Start with a question.
What health problem interests you? Who is affected? Where does it happen? Why might the pattern be different from place to place?
GLOBAL HEALTH EXPLORERS
GLOBAL HEALTH BIG DATA CHALLENGE
Ask questions. Explore data. Discover what it means.
GHBDC invites young people to investigate real-world global health questions through data, evidence, collaboration and imagination.
Curiosity → Data → Evidence → Ideas → Action
GLOBAL HEALTH
● LIVE QUESTION
100
75
50
25
0
Explore patterns
Health Equity
QUESTION
What pattern do you see?
EVIDENCE
Compare the data
ACTION
Propose an idea
WHAT IS GHBDC?
Data becomes powerful when we learn how to question it.
The Global Health Big Data Challenge is a learning and investigation pathway that helps young people move from curiosity to evidence-based ideas.
Explore the evidence.
Find reliable data, understand what it measures, investigate patterns and learn to recognize the limits of what the data can tell you.
Imagine what could change.
Connect evidence with context, generate ideas and communicate a thoughtful proposal for improving health.
THINK LIKE AN INVESTIGATOR
A number is only the beginning.
Good data science is not simply about making charts. It is about asking better questions, understanding where information comes from and thinking critically about what the evidence actually shows.
GHBDC encourages young investigators to look for patterns — and then ask why those patterns exist.
Begin exploring data →
QUESTION 01
What do the data show?
Describe the pattern before trying to explain it.
QUESTION 02
Why might this pattern exist?
Consider social, economic, environmental and health-system factors.
QUESTION 03
What else do we need to know?
Identify uncertainty, missing information and questions for further investigation.
THE GHBDC PATHWAY
From curiosity to action.
You do not need to be a data scientist to begin. Start with a question and build your skills along the way.
01
ASK
Find a question
Choose a health issue that makes you curious.
02
EXPLORE
Find the data
Discover datasets and understand their sources.
03
ANALYZE
Investigate patterns
Compare, visualize and interpret what you find.
04
DISCUSS
Think critically
Challenge assumptions and consider different explanations.
05
PROPOSE
Develop an idea
Turn your evidence into a mini-proposal for action.
06
SHARE
Communicate
Tell others what you discovered and why it matters.
DATA EXPLORATION
Start with trusted sources of evidence.
GHBDC connects young investigators with major public health and global health data resources.
GLOBAL
↗
WHO Health Inequality Monitor
Explore health inequalities through disaggregated data, country profiles and tools for health equity.
Explore WHO data →
GLOBAL
↗
IHME
Explore global health evidence, estimates and research from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
Explore IHME →
CANADA
↗
Health Canada & Health Infobase
Explore Canadian health indicators, surveillance information and public health data.
Explore Canadian data →
UNITED STATES
↗
CDC Data & Research
Explore public health data, indicators, surveillance systems and research resources.
Explore CDC data →
YOUNG
INVESTIGATOR
STUDENT / YOUNG INVESTIGATOR PATHWAY
You can start before you feel ready.
GHBDC is designed to help young people develop confidence progressively. You can begin by asking questions and exploring simple data before moving toward deeper analysis and independent investigation.
01
Explorer
Ask and observe
02
Analyst
Compare and interpret
03
Investigator
Build evidence
04
Innovator
Propose action
MINI-PROPOSAL PATHWAY
Turn a question into an idea worth exploring.
The GHBDC mini-proposal pathway helps students move beyond describing a problem. It asks them to connect evidence with a possible response.
A future GHBDC proposal can become the foundation for a larger research project, team investigation, classroom project or community initiative.
Explore proposal resources →
01
The Problem
What health issue are you investigating?
02
The Question
What exactly do you want to understand?
03
The Evidence
What does the available data show?
04
The Idea
What could potentially make a difference?
05
The Impact
Who could benefit and how?
EXAMPLES
Questions can lead in unexpected directions.
These examples are starting points — not answers.
How does access to health care differ between communities?
Explore geography, income, access and health outcomes.
What patterns can we see in cardiovascular disease risk?
Compare risk factors, populations and places.
How might environmental conditions influence health?
Investigate connections between environment and wellbeing.
What health patterns are especially important for young people?
Ask what the data reveal — and what they leave unanswered.
TEAMS & PROJECTS
Big questions rarely need to be solved alone.
Bring together different strengths. One person might enjoy finding data. Another might love visualization. Someone else might ask the questions that change the direction of the project.
Data
Research
Design
Communication
Health
Leadership
BUILD YOUR TEAM
06
D
Data Explorer
Finds & understands data
R
Researcher
Investigates the question
C
Communicator
Tells the story
I
Innovator
Imagines possible solutions
A PARTNERSHIP WITH STEM FELLOWSHIP
Continuing a vision for youth, data and discovery.
In 2015, the late Mohammad Asadi Lari and Dr. Alexandre Sacha Noukhovitch co-founded STEM Fellowship, a country-wide student network created to empower young people with essential skills in data science and scholarly communication.
Through programs including the STEM Fellowship Journal, National Big Data Challenges and STEMpowerment, they inspired inquiry-driven learning among a generation of data natives while helping remove socio-economic and geographic barriers to participation in scientific disciplines.
The partnership between Global Health Explorers and STEM Fellowship through GHBDC carries this mission forward — helping inspire the next generation of global health innovators, researchers and leaders.
M
Meritorious Service Medal
Mohammad Asadi Lari was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division) by the Governor General of Canada, jointly recognized with Dr. Alexandre Sacha Noukhovitch for their work through STEM Fellowship.
ASK
LEARN
EXPLORE
LEAD
RECOGNITION & MEDIA REFERENCES
Honouring a legacy of youth, science and service.
The GHBDC partnership carries forward a vision that connected young people with data, inquiry, scientific communication and opportunity.
MOHAMMAD ASADI LARI, M.S.M.
Co-founder, STEM Fellowship
M.S.M.
01
Mohammad Asadi Lari, M.S.M.
The official Canadian records recognize Mohammad H. Asadi Lari, M.S.M., for his contribution through STEM Fellowship and its work empowering youth in data science, scholarly communication and scientific participation.
OFFICIAL PUBLIC REGISTRY
Canada Gazette, Part I,
Volume 156, Number 5
02
The official Government of Canada publication records Mohammad H. Asadi Lari, M.S.M., among the recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division).
View Canada Gazette →
GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA
Official Meritorious Service Citation
03
The national recipient registry provides the official citation and records Mohammad's recognition alongside Dr. Alexandre Sacha Noukhovitch.
View official citation →
GOVERNOR GENERAL — MARCH 21, 2024
Meritorious Service Decorations
(Civil Division)
The Governor General's official recognition page provides the national context for Meritorious Service Decorations and includes the citation recognizing Mohammad H. Asadi Lari and Dr. Alexandre Sacha Noukhovitch.
View Governor General page →
04
NATIONAL LEGACY & COMMUNITY FEATURE
IQRA Canadian Muslim Excellence Showcase
A civic and community feature highlighting Mohammad's enduring impact, leadership and inspiration associated with his Meritorious Service honour.
Community feature
GHBDC RESOURCE LIBRARY
Tools for the journey.
The GHBDC resource library will grow with the program.
01
Data literacy
Learn how datasets, indicators and variables work.
→
02
Data visualization
Learn to turn numbers into meaningful visual stories.
→
03
Research questions
Learn how to move from broad interests to focused questions.
→
04
Scholarly communication
Learn how to communicate evidence clearly and responsibly.
→
05
Mini-proposal toolkit
Build a structured idea for investigation and action.
→
YOUR NEXT QUESTION STARTS HERE
Ready to explore a global health question?
You do not need to have the perfect idea. You only need enough curiosity to ask the first question.
GLOBAL HEALTH EXPLORERS
The future needs better questions.
Explore. Investigate. Imagine. Act.
Return to GHE →
DATA
HEALTH
EQUITY
ACTION