Takeaways from CUGH 2023 Conference
By Katrina Streef and Sarah DeGrâce
In April, we had the amazing opportunity to attend the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) conference held in Washington, DC. This year's conference theme was ‘Global Health at a Crossroads: Equity, Climate Change and Microbial Threats.’ The conference brought together researchers, policymakers, professionals, and students from around the world to share knowledge on how to address some of the big challenges we are facing in global health.
We heard from leaders such as Dr. Anthony Fauci on pandemic prevention, COVID-19 and emerging infectious diseases. In addition, we attended a film festival hosted by the Pulitzer Centre which highlighted the communities around the world who are facing climate change, displacement and conflict. We sat down with the editors at Perspectives to share some of our biggest takeaways from our experience at the conference.
Sarah and Katrina sharing information about the McGill Global Health Programs with conference attendes at the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) 2023 conference in Washington, DC.
1. What was your favourite session you attended? What did you learn from it?
Sarah: Definitely the oral abstract of Dr. Arghavan Salles. She reframes social determinants of health into structural factors, which is very powerful and enlightening. In order to deconstruct harmful systemic frameworks, she suggests tackling health justice issues head-first to reach our health equity goals.
Katrina: My favourite session was the ‘Great Global Health Debate’. Dr. Agnes Soucat and Dr. Soji Adeyi debated whether the practice of global health should be broadened to encompass the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr. Soucat, argued that the SDGs should be included because addressing social and environmental determinants of health are part of the same agenda. Dr. Adeyi argued that it is more important to correct mistakes that persist in global health practice such as power imbalances between Global North and Global South countries. Overall, it was a lively debate that made me think critically about my responsibilities as a student working in global health.
2. How did the conference theme resonate with you?
Katrina: During the conference we attended a film festival hosted by the Pulitzer Centre. The films highlighted the impacts of climate change at the community level. The films provided exposure to people experiencing the effects of climate change. For example, we heard from people in Guatemala who were forced to migrate due to the impacts of drought, and those in the Himalayan Mountains who had to make many lifestyle changes to adapt to the changing climate. After watching the research presentations throughout the conference on “Equity and Climate Change,” the film festival made the conference theme even more meaningful because it reminded me of who is suffering from the impacts of climate change.
Sarah: Equity and climate change issues offer potential for innovation and translation science. The many speakers and discussions of the conference showed that these challenges need to be addressed with development initiatives with high impact. Throughout the conference, environmental scientists and activists drew on their experiential knowledge and public health crises management to bridge the gap between research and policy. This served as a model for global health leaders, highlighting the importance of grassroots systemic change and accessibility.
3. What was your biggest take-away from the conference?
Sarah: Numbers numb, stories sell. Ineffective scientific communication is one of the most pressing issues in global health, and advocates may be the core audience to reach decision-makers. We need to focus on simple, clear messages, repeat them often, and spread the word through trusting and caring voices.
Katrina: In-person conferences are a great way to network! I had the opportunity to chat with many students, researchers, and professionals from around the world. This allowed me to explore different areas of global health research and connect with individuals who were doing work related to my own. It was an excellent opportunity to hear about training and experiences that helped shape other professionals' careers and explore options for myself post-grad.
Overall, the conference was an incredible experience. We had the opportunity to hear from global health leaders and connect with peers from around the world. We are very thankful to the School of Population and Global Health at McGill University for inviting us to attend CUGH and for funding this opportunity.
Katrina Streef graduated in May 2023 with a Master of Science in Public Health from the Department of Epidemiology Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill University.
Sarah is a Bachelor of Ecological Determinants of Health student in the Bieler School of Environment at McGill University. She is a Research Assistant for the Environmental Health Association of Québec.