Soumya Swaminathan
Soumya Swaminathan is a globally recognized pediatrician and researcher specializing in tuberculosis and HIV. She was WHO’s inaugural Chief Scientist, where she established the Science Division, focusing on research, standards, and digital health. During the pandemic, she played a pivotal role in coordinating global scientific efforts and setting up Covax to ensure equitable vaccine distribution to low- and middle-income countries. Previously, she served as Secretary to the Government of India for Health Research, where she worked to integrate science into health policy and build research capacity in India.
The Salata Institute
The Salata Institute supports interdisciplinary research that leads to real-world action, including high-risk/high-reward projects by researchers already working in the climate area and new endeavors that make it easier for Harvard scholars, who have not worked on climate problems, to do so. Faculty interested in the Climate Research Clusters program should note an upcoming deadline for concepts on April 1, 2024.