The Department of Global Health works purposefully to attain sustainable, quality health worldwide via the focused mission of improving health for all through research, education, training, and service.
DGH faculty, staff, and students are being recognized and honored dedication to service, community impact, mentorship, leadership, the UW student experience, academic performance, and distinguished achievements in one’s field of study.
FACULTY
The Global Health department celebrates a long-standing tradition of service and community impact. In January 2024, Rabi Yunusa was named the 2024 MLK Service Awardee for her community-based public health work. She is the sixth-straight DGH recipient of this award.
The Department of Global Health is very proud of the faculty’s contributions to and impact on the global health field and health and science topics.
These accomplishments include Dr. Connie Celum receiving the 2024 Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Research Excellence Award. This award honors individuals who exhibit excellence in education, research, practice, student services, and exceptional community engagement. More recently, this spring, Dr. Celum was also awarded the Seattle Association for Women in Science (AWIS) Award for Science Advancement and Leadership. She was nominated for this award as an outstanding woman to recognize for her achievements in advancing science and being an outstanding leader.
Additionally, Dr. Andy Stergachis was named as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAA) Fellow. Stergachis is one of 502 newly elected fellows from around the world, who are recognized for their “scientifically and socially distinguished achievements” in science and engineering.
Faculty recognition of one’s impact on the field and educating others continues with Grace John-Stewart receiving the 2024 Marshall Landolt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award. This award recognizes faculty who exemplify excellence in graduate student education.
Moreover, Brandon Guthrie is the recipient of the Faculty Mentorship Award, recognized as part of the SPH Excellence Awards.
STUDENTS & ALUMNI
Our faculty work diligently to make profound impacts on the field and educate the next generation of global health practitioners, as do our students. Many talented DGH alumni and current students have been recognized for their work this year. DGH MPH alumni Biraj Karmacharya is the 2024 UW School of Public Health Alumni of Impact Awardee. He is recognized as an SPH alum who has demonstrated outstanding achievements in the field of public health and has made significant contributions to one’s community. Biraj continues to give back to his DGH community by serving as a member of our Partners Advisory Board.
Our department is known to attract and admit culturally conscious, driven and highly skilled individuals looking to pursue higher education in topics including global health, pathobiology, leadership and practice, and health metrics and implementation science. In late January, after the start of winter quarter, we shared highlights of our nearly two dozen impressive 2023-24 DGH Research Assistants, Fellows, and Awardees.
Annually, the University recognizes who have been accepted into the Husky 100, a program recognizing the outstanding work and achievements of students who are making the most of their Husky Experience. The Department of Global Health is fortunate to celebrate the achievements of three Husky 100 students for 2024: Patience Komba, Doctor of Global Health Leadership and Practice (DrGH), Sandra Urusaro, MPH, Global Health; Graduate Certificate in Global Health of Women, Adolescents, and Children, and DGH Communications student assistant, undergraduate Sophie Li, BS, Public Health – Global Health.
We continue to highlight the great work of our graduate students by highlighting doctoral student, Amanda Brumwell who was recognized as a 2024-25 Magnuson Scholar. This award recognizes one student annually from each of the UW Health Sciences schools on the basis of outstanding academic performance and potential contributions to research in the health sciences. Amanda’s goal as a research scientist is to help address the significant disparities witnessed first-hand in the management of diabetes.
Additional DGH students were recognized as part of the SPH Excellence Awards. Global Health awardees include Amanda Li – recipient of the Gilbert S. Omenn Award for Academic Excellence, Mohamed Albirair - recipient of the Teaching Assistant Award, Dismas Congo Ouma - recipient of the Outstanding Master’s Student Award, and Melody Wang – recipient of the Outstanding PhD Student Award.
STAFF
Our departmental staff are key to the success of so many people and programs. We are thrilled to share that our 2024 DGH Outstanding Staff Award recipient is Rachel Johnson. Rachel won this award as someone with a transparent and inclusive leadership style while creating a supportive workplace climate through meet and greet sessions with new graduate students, trainings, and social activities. Multiple amazing colleagues were nominated on the grounds of showcasing superior service, resourcefulness, innovation, creativity, excellence, integrity, and a commitment to creating and sustaining a climate of equity, justice, and anti-racism.
Congratulations to all of our talented and dedicated faculty, staff, and students.