The Global Virus Network (GVN), headquartered at the University of South Florida, in partnership with USF Youth Experiences and Hillsborough County Public Schools STEM Department, hosted its first-ever “Global Guardians: Youth for Pandemic Preparedness” summer camp, an immersive, hands-on experience designed to spark student interest in virology, outbreak response and public health careers.
Held July 23–25, the camp brought together 14 of Tampa’s brightest high school students with internationally renowned virologists, public health experts and scientists from the GVN, USF, Tampa General Hospital and the Florida Department of Health to explore the science of pandemics through a series of interactive sessions, demonstrations and collaborative group activities,
“This camp shows our students that science is a living, evolving field with real-world impact,” said Catherine White, EdD, supervisor of K–12 STEM in the Hillsborough County Public Schools Academic Services Division. “By giving them access to leading scientists, advanced laboratories and hands-on investigations, we’re not just teaching content, we’re igniting curiosity and empowering them to see themselves as the problem-solvers and innovators our future will depend on.”
Over three days, students participated in simulated outbreak investigations, examined real-world public health data, toured advanced research labs and practiced outbreak modeling using mapping tools and case data.
“It was inspiring to see such curiosity and focus from these students,” said Robert C. Gallo, MD, international scientific director and co-founder of the GVN. “This generation will inherit the responsibility of pandemic prevention. We must prepare them early, honestly, and with scientific integrity.” Dr. Gallo, who is most widely known for his co-discovery of HIV as the cause of AIDS, is also the James P. Cullison Professor of Medicine, director of the Institute of Translational Virology and Innovation at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and director of the Microbial Oncology Program at Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute.
Highlights of the camp included:
- A live discussion with Dr. Gallo, who shared insights from his early experiences as a young scientist and reflections on novel virus discoveries. He encouraged students to “follow your passion and pursue truth.”
- An immersive tour of Tampa General’s CareComm, a state-of-the-art command center for patient safety and hospital efficiency.
- Hands-on demonstrations of viral transmission, diagnostic testing and vector surveillance, led by experts in virology, entomology and public health.
- Sessions on media literacy, challenging students to think critically in the age of digital noise.
- A closing ceremony where each student received a certificate of completion recognizing their participation in the inaugural Global Guardians program.
Students described the camp as “life-changing,” “eye-opening,” and “the most engaging experience I’ve ever had in science.” One participant reflected, “I really loved all of the tours and the lectures… everything felt very nicely organized, and it was extremely fun.”
“I am so grateful to the Global Virus Network for giving this talented group of students an opportunity to imagine their futures as the next generation of science explorers and learners,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine. “I expect that this experience will put some of these students on a path to become leaders in public health and virology. Kudos to the Hillsborough County Public Schools STEM Department, our USF Youth Experiences team, and USF Health faculty, including GVN’s Dr. Bob Gallo, for making time to prepare our future ‘global guardians.’”
Building on the success of the pilot, GVN plans to expand the Global Guardians initiative next year to include students from across the state of Florida and internationally the year after, broadening access to virology education and building a pipeline of future scientists and public health professionals. GVN intends to provide scholarships to participants for competitive applications.
“One of the reasons we founded the Global Virus Network was to address the shrinking pipeline of students entering the field of virology,” said Dr. Gallo. “Programs like this are essential to spark early interest and build the next generation of scientists who can help the world prepare for future pandemics.”
For more information on GVN’s education programs and the Global Guardians initiative, visit here.