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Congratulations to our stellar undergraduate, graduate students, and PhD candidates who are being recognized for their achievements, awards, and work in the community.
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Pictured from left to right: Doctoral students Mst. Sadia Sultana and Kalani Phillips.
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Wen Public Health students & faculty have strong premiere as a new school at the annual APHA Meeting & Expo
Numerous students and faculty members had their research featured at the 2024 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Expo in Minneapolis, covering topics like air pollution, AI stroke risk modeling, and food insecurity. Several doctoral students were recognized for their research and more than 60 members of the Wen Public Health community came together at an evening reception. The conference offered an invaluable platform for students to share their research, connect with peers, and network with public health leaders. READ MORE
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As a standout fifth-year undergraduate public health sciences major, Alejandro has been awarded the Public Health Alumni Scholarship for his unwavering dedication to environmental health advocacy. His research focuses on the intersection of climate change and health, with a particular emphasis on developing solutions for communities disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards. As he prepares to pursue a doctoral degree in public health, Santos reflects on the influence UC Irvine has had on his college journey and shares his goals with the Wen Public Health community for advancing public health research. READ MORE
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Doctoral Students/Candidates Reach News Heights
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Strong presence at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene conference
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Gaelle T. Sehi
PhD in Public Health Candidate (Global Health)
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Natasha Glendening
PhD in Public Health Candidate (Global Health)
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Sehi's work explores the environmental factors influencing the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which spread diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.
Her poster, titled "Environmental Correlates of Aedes aegypti Abundance in the West Valley Region of San Bernardino County, California (2017–2023): An Ecological Modeling Study," combines cutting-edge satellite data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to uncover how variables like temperature, rainfall, and elevation affect mosquito populations.
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Glendening's study, titled "Analysis of malaria prevalence and health services in a gold mining site in western Ethiopia: A mixed methods research study," explores the prevalence of malaria, associated risk factors, and the accessibility of healthcare services among migrants to a gold mining site in Ethiopia.
Conducted in collaboration with UCI co-authors Drs. Daniel Parker, Ming-Chieh Lee, and Guiyun Yan, Natasha’s work highlights the intersection of environmental and healthcare challenges faced by vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings, offering valuable insight for improving health outcomes in similar high-risk communities.
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Mst. Sadia Sultana
PhD in Public Health Student (Disease Prevention)
Sultana was honored with the prestigious Student Award for Excellent Research in Public Health Education and Health Promotion by the American Public Health Association (APHA) while at the 2024 APHA Expo & Conference.
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Her research portfolio spans critical topics such as infectious diseases, adolescent development, and maternal health. Her expertise shines through in her impactful conference presentations, where she has addressed critical topics such as sleep quality during pregnancy, trends in children’s health insurance coverage, and the prevalence of skipping breakfast among pregnant women in Bangladesh.
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Conducted in collaboration with students from the UC Irvine Department of Statistics and under the mentorship of Dr. Bernadette Boden-Albala, this innovative research examines the potential of machine learning and neural networks in predicting stroke recurrence. Additionally, Ms. Ding received a predoctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association that came with funding for two years. The title of her project is Assessing Stroke Risk and Outcomes Among Asian Americans Using the American Heart Association Life's Essential 8 Metrics.
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Madeline Karen Marie Vera-Colón
PhD in Environmental Health Sciences student
Vera-Colón, recently contributed to the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention Symposium, focusing on health disparities within communities of color.
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Her research delves into the significant challenges faced by these communities, particularly regarding high-risk pregnancies and birth defects. In her work, Vera-Colón emphasizes the disproportionate rates of infant and maternal mortality, preterm births, and developmental and physical defects in communities of color, where environmental exposures—such as pesticides, lead in water, and wildfire smoke—along with inadequate healthcare, exacerbate these disparities.
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Innovative research on the interplay between conflict and cholera outbreaks in Yemen has earned a prestigious F31 fellowship from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for Ms. Maia Tarnas, a doctoral candidate in the PhD in Public Health degree program.
Her work sheds light on how war exacerbates public health crises, offering critical insights for mitigating the impact of infectious diseases in conflict zones. Tarnas' findings aim to uncover the deeper mechanisms driving the epidemic, focusing on the connection between conflict, infrastructure, and disease dynamics.
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Emilia Fields
PhD in Public Health student (Disease Prevention)
Fields was awarded the 2024-2025 Distinguished Public Impact Fellowship by the UCI Graduate Division. This prestigious fellowship recognizes outstanding students whose research has the potential to significantly improve the lives of people in California and beyond.
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She also received honorable mention for the 2024-2025 Fletcher Jones Fellowship. Along with financial support, both fellowships highlight her dedication to tackling real-world challenges through her work, showcasing her commitment to creating meaningful and lasting change in the realm of public health.
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If you are a current student and would like to submit an award that you received for inclusion in the next Student Spotlight Newsletter, please reply to this email.
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