Introducing our Newest Impact Scholars

The Center for Global Health Equity at the University of Michigan is brimming with excitement as we welcome two remarkable new Impact Scholars:Sylvia Takyi, PhD and Elizabeth Ludwig, PhD. These scholars bring a wealth of knowledge, a passion for meaningful change, and innovative research approaches that are set to transform the global health landscape.

Mitigating Toxic Exposures in E-Waste Communities

Sylvia Takyi, an expert in environmental epidemiology and occupational health, has dedicated her career to understanding the detrimental health effects of toxic exposures in e-waste recycling communities. Her journey began at the University of Ghana, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Dietetics, a master's degree in occupational hygiene and doctoral degree in public health. Under the NIH-funded GEOHealth II program, she honed her research skills, focusing on chemical exposures and cardiovascular health among e-waste recyclers.

During a year-long research training fellowship with the Fogarty International Centre's Northern Pacific Global Health Leaders Program, Takyi’s research took her to Agbogbloshie, Ghana, home to one of the world’s largest informal e-waste sites. Here, she assessed the health impacts on women and children living in close proximity to these hazardous environments. Partnering closely with Jaclyn Goodrich from U-M, Goodrich aims to pioneer nutritional interventions to ameliorate these health effects and advocate for safer community practices.

“This research is intensely personal and vital,” Takyi shared. “High-income countries generate most of the e-waste, yet it’s the low-resource communities that bear the brunt of its toxic aftermath. My goal is to develop cost-effective, evidence-based interventions that can be practically implemented to protect the health of women and children, and ultimately, drive policy changes for safer practices.”

Addressing Climate Change and Birth Outcomes 

Elizabeth Ludwig, another powerhouse addition to our Impact Scholars program, brings her expertise in the intersection of climate change and public health. After completing a masters degree in global health epidemiology, and a PhD in nutritional epidemiology, Ludwig devoted the last year to a post-doctoral fellowship working with center member Arun Agrawal in the School of Environment and Sustainability. Here, her research expanded to include issues of climate change and her current work is focused on the linkages between climate variability and nutrition, and how this ultimately impacts birth outcomes like birth-weight. Within the past eight months, she has submitted NIH proposals, authored research papers, and conducted a comprehensive scoping review on this critical issue. 

Her work is an intuitive fit with the thematic priorities of the Center for Global Health Equity, particularly in understanding social and environmental determinants of health and empowering women. Ludwig will be collaborating with an interdisciplinary mentoring team—comprised of Center members Arun Agrawal, Cheryl Moyer and Joe Eisenberg—as she embarks on projects in Bangladesh and Ghana. “I am passionate about uncovering the links between climate change and health, specifically how environmental and nutritional stressors during pregnancy can affect newborns and their futures,” Ludwig expressed. “By identifying critical exposure windows and vulnerable populations, we can inform targeted interventions to improve birth outcomes in some of the world’s most climate-affected regions.” 

Beyond Research: Building a Community of Change-Makers 

Both Takyi and Ludwig demonstrate an unwavering commitment to not just understanding health inequities but actively working to rectify them. As part of their appointment at U-M, they will benefit from the support of a multidisciplinary mentorship committee, cohort-based learning opportunities, and the resources needed to make their long-term visions a reality. Together, they embody the spirit of collaborative growth, mentorship, and interdisciplinary research that the Impact Scholars program strives to foster. 

A Bright Future Ahead 

As we celebrate the arrival of our new scholars, we are reminded of the incredible potential of dedicated researchers to drive global change. Their work not only aligns with the Center’s mission but also inspires us to continue striving for a world where health equity is not just an ideal but a reality. Stay tuned for more updates on their groundbreaking research and join us in welcoming these inspiring leaders to the Center for Global Health Equity.