2024 Global Health Scholars - Undergraduate
Meet our powerhouse Global Health Scholars tackling projects at the intersection of health, equity, and social justice! From using art to combat mental health issues and gender-based violence to examining COVID-19's impact on Nigerian women, these undergraduates are contributing uniquely to the world of public health and social equity.
The 2024 cohort of McGill Global Health Programs’ Global Health Scholars – Undergraduate program includes 26 amazing Scholars.
Please note that not all Scholars have opted in to be featured in this piece.
Ayla Shanks
Project Title: Pathways2Equity
Role: Collaborated with the Participatory Cultures Lab to create a book that highlighted the creative work and activism of the GET Art group in Rankin Inlet. Responsibilities included crafting visual narratives from years of artwork and community activities that focused on mental health, gender-based violence, and the high cost of living in the North.
Exciting Aspect: Was inspired by the power of art and human connection as tools for social change and policymaking, as well as the interdisciplinary collaborations she witnessed in the lab.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the John Locke Churchill Scholars Award
Aynslie McIntyre
Project Title: Disparities in Palliative Care and Psycho-oncology Access
Role: Helped develop a tool to assess disparities in oncology patients’ access to palliative care and psycho-oncological services, collecting input from patients and medical professionals.
Exciting Aspect: Enjoyed working with her team and contributing to a valuable tool that addresses social determinants of health.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Margaret W. Siber Medicine 1970 and George R. Siber Medicine 1970 Global Heath Scholar Award
Dana Toameh
Project Title: Fighting Blindness with Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy
Role: Explored healthcare technology and community outreach in Indigenous populations in Quebec. She managed and analyzed data to assess the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in Nunavik.
Exciting Aspect: Was inspired by her visit to the Inuulitsivik Health Centre and by interacting with community members in Nunavik, gaining invaluable insights into healthcare delivery in remote areas.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Soe-Lin-Hecht Global Health Scholar Undergraduate Award
Eva Kellner
Project Title: Understanding the Gendered Impact of COVID-19 on Young Self-Employed Nigerian Women
Role: Was involved in a project on co-design assessment tools involving youth. She compiled primary research articles, extracted critical information, and organized data for her team’s study.
Exciting Aspect: Found it rewarding to interact with a large research team and is excited by the potential of co-design in shaping her future as a researcher.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the John Locke Churchill Scholars Award
Goktug Bender
Project Title: Adolescent Nutrition & Sexual Reproductive Health Knowledge in Bangladesh, Kenya, and Tanzania**
Role: Conducted a literature review to assess adolescent knowledge of nutrition and sexual health in these regions, informing future research questions and health interventions.
Exciting Aspect: Was surprised by the cultural differences in knowledge and attitudes across regions, and the profound impact this information could have on adolescent health outcomes.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Leduc, Davis, Brun, & De Rito Undergraduate Award for Global Health
Josie Brooks
Project Title: Prevalence and Correlates of Mental Health Problems in Young Ghanaian Children
Role: Performed a literature review and created an annotated bibliography for the project. She also drafted the introduction of the manuscript.
Exciting Aspect: Was surprised by the lack of research on preschool mental health in Africa and was excited to contribute to addressing this gap.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Dr. Alice Benjamin Global Maternal and Child Health Award
Khushi Toprani
Project Title: Analyzing Financial Security and Health Trajectories of Canadian Immigrants
Role: Researched financial services for newcomers to Canada using machine learning analyses, aiming to identify barriers and develop tailored products to improve immigrants' financial well-being.
Exciting Aspect: Enjoyed presenting her research at the Smart Cities Conference and valued the interdisciplinary collaboration in her work.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the support by John Locke Churchill Scholars Award
Liliana Sisto
Project Title: Ukuvula Isango - Women Rise
Role: Conducted a thematic analysis on gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa, wrote a policy brief, and managed data for the project.
Exciting Aspect: Found it exciting to meet local graduate student researchers and visit the communities where the research was being conducted.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Luger-Mikelberg Travel Award
Lilly Groszman
Project Title: Introducing a Trauma Registry and Supporting the CGS Trauma and Disaster Team
Role: Helped enhance trauma care in Saint-Louis, Senegal by training local healthcare workers to use an electronic trauma registry (Amber) and gathering feedback for system improvements.
Exciting Aspect: Was excited about meeting the Senegalese team.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Medical Class of '84 Student Bursary
Lucie Reford
Project Title: EnGen: Enabling Intergenerational Connections to Promote Mental Health and Well-being
Role: Assisted in a systematic literature review on intergenerational interventions in the context of climate change and mental health. She was also involved in developing search protocols and carrying out a narrative review of grey literature.
Exciting Aspect: Was excited by the opportunity to work with community partners at the Black Resource Community Centre.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the John Locke Churchill Scholars Award
Neevya Balasubramaniam
Project Title: Disparities in Palliative Care and Psycho-oncology Access
Role: Conducted a literature review to guide a research agenda on equity in access to palliative care and psycho-oncology services.
Exciting Aspect: Enjoyed collaborating with oncology support groups throughout Canada.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Dr. Margaret Siber Global Health Scholar Award
Rania Mishal Khan
Project Title: Political Determinants of South Asian Occupational Health in Canada
Role: Conducted a literature review for a policy analysis project on South Asian populations in Canada’s labor market during the COVID-19 pandemic. She drafted an outline on the history and policies affecting this demographic.
Exciting Aspect: Was thrilled to gain new perspectives in policy analysis and better understand the role of politics in healthcare equity.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Dr. Kenneth Remsen Global Health Award
Sofia Lizza
Project Title: The Production of Global Health Knowledge
Role: Worked with Dr. Weisz to research pandemic preparedness, including the WHO’s pandemic Blueprint and the development of COVID vaccines, by conducting literature reviews and organizing data for reports.
Exciting Aspect: Enjoyed diving back into social sciences of health research and reflecting on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Award: McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Dr. Margaret Siber Global Health Scholar Award
Author: Claire R. Gapare
Editor: Alex Stoljar Gold