USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health

We’re reflecting on IIGH's participation in the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Under this year's conference theme, Rethink. Rebuild. Rise., participants came together, with a focus largely on how to address the unprecedented funding crisis affecting HIV programs around the globe, and to identify pathways for strengthening the HIV response.

IIGH was actively involved in a week of dynamic presentations and discussions featuring IIGH Director Sofia Gruskin and IIGH Director of Research Laura Ferguson. They presented on research from the D***x x USC IIGH Global Initiative on Young People's Sexual Rights and Health, our NIH-funded study on stigmatizing attitudes around HIV among learners in boarding schools in Zambia, and our investigation into how last year's sudden U.S. government funding cuts have impacted uptake of HIV services in Kenya. They both had a series of fruitful meetings with partners from around the world, with Gruskin also participating in a Global Village session on centering community leadership and human rights in public health responses to s*x work.

Together, these presentations, discussions, and collaborations reflect IIGH's continued commitment to grounding global health policy in rigorous, community and academic evidence.

📣 Call for applications!

Are you a USC student committed to addressing global health inequalities? Interested in meeting other students with shared interests and passions? Excited to build professional relationships with global health researchers and practitioners from inside USC and around the world? Apply now for the 2026–2027 Institute on Inequalities in Global Health Student Advisory Council!

The Student Advisory Council (SAC) comprises a multidisciplinary group of undergraduate and graduate students from across the university. Serving on the Student Advisory Council offers a unique community- and skills-building experience for students across all schools at USC engaged in and concerned with the intersections of health and inequality. Students do not need to be enrolled in health sciences degree programs; we encourage applicants from all disciplines to contribute to SAC.

Over the course of the academic year, SAC members learn and work together, as well as help drive student programming at IIGH. Students gain valuable experience and access to a distinguished, worldwide network of researchers, policymakers, and advocates addressing inequalities in global health, across a range of timely health challenges.

Applications are due Friday, August 28th at 11:59 p.m. PT! To apply, follow this link: forms.gle/ZjdbUYtohKmEqJwEA

For more information about eligibility and commitment, please visit our website: globalhealth.usc.edu/about/student-advisory-council/

Don’t miss what’s happening at IIGH! Subscribe to our newsletter for event alerts, opportunities, and updates on our policy initiatives, education, research, and student engagement.

Subscribe today: tinyurl.com/SubscribetoUSCIIGH

🔦 IIGH Spotlight: PM 589: Global Health Governance and Diplomacy in Practice

Each month, IIGH shares a spotlight highlighting recent research, a policy initiative, or student engagement opportunity.

This month, IIGH is spotlighting PM 589: Global Health Governance and Diplomacy in Practice, our unique graduate course that gives USC students the opportunity to engage firsthand with global health policy, research, and advocacy.

After a series of meetings during the Spring semester, students in PM 589 travelled to Geneva, Switzerland for a two week immersive experience in conjunction with the World Health Assembly, the highest level health policy setting body in the world.

Upon arrival in May, students in PM 589 engaged with the 79th World Health Assembly, where they attended side events, met with leaders from multilateral organizations, governments, and civil society, and supported PMNCH in hosting "Lives in the Balance: Financing, Rights, and Action for Women, Children, and Adolescents."

For students, the course provides an up close and personal view into how global health policy is shaped and allows them to directly interact with key players and decision makers across the Geneva landscape. Participants over the years have reflected on how the experience gives way to new possibilities both real and imagined for how they envision and determine their future careers and impact in global health.

PM 589 reflects IIGH's commitment to preparing the next generation of global health leaders by connecting classroom learning with firsthand engagement in global health governance and diplomacy.

📣 IIGH introduces the USC Physician Advocacy Fellowship Program webpage!

With the generous philanthropic support of Dr. Wes Mizutani, the Institute on Inequalities in Global Health (IIGH) and the Keck School of Medicine of USC (KSOM) have launched the USC Physician Advocacy Fellowship Program to strengthen the policy advocacy capacity of mid-career faculty in the USC medical school and health system. This patient-centered initiative is part of a broader IIGH physician advocacy effort that provides policy exposure and advocacy opportunities to physicians across their training and career continuum, from medical school to residency and faculty roles.

Explore the webpage to learn more about the initiative, how it was informed by interviews and research, read the full report with findings and recommendations, and watch "The Physician as Advocate: From Clinical Excellence to Policy Impact," featuring speakers in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. at diverse stages of their medical career: globalhealth.usc.edu/usc-physician-advocacy-leadership-initiative/

Join the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Global Health Program’s Working Group on Aging for “Aging on the Urban Margins” on Wednesday, July 8, at 6:00 PM PDT/Thursday, July 9, at 9:00 AM HKT.

This will be an interactive webinar exploring how urban design, public policy, and social space shape opportunities for healthy longevity among populations who are economically, legally, or socially marginalized. Building on the themes introduced during the APRU Global Health Program’s recent Mini Certificate in Global Aging, this conversation will examine the challenges and innovations emerging as cities adapt to populations living longer than ever before—often in environments originally designed for much shorter life expectancies.

Learn more and register here: https://www.apru.org/event/apru-global-health-webinar-aging-on-the-urban-margins/?fbclid=IwY2xjawS7o9xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFjZGlTOGkxTTZWaEx3VUcwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHq2mk4TBeRE5rMEHB380xLqFm5bj2-RoTVR6wPLmwB662QJcWx6sJ9c_kO3E_aem_NAk9hSIKvizuL_sorVORug

IIGH Director Sofia Gruskin joined Dan Grunfield on his podcast, "Results Beyond Dispute," for a wide-reaching conversation exploring the intersections of law, public health and human rights.

Their discussion explored the impact of shifting global priorities, the persistent gap between progress and access, and why interdisciplinary approaches are essential to advancing health equity and addressing today's global health challenges.

You can watch the episode on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. youtu.be/k6KB3D-bdEc?si=aVJWKz2NrBSOeqlx