Opportunities for Undergraduate Students
There are several ways for undergraduate students to get involved with the Center for Global Women's Health Technologies. Because GWHT strives to provide meaningful experiences, students should plan to work with GWHT for a minimum of three semesters.
1. Enroll in BME 230
The easiest way to get involved with GHWT is to enroll in BME 230 through the university. If you have already taken BME 230, or it does not fit in your course schedule, consider one of the other ways to get involved with GWHT as described below.
2. Join a BASS Connections Team
Bass Connections bridges the classroom and the world beyond the university. Leveraging strong relationships in Peru, this WISH project will complement ongoing efforts to deploy innovative women-centered technologies for home-based screening with the efficacy of screening done in health facilities. The GWHT Bass Connections project team will focus on three components: storytelling as a way to empower women to take control of their health; cost-effectiveness of interventions with respect to traditional models of care; and a policy framework for in-country adoption of the model.
Learn more about Bass Connections.
3. Spend a Summer with DukeEngage Orange County
GWHT's DukeEngage summer program partners with two NGOs in California, Girls INC and Global Glow, to empower young women through STEM and artistic expression. DukeEngage accomplishes this by giving these girls tools to help navigate social, economic and gender barriers to grow into healthy, confident adults with a focus on personal development, health, and STEM education.
Learn more about program requirements and details through DukeEngage.
Interested students may contact Marlee Krieger in advance of the deadline (usually mid-January).
4. Engage in Research
GWHT offers undergraduate research experiences by directly pairing undergraduate student researchers with a graduate student or postdoctoral associate mentor to work on projects related to GWHT's core research focus areas - cervical cancer prevention, breast cancer recurrence prevention, and essential surgery. Undergraduate researchers can expect to perform a range of duties including tissue culture, small animal modeling, optical system design, and machine learning algorithm development. All experience levels are welcome to apply for openings prior to the fall, spring, and summer terms.
Interested undergraduate students can find postings on Muser or contact Brian Crouch.
5. Become an Ignite Trainer
The Ignite education program approaches STEM learning with a focus on human-centered design thinking to cultivate the next generation of problem solvers and innovators through focus on engineering and social enterprise. As an Ignite Trainer, undergraduate students will work with GWHT staff and fellow trainers to develop and implement curriculum related to the UN Sustainable Development goals within local communities. You will have the opportunity to gain first hand teaching experiences with middle and high school students as you mentor students throughout the design and tinkering process. In addition, students are eligible for independent study to design metrics and evaluate the efficacy of their curriculum.
Please contact Megan Madonna for more information.
6. Become a WISH Fellow
WISH, or Women Inspired Strategies for Healthcare, is a model of healthcare delivery that focuses on putting women at the center of technological design and implementation strategies. As a WISH fellow, you will have the opportunity to engage in research and development, implementation science, and community-based awareness campaigns, primarily relating to cervical cancer and reproductive health. Fellows will be mentored by staff and graduate students, and will be encouraged to present their research through various campus forums.
GWHT is not accepting any WISH Fellows at this time.
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If you are interested in inquiring about the WISH project , please send an email to GWHT@duke.edu.
7. Complete an Internship with our Sister Companies
The director of GWHT, Dr. Nimmi Ramanujam, has founded two companies; Zenalux Biomedical and Calla Health Foundation. Both of these companies work closely with GWHT to accomplish the Center’s mission. Internship experiences include market research, device manufacturing, and strategic planning.
For current project needs, please contact Marlee Krieger.
If you are not interested in these opportunities at this time, but would like to stay involved with GWHT, please contact the GWHT Email.