Research Day

Research Day

"Research Day is a vibrant celebration of innovation, collaboration, and discovery at GWSPH. It shines a spotlight on the incredible work of our students and mentors, builds connections across disciplines, and inspires the leadership needed to shape a healthier, more equitable future. Together, we celebrate curiosity and the power of research to improve lives everywhere."

      Lynn R. Goldman, MD, MS, MPH 
        Michael and Lori Milken Dean of Public Health 
        Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health       

Congratulations to members of our MCH community  for their outstanding work!

2026 Awardees

2026 Presenters

Student Poster Presentations April 15, 2026 

2026 Student Experiences

Claudia Gomez's Research Day Experience

First Place in the Maternal and Child Health Prize, awarded by The GW Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health

Gomez, C.: Enhancing Perinatal Mental Healthcare -- The Usefulness of a Toolkit for Maternity Care Providers to Address Perinatal Mental Health

Claudia’s Research Day experience was marked with excitement, support, and gratitude. Receiving the MCH Award was encouraging because it showed her that the judges saw the potential in her research. Being surrounded by other amazing projects, she had not expected to be recognized for her work, but it was a welcome surprise that gave an additional level of meaning to the work she had been conducting.

Claudia’s research, which started with a search to find what is missing from perinatal care, looked at the intersection of provider-led support, tangible resources, and perinatal mental health. Inspiration struck after seeing the data on the increasing prevalence of pregnant and postpartum women experiencing depression and/or anxiety. Realizing that there are not always practical resources for patients to follow up with after receiving the initial diagnosis, she asked, “What is the reality of patients using a guide if no one goes through it with them?” This led to the idea of creating a mental health toolkit for providers to use when providing care to patients who may be experiencing mental health struggles. She recruited and conducted interviews with OBGYNs and midwives across the DMV to gather their thoughts on such a toolkit. Ultimately, she found that a majority of providers thought a toolkit would be useful and they could see it being integrated into the existing systems at their workplaces. If given the opportunity to continue this work, Claudia would want to address some of the gaps that providers pointed out and test the toolkit in a real healthcare setting.

Final reflections: Claudia loved Research Day because it gave her a chance to present her work to her peers and was great practice for her CE presentation. In her research process, she found it really helpful to have the feedback of both Dr. Vyas and Dr. Nagaraj, as well as her MCH classmates. She listed the MCH program’s structuring of the CE as one of its greatest benefits. In the future, she hopes to use what she learned to get involved in research at PCORI, her current employer.

Blake Coleman's Research Day Experience

First Runner-up for Masters Presenters in the Equity Award, awarded by The GW Institute for Socioeconomic Opportunity

Coleman, B. M.: How Fear-Based Versus Empowerment-Based Reproductive Health Messaging Influences Trust, Emotional Responses, and Behavioral Intentions Among Black Women Ages 18-35

When her name was announced for the Equity Award, Blake was honored with the recognition that her work strives towards empowerment and health equity. The meaning of this award was strengthened seeing the high caliber of work from her peers. She enjoyed Research Day because it allowed her to show everyone what she had been working on and she got to see and celebrate what other students have been working on too.

Blake’s idea for a research project came from a familiar source: social media. After seeing an influencer spread misinformation on Tiktok, and seeing no one in the comments realize it, she began to think about the implications of fear-based messaging. She wanted to figure out how to get the correct messaging out to folks who have been historically excluded from these conversations. Blake conducted a survey and used the Likert scale to measure individuals’ perceived credibility of different types of messaging and how they sparked intention to act. She found no difference in intention to act when comparing fear-based and empowerment-based messaging, but that fear-based messaging caused increased anxiety, fear, and powerlessness in viewers. This is especially significant considering the medical distrust that already exists within Black women across the U.S. and the prevalence of fear-based messaging today.

Final Reflections: Blake has felt supported by the MCH program in so many ways, from the accessibility of faculty to the public health professionals she has gotten to connect with. As a BS/MPH student, she got to connect with both first- and second-year students and noted the incredible growth students show throughout the program. She noted that students here are so high-achieving that conducting these projects can feel normalized, so she loved having a dedicated time to show everyone this accomplishment and celebrate her the accomplishments of her peers.

Jordan Amoako's Research Day Experience

First Runner-up for Masters Presenters in the Gill-Lebovic Center for Community Health Prize, awarded by the Gill-Lebovic Center Community Health in the Caribbean and Latin America

Amoako, J.: Financial Investment and Immunization Outcomes: The Influence of Gavi Funding on HPV Vaccination Uptake and Completion in Zambia and Lesotho

Jordan described her Research Day experience as “enlightening and gratifying.” She has always known that she has wanted to work in global health and health systems, blending a clinical perspective with a public health one. Receiving this award was evidence of how she could use the intersection of these two perspectives in their application to global health and health systems.

As a junior in undergrad, Jordan had the opportunity to intern with Pfizer, which is where she first gained interest in the intersection of pharmaceuticals and women’s health. She got to expand on that in this project, looking at how funding affects health systems and the resulting HPV vaccination uptake and completion rates. Jordan set out to find out how funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, impacts HPV vaccine uptake. She analyzed data from Zambia, which receives Gavi funding, and from Lesotho, which had their Gavi funding paused during the time of this research. In analyzing this data, she drew on her biochemistry background, using SPSS and biostatistical tests. Jordan found that Gavi helps get the vaccine out there and can increase uptake, but not dose completion. Vaccine completion and program continuity was dependent on the partnership between Gavi and the receiving country, not necessarily the presence or absence of funding.

Final Reflections: Throughout this process, Jordan recalls that her resilience and time management skills were tested, but the mentorship and companionship she had helped her succeed. Working as a Graduate Research Assistant with Dr. Markus helped her learn about reading research and screening sources, which proved useful in conducting this research. Her advice to students about to embark on a research project is to keep trying and choose something you are truly passionate about. Looking ahead, she would love to continue this research and potentially get it published down the line.

2025 Awardees

2025 Presenters

2025 Student Experiences

Sydney Iannantuono, Noah White, and Anneli Merivaara reflect on their Research Day Experience

First Runner-up for Masters Presenters in the area of Maternal and Child Health

Iannantuono S.A., Merivaara A.M., White N.G.:Understanding FGM/C Survivors’ Experiences: Implications for Physician Assistant Education and Training

Conducting qualitative research on FGM/C survivors was an incredibly meaningful and rich experience. Working with such deep, personal narratives requires a high level of sensitivity, empathy, and responsibility, and our team reviewed each interview with the intention to amplify survivors’ voices. As we analyzed the data, we recognized the participants' strength and vulnerability to share their stories of pain, resilience, and hope for change. Collaboratively developing the codebook and working through themes in Dedoose allowed us to engage deeply with the themes within the interviews while practicing cultural humility.

This project enforced the importance of survivor-centered research in maternal and child health and highlighted how crucial it is to integrate lived experience into provider training, specifically for PAs. Winning runner-up for the MCH department award was not only an incredible honor, it was also a testament to the importance of qualitative research in advocating for better care and systematic change. This experience has shaped our perspective as future healthcare providers and public health advocates, reminding us that elevating historically marginalized voices is both our responsibility and a privilege.

Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity Prize Runner-Up

White N.G., Merivaara A.M., Iannantuono S.A.: Mapping Educational Competencies: How Can We Improve Physician Assistants’ Abilities to Help FGM/C Survivors?

As part of our research on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), we explored how the GW FGM/C Provider Education Toolkit aligns with the competencies taught in GW’s Physician Assistant (PA) program. In doing so, we found a strong overlap, specifically in knowledge for practice and interpersonal and communication skills, matching almost all of the competencies. However, one major gap emerged under the competency of “Practice-Based Learning and Quality Improvement”, specifically surrounding PAs having the opportunity to apply knowledge to real-world, survivor-informed clinical scenarios.

To address this major gap, our team developed a survivor-centered case study grounded in the qualitative analysis of interviews with FGM/C survivors. This case study integrates the lived experiences of survivors into clinical training. It also equips PA students with tools to critically reflect on their practice and identify strategies for improvement in trauma-informed care. We are so grateful to win runner-up for the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity Prize, as it highlights the importance of developing a more comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally responsive provider education.

Ranjani Anirudhan reflects on her Research Day Experience

I had the incredible opportunity to present my Culminating Experience project at George Washington School of Public Health’s Research Day 2025, and I was thrilled to receive first place in the Maternal and Child Health Prize Category.

My study explored how perceived discrimination and gender-based violence during college impact depression among South Asian female college students in the U.S., a population that is often overlooked in mental health research. I designed and distributed a web-based survey using validated instruments to collect data from over 670 participants across the country. The findings revealed that day-to-day discrimination, discriminatory experiences during college, and violence are significantly associated with higher levels of depression, underscoring the need for culturally responsive mental health services, anti-discrimination policies, and violence prevention efforts on college campuses.

I am so grateful to have had the chance to share my work with my fellow peers and broader GW community. I want to thank my faculty mentor. Dr. Nitasha Nagaraj, as well as the Maternal and Child Health department, for supporting me throughout this project.

This was such a meaningful way to wrap up my MPH journey, and I am eager to continue advancing health and gender equity for underserved communities!

Amal Hassan reflects on her Research Day Experience

I was honored to receive First Runner-Up in the Gender Equality category at GWSPH Research Day 2025 for my poster presentation, based on my MPH Culminating Experience (CE). My research was a scoping review titled “Gender-Transformative and Intersectional Approaches in Community-Based Climate Adaptation Programs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs): A Scoping Review of Best Practices.”
This project examined existing community-based climate adaptation and risk mitigation programs in LMICs that utilize gender-transformative and intersectional approaches. The review sought to answer the question: What existing community-based initiatives effectively integrate climate change considerations through an intersectional and gender-responsive lens?
Drawing on two rigorous systematic reviews and adapting the Intersectional Climate Justice framework originally developed by Amorim-Maia et.al., the study identified key principles of effective programs: centering marginalized populations in decision-making, tackling systemic inequalities, empowering local practitioners, integrating Indigenous knowledge, and enabling communities to lead change post-intervention. 
Findings showed that effective programs consistently applied participatory methods, centered on Indigenous knowledge systems, and uplifted local scholars and community actors. However, the review also revealed a significant lack of comprehensive evaluations of such programs in LMICs, highlighting the urgent need for further research and action to promote gender-responsive climate adaptation.
Through this work, I sought to spotlight how community-based programs incorporate inclusive strategies that center the voices of women, girls, and marginalized populations most affected by climate change. Presenting at the annual GWSPH Research Day allowed me to engage with fellow researchers, faculty, and public health leaders about the importance of equity-driven, community-led solutions. I’m deeply grateful to the MCH Center of Excellence, my peers, and professors for their continued support throughout this journey.
Link: https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gw_research_showcase/2025/sph/51/

Jucel Ann Arizabal reflects on her Research Day Experience

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LEAP Students at Research Day

We are so proud of the two members of the undergraduate LEAP program, Xinnuo Chen and Holly Akati, that presented on Research Day!

 

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Xinnuo Chen

My project looked at how part-time work affects stress and academic performance among Chinese college students. I found that students who work part-time have higher stress levels, especially if they work more than 10 hours a week. I hope the findings can help schools and employers better support students.

I’m really thankful to Milken for giving me the chance to share my research and meet others with similar interests at Research Day—it was a great experience!

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Holly Akati 

The title of my project was "The Impact of Exam Stress on College Students' Eating Behaviors and Food Choices." I did the project alone for my research method class, and I picked this topic because I felt like a lot of college students tend not to focus on their nutrition as much as they should, especially because they have more responsibility over their diets compared to when they're home with their parents. 

 

 

Student Poster Presentation April 16, 2025