"I’m studying at the School of Public Health because I want to do research that improves access to preventive services and care in low resource environments.

Low resource environments are communities that lack the money, facilities, equipment, supplies or workforce to provide adequate health care.

I’m particularly interested in the barriers to vaccination in Uganda. This issue is important to me because access to vaccination is something that every child deserves to have. The WHO estimates that nearly 1-in-5 children do not receive the basic package of immunizations each year — an immense global gap. This translates into 3 million deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases every year. Vaccination is a ‘best-buy’ in public health. It can protect both individuals and their communities from diseases that have sickened and killed millions of people in the past.

I would love to better understand current barriers to vaccination — whether from a lack of access to vaccination or perceptions that hinder people from receiving vaccinations. This year, I’m moving to Uganda to research vaccination decision making. My hope is that understanding the barriers can lead to a better set of potential solutions to be implemented.”