Each year the University of Washington's (UW) Department of Global Health is able to provide partial to full funding to recruit top applicants. In addition to financial support, some recipients also receive mentorship and real-world experience through research assistant positions. For the 2024-25 academic year, 19 outstanding graduate students received funding to support their studies, 15 of whom are highlighted here. Learn more about this impressive cohort, including their journeys to arrive at the UW and the impact they hope to have on the field of global health.

DGH Excellence Award Teaching Assistantship 

Master of Public Health in Global Health 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I am a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, raised in the Khan Younis refugee camp. Growing up there, I developed a deep sense of community, resilience, and compassion. This upbringing shaped my commitment to serving others and creating meaningful connections.

In 2024 Department of Global Health (DGH) students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community partners collaborated with the goal of improving health for all. Through community-centered research, our faculty and students investigated the causes of HIV/STI prevention, examined the resilience of healthcare systems, and highlighted the importance of rural health equity. 2024 was also a year of recognition as we thanked Dr. Carey Farquhar for her two years of service as interim chair, and welcomed Heidi van Rooyen as department chair. 

More than 30 scientists have been named to the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list for work conducted over the past few years at the UW School of Medicine or the Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

Dengue fever, a potentially fatal virus spread by mosquitoes, is sweeping across the Americas, breaking records with a skyrocketing rate of infections.