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I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) 2025 conference that was held in Atlanta, Georgia between February 20-23. My abstract which summarized my work on the effects of particulate matter on lower respiratory tract infections was selected for a poster presentation. This was my first paper and first conference, making it a very exciting experience. During my poster session, I spoke with a lot of knowledgeable individuals who were excited to hear about my work. In particular, I can recall having engaging conversations with a thoracic surgeon, physicians, and MPH students who were interested to see the association that environmental factors have on health. It was amazing to be able to present my work with individuals from various fields. Not only did I gain critical insights, but I was also able to provide them as well. During the conversations I had with my fellow presenters, I was able to share my personal perspectives and add critical insights to their research topics.

Furthermore, it was a wonderful learning experience. Not only did I learn a lot of information from the other poster presentations, but from the oral seminars as well. At these sessions, I had the opportunity to view the crucial research scholars are conducting within the field of global health. For instance, I attended the session on “Minority-Serving Institutions Programs to Reduce Health Inequities,” where I learnt the importance of having these institutions to reduce racial barriers within educational settings. I also learnt the key role that community and coalition building can play to reduce these inequities. Another session I attended was “Leveraging Implementation Research for Equity in Global Health,” where I learnt the importance of recognizing power dynamics and the need for community building when it comes to Implementation Research. These sessions solidified my learning surrounding global health and the importance of research on reducing inequities.  

Lastly, as an undergraduate student, this experience has been invaluable. I am deeply grateful for the knowledge shared with me and the meaningful connections I have made. This experience would have not been possible without the support from Dr. Godfred O. Boateng, The Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, and my fellow colleagues at the Global Environmental Health Laboratory. Thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and helping me grow.

The Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research (DIGHR) has provided me with ample support, guidance, and resources, allowing me to write and present about such pressing topics. DIGHR provided me with access to statistical data, library databases, and additional softwares which I used when writing my paper. I had ample support from my fellow colleagues and mentors who guided and assisted me when I was facing challenges. DIGHR also funded my trip making it possible for me to present my work in Atlanta, Georgia.
-Bramjot Aheer

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