am deeply grateful for both the Rubin Lab and HGHI to have had this experience this summer. -
Nkem Ogbuefi, NHS England, Strategy Group
This summer, I am working at NHS England as a strategy analyst. I am working on the medium-term strategy, which as internal facing document that sets goals and plans of action that address the NHS's most pressing healthcare challenges. As an intern, I am focusing on intermediate care and how the NHS can continue to move care out of hospitals to reduce bed occupancy, reduce hospital admissions and readmission rates, and improve discharge flow. My work includes conducting literature reviews, participating in problem-solving meetings, and compiling information into a final slides deck. Moreover, I have a very extensive engagement diary that has allowed me to meet people working in various departments across the NHS and hear about the work they are doing. These projects have been incredibly enriching and I am grateful for the opportunity to work at the NHS over the summer! -
Elizabeth Ogolo, Univeristy of Global Health Equity
It has been the greatest honor to be an intern at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), a Partners in Health medical institution pioneering new ways in health equity and education in the heart of underserved communities. This summer, I have contributed to new curriculum projects with the goal of transitioning the medical and masters' programs to a platform that supports competency-based learning. I am primarily responsible for mapping curriculum content and preparing course frameworks for Elentra, the education platform UGHE intends to pilot. I also have the freedom to participate in other related projects like translating medical terminology into Kinyarwanda for student use and development. My work here has greatly exposed me to several invaluable opportunities in addition to incredible staff, students, and community members. I could not have asked for a more enriching experience this summer! -
Hailey Olcott, International Quality Improvement Collaborative
This summer, I am working with the International Quality Improvement Collaborative at Boston Children's Hospital. The mission of IQIC is to help improve outcomes of procedures for children with congenital heart disease at various partner sites globally, providing these hospitals with valuable insights regarding what may be leading to complications. So far, I have participated in meetings with partner hospitals around the world as well as internal team decision-making calls, helped to organize information for our data audits, reviewed literature for a new AI project, and begun to put together a new database to manage our contacts. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to learn from and work with such a terrific and impactful team. -
Yedith Ortiz Iturbide, Mental Health for All Lab
This summer, as a Research Assistant at the Mental Health for All Lab on the EMPOWER Project, my work has been centered around translating mental health service training into Spanish. The ultimate goal is to develop a digital platform that enables non-specialist health workers to provide effective, brief psychological treatments. I am passionate about this project because of its dedication to bridging gaps for marginalized communities. By culturally adapting the material, I know it will help destigmatize mental health in the Latino community. Additionally, I have been involved in coding and analyzing focus group sessions from a pilot study to gain qualitative insights. I am honored to contribute to this meaningful and impactful research. -
Hana Rehman, University of Chicago Urban Health Labs
This summer, I have had the pleasure of working as a research intern at the University of Chicago Urban Health Labs for multiple projects. The Lab seeks to evaluate and improve public health interventions to ultimately help cities achieve health equity. As an intern, I have helped conduct literature reviews, edit grant proposals and write reports for the Critical Time Intervention Multisite Evaluation (CTIME), a model which helps transition homeless individuals to stable housing, and the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement Evaluation (CARE) which seeks to reframe the city's 911 response throughout the crisis response system. I also work on the Inform988 project, which works to strengthen the relationship between the suicide and crisis lifeline (988) and the emergency number (911). -
Una Roven, Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
This summer, I’m working in the research laboratory at the Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership in Gaborone. My project has focused on lenacapavir, the first drug in a new class of antiretrovirals that has been remarkably effective even for individuals resistant to other therapies. I’m using everything from RNA extraction and sequencing to retrospective analysis to understand the prevalence of lenacapavir-resistant mutations in the hopes that the drug will be effective against HIV-1C in Botswana! -
Helen Scarborough, Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital
This summer, I am working with a research team based out of Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital and we are studying the occurrence of postoperative complications experienced by general surgery patients as reported by physicians and other health care providers. I am acting as the lead research intern on this team and am helping to organize the steps of our literature review and data analysis while also contributing to this work myself. This work has been extremely fulfilling as it has allowed me to discover a new area of public health, further my own research skills through the independent nature of my work, and ask my own research questions to be explored as future areas of interest! -
Sophia Scott, Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern at Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles (HHCLA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving those experiencing homelessness and substance use issues in Los Angeles, California. My focus was on the substance use treatment program, working alongside psychiatrists, LCSW therapists, substance use counselors, and occupational therapists. Together, we assisted community members who were seeking safe spaces, harm reduction supplies, support groups, and individual counseling, particularly those in the medication-assisted treatment program. I actively participated in client-facing duties, facilitating support groups and assisting with medication distribution. -
Sneha Shenoy, Sangath
This summer, I have the privilege of working on the NAMASTE project at Sangath, as a part of their Community Engagement and Involvement Workstream. As an intern, I am working on planning, executing, and writing a scoping review on the best practices to engage stakeholders with lived experiences of autism into community engagement programmes in low- and middle-income countries. This work will allow me to contribute to manuscripts on the process adapted by our NAMASTE workstream in developing the public engagement toolkit and the best strategies for conducting qualitative and design research in South Asia. I am grateful to Sangath and HGHI for this opportunity to gain new global health experience and relevant research skills! -
Jennifer Su, Greater Boston Legal Services
This summer, I am interning at the Elder, Health, and Disability Unit at Greater Boston Legal Services, a nonprofit that aims to advocate for and provide free legal services for underserved populations in the Boston area. As an intern, I have had the opportunity to work one-on-one with clients and gain valuable insights into the legal challenges faced by older adults and individuals with disabilities. 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. -
Srija Vem, Univeristy of Global Health Equity
This summer, I've had the wonderful opportunity to work with the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) on various projects, meet inspiring people, and make meaningful connections! I've gotten to meet students who've taught me about Rwandan culture, doctors who've taken me to the local rural hospital, and faculty who never fail to show me the value of hard work and passion. I've specifically been working with partnerships of the university, and having the ability to talk with the partners themselves has taught me a lot about the foundations of global health; I hope to continue similar work in the future as well! -
Ellie Wiesler, University of Oxford, Big Data Institute
This summer I am conducting research at the University of Oxford’s Big Data Institute with the OxWearables Lab run by Professor Aiden Doherty. This lab is a research group in the Nuffield Department of Population Health where I’ve had the amazing privilege of being surrounded by some of the world's top population health scientists, epidemiologists, and machine learning specialists. In our lab, we use big population health data sets from wearable medical devices, such as those in the UK Biobank, and use epidemiological and machine-learned models to understand this data and make conclusions about population health. At Harvard, I study Mathematics and this opportunity funded by the HGHI has been profoundly inspiring on my journey to hopefully pursue an MD-PhD with doctoral studies in biostatistics or epidemiology. -
Cosette Wu, National Academy for Social Prescribing
I've spent my summer in London as an intern at the National Academy for Social Prescribing, working with Dr. Bogdan Chiva Giurca as part of the Global team. I've had the wonderful opportunity to lead the development of an international training offering for social prescribing link workers and to work on a few publications related to digital health startups and overprescribing as well as misconceptions about the link worker role. I've also had some amazing experiences outside of the Southbank Centre office. In particular, I really enjoyed meeting some of the "stars" of social prescribing (who I've read about online/in the news) at a "Community Wellbeing, Health Inequalities and the role of Social Prescribing" workshop at UCL, learning more about Parliament while joining a coworker who was speaking at a House of Lords committee session, and volunteering at the 2023 Integrative and Personalised Medicine Congress. -
Doris Yang, Harvard Medical School
I am conducting research at the Translational Data Science Center for a Learning Health System (CELEHS) at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. CELEHS, led by Dr. Tianxi Cai, focuses on developing analytical and predictive tools that leverage biomedical data to improve the efficiency and accuracy of healthcare delivery. In line with this mission, my research project, mentored by Dr. Chuan Hong, aims to develop a machine learning method for harmonizing variables across clinical cohort studies. Effective variable harmonization paves the way for resource-efficient multi-cohort studies with increased statistical power and diversity in study population. -
Jeffrey Yang, ISGlobal Barcelona Institute of Global Health
In Barcelona this summer, I am researching the intersection of climate change psychology and health psychology. As a part of a team working on a greater project, I am conducting a literature review on the psychology of engagement in pro-environmental behavior. The ultimate goal is to understand whether we can better frame climate change by conveying its accompanying health impacts to the general public. Hence, understanding the psychology of climate change engagement is critical! It is particularly exciting for me to be working on such an interdisciplinary topic! -
Malaika Zaidi, Stop TB Partnership/UNOPS
This summer, I've had the wonderful opportunity of working with Stop TB Partnership, hosted by UNOPS in Geneva, Switzerland. I am working closely with the Digital Health Team. The DHT works diligently on the introducing New Tools Project (iNTP), a collaboration between Stop TB Partnership and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to introduce the latest technological innovations in TB diagnosis and treatments to high burden countries. There is large emphasis on ultra portable digital X-ray systems and artificial intelligence powered computer aided software to screen for TB. It has been wonderful assisting with this work and aiding in Stop TB's mission to end TB by 2030. This internship has allowed me to see the intersection of topics I care very deeply about: advocacy, human rights, and health. -
Alan Zhang, University of Chicago Urban Health Labs
This summer, I am working at the University of Chicago's Urban Health Lab, where I am part of the Reducing Opioid Mortality in Illinois (ROMI) team. ROMI is a randomized controlled trial concerning criminal/legal re-entry for people exiting jails and prisons in Illinois, and I've had the chance to see the implementation and evaluation of the study from recruitment to interviews with staff from our partners. I am also contributing to the quantitative analysis aspect of the ROMI trials, and when I'm not doing that, I am helping set up the background research for upcoming projects. I'm deeply appreciative of the chance to be a part of this vital effort to improve health outcomes for vulnerable members of society with evidence-based policy!
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.
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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!
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.
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.