The Aalok S. Modi Global Health Fieldwork Fund

As a member of the Duke University Class of 2009, Aalok S. Modi was committed to a career in medicine and hoped to pursue an active career in global and public health after earning his medical degree. During his first year, Aalok enrolled in the Global Health FOCUS program, a set of global health seminars that included a trip to visit impoverished communities in Costa Rica.

Aalok came back inspired, poured his talents and energy into activism on campus, and served as a dynamic leader on the Duke Global Health Student Action Committee, a group dedicated to promoting collaboration among students on such issues.

His compassion and noble sense of service to humanity reflected a precocious understanding of his greater purpose in life. In one of his last messages to his father, Aalok wrote, “As long as there is suffering in this world, I know my purpose in life.”

Although Aalok passed away before he could fully realize this dream, his friends and family embarked on a fundraising campaign to create an endowed fieldwork fund in January 2009 to empower Duke undergraduates to continue his legacy of work in global health. After a successful fundraising campaign, all gifts were channeled to Duke University to establish the Aalok S. Modi Global Health Fieldwork Fund, an endowment which will support, a competitive grant making process to fund undergraduate research projects which address domestic or international health disparities.

The selection process for this fund will be administered by the Duke Global Health Institute and will include members of the Modi family, the fundraising committee and Duke faculty.

To apply for the Aalok S. Modi Global Health Fieldwork Fund, complete the Independent Project Fieldwork Grants Application, including the Aalok S. Modi Memorial Fieldwork Grant supplement. Students who apply for the scholarship may receive other DGHI funding to conduct global health fieldwork/research.