As students across the University of California prepare to head back to school, the University of California Global Health Institute (UCGHI) celebrates a successful summer of learning, research, and mentorship through the UCGHI Summer Researchers in Global Health (SRGH) Program. Thanks to the generosity of private donors and the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences, UCGHI expanded the program to all five Northern California UC campuses. This paid six-week educational and internship program selected 30 highly qualified rising high school seniors to introduce important global health concepts and immerse in challenging, real-world research projects. The projects were led by 45 mentors across UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, and UC San Francisco.

Led by UCGHI Director and UCGHI SRGH Program Director, Madhavi Dandu, MD, MPH, UCGHI SRGH Co-Director, Chris Cotter, PhD, MPH, and UCGHI Deputy Director, Sun Yu Cotter, MPH, this unique internship provided students with the opportunity to learn core global health concepts and explore pressing challenges through twice-weekly seminars while engaging in a hands-on research experience. Student interns participated in a global health curriculum and interactive discussions taught by UCGHI SRGH Assistant Director and Curriculum Lead, Olamide Sanuth, PhD student, MS, MA. Through virtual seminars, experts in the field covered topics such as Policy Impact in Global Health, Global Mental Health, Weather, Climate & Land- Use, Humans & the Environment, Global Health Policy, Global Health Career Pathways Panel, Global Health, and Human Rights & Abortion Law. Interns also received invaluable skills-building training in how to deliver an effective elevator pitch, conduct informational interviews, storytelling, networking, and building a positive internet presence and LinkedIn profile.

“Educating young students on global health topics through the UCGHI SRGH internship experience prepares students on their path to becoming great researchers and science communicators. The students involved have a strong interest in global/public health. Therefore, having this internship program around fosters their interest that will benefit the students and their communities,” said Camilo Echeverria Jr., PhD Candidate at UC Davis and UCGHI SRGH Mentor.

At the heart of the internship was the mentored research project. Working directly with UC faculty, staff, and graduate student mentors, the interns worked on research projects aligned with their interests and career aspirations. Whether conducting laboratory-based research to study processes in early vertebrate development or how to control mosquito-borne diseases, weaving artificial intelligence to build a platform that streamlines grants for faculty researchers, examining pathways and workforce opportunities for farmworker communities, or supporting public health outreach initiatives, interns were not just learning about local and global health and scientific research—they were actively contributing to it.

Dr. Kesia Garibay, PhD, MSPH, Assistant Professor at University of the Pacific and UCGHI SRGH Mentor at UC Merced, expressed, “The UCGHI SRGH experience is invaluable because it provides essential skills in cross-cultural research methodology and community engagement.”

On July 17, 2025, the program concluded with a final in-person showcase centering inspirational student presentations and a graduation ceremony. All 30 UCGHI SRGH interns presented their mentored research projects to a live audience, which took place at UCSF Byers Auditorium in San Francisco, CA and via zoom. The event brought together more than 125 attendees including faculty and staff mentors, UCGHI colleagues, UCSF IGHS colleagues, peers, families, and high school counselors/teachers. This event was an important milestone for each intern to share the results of their work, practice science communications skills, and to celebrate their accomplishments. For a majority, this was their first presentation to a large audience and on a university campus.

Following the showcase, each intern was honored with a Certificate of Completion and a gift—The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks book. For many students, the internship and showcase solidified their commitment to pursuing careers in global health, medicine, or science—and for some students, this symbolized the first step toward becoming the first in their families to attend college.

For UCGHI SRGH Intern Sophia Guan, who worked at UCSF to examine the intersection of gender and malaria, the program was transformative. “I've been interested in pursuing a career related to global health and this internship has given me a hands-on experience of what working in this field may be like. As a first-generation college student, this opportunity means even more to me. I'm grateful for the academic and professional skills my mentors and this internship has taught me.”

UCGHI SRGH Intern, Shradha Kesari, reflected on her internship at UC Merced, “I'm grateful to be part of the UCGHI SRGH internship as it allows me to explore meaningful solutions to health disparities locally through in-field research, ultimately impacting global health as a whole. Being surrounded by passionate mentors and like-minded peers inspires me to grow and contribute meaningfully to global health equity.”

The UCGHI SRGH Program advances UCGHI’s broader commitment to creating equitable pathways into global health for learners across a broad spectrum of stages of their career, from high school to professional/postdoctoral training. By prioritizing mentorship, representation, and access, UCGHI’s Global Health Education & Training Program aims to cultivate the next generation of global health leaders and innovators working to advance local and global health in all communities in California and globally. Applications for the 2026 UCGHI SRGH internship program will launch in early 2026 pending funding. In the next iteration of the program, UCGHI aims to expand this unique summer internship program across the 10 UC campuses. 

Dr. Madhavi Dandu reflects on the program, "In a time of change in global health, we continue to be inspired by young students with skill, passion, and determination. The UCGHI SRGH program allows these wonderful students to have early access to high-quality content, community, and mentorship to ensure that our future workforce will be both successful and impactful.”

If you are interested in financially supporting this program, please email Dr. Madhavi Dandu, UCGHI Director, at madhavi.dandu@ucsf.edu.

Check out some selected UCGHI SRGH student presentations: