Author Archives: Chloe Wolma

Viral Hepatitis Epidemiologist, State of Maine

Category : Alumni

In this position, the applicant will serve as an epidemiologist focused on viral hepatitis and other infectious diseases in Maine. The applicant will be responsible for conducting public health surveillance of viral hepatitis illnesses and will serve as secondary subject matter expert for one or more other infectious diseases. This position initiates public health actions to control and/or prevent the spread of these infectious diseases in Maine. The applicant will develop, manage, and evaluate statewide infectious disease surveillance systems; conduct public health interventions; participate in outbreak investigations; and provide consultation on reportable disease conditions to protect the health of Maine citizens and visitors. This position is within the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Program at the Maine CDC Division of Disease Surveillance.

For more information and application instructions, visit the posting linked here.

Unconventional Data Sources You May Not Have Known Could be Used for Public Health Research

Category : PROspective

When most people think of public data, they picture surveys, hospital records, or REDCap forms. But the world is full of unconventional, creative, and downright surprising sources of public health data. Some are used in cutting-edge research, others in outbreak response, and a few are just fun to explore when you need academic inspiration.

Here are some surprisingly powerful (and cool) data sources worth knowing about:

  1. Wastewater Surveillance: Your toilet flush could be a powerful public health signal. Wastewater has been used to detect COVID-19 waves before clinical spikes, polio in communities with low vaccination rates, and antibiotic resistance trends. Because wastewater captures population-level signals—no surveys, no self-reporting—it’s becoming a cornerstone of early outbreak detection. There are even public dashboards tracking viral concentration in real time.
  2. Social Media & Search Engine Data: Your tweets, Google searches, and TikTok videos aren’t just procrastination—they’re data. Google Trends was once used to estimate influenza activity globally. Negative reviews of scented candles were found to be positively correlated with COVID-19 surges. Social data is messy but rich—and perfect for EPI students interested in informatics, sentiment analysis, or misinformation research.
  3. Satellite Imagery: Public health data can be measured from outer space. These satellite scans can be used to examine environmental hazards, to inform natural disaster emergency response, and even to identify non-communicable disease patterns. Some datasets are free through NASA and NOAA, so log onto ArcGIS Pro and see what patterns you can identify!
  4. Glacial Ice Cores: Scientists drill deep into glaciers to analyze trapped air bubbles from thousands of years ago. These frozen time capsules can contain ancient bacteria, fragments of virus particles, and even anthrax spores that have the potential to cause disease if the permafrost were to melt. This data fits right in when epidemiology meets paleoclimatology—a niche, yes, but undeniably cool.
  5. Food Delivery Apps: Delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Doordash contain unconventional data on food purchasing patterns. Researchers have used this data to explore nutritional intake, to understand how social determinants of health are linked to weight status, and to inform future initiatives to improve access to healthy foods. These studies are a great example of researchers adapting their data sources to the modern technological environment to better population health for all.
  6. Critters and Creepy-Crawlies: Creatures can be sampled in the field to understand disease patterns within the zoonotic reservoir. Mosquito sampling can be used to predict patterns of West Nile Virus in humans. Hunters can submit deer for Chronic Wasting Disease testing to ensure safe consumption. Non-invasive sampling methods are also used to monitor for disease without disrupting ecosystems or causing unnecessary distress to animals. Understanding zoonotic data gives us the power of early detection, helping us in our efforts to stay one step ahead of the next pandemic.

Public health research is evolving. Traditional datasets are a great resource, but utilizing new methods can allow us to extend our research to new areas. These alternative sources can capture real-time behavior, reduce self-report bias, detect outbreaks early, and highlight inequities that medical data may miss. Keep an eye out for these methods when you are reviewing public health literature!

Infectious Disease Epidemiology Intern, Moderna

Category : Student Opportunities

Moderna is seeking a highly motivated graduate student to join the Infectious Disease Epidemiology team as a Summer 2026 Intern. This 11-week internship (June 1st through August 14th) will support vaccine development programs for respiratory viruses (influenza, RSV, SARS-CoV-2) and gastrointestinal viruses (norovirus), providing a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in real-world epidemiologic research, vaccine development, and decision-making processes.

For more information and application instructions, visit the job post linked here.

Fall Town Hall Meeting, Department of Epidemiology

Category : News/Events

Join your Epi Reps for a town hall meeting on Tuesday, November 4th from 12-1pm in RRR 200. Please fill out the survey linked here in advance.

Community Food Drive, Department of Epidemiology

Category : News/Events

The Epidemiology PhD Reps are hosting a Food Drive from October 31-November 14 to support the Atlanta Community Food Bank, which serves over 600 non-profit partner agencies in 29 counties across metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

With the end of SNAP benefits on November 1st due to the government shutdown, many households in our community are at increased risk of food insecurity, a critical public health issue that impacts physical and mental health and well-being.

You can help by donating non-perishable food items in the collection boxes located in the 2nd and 3rd floor kitchens.

Please reference this list for to identify items most in need:

  • After school snacks like fruit cups, granola, apple sauce, jerky, etc.
  • Baking staples like flour, sugar, spices, etc.
  • Beans (canned or dry)
  • Canned fruit/veggies
  • Dry cereals
  • Canned meats (tuna/chicken)
  • Pasta and pasta sauce
  • Peanut butter
  • Instant meals (shelf-stable)
  • Salt, pepper, olive oil
  • Soups/broths

Please note that they will not accept glass containers, pet food, baby food, or condiments. Basic essentials such as diapers, feminine hygiene products, and paper products are welcome as well.

Every contribution can collectively make a big public health impact. Thank you for helping us make a difference!

Areas of EPI Info Session, Department of Epidemiology

Category : News/Events

The RSPH department of Epidemiology is beginning Areas of EPI, a 2-part event that will take place next month. The goal of these events is to introduce you to the breadth of epidemiologic topics and research happening in the department.

Part 1: Informational Session – Wednesday, November 12th: This session will feature short presentations from EPI faculty representing one of at least five broad areas of epidemiologic research. They will describe a bit about the topic area in general (e.g., what is social epidemiology?) and then will highlight some of the research they and their colleagues are conducting in that space.

Part 2: Brown Bag Networking Lunches – November 13th , 17th & 20th : Bring your lunch and come meet with faculty whose interests align with yours (or whose work you’d like to learn more about!). We will host 3 different brown bag lunches, stratified by topic area: 

  • November 13th at 12pm – Chronic (includes cancer/cardio) & Social
  • November 17th at 12pm – Infectious Disease 
  • November 20th at 12pm – RPPE & GME 

Be on the lookout for calendar invitations for the brown bag lunches from Frad in the near-term. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact him directly (fraduntino [dot] barry [at] emory [dot] edu).

Spring 2026 Electives, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health

Category : News/Events

Interested in taking a deeper dive into Environmental Health and topics such as Community-Based Research, Environmental Health Omics, Climate Change Communications, and Global EH Policy? Check out the Gangarosa Dept. of Environmental Health’s Spring 2026 Course Showcase with instructors talking about their spring classes that you can consider to take as electives. The slides from the presentation are available ​here​. 

Reducing Drug-Related Harms Using Big Data: Administrative, geospatial, and network sources

Category : Student Opportunities

Course opportunity: BSHES 735 – Reducing Drug-Related Harms Using Big Data: Administrative, geospatial, and network sources with TADA

This course will focus on learning to analyze administrative, network & geospatial data in the context of research & interventions for substance use disorders & drug-related harms. For more information, visit the Emory Course Atlas.

Networking Night, Georgia Public Health Association

Category : News/Events

📣 Happening Soon: GPHA’s Networking Night!
 
This is an evening designed to connect students, alumni, faculty, and public health professionals who share a passion for improving community health across Georgia. Find your future APE, internship, or job while connecting with public health professionals in Georgia! 
 
🗓️ Date: November 13, Thursday
📍 Location: CNR 8030
🕕 Time: 6:00–8:00 PM
📸 Free Professional Headshots: 4:45–5:45 PM in RL19
 
Register on the Hub and add it to your calendars!
 

Reducing Drug-Related Harms Using Big Data: Administrative, Geospatial, and Network sources

Category : Student Opportunities

Course Opportunity: BSHES 735 – Reducing Drug-Related Harms Using Big Data: Administrative, Geospatial, and Network sources with TADA

This course will focus on learning to analyze administrative, network & geospatial data in the context of research & interventions for substance use disorders & drug-related harms. For more information, visit the Emory Course Atlas.

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