OUR BOARD
The 2020 board consists of:
Puck Pelzer
Chair
Puck Pelzer is Epidemiologist at KNCV Tuberculosis foundation, a Dutch NGO for Tuberculosis control. Here she provides technical assistance on TB epidemiology and advises on implementation of TB surveillance on several international projects. At US she served as vice-chair in 2018 and became chair in 2019. She is specialized in TB and vaccines and has extensive field research experience in Rwanda, Cambodia, Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan.
Suzanne Smit
Suzanne Smit is Assistant Professor Infectious Diseases and Public Health at the Department of Health Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and served as US vice chair since 2019. She worked at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp during which she was granted a Public Health PhD fellowship in 2014. During her PhD, she worked on several international projects (Vietnam and Zambia), conducted consultancy, and joined the scientific committee of the European Congenital Cytomegalovirus Initiative (ECCI).
Kimriek de Wilde-Schutten
Vice Chair
Kimriek focused her studies on international public health research, part of it in Surabaya, Indonesia. Being involved in Uniting Streams inspires her to continue her interest in this dynamic work field of Global Health and stay active in connecting with others about it. "With global health there is no ‘them’ there is only ‘us’" - Nils Daulaire.
Minjung
Treasurer
Minjung (Min), PhD, is assistant professor Global Public Health at Leiden University College Hague. Min focused her studies on international development and global health research. Her previous research projects include analyzing health risks in urbanizing regions of Central Asia (Uzbekistan) and examining health research systems in Central Asia
Kimberly Nehal
Secretary
Kimberly Nehal is a Junior Lecturer in Infectious Disease and Public Health at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her main areas of interest are vaccination (policy) and disease surveillance research. During her studies, she has focused on integrated disease surveillance in Sierra Leone. With her involvement in Uniting Streams, she aims to connect global health researchers in the Netherlands and worldwide.
Merel Stevens
Merel Stevens is a medical student and research assistant at Julius Global Health. Her main areas of interest are maternal and newborn health in a global context. During her studies she gained clinical experience in Ghana and Ecuador. Being part of the board of Uniting Streams enables her to share her passion and connect with others in the field of Global Health.
Tom Jacobs
Tom Jacobs is a PhD candidate at Radboud UMC Nijmegen. Trained as a pharmacist, Tom currently investigates clinical pharmacology of antiretroviral agents in children with HIV and other opportunistic infections in Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Previously he has studies reporting of adverse drug reactions in Ghana and worked on a project commissioned by WHO Europe about reducing OTC sales of antibiotics in Central Asia. Tom joined Uniting Streams to meet and learn from fellow global health enthusiasts
Eugenia Di Meco
Eugenia is a MD specialised in Infectious Diseases. She has clinical experience in HIV and antimicrobial resistance in different hospital settings. She worked in the front line of migrant health, being involved in clinical and research activities in Lampedusa and in Rome. Lately, she shifted focus beyond the Italian borders, dealing with MDR TB in Afghanistan with MSF. For her “global health” is not only an area of research and practice, but mainly an approach that healthcare professionals should have in mind, in every context and every field.
Harry Coleman
Harry Coleman is a Junior Advisor in the Health Systems Strengthening team at KIT Royal Tropical Institute. He is also just finishing his PhD at the Vrije University Amsterdam that focuses on a healthcare outreach service delivery model for homeless groups in Delhi, India. His main interests are in health policy and systems research, social science and mixed methodologies in global health, and global health politics. Harry joined Uniting Streams to discuss the sphere of global health action and research with others working in the field.
WHAT WE DO
Throughout the year, we organize events and sessions to connect (early career) global health researchers and provide them a platform. We are always looking for new members to support these activities. If you're interested, let us know!
A network of early career researchers in global health in the Netherlands
Uniting Steams is a network for early global health researchers to meet, exchange experiences and share ideas.
In addition to various events throughout the year, we also publish an annual overview of successfully defended PhD theses in the field of Global Health in the Netherlands, and aim to keep you up to date with a newsletter.
Annual event: scientific sessions at the annual NVTG symposium
Uniting Steams organises scientific sessions at the Netherlands Society of Tropical Medicine and International Health (NVTG)'s annual conference.
These sessions provide an opportunity for researchers to present their global health research to an interested audience consisting of tropical doctors (in training), policy makers, NGOs and other academics.
Newsletters and Newsflashes
Through our bi-monthly newsletter and newsflashes, we aim to keep global health researchers in The Netherlands and abroad up to date about (our) activities and opportunities. We tell you about upcoming events, update you on past events and keep you posted on job opportunities in the field!
Sign up to our newsletter here.
Annual event: Fieldwork in Global Health
Annually, an evening on fieldwork in Global Health for BSc, MSc and PhD students is organized by Uniting Streams.
During this evening researchers employing various research approaches (antropological/social/medical) will shared their experiences and provided insights in the conduct of fieldwork in Global Health. They shared their experiences including the social and cultural differences, intercultural communication, pitfalls and practical aspects of research projects in the tropics.
Annual event: TropQuiz
Want to get to know other researchers in the field of global health? The TropQuiz will take place every year in February or March!
So brush up your library of facts about global health, tropical medicine and research, music, movies and geography, and join us!
This event is organized by Uniting Streams in collaboration with TROIE.
Global Health Research Nights
These evenings allows global health researchers to share their research in an intimate setting followed by drinks, bites, mustic and good conversation.
Global Health PhD & Postdoc Writing Retreat
The Global Health PhD & Postdocs writing retreat will offer participants the opportunity to work on their manuscript, join workshops to improve their academic writing and communication skills, and meet other global health PhD students and postdocs to share experience.
The workshops will be directed by senior researchers and will be targeted to explicitly cover the major concerns of young researchers.Global Health Symposium
Expert presentations on Global Health related topic.
2019 Symposium on Novel Strategies in Healthcare:
Technology has the potential to transform healthcare, placing the patient at the center of the healthcare system, increasing security and resolving inefficiencies. “novel strategies”, “blockchain” and “innovations” have become buzzwords in healthcare. But what do these words mean in the context of global health?
More info: here
Global Health Film Festival
The Dutch Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health (NVTG), TROIE, and Uniting Streams are proud to present the annual Dutch Global Health Film Festival, hosted in multiple cities across The Netherlands.
This film festival aims to bring people with either a general or professional interest in global health together to think, discuss and debate about global health related issues.
More info is available here.
OUR SOCIALS
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