Undergraduate student, Michigan State University — Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA

As part of the NDM Summer Studentship Programme, Jasnoor worked with TGHN on a project to connect researchers—especially in LMICs—to modelling case studies, while learning rapid iteration, time management, and the value of genuine collaboration.

Personal journey & motivation – What motivated you to join TGHN as an intern and how has this experience shaped your perspective on research and global health?  

What motivated me most about TGHN was its focus on uplifting low-resource communities and connecting people across the world. The mission of interconnectivity and innovation-building resonated deeply with me. I believe economic and social standing should never block someone from connecting, learning, and implementing solutions—and TGHN enables that. This experience pushed me to prioritise collaboration and showed me the hidden value of connection: taking the time to talk and listen plays a major role in building sustainable, genuine innovation.

Skills & learning – What new skills or knowledge have you gained during your internship and how do you see these supporting your career as an early or mid-career researcher?

During my internship, two skills stood out for me: learning to iterate and pivot quickly, and networking. Adjusting plans based on immediate results taught me to adapt to uncomfortable situations. My project involved building a tool for the TGHN website; when technical issues arose, I adapted my plan and leveraged my network to tackle them. In a fast-paced research environment where responsibility and results are expected, the ability to change course while communicating clearly is a critical skill I’m glad I had the chance to refine.

Overcoming challenges – What has been the most challenging aspect of your internship or any other role, and how did you overcome it? What did you learn from this experience?  

Time allocation was the most challenging part of my internship. Although I had a single project, I split it into components to make it effective—proof-of-concept, data plan, coding, debugging, and researching. I also have a habit of being a “yes-man,” and there were weeks I felt overwhelmed. I overcame this through communication and self-belief: talking with peers, colleagues, and advisors helped me set priorities, and believing I could deliver within a short timeline gave me the push to meet my goals.

Contribution & impact – In what ways do you feel your work at TGHN has contributed to building capacity, strengthening collaborations, or advancing research outputs? Can you share a specific example?  

I believe my work at TGHN has greatly contributed to its mission of building capacity, strengthening collaborations, and advancing research outputs. I built a tool that matches researchers and public health scholars—especially from low- and middle-income countries—with modelling-related case studies in real time. The aim was to uplift researchers and increase the chance of applying solutions that work in local contexts; many Western solutions do not translate well, so flipping the script and building a database that does can improve outcomes where they are needed most. I also contributed to creating the Early- and Mid-Career Researchers (EMCR) Hub. As an early-career researcher, I brought that perspective into shaping a space for collaboration, support, and growth—opening doors for others and strengthening the global community of researchers.

Advice to peers – What advice would you give to other early career researchers or students who want to grow their careers in research and global health?  

Find your niche—something you could work on endlessly—and hone in on it, even if it isn’t a popular field. Network as much as you can, and be shameless about reaching out; fellow researchers are often more open to connection than you might expect. Start carving out your lane early: confidence often follows action. It’s never too late to find your niche and succeed—global health always has room for fresh perspectives and new voices.