This year, the Department of Global Health welcomed six Fulbright scholars from Tunisia, Malawi, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Colombia. The Fulbright program provides prestigious grants that cover an academic year of living, studying, and engaging with the community at U.S. universities. Applying students submit a statement of defined activities they will pursue during their time in America, with graduate students having to demonstrate a capacity for independent study or research. Once accepted, the students receive funding to facilitate cultural exchanges in the classroom, field, and other academic environments. Learn more about the students (all of whom are pursuing Masters of Public Health), what their interests are, and how they ended up at UW!
Shadi Henchiri – Tunisia
What is your area of research interest?
I am interested in infectious and zoonotic diseases, epidemiology and the application of the interdisciplinary approach, "One Health" for emergency preparedness. I am also interested in researching health issues at the human, animal and environmental interface like Ebola, Tuberculosis, and other zoonotic diseases with pandemic potential.
Did you come to UW with a specific academic focus?
After completing my doctorate in veterinary medicine at the Veterinary School of Tunis, I started thinking about getting a Master's in Public Health in America. I came to the University of Washington intending to learn the areas of research and practice that prioritize improving health and achieving equity of health accessibility for people locally and globally.
Why did you choose to come to UW?
The public health program at the University of Washington is ranked among the top five public health programs in the world. Also, the Department of Global Health works with more than 190 partners throughout the USA and overseas.
What do you hope to get out of your experience here?
Out of my experience here I hope to get lifelong friends and work colleagues. I also want to learn more about American cultures and the values in the U.S. I am eager to exchange knowledge about health issues from my cohort since the program is very diverse in terms of students' nationalities and their fields of expertise.
Tikhala Itaye – Malawi
What is your area of research interest?
I have always been so concerned by the inequalities around us. The fact that low-income populations have no choice but to be subjected to poor quality of education and health compared to privileged, high-income households that get the best healthcare and education is just not right.
My research area has mainly been on sexual reproductive health and rights for young people, focusing on HIV prevention and access to quality sexual reproductive health services. With all this in mind, my area of interest is in health policy development and implementation, targeting young people aged 10-24, specifically young women and girls.
Did you come to UW with a specific academic focus?
Yes! I am at UW to understand why we do what we do in Global Health and to learn more about how we can do it better.
Why did you choose to come to UW?
I did not choose UW, UW chose me. The Institute of International Education (IIE) that handles our Fulbright applications identify and approach universities in line with our interest areas hoping that one of the universities will grant us admission.
What do you hope to get out of your experience here?
I hope to get everything that this place has to offer! I am keen to learn, to develop partnerships for future projects and programs in Malawi, and to broaden my expertise in global health and other disciplines that I can share with my community in Malawi and the world at large.
Haris Apriyanto – Indonesia
What is your area of research interest?
I am very interested in understanding broader perspective of undernutrition problems in lower-middle income countries, including household gender roles, resource management, and household food security. As a Leadership, Policy, and Management Track student, recently I become more passionate in learning about the social determinants of health, including economic inequity and how economic policies might impact the health of the community.
Did you come to UW with a specific academic focus?
My priorities are to build connections and meet as many global and public health experts as possible.
Why did you choose to come to UW?
For my Fulbright Scholarship application in 2016, I only wrote “MPH in Global Health at the University of Washington”. The curriculum serves my interests and professional goals, specifically in learning more about health project planning and evaluation. In addition, Seattle is home to many local and international nonprofit organizations that thrive to provide equal health care and quality of life opportunities for people around the world. The networking opportunities, the people, and the organizations has convinced me that UW is the perfect place for me.
What do you hope to get out of your experience here?
It has already been a great experience for me. I secured funding for my research in Timor-Leste working with Health Alliance International, and now I am doing my internship at Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility. Those opportunities have provided me more spaces to excel and develop further understandings of health.
Anida Hanifah – Indonesia
What is your area of research interest?
My area of research and work interest is around primary health care, health systems strengthening, nutrition, and maternal and child health.
Did you come to UW with a specific academic focus?
My work experience has brought me to planning and implementation, as well as monitoring and evaluation processes of a health programs. I aspire to deepen my knowledge and understanding on those processes; how to plan robust health interventions, translate the plan into implementation and ensure their sustainability, and learn how to do rigorous research to formulate evidence-based policy.
Hopefully these skills and knowledge will enable me to contribute in making impacts as a global health practitioner, especially for my home country, Indonesia.
Why did you choose to come to UW?
I came to know the program through IIE consultation, they were actually the one who introduced me to UW DGH. The department’s partnership and network, as well as the location in Seattle were also part of my consideration in choosing UW.
I also received partial funding from UW aside from the Fulbright scholarship. I think the fact that UW provides funding for under-represented students shows that the program opens up learning opportunities for everyone, and allows the program itself to enrich them with diversities, which I think is the heart and soul of global health work.
What do you hope to get out of your experience here?
I look forward to the learning experience in class, as well as from fieldwork during practicum. I am also excited to be inspired by my cohort who came from a very diverse background.
Huong Chu – Vietnam
What is your area of research interest?
My focus has always been public health, the role of the public health practitioner, and their duty to their community. Given this general interest I hope to focus my studies and research objectives more specifically towards family medicine, preventive healthcare, and how to build health professionals’ capacity in Vietnam.
Did you come to UW with a specific academic focus?
My reasons for studying these specific objectives are rooted in the fact that for the past two years I served as a medical doctor and lecturer in the Thai Nguyen province. In that time, I worked in and assisted with developing the family medicine field in Vietnam.
Why did you choose to come to UW?
To help develop a stronger health care system not only in my province but across Vietnam, we need greater professional development both in our institutions, but more importantly in our practitioners. Although I tried to take advantage of every training my university approved, for me to truly build my capacity, and in turn educate the next generation, I needed to continue my studies in an environment that allows a young woman to ask questions. These objectives led me to choose to study a public health program at University of Washington, where I believe it allows me to gain a strong, integrated, and problem focused approach public health, as well as a competency in public health medicine its methods and functions.
What do you hope to get out of your experience here?
I want to apply the lessons learned in America contextually. We must find balance in our system or no one will go along with it. I think if we are to have a better future, we need to integrate new ideas with our old ones to create cutting edge solutions. I really think this educational program will allow me to fulfill my passion, and to be the best doctor I can for my community, for Thai Nguyen, and for Vietnam.
Juan Osorio – Colombia
What is your area of research interest?
I have some experience in design and development of pediatric medical devices for disease prevention, diagnosis, and monitoring. I also worked on medical image processing and computational modeling to advance understanding of clinical pathophysiology. Currently, my area of research interest is related to global health informatics, and how digital health can be used as an enabler for achieving affordable and universal access to quality healthcare. At the same time, I have an interest in how STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education could empower youth to solve problems that lead to improvements in social determinants of health.
Did you come to UW with a specific academic focus?
My specific academic focus is learning about systems thinking and implementation science for a better way of approaching global challenges with breakthrough technologies.
Why did you choose to come to UW?
The UW Department of Global Health has an area of specialization that fulfills my objectives. I know this department has the resources and the faculty that will assist me in reaching the top level in the field, especially since it harnesses the expertise and interdisciplinary power of different schools and colleges at UW.
What do you hope to get out of your experience here?
Connections. This is the most valuable asset I am certainly sowing.