How/Why Research? In college, I found my previous lab through the OUR Opportunities Database and my current lab through a cold email to my current PI. I found my internship through summer research listings. Research is a fun way to explore very specific topics in different fields, and create new forms of knowledge.
Research Experience: I have worked as a research assistant in four labs since my senior year of high school, all focused on women’s health, health equity, and public health interventions. My first lab was in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, where I conducted epidemiology research regarding the effectiveness and acceptability of HPV testing methods for marginalized women. I then transitioned to the STAR lab in the Institute for Trauma Recovery in the School of Medicine, where I worked on a study which uses a novel mobile intervention method to attempt to reduce mental health issues for women post-sexual assault. In the summer of 2022, I completed a 10-week research internship for the Equity and Environmental Justice (QUEST) undergraduate training program, in the Institute for Environmental Health Solutions in Gillings. I researched pathways altered by endocrine-disrupting chemicals that may be disproportionately impacting breast cancer risk in marginalized populations. These interests have led me to my current lab in Social Epidemiology at Gillings, where I conduct health equity and trauma research, specifically focused on uterine fibroids and their disparate prevalence and impact in Black women. I will be continuing this research in the summer of 2023, with a SURF grant. This work helps us find the roots of the health disparities that marginalized groups experience, with an equity focus that aims to bridge this gap.
Student Organizations/Clubs: Honors Carolina, Chancellor’s Science Scholars, Biostatistics Student Association, Asian American Center Student Executive Board, Students for Asian American Studies
Also Happy to Chat about: Emailing Professors, Talking with Professors, Networking, Fitting Research into a Busy Schedule
Random Fun Fact: My favorite animals are sloth, deer, frog, and cat.