Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

Harvard Humanitarian Initiative recently welcomed Dr. Hanan Balkhy of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean for a discussion on regional health priorities and opportunities for collaboration.

The conversation included an overview of ongoing work, key challenges across the region, and areas where partnership can help strengthen health systems and humanitarian response efforts.

We’re grateful for the exchange and look forward to continued collaboration.

💡 We’re excited to continue the HHI Spotlight Series, highlighting members of our community and the impactful work they are leading around the world. This Spotlight features Sumina Suwal!

Sumina Suwal is a Master’s candidate in Sustainable International Development at Brandeis University’s Heller School. Her work bridges energy policy, geospatial analysis, and macroeconomic governance to better understand how systems of power shape development and human security.

Her undergraduate research offered a comparative policy analysis of U.S. and Chinese renewable energy frameworks, examining how subsidies, carbon pricing, and trade protections influence global supply chains, industrial competitiveness, and geopolitical dynamics in the energy transition. She has collaborated with government bodies, think tanks, and academic institutions across South Asia, Europe, and the United States on climate adaptation, foreign investment policy, and technology infrastructure.

At HHI, Sumina contributes to research on conflict prevention through geospatial analysis and early warning systems, helping develop data-driven approaches to anticipate and mitigate crises.

🔗 View Sumina Suwal’s full bio: https://hhi.harvard.edu/people/sumina-suwal