When Curiosity Meets Opportunity

John Nkengasong’s story is one defined by curiosity, persistence, and the pursuit of knowledge. Hearing him speak about his upbringing in Cameroon reminded me of my own parents’ experiences in India, both shaped by environments where formal education was limited but deeply valued, and where the drive to learn became the foundation for everything that followed.

What struck me most was how fortuitous the early stages of his career were. After finishing his undergraduate studies, uncertain about his next steps, he began an internship screening pregnant women for hepatitis B. That experience not only exposed him to public health but also connected him to a mentor at the medical school who encouraged him to study virology. Through that program, he happened to meet Peter Piot, Ph.D., an important figure in HIV research, who offered him a scholarship through the Belgian Embassy to continue his studies in Belgium. Had any one of those encounters not happened, his path might have looked completely different. Yet, as he described it, each moment of chance was met with curiosity and an eagerness to learn – traits that ultimately guided his trajectory.

Over the next eight years in Belgium, Nkengasong completed two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. while studying the HIV epidemic unfolding in Central Africa. Living in Belgium also made him acutely aware of the complex relationship between colonialism and global health, as the countries he studied, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, were closely tied to Belgium’s colonial history. Rather than staying abroad, he returned to Africa determined to work closer to the epidemic’s epicenter. In Côte d’Ivoire, he built laboratories from the ground up, often creating roles that did not exist before. Later, at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he established and accredited the CDC’s first HIV virology laboratory with the American College of Pathology, which became the foundation for supporting President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s early work. His career continued to evolve as he led responses to the Ebola outbreak of 2014–2015 and later became the founding director of the Africa CDC, where he strengthened systems for disease surveillance and response across the continent.

When he spoke about leading the Africa CDC during COVID-19, he described it as both the most challenging and most rewarding period of his life. The pandemic reduced political barriers and created new opportunities for diplomacy, allowing him to engage directly with heads of state to coordinate responses. What began as a career in virology had expanded into one of public policy and leadership, yet the throughline remained the same: knowledge.

Listening to Nkengasong reminded me that careers, whether in global health or diplomacy, are rarely linear.

As a Justice and Peace Studies minor, I was especially struck by his reflections on administering vaccines in conflict-ridden regions. He emphasized that the first step in any intervention is not the science or the logistics, but trust. Before a vaccine can enter a community, the people delivering it must be seen, known, and believed. That insight challenged how I think about global health work. It is not only about data or disease prevention, but about building relationships rooted in dignity and understanding.

Pranathi Jammula (H’27) is an undergraduate student majoring in human science at Georgetown University.