Student Fellows Program Spring 2024 Research Projects
Below is a list of the proposed research projects for GHI Spring 2024 Student Fellows. Each project indicates whether it requires remote work, in-person work, or a hybrid of remote and in-person work. Any in-person work is subject to the university's operating guidelines. More information about the program and how to apply is available on the GHI Student Fellows Program website.
For this section, please take a closer look at who can apply for each project.
Opportunities for Undergraduate, Graduate, Law, and Medical Students​
Access to Infectious Disease Interventions for People Living in Conflict and Post-Conflict Settings
Faculty Mentor: Margaret Baker, Associate Professor, Department of Global Health
Project Description: The student fellow will participate in a scoping literature review on increasing access to infectious disease interventions for people living in conflict and post-conflict settings. Most of the literature on this topic is siloed within specific disease areas. This review therefore looks across disease programs to identify common themes, preferred practices, and unaddressed challenges. The student fellow will work with a student team to apply the PRISMA methodology for scoping reviews, reading and extracting key information from journal articles, and contributing to the thinking in this field.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate students
Skills Preferred: Ability to read and extract information quickly, write clearly, and work well in teams
Work Modality: In-person and remote work
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Artificial Intelligence in Public Health
Faculty Mentor: Katherine Robsky, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Project Description: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public health and healthcare is rapidly expanding. There may be particularly useful applications of AI in low-resource settings, but this has not been thoroughly reviewed. The student fellow, in collaboration with the Center for Global Health Practice and Impact’s data team, will lead a scoping review of artificial intelligence in the context of global public health programs and research. The student fellow will have the opportunity to develop a protocol, contribute to the scoping review, and disseminate results through the writing of an abstract and/or manuscript.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students, medical students
Skills Preferred: Writing, critical reading, attention to detail, interest and/or coursework in global health / data science
Work Modality: In-person and remote work
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Disease Surveillance, International Law, and Migrants
Faculty Mentor: Rebecca Katz, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Project Description: The student fellow will work on a large research project focused on disease surveillance, international law, and migrants. Refugees, migrants, and internally displaced people are vulnerable to infectious diseases, yet may not be captured in traditional disease surveillance systems. The goal is to further understand how disease information in these populations is translated into national and global surveillance programs.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students
Skills Preferred: Careful reading, writing, interest in health security, and some data visualization
Work Modality: In-person and remote work
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Epithelial Barrier Dysfunctions in Humans
Faculty Mentor: Steven Singer, Professor, Department of Biology
Project Description: Giardia infection can induce epithelial barrier dysfunction in humans, animal models and cell lines. Little is known about how these barriers are repaired. The fellow will help investigate potential repair mechanisms using techniques such as western blot, flow cytometry, RT-PCR, and immunohistology. Limited animal work may also be involved.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate freshman or sophomore
Skills Preferred: Experience in a biology lab is preferred
Work Modality: In-person work
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Developing Solutions for Global Health Through Research
Faculty Mentor: Martine Etienne-Mesubi, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Project Description: The Center for Global Health Practice & Impact (CGHPI) is looking for a motivated student excited about research and hands on learning. CGHPI has implementation projects across Africa and the Caribbean and we are working with partners on several research projects. This student will have an opportunity to access faculty across our country projects as well as work closely with our Health Services Research and Outcomes lead on developing research protocols, implementing research projects that are currently under IRB review, work on manuscript development and identify a key project that the student can explore on their own with support from faculty leading to key deliverables and final report.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students, medical students
Skills Preferred: Student should be able to do literature reviews, basic data analysis skills, (qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills are desirable but not required), student should be able to take initiative and explore new ideas
Work Modality: Remote and in-person work
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Faith, Trust, and Global Health
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Oliver Johnson, Managing Director, Georgetown University Global Health Institute
Project Description: Declining trust in public health institutions is a threat to the well-being of individuals, families, and countries throughout the world. The student fellow will work on a project that seeks to inform strategies for engaging faith community leaders in promoting global health and well-being. The student fellow will assist with conducting background research, writing, coordination, and organizing.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students, medical students
Skills Preferred: Literature searches, writing, organizing
Work Modality: In-person and remote work
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Health Misinformation
Faculty Mentor: Leticia Bode, Professor, Communication, Culture, and Technology Program
Project Description: Professor Bode is working on a project to research health misinformation topics of interest, find specific claims, and then design and field an experiment to test how frequently people believe those claims. The student fellow would help research claims, assist with IRB application, program the survey into Qualtrics (can be taught), and other related tasks.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students
Skills Preferred: Attention to detail is key, as is ability to respond to suggestions. Research experience or experience with surveys, IRB, or Qualtrics would all be a plus.
Work Modality: In-person and remote work
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Holy Family Health Center in Caldwell, Liberia
Faculty Mentor: Rosemary Sokas, Professor, Department of Human Science
Project Description: This project seeks to establish an ongoing relationship with the Holy Family Health Center in Caldwell, Liberia. The health center is part of the only Jesuit parish in Liberia, established in the aftermath of the civil wars in that country and providing primary care, with an emphasis on maternal and child care and midwifery services. Ongoing needs are many and have been exacerbated by poverty, infrastructure challenges, and global climate change that has caused increased flooding with standing water, increased mosquito populations, and malaria.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students, medical students
Skills Preferred: Leadership and communication skills
Work Modality: Remote work
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International Medical Graduates Residency Training
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ming-Jung Ho, Professor, Department of Family Medicine
Project Description: The purpose of this project is to develop a curriculum for resident physicians who are international medical graduates (IMGs), graduates of medical schools outside of the United States. IMGs represent over 25% of physician workforce in the United States. However, residency training focuses on assimilation based on a deficient model. This project aims to develop a curriculum based on "cultural wealth" model to facilitate IMGs to bring their cultural assets to enhance patient care.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, medical students
Skills Preferred: research skills, writing skills, presentation skills, qualitative research experience preferred. Willingness to learn and work hard is key!
Work Modality: Remote work
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Mental Health Intervention in Senegal
Faculty Mentor: Shabab Wahid, Assistant Professor, Department of Global Health
Project Description: The student will assist in developing qualitative tools, qualitative data analysis, and literature review of cultural perceptions of mental illness, including idioms of distress, locally salient beliefs surrounding mental illness, and mechanisms of stigma, in Senegal. This work will inform the cultural adaptation and implementation of a community-based mental health intervention called Self-help plus, to be integrated into existing poverty-reduction and social protection programs in Senegal.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, medical students
Skills Preferred: Literature review; Qualitative research; French or Wolof language skills is a distinct advantage, but not necessary
Work Modality: Remote and in-person work
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Migrants' Access to Healthcare Within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Region
Faculty Mentor: Weijun Yu, Senior Research Officer, Georgetown Global Health Institute
Project Description: The student fellow will engage in a vital research initiative focused on a systematic review of migrants' access to healthcare within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. This region includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, characterized by their significant migrant population, offering a distinctive healthcare landscape. Participants in this project will acquire essential skills in systematic and meta-analysis, with comprehensive training provided, making prior experience unnecessary. The opportunity also includes working alongside the Global Health Institute's Director Dr. Bazira and eminent global health specialists, providing a unique experience to expand professional networks and deepen understanding of healthcare access in a region of critical global importance. This project is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate or graduate students to enhance their research capabilities and make a substantial contribution to global health research and policy-making. Participating in this systematic review project offers the student not only the opportunity to contribute to peer-review paper publication but also the potential to present findings at conferences, enhancing their academic profile and visibility in the global health community. The skills and experience gained, particularly in systematic review and meta-analysis, will be invaluable assets in a variety of career paths. Whether in academia, public health policy, or beyond, the hands-on experience and knowledge acquired through this project will provide a solid foundation for future professional endeavors, making it an ideal opportunity for students looking to make a meaningful impact in their careers.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students, medical students
Skills Preferred: The ideal candidate should primarily be fluent in English, with strong reading and writing skills, to effectively engage with the research material and communicate findings. While other skills such as literature review and data analysis are appreciated, they are not mandatory. A research-oriented mindset, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively in a team is important. Organizational skills and a problem-solving approach are beneficial but not essential. A demonstrated keen interest in global health and the capacity to synthesize information critically, with the readiness to learn and grow within the project framework, is also important.
Work Modality: Remote work
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Notifiable Diseases
Faculty Mentor: Colin Carlson, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Project Description: See something, say something? Every country has a different framework for how they handle notifiable diseases - the important ones where outbreaks have to be immediately reported to the government. Gaps in notifiable diseases might explain why some outbreaks go unrecorded or why some countries act slowly when outbreak starts. We're looking for a student to work with Professors Colin Carlson and Rebecca Katz to build a master list of the world's notifiable diseases, country by country. This work will likely lead to at least one peer-reviewed publication in 2024. If you have data science skills (R or Python), you may also be asked to help with the analysis of how these lists end up shaping outbreak reporting.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students, medical students
Skills Preferred: This can be an entry-level project, but you should be willing to read large numbers of documents, and good at keeping detailed notes. Data science skills (R or Python) and global language fluencies (especially French, Spanish, and Dutch) are a plus.
Work Modality: In-person and remote work
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Postpartum Care
Faculty Mentor: Christina X. Marea, Assistant Professor, Nurse Midwifery Program
Project Description: The United States currently ranks last among high income countries for maternal and infant morbidity and mortality representing health and social system failures across the lifespan, and specifically during the perinatal period. One intervention that is standard in many high-income countries is postpartum care at home. This research project evaluates the utilization and impact of a postpartum care midwifery home visiting intervention at a federally qualified health center in Washington D.C. using data from electronic health records to describe the 12-month pilot of this program.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate and graduate students, law students, medical students
Skills Preferred: The student must have a completed at least 2 semesters of training in statistical methods, and be able to work independently using SPSS or Stata to run statistical analyses. The student MUST also a clearly demonstrated interest in, and commitment to reproductive justice and health equity. This commitment can be demonstrated by a history of writing, research, course work, advocacy, and/or volunteering. The student must also complete CITI training and be added to the IRB application.
Work Modality: In-person and remote work
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Refusals of Care During Childbirth
Faculty Mentor: Andres Constantin, Assistant Director of Health Law Programs, O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
Project Description: In the complex landscape of obstetric care, the project aims to delve into the ethical dimensions surrounding patient-provider decision-making, particularly in scenarios where there is a misalignment between a patient's preferences and the recommended medical treatment. Focusing on choices made during childbirth, the project seeks to address the legal and ethical implications of accommodating or refusing a patient's request based on medical or non-medical grounds. This research is crucial in addressing recurring dilemmas in obstetric care, ensuring that medical professionals are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate complex decision-making processes while upholding the highest ethical standards. The outcomes of this project have the potential to shape policies, inform medical practices, and ultimately contribute to the well-being of both patients and healthcare providers in the realm of maternal health.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate juniors and seniors and graduate students, law students
Skills Preferred: Strong research and writing skills will be important, along with an interest in human rights, health, and medical ethics
Work Modality: Remote work
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Using the WHO Health Equity Assessment Toolkit for the Health Inequality Data Repository
Faculty Mentor: George Luta, Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics and Biomathematics, and Anca Dragomir, Associate Professor, Department of Oncology
Project Description: In order to eliminate health inequalities, it is critical to properly measure and monitor them. To help achieve this goal, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a free software application, the Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT), which can be used to explore, analyze, and report health inequalities. In collaboration with WHO researchers, the fellow will use HEAT to perform inequality analyses for datasets from the Health Inequality Data Repository that have not been fully investigated yet, including datasets related to health care, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, and adult health.
Who Can Apply: Undergraduate junior and senior and graduate students
Skills Preferred: An introductory statistics or epidemiology course; experience using R
Work Modality: Remote work
Opportunities for Only Graduate and/or Medical and/or Law Students
Early Childhood Mental Health in Latin America and the Caribbean
Faculty Mentor: Neal Horen, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Project Description: We will be doing an analysis of early childhood mental health in Latin America and the Caribbean, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. Work will include analysis of key informant interviews and development of a report. This project is the beginning of longer-term investment in early childhood mental health work in Latin America so there may be future opportunities as well.
Who Can Apply: Graduate students
Skills Preferred: Spanish speaking is preferable but not required. Interest in early childhood and good writing skills. Qualitative analysis skills helpful.
Work Modality: Remote work
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Impact Investing in Health and Elderly Care
Faculty Mentor: Jun Han, Adjunct Professor, McCourt School of Public Policy
Project Description: The project centers on impact investing in health and elderly care. Through an analysis of trends, organizations, strategies, and policies within the healthcare and elderly care sector, the project seeks to pinpoint opportunities for impact investments that advance the long-term well-being of elderly people. Key considerations encompass advancements in medical enterprises and technologies, innovative elderly care solutions, and sustainable financing models. The overarching objective is to steer investors toward socially responsible and financially sound enterprises and nonprofits that positively contribute to the health outcomes of the aging population.
Who Can Apply: Graduate students, law students
Skills Preferred: Literature review, data analysis, financial literacy, networking skills
Work Modality: Remote work
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Systematic Review: Impact of Continuous Improvement
Faculty Mentor: Martine Etienne-Mesubi, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Project Description: This project will focus on conducting a systematic review of continuous quality improvement (CQI) projects across low to middle income countries (LMIC). CQI has been used to improve programmatic, clinical and operational program outcomes and while there are standard approaches to CQI implementation many of these projects are carried out by implementing partners and the scalability and sustainability of the outcomes are often a challenge. Our center is looking for a motivated student to support a systematic review of CQI programs that have been implemented across LMIC. Main outcome measures of interests will be program outcomes, human resources, costs, and operationalization of approaches.
Who Can Apply: Graduate students
Skills Preferred: Student must have excellent writing, analytical, and literature review skills
Work Modality: Remote and in-person work