X-ray of a human lung.
Pace Center for Global Health

Annual Spring Research Conference 2026

Amon Chikohora presenting his research at Annual Research Conference
Hisha Patel posing in front of her poster presentation at the Annual Research Conference
Khubaib Ansari presenting his research at the annual research conference
The team of office of research and graduate education and center for global health at the annual research conference

Amon Chikohora, a student at Seidenberg School of CSIS at Pace University and Graduate Student Assistant at the Center for Global Health, breaks down the hidden, non-smoking drivers of India’s respiratory crisis during the Annual Spring Research Conference. His findings challenge standard Western disease models, pointing to environmental hazards like air coolers and biomass fuels.

Hisha Patel, a student at Seidenberg School of CSIS at Pace University and Graduate Student Assistant at the Center for Global Health, exposes the link between social media algorithms and Gen Z nicotine addiction. Her poster session at the Annual Spring Research Conference detailed the urgent need for stricter platform governance and digital cessation tools.

Exploring "The Human Experience" at the Annual Spring Research Conference, Khubaib Ansari, a student of the College of Health Professions at Pace University and an intern at the Center for Global Health, unpacked the devastating toll of biomass cooking fuels on lung health. His research frames clean household energy not just as an environmental goal, but as a critical fight for women's health equity.

Behind the scenes at the Annual Spring Research Conference, the team of the Office of Research and Graduate Education and the Center for Global Health - a dedicated coalition of staff and student organizers kept the day running seamlessly, transforming months of planning into a university-wide celebration of scholarship.

Annual Spring Research Conference at Pace University

On April 29, 2026, the Office of Research and Graduate Education hosted its Second Annual Spring Research Conference at Pace University, bringing together faculty, graduate students, and researchers from across disciplines to showcase academic scholarship, innovative research, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The conference served as a platform for students and faculty to present ongoing research projects, exchange ideas, and engage in conversations around emerging issues impacting communities locally and globally. The event reflected Pace University’s continued commitment to fostering research excellence, experiential learning, and student engagement across academic fields.

Among the presenters were three student assistants from the Pace Center for Global Health — Amon Chikohora, Hisha Patel, and Khubaib Ansari — who presented research focused on chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). Their work explored key public health challenges related to respiratory health and highlighted the importance of research-driven approaches in raising awareness about CRDs and their growing global burden.

The presentations aligned closely with the Pace Center for Global Health’s mission to elevate chronic respiratory diseases within broader public health conversations through evidence-based advocacy, research, and education. By using data and research to examine respiratory health challenges, the students demonstrated how academic scholarship can contribute to greater awareness, prevention efforts, and informed public health dialogue.

The conference also highlighted the continued collaboration between the Office of Research and Graduate Education and the Pace Center for Global Health in supporting student-led research, interdisciplinary engagement, and global health scholarship. Through opportunities such as the Spring Research Conference, students are encouraged to apply research skills to real-world public health issues while contributing to broader conversations around health equity and global health priorities.