UCGHI Summer Global Health Bootcamp

Aadinath (Aadi) Pradeep

Aadi is a junior at Mountain House High School in the Biomedical Sciences pathway with a strong interest in medicine, healthcare, and STEM, working toward earning an associate’s degree while in high school. Involved through Science Olympiad coaching, HOSA, TSA, and MissionMed, using these opportunities to develop leadership, serving the community, and inspire others in STEM.

Aaron Qiu

Aaron Qiu is a rising senior attending Stockton Collegiate International Secondary. He has a strong interest in the intersection between technology and global health. His future aspirations include using machine learning and analyzing data to bridge gaps in healthcare. Outside of school, he enjoys rock climbing and playing with his tortoiseshell cat, Gummi. This summer, he hopes to both share his experiences and learn from those of his peers and mentors.

 Adithi Balaji

Adithi Balaji is a junior at Dougherty Valley High School interested in pursuing a future in the pre-med track. Her core interests include patient advocacy, policy reform, and health equity. As the County Lead for the American Cancer Society, she drives local advocacy and recruitment efforts. Her work includes kidney pathology analysis at Vanderbilt and presenting on public health at the Johns Hopkins Global Health Leaders Conference to achieve data-driven, equitable patient outcomes.

Alexis Altshuler

Alexis Altshuler is a rising senior from San Francisco, California. Her interests are in chemistry, biology, and healthcare, and she hopes to pursue a career in those fields in the future. She is very eager to learn more about global health through knowledge and research, and apply her learning to her future in healthcare and or by participating in research to improve public health worldwide.

Aneet Kahlon

Aneet Kahlon is a student and participant in the UCSF Doctors Academy program with an interest in global public health. Through her experiences in the program, she has gained insight into health disparities affecting underserved communities. Her interests include healthcare equity, service oriented community care, and expanding access to health education. She looks forward to developing knowledge through the UCGHI Summer Global Health Bootcamp while connecting with peers and professionals dedicated to improving public health outcomes.

Angel Rodriguez Lopez

Angel is a student who is interested in public health because he’d like to help improve access to mental health resources in his community! Outside of school, he likes to draw objects. In his free time, you may catch him competing in online game shows or watching Survivor. He likes listening to music, and some of his favorite genres are pop, rap, jazz, and indie.

Anika Talwar

Anika Talwar is a junior at Lick-Wilmerding High School focused on public health, education, and global policy. She conducted independent research on the prevalence of tree nut allergies and presented her findings at the UC Santa Barbara Academic Conference. She also created and teaches a nutrition curriculum for middle school children. Finally, Anika has completed a college level public health class at Cornell University during which she developed a malaria intervention proposal that combined research with real-world impact.

Arhaan Hyder

Arhaan Hyder is a rising senior at Dougherty Valley High School, passionate about healthcare and making a difference through his work. He enjoys watching and playing sports, spending time with friends, and watching movies! He aspires to one day enter the healthcare field, where he can conduct research and implement it toward a meaningful impact.

Avery Oppenheimer

Avery Oppenheimer is a rising senior at The Athenian School in Danville, California, with a commitment to health care, volunteer service, and global engagement. Volunteering at a public hospital in Kenya, she witnessed how resource limitations affect care, which ignited her interest in health equity. Recognizing that education is a predictor of long-term health outcomes, Avery started a nonprofit to promote literacy in rural Kenya. Avery is interested in examining global health disparities at UCGHI.

Cassina (Cassie) Lau

Cassie Lau is a rising senior located in San Francisco with an interest in connecting biomedical sciences to advocacy and access. She's involved in debate, golf, and local community programs like the Asian Women's Shelter and Asian Unification Project while continuing the pursuit of valuable knowledge. Alongside UCGHI, she hopes to connect all her passions to the field of public health with prior experience in biotechnology, green engineering, and research.

Chelsea Fong

Chelsea is a diligent high school junior with a great passion for dermatology. She also has interests in exploring the vast topics of public health, health advocacy, and community well-being. Through many volunteering experiences, Chelsea has supported local organizations in hopes of playing a helpful role in both local and global public health.

Christian Choi

Christian Choi is a junior at Geffen Academy interested in medicine, global health, and public policy. His academic work includes exploring healthcare access in conflict zones. Outside the classroom, he is an award-winning classical guitarist and varsity golf captain, and enjoys building custom mechanical keyboards and watching visually stunning films by Christopher Nolan.

Cory Chun

Driven by a love for chemistry, psychology, and medicine, Cory is interested in exploring how the brain and body work together to execute daily functions. Witnessing many treatment differences in San Francisco has motivated Cory to dive deeper into global health, looking to bridge science and humanitarian efforts in order to contribute to improvements on an impactful scale. Cory hopes to eventually support international societies, first starting by helping the San Francisco community.

Dayakshin Arumugam

Dayakshin Arumugam is a junior who loves to play tennis, solve Rubik’s Cubes, and learn more about the heart. He had explored health in many practical ways, including helping his community learn CPR. He is interested in how the human body works and how small health efforts can support both individuals and entire communities.

Dylan Lachance

Dylan Lachance is a rising senior at Lick-Wilmerding High School. His experiences as the brother, son, and grandson of lymphoma patients, as well as a dual German-American citizen, have shaped his passions for medicine, language learning, and global health. Dylan is excited to engage in scientific research with mentors at UCSF and to serve on the Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area Youth Board, helping prepare him for a medical career that honors his family members’ strength.

Eden Garcia Zarza

Eden is a junior attending Merced High School, where she pursues the medical career pathway with a focus on her goal of becoming a Pediatric Oncologist. She aspires to attend a University of California campus and further her education in medicine. Eden is passionate about local and global public health, with an interest in pediatric cancer research and improving access to childhood cancer care in under served communities worldwide.

Elaina Tian

Elaina is a junior at Miramonte High School with a strong interest in STEM, particularly medical research. She is passionate about mathematics, chemistry, and physics, and especially enjoys hands-on laboratory work and experimentation. Outside the classroom, Elaina is actively involved in community service, where she frequently works with children with special needs—an experience she finds especially meaningful and rewarding. She is also an accomplished pianist who has received several international awards for her performances.

Erin Liao

Erin Liao is a rising senior at Berkeley High School. At school, she is apart of the internationally-acclaimed BHS Jazz program, where she plays flute in the top ensemble. Additionally, she is the Co-President of BHS NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and a Mental Health Peer Educator for her school's wellness center. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis on her school's varsity team and debating in the YMCA Youth and Government program.

Flora Yuan

Flora Yuan is a high school student interested in applying geospatial analysis to clinical algorithms, with a focus on how policy shapes the equity and accuracy of data-driven AI tools in healthcare. She enjoys photography and cultivating hybrid succulents, and has developed a love for travel after exploring much of the U.S. by RV and visiting over 40 countries. These experiences have shaped her perspective on global health.

Gautam Makhija

Gautam Makhija is a junior at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, California. He is the kind of person who needs to understand how things work and likes to go deep. That shows up everywhere: building keyboards, making art, coaching younger swimmers, spending hours on a biology dataset. Watching science applied to real health problems sparked his interest in biomedical research and global health, where the science is still catching up.

Isabella Perez

Isabella Perez is a high school student at Downey High School, graduating in 2027, with a passion for medicine, public health, and the power of storytelling to unite communities. Inspired by her research experiences and studies in public health, Isabella aspires to become a physiatrist while advocating for health equity and peace through nonprofit work and creative expression. She is eager to explore how local and global health systems can better serve underrepresented communities.

Janet Yu

Janet is a rising senior in the biomedical science pathway with interests in public health, genetics, and health equity. She is passionate about understanding how geographic and social factors influence health outcomes across communities. Janet has completed 125+ volunteer hours with Cancer Kids First. She hopes to pursue a future career in research or patent law.

Jesstel Valdez

Jesstel is a rising senior at Mountain House High School. She has had a growing interest in global health and plans to combine it with her passion for medicine. Through her work with non-profit organizations and clubs, she strives to stimulate awareness on various health issues through social media platforms. While taking rigorous science and math classes, she looks forward to furthering her skills and understanding of healthcare in underrepresented communities through this program.

Jesus Morales Sandoval

Jesus is a student interested in global health equity, patient advocacy, and healthcare access for underserved families. Shaped by his family’s experiences with language barriers, limited resources, and his younger sister’s Edwards syndrome diagnosis, he is committed to compassionate, equitable care. His academic and field interests focus on public health systems, ethical decision-making, and community-centered healthcare. He hopes to use research, collaboration, and lived experience to advocate for families navigating complex medical systems.

Julie Lo

Julie is a dedicated high school student with a strong interest in global health and well-being. She is passionate about psychology, and aims to support individuals who face mental challenges. Her areas of focus include cognitive psychology, behavioral health interventions, and neuroscience. Julie strives to pursue a career in psychology while promoting community well-being and health through her research. She hopes to deepen her understanding about the biological and cognitive bases of behavior.

Ka Tung (Phoebe) Zhang

Phoebe Zhang is a rising senior at Arcadia High School with interests in global health, disease prevention, and health communication through graphic design. She serves on the California-Nevada-Hawaii Key Club District Media Team and has centered her high school experience around service through Key Club. Phoebe is passionate about raising awareness of diseases and promoting accessible healthcare for underserved communities. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, listening to music, going to the beach, and exploring places around LA.

Kaiden (Kai) McCoy

Kaiden McCoy is a future Bobcat at UC Merced and an aspiring doctor interested in health equity, neurodivergent support, and community wellness. He is committed to leadership, academic growth, and advancing equitable healthcare. For over 10 years, he has supported the special needs community through E-Hoops, where neurotypical and neurodivergent children learn soccer and basketball together. Kaiden strives to positively impact every community he is part of.

Khloe Nguyen

Khloe is a high school student with a strong interest in neuroscience, particularly memory loss and neurodegenerative diseases. She has explored this interest through coursework in neuroscience and biomolecular science. Outside of academics, she plays both guitar and piano, swims competitively for her school, and is actively involved in robotics. She also enjoys photography as a creative outlet, using it to capture perspective and detail in everyday life.

Mahiya Pisupati

Mahiya Pisupati is a rising senior at Evergreen Valley High School with a strong interest in public health, biomedical research, and oncology. Her research experience includes molecular biology work at UC Santa Cruz, the use of explainable AI to interpret breast tumor malignancy, and the development of methods for injury prevention in urban and rural areas. She hopes to pursue this passion in the medical or biomedical research disciplines in the future.

Marko Stefanoski

Marko Stefanoski is a rising senior at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco. He developed an interest in public health through studying global disparities in disease treatments and healthcare systems. As a first-generation Macedonian-American, he observed these differences during visits to North Macedonia where he has volunteered with the Red Cross in refugee camps. Locally, he serves San Francisco’s unhoused community through St. Anthony Foundation, further shaping his commitment to global and community health.

Meridian McCloskey

Meridian McCloskey is a junior at Henry M. Gunn High School with a great interest in biological sciences, global health, and humanities. Desiring to make a community impact, Meridian enjoys volunteering for his school’s athletics program, fostering local wellness in his city through avid participation of Youth Community Service (YCS), and preserving local history at the city archives.

Mira Jiang

Mira Jiang is a rising senior in high school who is very interested in global public health policies, neuroscience, disease biology, and how all of these work together to give people access to healthcare. She works with underserved patients at a local free clinic to develop her interest and knowledge in health equity and communication. Mira enjoys collaborating in teamwork and academic settings such as diversity clubs, trial advocacy, and public health discussions.

Nevaan Krishnan

Nevaan is a student at California High School and athlete whose love for sports fuels his curiosity for medicine and the world. He has authored two Orthopedic Research papers and avidly performs hands-on clinical skills in suturing, EKG interpretation, phlebotomy, and athletic training with therapeutic modalities. A baseball player at heart, Nevaan brings the same competitive drive and teamwork from the field into global health, driven to make quality care accessible far beyond the clinic.

Nolan Ocampo

Nolan Ocampo is a student at Lick-Wilmerding High School with strong interests in biochemistry, public health, and physics. She attended the Stanford Global Health Conference, where she explored innovative approaches to environmental and public health challenges. Nolan is a member of Philos Health, through which she traveled to the Philippines to help conduct medical testing in underserved communities. She strives to create accessible, community-centered healthcare solutions with lasting global impact.

Nour Ghanem

Nour Ghanem is a rising senior at Granite Bay High School who is passionate about global public health, anatomical sciences and health justice. She applies her interest through rigorous coursework for biology, chemistry, and sports medicine studies and demonstrates her passion for health equity through competitive Speech and Debate and a school Unified Sports chapter. Through the UCGHI program, Nour aims to broaden her understanding of the health systems and disparities around the world.

Paloma Robinson

Paloma Robinson is a junior in high school, passionate about global health, health equity, and human connection within medicine. Inspired by her Savta (Grandma), who was a pediatrician, and her uncle, an interventional radiologist, she is interested in how healthcare can better serve communities worldwide. Paloma hopes to learn about work that restores greater equality in healthcare access and also strengthens connections between people.

Prabhnoor Kaur

Prabhnoor Kaur is a student interested in neurology, public health, and health equity research. She has experience researching disparities and gaps in access to care and participating in community health outreach focused on education and awareness. She co-founded NeuroConnect, where she creates educational content, leads youth discussions with professionals, and develops resources that help students understand neurological conditions and neurodiversity. Through this work, she helps make complex topics more accessible and strengthens global health education.

Rohitha Giri

Rohitha Giri is a junior in high school. In her free time, she enjoys playing lacrosse, watching movies, and having dinner with friends. She also enjoys tutoring biology to younger students through an international volunteer program. This summer, she plans to work as a phenology intern, handling snakes. She hopes to be part of a larger solution to global health issues, especially by focusing on countries with vulnerable populations.

Sahaana Vasudevan

Sahaana Vasudevan is passionate about global health, focusing on Alzheimer’s disease research. Her independent studies on mitochondrial dysfunction and brain activity aim to improve early detection and treatment. Sahaana’s volunteer work with memory care communities and the Alzheimer’s Association further fuels her advocacy. An International Neuroscience Olympiad Finalist and USAMO qualifier, she combines strong analytical skills with a commitment to advancing global health initiatives for neurological diseases.

 Sai Vishnu Diya (Diya) Chivukula

Diya Chivukula is a junior at Washington High School who loves neuroscience and communication disorders and youth mental health. Her work includes conducting aphasia research and providing speech therapy services to senior living communities and creating an AI-based therapy feedback application. Diya established Focus Fusion to develop wellness programs which serve young people in multiple libraries throughout the community. Diya researches how neuroimaging technology helps people with aphasia recover from their condition and has shared her research at various regional science fairs.

Sanchia Gupta

Sanchia Gupta is a rising senior at Dougherty Valley High School passionate about advancing global health equity through scientific discovery. Her research experiences and advanced coursework in biology and chemistry have strengthened her understanding of disease and healthcare innovation. Inspired by firsthand observations of healthcare disparities during visits to India, she is interested in how social and systemic factors shape health outcomes and hopes to develop sustainable solutions that expand healthcare access worldwide.

Sara Sy 

Sara Sy is a rising high school senior at Mercy High School. She has a strong interest in the field of global health, biochemistry, and conducting research related to healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at her local hospital and interacting with patients. Through the UCGHI program, she looks forward to building her experience in global health and learning more about how to achieve equity in healthcare systems.

Shivani Ramanathan

Shivani Ramanathan is a passionate young advocate in Dublin, California who is an aspiring global health activist. Her work is centered on public health advocacy; she testifies for global poverty bills and works with Senators of California in Sacramento, runs the largest youth-led nutrition advocacy based nonprofit in the Tri-Valley through recognition and honor from 3 city mayors, and has implemented a permanent fentanyl test strip program in her own district. At the University of California Global Health Institute, she aims to learn from peers and continue to fight global health injustices.

Sidney Kitchingham

Sidney is a rising high school senior from San Francisco. Through her Biology and Molecular Genetics coursework, leadership in a national mental health organization, and volunteering with Special Olympics and community centers, she became interested in mental and physical health, and issues of equity and access across populations. She hopes to learn more about how global health shapes people’s everyday lives and about future pathways in the health and wellness field.

Siena Forster

Siena Forster is a junior from the Bay Area. She is on her school's varsity soccer team and is a three-sport varsity athlete. She also writes for her school's newspaper and is currently the Review Editor. Siena is very interested in the medical field and hopes to pursue health-related studies in college. She is interested in many aspects of medicine, and enjoys how much medicine can impact and change people's lives.

Tatum Le Towt

Tatum Le Towt is a student at Stevenson School. She is interested in biology, achieving Spanish fluency, and learning about public and global health issues. She hopes to deepen her understanding of health systems and inequity, as well as malnutrition and food insecurity. She first became interested in public health while working with MedLife in Costa Rica last summer, providing healthcare to underserved communities. In her free time, she enjoys painting, baking, and playing lacrosse.

Tina Oka

Tina Oka is a junior at California High School with a strong interest in medicine and psychology. Her academic interests include abnormal psychology and clinical psychology, epidemiology, and hands-on work in nutrition and healthy lifestyle programs. Tina is passionate about understanding how mental, behavioral, and environmental factors influence health. She is eager to explore global health challenges, collaborate with peers, and gain practical experience to support her future health in healthcare.

Varya Singh

Varya Singh is a high school student interested in medical anthropology, global public health, and neonatal medicine. Her academic work has focused on the overdose epidemic, where she researched Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinics and the social factors shaping addiction and recovery. She additionally has explored the relationship between academic stress and the impact it has on adolescent mental health and coping skills in her research paper.

Vincent Garcia

Vincent Garcia is a student that is passionate about global health, medicine, and the biological sciences. Their academic interests focus on healthcare access, public health, and reducing health disparities. Through scientific research and leadership experiences, Vincent hopes to contribute to more equitable and effective healthcare systems worldwide.

Vivian Tan

Vivian is a rising senior from the Bay School of San Francisco who hopes to go into biology and healthcare/medicine. She enjoys reading in her free time, learning about Earth/biological sciences, and likes to spend most of her time outdoors. Through UCGHI Summer Global Health Bootcamp, she hopes to learn how she can make an impact on public health and be more aware about the differences of accessible healthcare around the world.

Vivienne Ko

Vivienne Ko is a junior at Homestead High School in Cupertino, California, interested in nutrition, global health equity, and neurotechnology. She tutors, manages social media for a nonprofit, and serves as an officer in three school clubs. She performs cello and piano, competes in varsity swimming and waterpolo, paints public murals, runs half marathons, and dances k-pop. She conducts EEG, ML, and AI research with San José State University, presented at NCUR, ISEC, and SCCUR.

Xiqian (Andy) Zhang

Xiqian (Andy) Zhang is a high school student located in the San Francisco bay area. His interests include photography, exercise and public health. His academic and field work include designing an enzyme-based anti-browning treatment, volunteering at his local Veterans hospital, and teaching individuals with disabilities how to swim.

Yein (Maria) Tahk

Maria Tahk is an 11th-grade student at Homestead High School with interests in public health, neuroscience, and health policy. She founded a Neuro Youth Club to advocate for neurodiversity and inclusion. She participated in AAMPLIFY for social justice and the California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities, focusing on disability rights and underserved communities. Maria volunteers at a homeless shelter and supports children with disabilities through swim instruction, a tennis camp, and academic tutoring, advancing her commitment to equitable healthcare.

• Rising High School Senior in California
• Reliable internet access and device for Zoom sessions (e.g. laptop)

Apply Now!

Submission Deadline: Sunday, April 12th, 2026 at 11:59pm PT

The online application asks students to submit a resume and respond to the following short essay questions:

1. Why are you interested in global public health? (250 word limit)
2. The virtual UCGHI Global Health Bootcamp will be interactive and discussion-based. What strengths will you bring to a fully virtual collaborative learning environment? (250 word limit)
3. What do you hope to gain from participating in the UCGHI Global Health Bootcamp? (250 word limit)