Global Health Institute announces 2026 Global Flu View Spark student cohort to advance digital disease tracking platform
Three University of Arizona graduate students have been selected for the 2026 cohort of the Global Flu View Spark Program, an initiative led by the Global Health Institute that supports student-driven research with innovative digital epidemiology tools.
Three University of Arizona graduate students have been selected for the 2026 cohort of the Global Flu View Spark Program (GFV Spark), an initiative led by the Global Health Institute at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health that combines student-driven research with innovative digital epidemiology tools and techniques.
The yearlong GFV Spark program supports students to utilize and advance the Global Flu View platform, a participatory disease surveillance system that collects real-time data on influenza-like illness from communities worldwide. Through hands-on research, students contribute to strengthening public health monitoring systems while gaining experience in data analysis, epidemiological reporting, and digital health technologies.
Each student receives funding and faculty mentorship to lead a project focused on expanding the platform’s impact, from transforming raw data into actionable insights to improving system performance and exploring new approaches to community-based surveillance.
“The field of digital epidemiology is growing quickly, and programs like this allow students to be part of that transformation,” said Onicio Leal Neto, PhD, MS, assistant research professor and leader of the Global Flu View program. “Our goal is to train students to not only understand data, but to use technology in meaningful ways to detect, interpret and respond to health challenges in real time.”
Iman Hakim, MD, PhD, MPH, Dean of the Zuckerman College of Public Health, emphasized the importance of preparing students to lead in a rapidly evolving public health landscape.
“As technology continues to reshape how we understand and respond to health challenges, it is essential that we equip our students with the tools and experiences needed to lead,” Hakim said. “Programs like Global Flu View Spark provide hands-on opportunities for students to engage in innovative research, apply digital tools, and contribute to solutions that improve health outcomes in communities locally and globally.”
The Global Flu View Spark Program reflects the university’s commitment to experiential learning, interdisciplinary research, and public impact, so that students are prepared to lead at the forefront of innovation in public health.
2026 Global Flu View Spark Scholars
Yva Luc
PhD student in Environmental Health Sciences
Project Title
GFV Activate, From Data Collection to Knowledge Production
Yva Luc will lead the GFV Activate project, focused on transforming participatory surveillance data into actionable epidemiological intelligence. Her work will include analyzing trends, identifying patterns in influenza-like illness, and developing reports to support public health partners.
Maisun Ansary
PhD student in Health Behavior Health Promotion
Project Title
GFV Management: From Reactive to Active Operational Surveillance
Maisun Ansary will work on GFV Management, strengthening the technical infrastructure of the Global Flu View platform. Her project focuses on improving system performance, data integrity, and operational reliability to support real-time disease monitoring.
Imran Hossain Mithu
PhD student in Environmental Health Sciences
Project Title
Exploring convergence and opportunities between GFV data and AZCOVID TXT
Imran Mithu will lead a project examining AZCOVID TXT, a text-message-based syndromic surveillance system in Arizona. His research will explore how community-level symptom data can enhance understanding of disease patterns and expand reach to underserved populations, and how Global Flu View data can be combined with that.
Expanding the Reach of Participatory Surveillance
The 2026 cohort’s work spans three core areas: generating epidemiological insights from participatory data, evaluating mobile-based surveillance systems, and strengthening the technical backbone of digital health platforms. Together, these efforts aim to move Global Flu View beyond data collection toward real-time public health intelligence and decision support.
Through the program, students also engage with public health partners, contribute to research outputs, and gain experience that prepares them for careers in global health, epidemiology, and health informatics.
The Global Health Institute continues to expand opportunities like the GFV Spark Program to ensure students are not only learning about public health challenges, but actively contributing to solutions that improve health outcomes locally and globally.
About the Global Health Institute
The Global Health Institute at the University of Arizona advances interdisciplinary research, education and partnerships to address complex global health challenges. Through innovative programs and global collaborations, GHI prepares the next generation of public health leaders to improve health and well-being worldwide.