Global Health Initiatives Innovation Sprint

During the final Innovation FIT competition on Oct. 27, 2023, 12 teams pitched programs for increasing physical activity among vulnerable populations in WNY. The winning team pitched a step-counter app that would reward participants with discounts and coupons at minority-owned health-related businesses. 

Ethan Dinse (Sociology), Kafay Kaboke (Nursing) and Tanvi Thiyagu (Media Studies) took first place. Second place was awarded to Nicole Burton (Health and Human Services), Abbey Gardner (Exercise Science) and Grace Rider (Speech and Hearing Sciences). Nishat Sarker (Public Health), Fariha Hussain (Business Admin & Management) and Brianna Cassia (Exercise Science) placed third. The judges awarded Honorable Mention to Paige Haarman (Biomedical Sciences), Maggie Holmes (Pre-OT), Delaney Horan (OT) and Mifta Hassan (Undecided).

Over 40 undergraduate and graduate students, representing seven different schools and colleges at UB, competed in the Sprint. Thank you to the competitors, and to the panel of judges who generously donated their time to help make the event a success!

During the OGHI and Blackstone's third annual Innovation Sprint, competing teams created an information campaign to counteract and prevent the spread of misinformation surrounding an infectious disease, and "pitched" their ideas to a panel of judges on Nov. 4. 

First place was awarded to Team MMM (Measles Misinformation Managed), which included Tina Darabnoushtehrani (MS-Epidemiology); Karen Cheng (Undecided); Jeremy Nguyen (MPH-Epidemiology); and Tasnim Tarannum (MPH).

Second place was award to Team Infaproof, with members Sashwat Adhikari (BA-Communications), Kshitij Chhajed (MS-Computer Science) and Ankit Shaw (MS-Computer Science and Engineering). Hannah-Lee Campbell (Adv. Certificate in Public Health) and Vitus Brix (Biological Sciences), Team News You Can Use, placed third. 

The panel of experts from academia and the community generously donated their time to judge the Innovation Sprint.

In this virtual sprint, the student teams were tasked with addressing health problems exacerbated by climate change while creating more sustainable, healthy, equitable communities.

The GECO / More Access, Better Buffalo team won first place with their pitch that would expand access and routes of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) to lower pollution and support a healthier Buffalo. CHHB MPH student Saad Alasil, PhD, MS; Kayla Giglia, undergraduate public health major; Jared Sharp, PhD student in linguistics, College of Arts and Sciences; and Tiffany Mai, SPHHP graduate student, environmental health, made up the team.

Team Green for Erie, comprised of Qamar Saitovski, undergraduate psychology major in the College of Arts and Sciences; Nabha Karunakar, graduate student in management information systems, School of Management; Sabrina Rahman, MPH student in biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Professions, placed second.

The panel of experts from academia and the community generously donated their time to judge the Innovation Sprint.

During the OGHI and Blackstone's Inaugural Innovation Sprint on Nov. 20, 2020, the student teams were tasked with making a hypothetical COVID-19 vaccine available and providing accurate information about it.

Team 3 pitched a "Vac-to-Normal" campaign to win the COVID-19 Vaccine Challenge. Team members included Ray Huang (Public Health/Psychology), Kelly Law (MPH), Steven Gabriel (MBA/MPH), Ritika Bhajiawala (Biological Sciences) and Oluwademilade Daniel Aguda (Biotechnology). Their pitch emphasized health disparities in Western New York, with particular attention paid to the African American and Native American communities in the region. Team 3's hypothetical approach was to partner with community leaders, the Department of Health, experts from UB, small business owners, the Buffalo Bills and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. They also stressed the potential of mobile clinics, and even food trucks, for making the vaccine readily available and equitably distributed. 

Second Place: Team 4 “Power Vaxxers"
Mridu Moitra (Biomedical Engineering), Maisha Rahman (Public Health), Supriya Mahajan (MPH), Sadia Rifah (Public Health) and Lianne Novak (MPH) of Team 4 were runners-up. 

Our first and second place teams faced fierce competition.

Team 1 "#VaxUp"
Nelli Kisliuk (Public Health), Ali Attai (Computer Science), Parveen Attai (Epidemiology MPH), Crystal Asabor (Public Health), Asiya Mohamed (French), Maia Weiss (Biology). 

Team 2 “Vital Consultants”
Gabriel Attallah (EMBA, M.D.), Anjali Bhagavatula (Biotech), Nicole LoCascio (MPH), Ashiqi Shaji (Public Health), Paige Sinsebox (MPH).

The panel of seven experts from academia, health care and community organizations generously donated their time to judge the Innovation Sprint.