Proud news comes from the global academic world. Dr. Suci Ardini Widyaningsih, MD, MMSc, an alumnus of the Center for Child Health Studies (PKKA-PRO) FK-KMK UGM and a master’s student at Harvard Medical School, won the Best Poster award at the prestigious 2025 Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) Student Research Showcase, held on April 11, 2025.
At the scientific forum, Dr. Suci presented the results of her thesis research titled “Identifying Clinical Signs of Neonatal Mortality in Low-Resource Settings.” This research stemmed from her experience providing neonatal health services in remote areas of Indonesia. Collaborating with the Projahnmo research team in Bangladesh, she analyzed clinical signs that can accurately predict the risk of newborn mortality, especially in resource-limited areas.
This research makes a tangible contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals point 3: Good Health and Well-being, by providing evidence-based data for frontline medical personnel to improve early detection and response to the risk of neonatal mortality.
This success also reflects the important value of Sustainable Development Goals point 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through cross-institutional collaboration between Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and research partners in Bangladesh. Together with her academic mentor, Dr. Anne CC Lee, and renowned researchers such as dr. Abdullah H. Baqui and dr. Rasheda Khanam, Suci demonstrate that global collaboration can drive innovation in child health issues.
Besides the impact on the health sector, this achievement also reinforces the urgency Sustainable Development Goals point 4: Quality Education, by highlighting the importance of access to global higher education that encourages research-based solutions. This project also intersects with point 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, by utilizing innovative approaches in health information systems for relevant and impactful interventions.
The HGHI Student Research Showcase 2025 itself serves as a platform to appreciate student innovations from around the world and simultaneously strengthen cross-disciplinary dialogue between research, policy, and healthcare practice. Dr. Suci’s achievement is proof that FK-KMK UGM graduates are capable of competing on the international academic stage and contributing to global solutions for a healthier and more equitable future. (Contributor: Dhimas Sholikhul Huda, Translated by: Tedy A)
