The info hub for the hub of global health
Big data
It’s no secret that this year’s pandemic has affected our mental health, especially young people who have had their schooling and social lives upended. That’s where the Global Mental Health Databank comes in. This new feasibility study is working directly with youth from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and India (home to the world’s largest youth population) and mental health researchers from top universities (we see you University of Washington) to better understand how young people can manage their mental health.
Speaking of data
The Cascadia Data Alliance—founded by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Microsoft last year—announced its first three projects, including a machine learning model for identifying and analyzing types of cancer.
Calling all teachers
Remember your first global health class? Chances are that it wasn’t in high school. We’re working to change that by partnering with high school STEM teachers to take global health into their classrooms. Know any high school teachers? Share our January 30 virtual workshop with them today! They’ll earn three STEM clock hours and leave with COVID-19 activities to inspire the next generation of global health dreamers.
Rad collab
VillageReach’s Emily Bancroft believes public-private partnerships can be smart business opportunities. Check out her playbook for radical collaboration with the private sector. From aligning on specific objectives to hiring someone with industry expertise, Emily lays out tips to help you broker powerful and effective partnerships for good.
Taking a page from the same playbook
Seattle Children’s has a radical collaboration of their own: Seattle Children’s Therapeutics—a new effort that runs more like a biotech company and innovation hub than an academic lab. The goal is to boost new cell and gene therapies to treat pediatric cancer and other diseases affecting kids. This new venture will house everything in one place, from R&D to manufacturing and therapeutics. Now that’s rad.
Push notifications
Are you working to improve tech equity locally? If so, check out Seattle’s Technology Matching Fund (TMF) grants, open for applications now. These grants are for community organizations and nonprofits improving digital literacy, providing affordable devices, and increasing access to free or low-cost internet.
In other local news, as of this week more than 200,000 people enabled Washington Exposure Notifications, the free and anonymous opt-in tool that alerts you of possible COVID-19 exposures using Bluetooth technology. A good way to keep yourself (and your data) safe.
Give blood, give back
Still looking for the perfect gift to give this season? Become a blood donor with Bloodworks Northwest and take an active role in sustaining community health. You can even double your impact if you’re type O+, O-, A-, or B-. You could be someone’s perfect match.
People on the Move
Elise McGlothian is Minerva Strategies’ newest senior associate, hailing from Virginia Beach, VA.
Madeline Vaughan is named the new CEO of Adara Development, effective January 1.
Rachel Smith is the new CEO of Seattle Chamber of Commerce, starting on January 4.
Do you know an awesome rising leader in global health? Nominate them for the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders program—accepting applications until April 2021.
Around town
Dec. 7–9: Register for the Global Digital Health Forum to catch Amplio’s workshop on designing open-source software to help organizations plan and measure social and behavior change content.
Dec. 8: Sign up to hear from Malaria Partners International and Malaria No More discuss the Intersection of Malaria and Climate Change: Using Weather Data to Defeat Malaria.
Dec. 15: Mark your calendar for Women in Global Health Seattle’s Q4 meeting, featuring Dr. Anu Taranath, who will speak to Moving Beyond Guilt Trips and Toward Equity—As People and Organizations in Global Health.
Dec. 17: Join Cambia Grove for Building a Culture of Health, an interactive conversation about the power of cultural foundations as a path toward healthy community growth.
Dec. 17: Are you thinking about how to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to LMICs? Join Lynden International for its Final Mile Q4 Meeting on just this and talk with other experts working in the field.
“It is the strength within communities, inspired by a shared responsibility to each other, that has contributed in great part to our victories over HIV.”
— Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director’s statement, World AIDS Day 2020