Vincent Duquette is a Microbiology & Immunology and International Development student and a McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Joseph I. Wolfsdorf Fund for Global Child Health. Vincent worked with Professor Kathleen Rice of the Department of Family Medicine.
Meet Vincent
"This summer, I had the privilege of conducting research in South Africa for the project Ukuvula Isango: Women's Empowerment and Post-Pandemic Reconstruction in Rural South Africa. This project aims to elucidate the ways in which women of the Eastern Cape province were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and develop solutions as a starting point for post-COVID-19 rebuilding. My research primarily focused on the ramifications of this pandemic for women living with HIV.
I was attracted to the field of global health because of the magnitude and complexity of the challenges it addresses. Working across diverse cultural contexts and healthcare systems exposes one to multifaceted issues, which calls for innovative and collaborative approaches to problem-solving. For instance, I loved understanding how different cultural beliefs and practices influence perceptions of COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS and collaborating with community partners to design culturally sensitive interventions.
A fun fact about me is that I once won a Zumba competition."
About Vincent's project
"Given that the Eastern Cape is one of the regions with the highest prevalence of HIV worldwide, I chose to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected women living with HIV in this province. My research makes up a small part of the aforementioned Ukuvula Isango project led by Dr. Kathleen Rice at McGill and Dr. Leslie Bank at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in South Africa. In my six weeks abroad, I partook in data collection in several villages around the Eastern Cape through interviews, life histories, and discussion-based workshops."
What is the most exciting or surprising aspect of your internship so far?
"The most exciting aspect of my internship was the opportunity to collaborate with a large team of researchers, students, and professors from various cultural backgrounds. The diversity of perspectives and approaches within the team fostered a rich exchange of ideas and methodologies, which not only strengthened my appreciation for cross-cultural collaboration but also challenged me to think critically and creatively in a research setting. Several other components of my work in South Africa – like volunteering at HIV testing drives and mobile clinics – have also provided me with a firsthand view of the challenges faced by target communities, solidifying my determination to pursue a career in global health."
