Research Portfolio
My research focuses on three connected areas:
2024 U.S. Department of State
Critical Language Scholar: Kiswahili
I lived in Tanzania for eight weeks as part of an intensive Kiswahili language acquisition program through the U.S. Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship. During my time in Tanzania, I learned a great deal from my teachers, host family, local farmers, researchers, and NGO workers.
A highlight was visiting a traditional Chagga agroforestry homestead in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, where I planted beans and corn. I also visited the World Vegetable Center East Africa headquarters and delivered a presentation and final paper on climate change and indigenous Tanzanian beans in Kiswahili.
Master of Public Health Capstone Project: Renewable Energy Siting
Environmental Health and Environmental Justice Impact Assessment
This Capstone report provides HDR, an American design and engineering company, with an overview of the regulatory procedures related to renewable energy siting in New York State. Methods include a narrative review, qualitative interviews, and a case study, providing key recommendations for developers.
The report equips HDR with the knowledge necessary to advise clients effectively on permit requirements and implications, particularly concerning Disadvantaged Communities (DACs).
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Scoping Review Project Manager
One of my proudest achievements at the Rockefeller Foundation has been leading project management for a scoping review. Leading an international team of 20 collaborators provided invaluable leadership development. I presented preliminary findings at the 2023 Society for Ethnobotany and Ethnobiology Joint Conference.
The ongoing review will identify environmental and agricultural factors affecting crop composition, research gaps, and assess food biomolecule vulnerability. We are following PRISMA guidelines for rigor and transparency.
Methods: We conducted a preliminary search using 150 terms across seven databases, selecting three specialized databases for the main search. Abstracts were screened using Covidence and Zotero, and a data extraction spreadsheet was used to qualitatively code upstream drivers and subsequent effects on food biochemical composition.
Application: Initial analysis shows that soil quality, water availability, climate conditions, and management practices significantly impact crop composition. The final manuscript will categorize and map identified drivers, highlighting under-researched areas and vulnerable food biomolecule groups.
University of Washington St. Louis Institute of Public Health
Gold Family Summer Research Scholar
2021 Institute of Public Health Summer Research Program
As a research assistant for the Compound Vulnerability and COVID-19: African American and African Low Wage Allied Healthcare Workers and Ancillary Staff project, I transcribed qualitative interviews; helped develop and design the research survey instrument with Qualtrics software; authored topical research summaries on themes of frontline work, COVID-19 racial disparities in St. Louis, and vaccine misinformation; conducted a literature review on vaccine hesitancy; and conducted qualitative coding and vaccine hesitancy data analysis as part of a subproject gauging vaccine hesitancy in our research population.