London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Educational/professional background

I graduated with my bachelor’s degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa where I studied Sociology/Anthropology and Religion. During my degree, I became very passionate about public health and individual health experiences. After graduation, and before coming to LSHTM, I worked some seasonal positions as well as serving as the Life Enrichment Director at a retirement community.  

Research interests/career goals

While I am not completely certain what my career goals are, I really enjoy working hands-on with people and getting to build relationships with individuals. I hope to use my master’s to expand on my ability to do research that combines both quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand social determinants and implications of health.   

Why I chose LSHTM/my programme

One of the reasons I studied anthropology and religion in my undergraduate degree is because I believe that those disciplines are often left out of conversations and decisions that are affecting everyday people. By choosing the MSc Demography & Health I am hoping to improve my quantitative skills to make me a more well-rounded researcher and be able to offer an anthropological perspective to conversations about demographics and public health. LSHTM offered an intensive course that could help me build on existing skills and passions while also providing the support that allowed me to branch out of my comfort zone in disciplines like epidemiology and demographic methods.