Havana, Cuba
PROGRAM: Applied Physiology

In May 2019, my lab-mate Macarena and I attended the Pan American Congress of Physiological Sciences in hot and sunny Havana, Cuba. This international conference is held every 5 years with the intention to share research findings and encourage collaboration among scientists in North and South America. I presented a poster titled “Acute High Sodium Meal Consumption Does Not Impair Vascular Function in Young, Healthy Adults” during which I got to talk to scientists from Brazil, Cuba, and Spain. The conference was rich in symposiums on cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It was very exciting to hear researchers from various countries speak about their research, as I am used to attending conferences in the United States dominated by studies done in American universities. The conference was very well organized with the hosts striving to provide the most welcoming and comfortable stay in the city.

Traveling to a place such as Cuba was eye-opening and humbling, to say the least. Many things that are taken for granted in the US, such as searching online databases for publications or printing conference posters can be challenging due to political and financial reasons. When not at the conference center, I enjoyed walking around Old Havana and admiring the colorful buildings and lively Cubans.