Country of Residence
Discipline(s)
Institution
SciPolicy Global Strategies LLC
Research Interests
Science Diplomacy, Science Policy, Science Communication, International Scientific Cooperation, Global Health
Topics to speak on:
Science Diplomacy, Science Communication for Evidence-Informed Policymaking, Science Policy, Inclusive and Effective Science Communication, Global Health Security
“Effective policymaking requires not only the science of discovery but also the art of communication, bridging the gap between evidence and action”
Biography
Dr. Luz Cumba Garcia is an immunologist, policy advisor, and science communicator dedicated to advancing equity, international collaboration, and public engagement in science and policy. She recently served as an Advisor for Sustainability at the U.S. Department of State, where she supported the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in strengthening health systems and promoting sustainable global health policies. As a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow, she contributed to U.S.-Mexico health cooperation at the State Department and supported Arab-Israeli scientific collaboration through USAID’s Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program. She was recognized with the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Science Defender Award for her COVID-19 communication efforts in Spanish. She recently founded SciPolicy Global Strategies, LLC, offering consulting services and workshops that empower early-career scientists to engage in science communication and evidence-informed policymaking around the world.
Awards
2025 National Science Policy Network (NSPN) Leader
Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) 2020 Science Defender
São Paulo Innovation and Science Diplomacy School (InnSciD SP) Fellow
American Association for the Advancement of Science and The World Academy of Science (AAAS/TWAS) Science Diplomacy Course Fellow
IAI Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship
1 of the 10 outstanding young people of Puerto Rico – Junior Chamber International of Puerto Rico (JCI) and The Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) Award