Why Learning Speeds Up When Students Slow Down

Nearly 100 Duke students participated in global health field experiences this summer, traveling to more than a dozen countries to work alongside mentors and community members on collaborative research and learning. DGHI’s social media assistant, Lindsey Cobb, collected photos and reflections from several students as they completed fieldwork across the globe, which were featured during the summer on DGHI’s Instagram. Here are a few highlights, as well as Cobb’s own reflections on her field research experience in Eldoret, Kenya.

Karl Thoreson, a rising second-year student in DGHI’s Master of Science in Global Health (MS-GH) program, spent his summer in Moshi, Tanzania, at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), where he examined data on an intervention designed to reduce alcohol use among victims of accidents. Reflecting on his favorite fieldwork memory, Karl shared, "Meeting the local researchers and clinicians who did the work to generate the data which I am working with has been amazing. They have been so eager to share their experiences and help me understand some of the nuances that you just can't uncover from reading papers and looking at R code."

Colleen Mader, a rising second-year MSGH student, focused her project on the mental health system in Rwanda, working with the University of Global Health Equity in Kigali under the mentorship of DGHI professors Emily Cherenack, Ph.D., and Brandon Knettel, Ph.D. When asked what advice she'd give future students considering summer fieldwork, Colleen said, "Think about your experience as holistically as possible! The research might not go as planned, in fact, it probably won't! Think about other aspects that you hope to get out of the fieldwork too—networking, cultural context for a country or region you're interested in working in the future, language skills, etc."

Undergraduate students Olaya Garcia-Grau, Rosie Smolowitz, Dhruv Suryadevara and Aaron Andino spent eight weeks in rural Cusco, Peru, as part of DGHI's first Student Research Training (SRT) team in the country. The team worked to improve mental health outcomes among adolescents at three local schools in the Sacred Valley region, surveying 195 students and analyzing symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, self-concept, and life optimism—expanding on a past Duke student's research. 

"As the inaugural SRT team at this site, we are so excited to see the direction that this partnership with VIDAWASI takes," the team reflected. "Our time in Peru has been invaluable, and we are so grateful to have been able to take in the beautiful nature, form long-lasting connections, and lay the foundation for future fieldwork in the region."

Yuuna Miura, a rising second-year MSGH student from Tokyo, Japan, spent her summer in Moshi, Tanzania, working on her thesis investigating abandonment of care in pediatric oncology patients, under the guidance of DGHI professor Emily Smith, Ph.D., and the Global Emergency Medicine Innovation and Implementation Research Team (GEMINI). Beyond her thesis work, she observed the pediatric oncology ward firsthand, connected with fellow researchers at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) and explored Tanzania. "What made my time in Tanzania so memorable was how warm and welcoming the colleagues at KCMC were," Yuuna reflected. "They invited me to join them for lunch, helped teach me Swahili, and made me feel like a part of the community."

Reva Panda, a rising second-year MSGH student, conducted her fieldwork in Pamlico County, North Carolina, for her project, "Understanding the Impacts of Living in Hurricane-Prone Environments on Mental Health." Asked what she'll take back with her from the experience, Reva said, "One thing that I've learned from my time here is truly the importance of community. The biggest strength of Pamlico County is how connected everyone is here. They look after each other not just during storms, but throughout any life challenges."

Zixuan Kong, a rising second-year MSGH student, was based in Galle, a historic coastal city in Sri Lanka, working with the Duke–Ruhuna Collaborative Research Centre. Her research explored the feasibility of an app-based behavioral assessment (SenseToKnow, developed by the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development) compared with caregiver-reported scales for early autism screening—and more broadly, what it takes for a digital health tool developed in one context to become feasible, meaningful, and culturally appropriate in another. "One lesson has become especially simple: ask people first," Zixuan stated. "Don't assume, and don't try to understand a community through your own experience or imagination alone. Talk to the people who will actually use the tool. Listen to what matters to them. A research proposal is something you return to, question, and revise again and again as the context teaches you what you didn't know to ask."

Lindsey Cobb, a rising second-year MSGH student from Morehead City, North Carolina, traveled to western Kenya for her thesis research, which looked at the development of serological methods to evaluate individual Anopheles mosquito bite exposure, mentored by DGHI professor Christine Markwalter, Ph.D., and the Exact Dx (Expanding Access to Correct Treatment through Diagnosis) team. "In addition to the lab, I was also able to visit some of the research field sites and see what field data collection looks like!" Lindsey shared, "I use dried blood spots in my own experiments, so it was full circle to understand where my samples come from and meet the people behind them." She added, "Getting to spend my summer in Kenya was unforgettable! My research team and the local community made it feel like a home away from home, and I'm taking so many incredible memories and experiences back with me. I learned so much about the power of community, keeping an open mind to new opportunities, and the importance of slowing down and taking time to appreciate every aspect of the experience (as my Kenyan friends would say, pole pole - slowly, slowly). I cannot wait to go back and visit one day!"