CGHE Bids Farewell to Dr. Samina Raja as Co-Director

This fall, the Community for Global Health Equity (CGHE) bittersweetly bids farewell to Dr. Samina Raja as co-director.

Dr. Raja’s involvement started in 2014 when she, along with faculty from various decanal units compiled an application to create CGHE as one of UB’s Communities of Excellence. Rotating in to co-direct in 2018 after Dr. Korydon Smith’s departure, Dr. Raja successfully helped to keep the CGHE’s work moving forward during the pandemic, ensuring that research and programming continued. Over the past 8 years, Dr. Raja has played an integral role in the CGHE, from our beginning steps, to envisioning the future of CGHE. Her discipline, good heart, and dedication to uplifting others has benefited many.  

During her time as a co-founder and then co-director, Dr. Raja has been instrumental in all aspects of the community, including research, education, and impact. Through her leadership of the Food Equity Big Ideas Team, Dr. Raja has conducted research alongside students and community partners on food inequities experienced by smallholder farmers across the Global South, including in Kashmir, India, Jamaica, and Ghana. In collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Raja led a major report titled “Local Government Planning for Community Food Systems”, published in 2021.

Dr. Raja has supported scholarship at CGHE in myriad ways. In 2016 and 2019, she co-led a studio course in Maradu, Kerala, India, traveling with students from disciplines such as urban planning and public health, the first resulting in a report for a municipality, informing their city-wide sanitation planning process. In 2018, CGHE’s annual Global Innovation Challenge was led by Dr. Raja, focusing on underrepresented farming groups to achieve viable and thriving positions in the agri-food system in Kerala, India. Numerous students, faculty, and community partners have benefitted from Dr. Raja’s mentoring and guidance. Dr. Yeeli Mui, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University says, “I am incredibly fortunate to be able to call Dr. Raja my mentor and colleague. Her unwavering support and commitment to my success has not only provided me with great opportunities, but as someone who leads by doing, Dr. Raja also continues to inspire me in all the work that I do and serve as a model scholar for countless others.” Dr. Raja has pushed us all out of our comfort zones, encouraging us to examine and question issues of equity, and how those impacted by research are involved in all stages of the process. She urges us to look at challenges from all points of view, and her dedication to her work inspires us all. Putting students first, Dr. Raja creates opportunities for students to present and publish, supporting them along the way.   

Under Dr. Raja’s leadership, the work of CGHE has had a farther reach and greater impact. Whether it be through research proposals, student accomplishments, or dissemination of research for greater impact, the work of CGHE-affiliated faculty, staff, and students has been successful thanks to Dr. Raja’s creativity and dedication. 

During her time co-directing the CGHE, Dr. Raja has also led the Food Systems Planning and Healthy Communities Lab and served as the Associate Dean for Research and Inclusive Excellence for the School of Architecture and Planning. We are excited for Samina to have the time and space to focus on her own research interests as she steps back from this administrative role, but thrilled that she will remain working with CGHE through the Food Equity team. The CGHE would not be what it is today without Dr. Raja's contributions.