"Public health has the power to expose social inequalities, and it gives people the power to fight back against these injustices.

That’s what drives me to research infectious diseases in a global context. This kind of research gives scientists the ability to protect people around the world who might not be able to protect themselves from disease.

Seven years ago, I wrote my master’s thesis research on the connection between infection and nutrition in early infancy. I’ve carried that interest through to my current doctoral dissertation research, which asks how vaccine protection differs between malnourished and well-nourished children. My research also extends to population-level protection from other vaccine-preventable diseases like influenza and HPV.

I am excited to earn my doctorate, begin my career, and get to work serving those who need it the most.”