InsideAPE: Ajilé Owens and Sanitation Behavior in India

For this week’s #InsideAPE feature, we are talking to Ajilé Owens about her project this summer!

Tell us about your APE project

I am currently working with Dr. Clasen’s research group on their child feces management (CFM) study in Odisha, India. The overall goal of the project is to design and implement a behavior change randomized controlled trial to encourage safe CFM. My role on the project is primarily data analysis.

How did you find your APE?

One afternoon, I sat and made a list of all the professors that I might be interested in working with. I reached out to all of them, met with most of them, and decided to follow up with Dr. Clasen. He was super helpful in pointing me in the direction of the different project leads who then gave me so much information about the team’s available projects!

How has the pandemic changed the scope of your project?

The pandemic has completely shifted the focus of the project but in the best way! I was originally planning to travel to India to conduct a process evaluation. While I’m sad I didn’t get to go to India, I now get to work on a COVID-19 sub-study, researching how a pandemic might impact sanitation behaviors. This work is so important right now and my team is so supportive and collaborative that I could not be happier.

How did you survive lockdown and what’s the first thing you can’t wait to do once it’s safe again?

During this lockdown, I’ve really prioritized taking care of myself, unlike during this semester. I started taking running more seriously and I now spend more time focusing on my health and nutrition. I also get so much more sleep! But, once it’s safe again, I would seriously love to make a whole evening of going to the movies. My living room is pretty much a dine-in theater, but it’s definitely not the same!

Thanks to Ajilé for her time, and stay tuned to next week’s Confounder for our next #InsideAPE feature!