History

Women’s health is a top global research priority, yet women hold less than 25% of leadership roles in global health research. Further, there is a critical lack of consolidated training specific to women's health in TB, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections. The WGHRI was established to address gender-based gaps that contribute to women’s attrition from the field. We have established programs to promote leadership development, research training, and mentorship for women in global health, both in the U.S. and at our international partner sites.

The Women in Global Health Research Initiative has grown over the past decade, establishing Weill Cornell Medicine’s leadership in this field. Our network includes over 300 trainees, of whom > 80% are women, and 80 faculty from U.S. and international institutions spanning 27 countries.

We haven’t walked this path alone. Along the way, we've built strong partnerships and collaborations with partners around the world. We remain dedicated to empowering women to rise to leadership positions in global health research.

Video: Dr. Jyoti Mathad and Dr. Jennifer Downs co-founders of the Women in Global Health Research Initiative, discuss the founding of the Initiative and highlight the ongoing mission driving its work.

Problems addressed by the Women in Global Health Research Initiative

Health and Safety

Twenty-six percent of women report having experienced unwanted physical contact while doing international field research. Health and safety risks pose a significant obstacle for women working in resource-poor settings. These risks affect the decision to enter into the global health field, family planning decisions, and the decision to expose family and children to these same risks.

The Initiative has implemented an institutional Health and Safety protocol that includes site-specific pre-departure training for all faculty, trainees, and staff planning to conduct international field research. Using this protocol, trainees are given frank advice, an individual safety plan, and access to self-defense classes.

Mentorship

Mentors in academic medicine play a crucial role in career development. Given the lack of women in leadership positions in global health research, senior female mentors are scarce. While male mentors are qualified to provide advice on research, they may be less equipped to address gender-specific career decisions - many of which are compounded by the nature of global health.

In response, the Initiative created the Community Mentorship Network to connect women across institutions (in the U.S and internationally). Network members both seek and provide mentorship on topics such as how to balance international work with a partner whose career requirements are not compatible with overseas travel, or how to lead cross cultural teams.

Balancing Career and Social Life

Female scientists with doctoral degrees leave science careers much more frequently than male scientists, largely due to difficulties balancing their careers and personal lives. This issue becomes even more pronounced for women in global health due to the need to spend substantial time away from home.

The Initiative provides Research-Enabling Funds to Weill Cornell female faculty to support the extra costs the incur during field work, such as costs for bringing breastfeeding infants along, or supporting a research assistant to continue fieldwork during an investigator's late pregnancy and postpartum period.

Research Training and Leadership Development

Research training and leadership development are essential for building careers in any academic field. Such training is often inaccessible to women spending extended time in resource-poor settings for their field research. Commonly they must choose between field research and obtaining formal research/leadership training.

The Initiative provides remotely-accessible research training to women conducting field work in resource-limited settings, including access to Grand Rounds, Advanced Topics seminars, and other short courses. The Initiative also holds Leadership Development Workshops that cover topics such as contract negotiation, conflict management, public speaking, and more. These workshops are held at WCM and at our international sites.