Maya Côté is an Environment student and McGill Global Health Scholar supported by the Spencer-Hick Family Global Health Education and Training Fund. This summer, Maya studied air temperature, pollution, and health in Accra with Prof. Jill Baumgartner.
"My internship with Dr. Baumgartner and Ph.D. candidate Emmalin Buajitti was part of the Pathways to Healthy Equitable Cities Consortium. The research project in Accra aimed to analyze indoor and outdoor air temperature in various neighbourhoods. This was done in collaboration with McGill University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Imperial College London and the University of Ghana.
Prior to the trip, I regularly met with the team to discuss various aspects of the field campaign. In Accra, I had the pleasure to assist the researchers with sensor calibration, environmental measurements and field data collection. This internship also taught me useful insights into conducting online surveys and managing data with OSF.
Reflecting on this experience, I was surprised by the multidisciplinary aspect of research in epidemiology. We all came from different backgrounds, from environmental sciences or nursing to physics. This myriad of skills nurtured collaboration, with the local field team’s expertise occupying a central role in the sensor deployment. Finally, I was amazed by the technology we used to collect data, and the willingness of local people to participate in the study. With simple temperature sensors and protective radiation shields made of PVC, we were able to collect compelling results."
Learn more about the McGill Global Health Scholars Undergraduate Program.
