'global Guardians' Camp Fosters Young Minds In Pandemic Preparedness

The Global Virus Network (GVN), successful business pinch nan University of South Florida (USF) Youth Experiences and Hillsborough County Public Schools STEM Department, precocious concluded its inaugural "Global Guardians: Youth for Pandemic Preparedness" summertime camp, an immersive, hands-on acquisition that brought together immoderate of Tampa's brightest precocious schoolhouse students pinch internationally renowned virologists, nationalist wellness experts, and scientists.

"This campy shows our students that subject is simply a living, evolving section pinch real-world impact," said Catherine White, EdD, supervisor of K–12 STEM successful nan Academic Services Division of Hillsborough County Public Schools. "By giving them entree to starring scientists, precocious laboratories, and hands-on investigations, we're not conscionable school content, we're igniting curiosity and empowering them to spot themselves arsenic nan problem-solvers and innovators our early will dangle on."

Held July 23–25, 2025, nan three-day programme welcomed 14 precocious schoolhouse students successful grades 9–12 to research nan subject of pandemics done a bid of interactive sessions, laboratory and infirmary tours, demonstrations, and collaborative group activities. Participants examined topics specified arsenic microorganism transmission, outbreak detection, media misinformation, and profession paths successful virology, guided by experts from nan GVN, USF, Tampa General Hospital, and various units of nan Florida Department of Health.

"It was inspiring to spot specified curiosity and attraction from these students," said Robert C. Gallo, MD, world technological head and co-founder of nan GVN. "This procreation will inherit nan work of pandemic prevention. We must hole them early, honestly, and pinch technological integrity." Dr. Gallo, who is astir wide known for his co-discovery of HIV arsenic nan origin of AIDS, is besides nan James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine, head of nan Institute of Translational Virology and Innovation astatine nan USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and head of nan Microbial Oncology Program astatine Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute.

Hosted successful business pinch USF astatine GVN's world headquarters, nan programme emphasized some acquisition and empowerment. Students engaged straight pinch microorganism hunters, epidemiologists, and laboratory scientists, participated successful simulated outbreak investigations, and practiced putting connected complete individual protective instrumentality successful a mock BSL-3 lab.

I americium truthful grateful to nan Global Virus Network for giving this talented group of students an opportunity to ideate their futures arsenic nan adjacent procreation of subject explorers and learners. I expect that this acquisition will put immoderate of these students connected a way to go leaders successful nationalist wellness and virology. Kudos to nan Hillsborough County Public Schools STEM Department, our USF Youth Experiences team, and USF Health faculty, including GVN's Dr. Bob Gallo, for making clip to hole our early 'global guardians.'"

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, Executive Vice President, University of South Florida

He is nan dean of nan Morsani College of Medicine.

Dr. Lockwood is besides executive vice president and main world serviceman astatine Tampa General Hospital.

Highlights of nan campy included:

• A unrecorded chat pinch Dr. Gallo, who shared insights from his early experiences arsenic a young scientist, reflections connected caller microorganism discoveries, and addressed nan effect of technological misinformation. He encouraged students to "follow your passion and prosecute truth."
• An immersive circuit of Tampa General's CareComm, a state-of-the-art bid halfway for diligent information and infirmary efficiency.
• Hands-on demonstrations of viral transmission, diagnostic testing, and vector surveillance, led by experts successful virology, entomology, and nationalist health.
• Sessions connected media literacy and misinformation, challenging students to deliberation critically successful nan property of integer noise.
• A closing ceremonial wherever each student received a certificate of completion recognizing their information successful nan inaugural Global Guardians program.

Students described nan programme arsenic "life-changing," "eye-opening," and "the astir engaging acquisition I've ever had successful science." One subordinate reflected, "I really loved each of nan tours and nan lectures. Everything felt very nicely organized, and it was highly fun," referring to nan operation of infirmary tours, precocious laboratory visits, and hands-on experiments. Another student shared, "I liked erstwhile we had nan illness detectives lesson," recalling nan simulated outbreak investigation that encouraged teamwork, problem-solving, and information analysis.

For some, nan campy solidified profession ambitions. "The campy has strengthened my liking successful pursuing a profession successful nan aesculapian field," said 1 student, while different added, "It changed my sentiment astir aesculapian school; now I'm willing successful going." Even those still deciding felt a renewed consciousness of direction, pinch 1 subordinate noting, "Nothing has changed, but it has decidedly pushed maine much toward nan acquisition I want."

The program's hands-on attack resonated profoundly pinch nan students, who investigated real-world nationalist wellness data, dissected misinformation, and practiced outbreak modeling utilizing mapping devices and lawsuit data. They besides toured precocious investigation labs, including USF's Center for Global Health and Inter-Disciplinary Research, nan Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health Laboratories, and nan Hillsborough County Health Department.

"One of nan reasons we founded nan Global Virus Network was to reside nan shrinking pipeline of students entering nan section of virology," added Dr. Gallo. "Programs for illustration this are basal to spark early liking and build nan adjacent procreation of scientists who tin thief nan world hole for early pandemics."

Building connected nan occurrence of nan pilot, GVN plans to grow nan Global Guardians inaugural to see students from crossed nan authorities of Florida adjacent twelvemonth and internationally nan twelvemonth after, broadening entree to virology acquisition and inspiring a much divers pipeline of early scientists and nationalist wellness professionals. Similar to different comparative, merit-based programs, GVN intends to supply scholarships to participants for competitory applications.