Carlos Alberto Moreno Ricci is a third-year medical student at Universidad Central de Venezuela. In a context where public universities face deep structural challenges and many professors are not fairly compensated, Carlos is motivated by the educators who remain devoted to teaching and preparing future physicians –even as adversity grows and institutional support remains limited.

Inspired by that example of perseverance, Carlos has also been guided by a strong sense of community and teamwork through volunteer efforts focused on education in underserved communities, leadership roles such as Head Delegate for UCV-HNMUN, and participation in cultural activities like music and language-learning groups. These experiences led Carlos to co-found Infectus Research, a student-led venture that helps health sciences students develop research skills and produce locally relevant scientific work. Through this project, he hopes to expand opportunities for future healthcare professionals while generating evidence that can improve public health in their communities.