We are delighted to share that our second-year Cochrane US Mentoring Program mentees, Omolola and Rehab, have received stipends to attend the Cochrane Colloquium 2023 in London.

Cochrane Colloquium 2023 offers stipends and bursaries to help cover registration, travel, accommodation, and/or other expenses associated with attending the 2023 London Colloquium. https://events.cochrane.org/colloquium-2023/stipends-bursaries

Learn about their experiences in the application process and how it will impact their careers.

First and last name: Omolola Alade

Country: Nigeria

Affiliation:  Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

Mentor: Prof L. Susan Wieland

Title and links to abstracts:

1. Mentorship, Community, and Evidence Synthesis Across Borders: Experiences of Cochrane US Year: https://colloquium2023-submissions.cochrane.org/abstracts/mentorship-community-and-evidence-synthesis-across-borders-experiences-cochrane-us-year-2
Mentees - Co-Presenter 

2. How is equity addressed in Cochrane reviews of lifestyle interventions for cardiovascular
health? - Co-author: https://colloquium2023-submissions.cochrane.org/abstracts/how-equity-addressed-cochrane-reviews-lifestyle-interventions-cardiovascular-health

Getting this stipend and having the opportunity to attend a Cochrane colloquium for the first time is incredibly delightful.  It would be an amazing learning experience, an unparalleled networking platform and a wonderful opportunity to present and receive feedback on my research from a diverse group of healthcare professionals and laypersons. I am also excited to visit the city of London and see the site of John Snow's epidemiological triumph at the Broad Street pump; this would be public health history concretized.

I am specifically looking forward to the panel session on global health, equity, and trust because equity considerations are the core of global health work, and I seek every opportunity to build equity-promoting skills.

Finally I will get to meet in person, for the first time, several people that have mentored me in the virtual space and contributed to my journey in evidence synthesis. I see the potential for forging stronger networks and collaborations and being inspired by cutting edge evidence synthesis research from diverse lay, professional and geographic perspectives.  

I plan to use the skills and networks I get from this opportunity to promote equity considerations in health research and advocate for evidence synthesis as the foundational basis for local, national and global health policies.

First and last name: Rehab Emad Ashmawy

Country: Egypt

Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt

Mentor: Dr. Patricia Heyn

Title and links to abstracts:

1. Mentorship, Community, and Evidence Synthesis Across Borders: Experiences of Cochrane US Year: https://colloquium2023-submissions.cochrane.org/abstracts/mentorship-community-and-evidence-synthesis-across-borders-experiences-cochrane-us-year-2

As a researcher, I have always been interested in attending the Cochrane Colloquium, as it is one of the most prestigious events in the field. The process of TDR stipend application was smooth and well-organized. I felt confident about winning this award because I have the passion and a long-term plan that attending the colloquium will make a difference in it.

When I found out that my submission had been accepted, I was ecstatic. It's a great honor to be selected to present my work at such a prestigious event. I immediately shared the news with my mentors, family, and friends, who were all very supportive and congratulated me on this achievement.

Attending the Cochrane Colloquium will have a significant impact on my career. It will give me the opportunity to meet and network with other researchers, learn about the latest developments in the field, and share my own research with a wider audience. This will help me to broaden my perspective, gain new insights, and develop new collaborations. I believe that attending this event will be a great boost for my career and help me to advance professionally.

I am preparing for the Cochrane Colloquium by preparing the necessary documents and arrangements for the Visa application to visit London (let me tell you, visiting London is fun, preparing for the UK visa is not, haha). I'm also researching the topics and sessions that interest me the most. I am also networking with other attendees and planning to attend social events to meet new people and create new connections. Also, my team and I are preparing the poster according to Cochrane guidance for poster presentations. Additionally, I am taking time to reflect on the significance of this opportunity and the impact it could have on my career.

There are several sessions that I am particularly interested in attending. These include the satellite sessions prior to the conference especially GRADE-CERQuel event and the event about putting EBM into practice for medical students. I am also looking forward to attending sessions on evidence synthesis, clinical trials, and systematic reviews, which are all areas of interest to me. I am planning to attend as many sessions as possible and take full advantage of this incredible learning opportunity.

Congratulations both Omolola and Rehab!